SEPT-OCT 2021 | PLANOMAGAZINE.COM
T H E
G U I D E
T O
T H E
G O O D
S T U F F
A Company Built on Women Helping Women Ebby Halliday was a champion for women in business long before it was popular. Ebby was known to personally train widows in the art of being an agent, giving many of them their first employment opportunity outside the home. After Ebby helped “pull them up,” they would turn around and pull others up, and so on. Now, 76 years later, Ebby Halliday Realtors has grown into the No. 1 real estate brand in Collin County, all thanks to one woman’s example and the discernment of countless others to follow it. If you would like to buy or sell in this market, you will need a fulltime, experienced agent by your side. We recommend one of ours.
Ebby Halliday, pictured second from right, 1957
Julie Adler Julie Adler
Janine Bayer
214-223-7255 julieadler@ebby.com
Janine Bayer Bayer Group 469-585-8569 janinebayer@ebby.com
Kay Cheek 972-333-4541 kaycheek@ebby.com
Kay Cheek
Tonya Dangerfield
Tonya Dangerfield 214-641-4491 tonyadangerfield@ebby.com
Sandra Diaz-Mills 214-864-9220 sdiazmills@ebby.com
Angelia Ekholm Sandra Diaz-Mills
Angelia Ekholm
972-515-9031 angeliaekholm@ebby.com
Debbie Fellwock 214-212-5213 debbiefellwock@ebby.com
Kam Gill 972-746-7742 kam@ebby.com
Debbie Fellwock
Kam Gill W OM E N IN B USIN E SS 202 1
Lori Gladstone 469-980-9209 lorigladstone@ebby.com
Lori Gladstone
Mollie Hancock
Deepti Kaul
Claudia Kelley
Kathleen Langley
Pam Lewis
Avaan Bulsara Lieberman
Sarah Liu
Mollie Hancock 972-978-1710 molliehancock@ebby.com
Deepti Kaul 214-886-7289 deeptikaul@ebby.com
Claudia Kelley 214-762-6769 claudiakelley@ebby.com
Kathleen Langley 214-478-9988 kathleenlangley@ebby.com
Pam Lewis 214-675-1477 pamlewis@ebby.com
Avaan Bulsara Lieberman 469-867-4663 avaan@avaanl.com
Sarah Liu 972-743-4635 sarahliu@ebby.com
EB B Y H A L L IDAY REA LTORS
Lorena Locke Lorena Locke
Cynthia Lopez
972-342-5630 lorena@ebby.com
Cynthia Lopez 214-769-2142 cynthialopez@ebby.com
Lynda Moore 817-243-0663 lyndamoore@ebby.com
Lynda Moore
Martha Morguloff
Martha Morguloff The Morguloff Team 214-354-5266 marthamorguloff@ebby.com
Danna Morguloff-Hayden The Morguloff Team 214-533-3217 dannam-h@ebby.com
Stefany Nau Stacey Feltman Group
Danna Morguloff-Hayden
Stefany Nau
469-805-1588 stefanynau@ebby.com
Karina Nunez 469-682-1054 karina@ebby.com
Cindy O’Gorman The O’Gorman Group 972-380-7389 cindyogorman@ebby.com
Karina Nunez
Cindy O’Gorman W OM E N IN B USIN E SS 202 1
Cyndy Powell 469-733-2879 cyndypowell@ebby.com
Cyndy Powell
Kim Miles Poynor
Kimberly Pulaski
Mary Reeves
Jill Robertson
Kristi Schwartz
Tracey Shuey
Alison Smith
Kim Miles Poynor 972-672-9918 kimpoynor@ebby.com
Kimberly Pulaski 972-375-7979 kimberlypulaski@ebby.com
Mary Reeves 214-693-4950 maryreeves@ebby.com
Jill Robertson 214-534-3006 jillrobertson@ebby.com
Kristi Schwartz 214-755-6749 kristischwartz@ebby.com
Tracey Shuey Shuey Group 214-801-1209 traceyshuey@ebby.com
Alison Smith The Central Perch Group 214-707-5859 alisonsmith@ebby.com
EB B Y H A L L IDAY REA LTORS
Jodi Smith Stacey Feltman Group
Jodi Smith
Lauren Stevens
972-965-9301 jodismith@ebby.com
Lauren Stevens 214-403-6554 laurenstevens@ebby.com
Ann Stewart 972-979-9606 annstewart@ebby.com
Ann Stewart
Teri Taylor
Teri Taylor 214-808-4673 teritaylor@ebby.com
Laura Vanderpoel 214-460-6181 lauravanderpoel@ebby.com
Angel Willeford Laura Vanderpoel
Angel Willeford
214-803-1118 angel@ebby.com
Kimberly Woodard 214-632-2092 kimberlywoodard@ebby.com
Stacey Zimmerman 469-865-3656 staceyz@ebby.com
Agent Name Kimberly Woodard
Name StaceyAgent Zimmerman W OM E N IN B USIN E SS 202 1
Ranked among the Best Hospitals in the nation once again. There’s nothing we love better than caring for you. Get to know the team that’s consistently ranked among the best in Texas. Make an appointment today by scanning the QR code to download MyBSWHealth.
Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers or Baylor Scott & White Health. ©2021 Baylor Scott & White Health. 99-PL-363002 L/GD
Scan to download MyBSWHealth
2021 C 300 COUPE
THERE IS NO REPL ACEMENT FOR
BRILLIANCE
6455 Dallas Parkway 972.599.0909 mbplano.com A Ewing Automotive Company
THE LUXE L I F E.
PRESTON ROAD AT NORTHWEST HIGHWAY ThePlazaAtPrestonCenter.com
JEANS, JACKET, SWEATER, SHIRT & TIE I JOS. A. BANK WATCH I BACHENDORF’S SHOES I NEW BALANCE DFW GLASSES I OCCHIALI
SWEATER, BLOUSE, SHOES & BAG I TOOTSIES SKIRT I CARLISLE ETCETERA RING I MATTHEW TRENT LOCATION I TRUE FOOD KITCHEN
972 . 9 6 4 .74 0 0
|
6 4 2 5EWINGBUICKGMC.COM DA L L AS P KWY, P L A|N6425 O, DALLAS T E XAS 75 024 | 972.964.7400 PKWY, PLANO, TEXAS 75024
RESERVE YOUR NEXT
ALL ELECTRIC REVOLUTIONARY SUPERTRUCK AT EWING BUICK GMC
2022 GMC HUMMER EV SUV
SONJA KABELL Regional Operations Manager BeBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Centers 7130 Preston Road, Suite 200, Plano 75204 Plano.bebalancedcenters.com 214-501-4402 Sonja Kabell has dedicated nearly 20 years to the health and wellness industry. She doesn’t think of her career as a job, but rather as an opportunity to serve. Her passion is helping women with hyper-busy schedules find the perfect balance between home and work. Being part of a woman’s healthy transformation to improve mood, sleep, energy, PMS and menopausal symptoms is what makes every day on the job worthwhile. WHAT SERVICES DOES BeBALANCED PROVIDE? We offer women’s focused health and wellness services that empower them to love their bodies at any age, while achieving the highest quality of life through natural hormone balance and weight loss. WHO DOES BeBALANCED HELP? We help women get their lives back. We believe you don’t have to accept symptoms commonly associated with the aging process and instead encourage women to live a full life of vitality, health and happiness. Women influence their surroundings; if they are balanced, their environment and people around them will be too. WHAT SETS BeBALANCED APART FROM COMPETITORS? We are a natural alternative, offering a holistic approach to weight-loss and hormone balancing. Our program includes proprietary, all-natural hormone balancing supplements, a whole-foods hormone-balancing diet and soundwave-relaxation therapy to not only rebalance sex hormones, but also lower cortisol and stabilize blood sugar and insulin. Through our program, clients work one-on-one with a natural hormone balancing specialist for support along the way. The program is proven and has long-lasting results. WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WOMEN GOING INTO A HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROFESSION? The industry is ever-changing. New information is available daily, so it’s important to pick a good school that gives up-to-date information. The calories in/out doesn’t work, especially after age 40. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? “Good vibes only AND stay flexible.” There’s no way to predict what a day will look like. HOW DO YOU BETTER THE COMMUNITY ASIDE FROM WORK? I’ve served on the Ambassador Committee and Women’s Division Board for the Plano Chamber of Commerce, the Historic Downtown Plano Association board, and PTA boards for Davis Elementary, Haggard Middle School and Vines High School. I have worked with Hope’s Door and am involved in multiple local networking groups and arts and entertainment organizations. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? I have an innate ability to see the big picture and am constantly evolving into the next version of myself. I like to live out loud and grow as a human, which is why this career is a perfect fit.
12
Advertisement P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Bow-WOW! Carries all my toys and theirs too! — Goldie, The Dog
EWINGSUBARUOFPLANO.COM | 972.801.9900 | 1555 DALLAS PARKWAY
2022 SUBARU OUTBACK
Did you miss us? We’re back in print this month after roughly a year of going paperless. The last time Plano Magazine was delivered to homes and businesses, it was only a couple weeks before our country went into lockdown for COVID-19. Of course, most of you continued to read our digital magazine online, and more than thousands of you continue following Plano news, information and calendar events on our website at planomagazine.com, as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages. But lots of you have been asking for our return to print, and we’re glad to be back! Most of you know how our business works, but this is a good time to thank the neighborhood businesspeople who provide the financial support necessary to cover our costs for reporting, photographing, printing and distributing our online content and 30,000 print magazines. Something else that’s new since we last got together: We’re now a nonprofit news organization, supported by sales and donations. We’re working on new ways to help you understand what that change means to you and our business — in fact, we just found out we’ve been accepted to a competitive national journalism program designed to help local news outlets maintain their vibrancy. One way everyone can help today is by sending us ideas for stories and photos relevant to all of us — interesting neighbors, new businesses, news that impacts Plano. If it seems interesting to you, it will probably be interesting to the rest of us. Let us know what you’re thinking at editor@planomagazine.com. Well, that’s enough housekeeping details for this month. Just remember to tell us what you think about how we’re doing, and don’t be shy: We want to hear the good with the less-good, because all feedback helps us celebrate the #PlanoGoodStuff.
-Jehadu Abshiro
14
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
ISSUE NO.35
CONTENTS
16 SNEHA NADELLA 20 PATRICIA GROCE 24 CALENDAR 26 TARSHA POLK HEARNS 28 KAREN PARKS 30 AMBER LA FRANCE 32 DIGITIZING PLANO 36 PEOPLE OF PLANO
PLANOMAGAZINE.COM | editor@planomagazine.com | sales@planomagazine.com | 214.560.4212 PUBLISHER Jehadu Abshiro | FOUNDERS Luke and Jennifer Shertzer | WRITER Joshua Baethge DESIGNERS Jynnette Neal | Jessica Turner SALES Michele Paulda | Frank McClendon | Brian Beavers
CONTRIBUTORS Kathy Tran • Daniel Rockey• Liesbeth Powers • Rachel Stone ILLUSTRATION • Jessica Turner P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
15
The Social Justice Prodigy story NICK BRIDEWLL art VOSKRESIJA ANDREEVSKA
16
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
17
SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE WE MEET IN LIFE FOREVER IMPACT OUR FUTURES.
T
hat’s the case with Sneha Nadella, a teenage author and activist, who has t a k e n e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r s a t P l a n o We s t High School to a new level in an effort to combat human trafficking. Her contributions include founding the It’s G o i n g To B e O k a y c l u b c h a p t e r a t P l a n o We s t High School, founding and co-hosting the “Let’s Ta l k Tr a f f i c k i n g ” p o d c a s t , a n d f i n a l l y p u b l i s h i n g her debut novel, Section 16. Her fight against human trafficking began as a seventh-grader volunteering for a gala, where s h e m e t To n y a S t a f f o r d , a h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g survivor and originator of the national It’s Going To B e O k a y g r o u p . “I was struck by her story. It was simply impossible to ignore,” Sneha says. “The message regarding the value in the fight against this issue was also impossible to turn a blind eye to.” T h r o u g h t h e l o c a l I t ’ s G o i n g To B e O k a y group, Sneha says she can directly help human trafficking survivors. “All of the goods that we collect are for the sole purpose of assisting with the rehabilitation of victims, helping them get back to pursuing an education and coping with their trauma”, she says. A s t h e c o - h o s t o f t h e L e t ’ s Ta l k Tr a f f i c k i n g podcast, an essential part of Sneha’s work is spreading awareness about human trafficking through deep-dive conversations with survivors and activists. “ We d i s c u s s h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g c a s e s , t h e t o l l they have on mental health,” Sneha says, “and how trafficking networks can grow so big with little word amidst the public as it happens.” Sneha’s next contribution to the fight against human trafficking is her debut novel, Section 16, which follows a teenage protagonist looped
18
into an intricate domestic servitude scheme. The novel is a cautionary tale, exploring the personality and environmental traits that make the main character susceptible to traffickers. The book came about when Sneha realized that so much of the audience she had on the L e t ’ s Ta l k Tr a f f i c k i n g p o d c a s t w a s i n t h e 1 8 + a g e range, leaving a younger age gap to inform. “Early teens are often in a stage where they are still growing and understanding the world, hence urging the need to educate them over what consists of reality,“ Sneha says. “Human trafficking is very much a reality. “I direct my book towards late middle school children and early teenagers because they are a very perceptible age group,” Sneha says, “especially with social media being around. For traffickers, hiding behind profiles and luring victims into their scheme is a very common occurrence as younger generations put their life out on various public platforms. Whether obvious or not, traffickers rely heavily on using an individual’s vulnerability to their advantage.” Sneha credits the Plano community for supporting her efforts. “I believe Plano has an amazing community, and the students in both my school and my local community have been incredibly supportive in joining me in the fight against human trafficking,” Sneha says. “It’s a good feeling to know that I am not only a part of a movement, but I have others joining me along the journey. There is power in numbers.”
P
Learn more about Sneha’s journey and her novel, “Section 16”, on her website at www.snehanadella.com
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Turn Heads Again Over 14,000 patients served since 1987 BREASTS
•
BODY
•
FACE
•
SKIN
Dr. Elizabeth Kerner is a skilled and experienced board certified plastic surgeon committed to your care. She and her staff have been a part of the Plano community for decades, and have cared for their patients for so long they’re practically family.
6130 W Parker Rd #110, Plano, TX 75093 972-981-7144 drkerner.com
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
19
COMING TOGETHER THROUGH SHARED CULTU story Joshua Baethge | photos Kathy Tran
20
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
URE
FAMILY FUN
IS BACK!
$30 OFF TICKETS & COUPON
4-PACK SEPT. 24
THRU
BUY ONLINE
AND SAVE BIG! USE PROMO CODE
21starCOMBO BIGTEX.COM Valid on new orders only and cannot be combined with other offers.
OCT. 17
All the good stuff. Be one of the cool kids, sign up for our emails planomagazine.com/newsletter
21
P
atricia Groce has called Plano home for more than 20 years. During that time, she’s raised a family and worked as a teacher for Plano ISD. When health issues necessitated a career change, she transitioned to a job at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. She says she loves helping people there. And if she gets paid for it, that’s good, too. Despite living a happy American life, a part of her still sometimes longs for her E c u a d o r. T h a t m o t i v a t e d h e r t o e s t a b l i s h the Asociación de Damas Ecuatorianas e n e l N o r t e d e Te x a s ( t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f E c u a d o r e a n Wo m e n i n N o r t h Te x a s ) . I t i s a support group for the Ecuadorean expats and an opportunity to celebrate their shared heritage. When Groce was 20 years old, she married an American serviceman. For years they moved from place to place depending on his assignment. One of the things that always made life easier for her was being involved with military wives’ organizations wherever she lived. About five years ago, she was talking to a couple of Ecuadorians i n N o r t h Te x a s a n d h a t c h e d t h e i d e a o f starting a group for women who had
22
moved from that country. “I knew the necessity in the ethnic community for women like me, especially the ones that spoke English as a second language,” she said. “Culture shock affects everyone when you move to a new community.” Groce put out the word on social media that she would be hosting a gathering at her Plano home. She cooked a traditional Ecuadorean soup and expected to meet a few new people. Little did she know 27 p e o p l e w o u l d s h o w u p a t h e r d o o r. “I have never had to add more water to the soup like I did that day,” she recalled. “I realized that there was such a big need. We w e r e a l l l o o k i n g f o r t h e s a m e t h i n g . ” That “thing” was a desire to be a part of something. Many people who emigrate from Ecuador immerse themselves in local culture. They learn English and raise their kids like anyone else. Groce says there is an independent streak among many of the immigrants who each came here under different circumstances. “One thing many people don’t realize is that the longer you are away from your home country, the harder it is to go back,” she says.
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Each meeting has a different theme. Previous guest speakers have included representatives from the Ecuadorian consulate, a speaker from the U.S. Census Bureau and local real estate and insurance experts. According to Groce, people in the Spanishspeaking community often fall victim to fraud. Through these talks, she hopes not only to educate group members but also to encourage them to speak up and ask questions, something that doesn’t always come easy for people in her culture. The group has also coordinated toy drives and held celebrations for Christmas and Ecuador Independence Day on Aug. 10. While the pandemic has spurred a move to more online meetings, the group has still managed to maintain a loyal following. It’s something Groce hopes to continue for a long time.
P
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
23
2
24
2 HAPPY HOUR HIKE
CE: LA ST CHI LD
EXPE RI EN CE
IS
SEPTEM BER CER T W IT H TOXI C
S
F PL AN O
RF ES T
TH
AN N UAL N O RT H TE XA S PR ID E FE ST IVAL SAT 7AM -10 PM , SA IGL ING HO USE , 902 E 16T H ST. “COM E AS YO U AR E” FES TIVAL
25 10
SAT NO ON -10 PM , LEGAC Y HA LL, 780 0 WIN DR OS LIV E MU SIC , GE E AV E. RM AN BRATS AN D OK TO BER FES T BEE R SEP T
25 4TH ANNUAL OKTOBE
SAT-SU N 10A M2PM , PLA NO EV EN T CE NTE R, 200 NE VER TO EARLY 0 E SPR ING CR EEK TO START HO LID PKW Y AY SHO PPI NG. GR AB A FRI EN D, AN SEP T D GE T SHO PPI
24-25 HOLLYDAYS M AR KE T O
THU R 6PM , HAGG AR D PA RK , 901 E 15T H ST. EN JOY A BA LMY SUM ME R EV EN ING IN BEAUTI FUL HA GGAR D PA RK SEP T
21 JA ZZ UNDE R THE STAR
NG
FRI 8-10PM , LEG AC Y HA LL BOX GA RD EN , 780 0 CELEB RATE YO UR WIN DR OS E AV E. FRE ED OM WIT H YO UR GIR L GA NG – IT’S WHAT BRI T WO ULD WA NT. SEP T
17 ‘FRE E BRITNEY’ CON
SHOWT IME S VA RY, THE PLA NO HO USE OF CO ME FRO M DIS NE Y CH DY, 7301 LO NE STA AN NE L OR IGI NA R DR IVE L SER IES JUS T RO LL WIT H IT, LA RG SEP T ER THA N LIF E
16-19 COMEDIAN JC CUR RA
SAT 7PM , LEGAC Y HA LL, 780 0 WIN DR OS E AV E. GN RX RECREATES THAT FER OC ITY UN LIK E AN Y OT HE R GU NS N’ RO SES TRI BU TE SEP T
10 THE GUNS N’ ROSE S
SHOW TIM ES VA RY, RO DE NB AU GH THE ATR E WIL LO NTPA REP ERTOR W BEN D CE NTE Y THE ATR E’S MU R OF THE AR TS SIC AL PRO DU CT ION SEP T
10-19 CABARE T
SAT 7PM , LEGAC Y HA LL, 780 0 WIN DR OS E AV E. BES T OF AE RO SM ITH FRO M THE CL AS SIC S TO THE NE WE R VIN TAG E HIT S. SEP T
8 AEROSM ITH EXPE RIEN
SEP T
THU RSDAY 6-9 PM , LEGAC Y WE ST, 780 0 WIN DR OS SIP -AN D-S HO P E AV E. EV EN T
SEP T
24
AL
HO US E
FE ST IVAL
M US ICAL
FE ST IVAL
AN D TH ERE’S SO MU CH MORE ...
SIG N UP TO RE CE IVE EV EN TS AT PL AN OM AGAZ IN E.C PROM OT E YO UR OM /N EW SLE TTE EVEN T AT PLANO R MAGA ZIN E.COM FOR DE TA ILS OF /EVEN T-S UB MI SS AL L EV EN TS, CL ICK IO N EV EN TS AT PL AN OM AG BE SU RE TO CO AZINE.COM NF IRM TIM E AN D DATES BE FO RE AT TEN DIN G AN Y EV EN T
*
SAT 11A M- 4PM , WIL LOW BEN D PA RK ING DE CK D, NO RTH TEX AS PER RO OF LEV EL FO RM ING AR TS’ INAUG UR AL DR IVE -TH RU EV EN T
T
31 NTPA TRUNK-OR-TREA
SAT 6-11PM , LEG AC Y HA LL, REN AIS SA NC E DA LLA DR IVE S LEGAC Y WE ST, 6007 LEGAC Y SUP PO RT THI S NO -KI LL SHE LTE R IN STY LE WIT H YO UR FUR BA BY OC T
23 PUPS IN PEARLS GA LA
SAT-SUN 11AM-9PM , AMPHITHEATER AT OAK POINT PAR CO NC ERT S, CO K, 2801 E SPRING NTE MP OR ARY AR CREEK PKW Y T, CL AS SIC CA RS AN D CU STO M MO OC T TO RC YC LES
16-17 PL ANO MUSIC & AR TS
SHOWT IME S VA RY, RO DE NB AU GH THE ATR E WIL LO THE EPI C STR UG W BEN D CE NTE GL E BET WE EN GO R OF THE AR TS OD AN D EV IL CO ME S TO LIF E ON OC T STAGE
15-24 JE KYLL AND HY DE TH E
SUN 7PM , RED TAI L PAV ILIO N, 280 1 E SPR ING CR EEK A HA RD NIG HT’ PKW Y S DAY HE AD LIN ES THI S AN NUAL PLA NO TRA DIT ION OC T
9 BEATLE S NIGHT 2021
SAT 12-7PM , LEG AC Y WE ST, 590 8 HE AD QUAR TER S AWAR D-W INN ING DR IVE WIN ERI ES, LIV E MU SIC AN D DE LIC IOU S PLA NO RES TAU RA NTS OC T
9 PL ANO FOOD + WINE
OC T
THU RS 6-9 PM , LEG AC Y WE ST, 780 0 WIN DR OS E AV E. SIP -AN D-S HO P EV EN T
7 HAPPY HOUR HIKE
SHOWT IME S VA RY, AR T CE NTR E THE ATR E, 140 0 SUM TEE NAGE OU TCA MIT AV E. SUI TE E ST IS PU SHE D TO O FAR OC T
1-10 CARRIE: THE MUS IC
FRI -SU N 7-10PM , 701 TAY LO R DR IVE JO IN THE COVE N - BEW ITC H YO UR SEL F OC T
SEP T-OCT
25-31 DARK HOUR HA UN TE D
23
OCTOB E R
9
25
AN ADVOCATE FOR ALL story Joshua Baethge | photos Kathy Tran
26
T
arsha Polk Hearns has dedicated herself to helping people from all backgrounds become successful entrepreneurs. In 2018, the Plano native was tabbed to lead the first LiftFund Women’s Business Center in North Texas. In this role, she helps women and minorities secure funding for their small businesses. She also serves as an advocate for them, providing training and other technical assistance. “There are several obstacles that can prevent people in underserved communities or people that are disadvantaged from becoming successful entrepreneurs,” she says. LiftFund is one of the largest microlenders in the country. Through a partnership with the Small Business Administration, it can provide loans to those who may otherwise have trouble getting the financial backing they need. Often, women and minorities face greater obstacles getting access to that funding. As Hearns points out, it’s only been since 1988 that women in the United States were able to get a loan in all 50 states without having a male co-sign for them. “Thirty-three years is not that long ago,” she says. “It takes a long time for progress to happen, and it takes a long time for change to happen. Even when a woman tries to go to a traditional financial institution, there are still some unconscious biases.” Hearns has confronted some of those biases. While working in the corporate world, she often felt disadvantaged because of her gender and race. After being passed over for a lateral promotion she was more than qualified for, she left and decided to start her own media company.
“That kind of woke me up to the fact that whatever I did, someone else was going to be in control of how I progressed,” she says. As she became successful in her business, she began to think of ways she could help others facing similar obstacles. Hearns was a founding board member of the Collin County Black Chamber of Commerce. Her experience there was the beginning of her increased advocacy for minority-owned businesses. After she became involved with the National Association of Women Business Owners, she felt a calling to do more for them as well. Access to capital is just one challenge many minority and female business owners face. Hearns also works to ensure they have access to networks where many deals and relationships are made. She believes there has been some progress in the aftermath of the 2020 George Floyd murder. Hearns says many corporations, associations and groups that have been traditionally dominated by white men are at least becoming aware of the need for more diversity. She hopes this leads to more inclusion that better represents the views of a wider community, adding that people are inspired when they see someone who looks like them succeeding. Hearns is hopeful her efforts will help other females and minorities find success with their own callings. “I know in my core that my life’s purpose is to inspire people to live their dreams through entrepreneurship,” she says. “I know that is what I have been led on this earth to do, and the path that has been laid out for me, everything has led up to that.”
P
27
KAREN PARK story Daniel Rockey| photos Kathy Tran
28
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
K
aren Park has found success in the restaurant industry, but it hasn’t come without stress. Park is no stranger to the business world. Arriving in the U.S. in 1984 with only a handful of cash and a dream, she worked her way through several successful businesses to become the owner of several restaurants. “Back at that time, not many ladies owned restaurants,” Park says. “It was pretty hard. I had to face all of those hardships myself. Now I can use my former experience to handle my employees, to get good supplies, to run a good business.” She faced challenges throughout her journey. Owning any business is a financial risk, but especially so with r e s t a u r a n t s . To m a k e t h i n g s w o r k , P a r k had to learn a bit of everything to shave costs where she could. “I worked for everything myself,” Park says. “I did construction, I did general contracting, layout. I liked it.” Along with figuring out the logistics of her restaurants, she had to learn the human element of them. Park recalls a time when she was developing a Japanese restaurant in 1996. “When I started, Japanese sushi chefs didn’t really trust women,” she says. “They don’t want me to touch the fish. They say my hands are too warm.” She chuckles and continues. “ I t ’ s a l l j u s t e x c u s e s . T h e y s a i d , ‘ Yo u ’ r e a K o r e a n w o m a n . Yo u d o n ’ t k n o w J a p anese food.’ So I studied. I created some rolls, some dishes, and I paid them on time, always. They trusted me
after that.” Her first Korean restaurant, Ari Korean BBQ, has been with her for some time. She runs it and three other restaurants with her sons and daughter-in-law. Park remembers when she was growing her family, keeping her restaurant afloat while juggling the cornucopia of responsibilities required with raising children. She wasn’t without help for long, as one of her sons, Eugene, started to join her endeavors. “Eugene started helping me since when he was in elementary school,” she says. “He helped me a lot. He stayed with me all the time.” While Eugene and his mother split responsibilities among the restaurants, Karen continues to look for the next opportunity. Ari has remained a fan favorite, with a second location prospering in Plano, alongside Edoko Sushi, Robata and their latest, Korean Street Eats. While Park has certainly laid the groundwork for female business owne r s b e h i n d h e r, t h e r e a r e s t i l l c h a l lenges women entrepreneurs have to face. “First of all, you have to have some capital,” Park says. “That’s just the m o n e y p r o b l e m . Yo u h a v e t o b e r e a d y for hardships. Doing business means y o u h a v e t o s a c r i f i c e a l o t . Yo u h a v e t o f o r g e t a b o u t v a c a t i o n s . Yo u r m i n d can’t rest. If you can handle all the stress, then you can start. “ Yo u c a n d o i t , ” P a r k s a y s . “ I h a d a dream. I went to school. I worked. I built up the business, and I am thankful now that I made my restaurants successful.”
P
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
29
Amber La France Interview RACHEL STONE Photos JESSICA TURNER
30
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
A
mber LaFrance had bedbugs in her $450-a-month apartment in Austin. Otherwise, she might’ve never come back to Dallas, where she’s now one of the most boss public relations mavens in town. Her clients include Deep Vellum Books’ La Reunion imprint, publisher of the long-awaited repress of The Accommodation, and artists such as Jeremiah Onifadé and Mariell Guzman. Her firm has represented clients from fashion designer Venny Etienne to locally owned retail boutiques and major hotels and commercial real estate developments. The 33-year-old is marking her 10-year anniversary of working in the PR business, as well as the eighth year in business for her firm, CultureHype. Her dad helped her move out of that apartment in the middle of the night, leaving a note for the neglectful landlord, and she moved into her dad’s house in her hometown, Plano. By then, she’d put herself through college working in retail and graduated with a degree in marketing and a minor in business from Texas State University. She’d also worked her way from volunteer intern to paid publicist for Heather Wagner Reed of Juice Consulting in Austin. Back in Dallas, she was still working for Reed as needed but realized she didn’t know anyone in PR there. She took another unpaid internship with the bargain that she would be exempt from intern work, like stuffing bags, and get to do client work instead. That’s how she met Jarrod Fresquez, the account executive whose biggest client at the time was the Hilton Anatole. Eventually, Fresquez and LaFrance started their own firm, with him as the face of the operation and LaFrance doing behind-the-scenes PR work. They added Red Bull as a client, and their second event was Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware’s birthday party at the W Hotel. She had student debt and no savings, and she made about $14,000 the first year. “But we aggressively networked,” LaFrance says. They did over 30 events that first year. She lugged her laptop everywhere and always had a change of clothes in her car for
nighttime networking. She forced herself into extroversion with a goal of getting 10 business cards at events and learned networking techniques by watching her business partner in action. After about a year, Fresquez went to work for his family’s financial firm, and LaFrance took over the business and rebranded. She now has four employees, two of whom she trained up from interns. She lives in the Bishop Arts neighborhood and offices at the Common Desk on West Davis.
HER FIRST CLIENTS We kept the Hilton Anatole, and we had Red Bull and Hard Night Good Morning, D’Andra Simmons’ skincare line. She was a friend of Jarrod’s mother, so she became our client, and I was doing press all over the nation for her. It was a little out of my comfort zone at the time, but I ended up getting her in the Wall Street Journal and a lot of national press. She was really my first big client.
MUSIC INDUSTRY PR Musicians weren’t hiring PR at that time, and it was a boys’ club, so I had to educate them on what PR is, why you need to invest in it, what I charge and why I charge that much. So I did this PR stunt, one of my favorite things I’ve done. We planned a circus-themed album release for a band, Goodnight Ned, at Trees. They wanted a “janky circus,” so we made all these circus games in my dad’s backyard. They wanted to be taken seriously by festivals and booking and make more money. We used that as an example, and we blew that party out. There were like 450 people. Then they started to get booked for all the festivals and get good press and all of that.
KEEPING IT FUN Our clients represent what we’re personally into. I have four employees, and they all do business development. They’ll pick clients they want to work with, and they’ll sign them and get that account. It’s really fun.
NOT JUST PR
I expanded my services a few years ago because I was doing a lot of marketing for my PR clients. We do event planning, music booking, influencer marketing and programming for the W, WFAA and the Virgin Hotel.
P
31
Bringing History Back to Life story JOSHUA BAETHGE photos courtesy of PLANO PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT
32
S
tep into the side room of the Courtyard Theater, and it feels like a walk back in time. There are slide projectors, newspaper clippings and even cassette tapes. Nearly every available space in the room is covered with photos, binders and other mementos from a bygone era. It may look like a random mishmash of memorabilia, but there is actually a method to the madness going on in here. For more than a year and a half now, three local women have been meticulously sorting and organizing a vast collection of pictures and long-neglected mementos that had been stored away. Their goal is to identify what the photos show. After that, they plan to digitize them so that they can be uploaded to a website for the whole community to enjoy. Nearly all of the items come from archives of the Plano Parks & Recreation Department, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018. At the time, former Parks director Robin Reeves told community outreach specialist Kelley Crimmins that she should go through the countless boxes of old pictures that had been sitting in the office for ages. Little did Crimmins know that it would become a labor of love. Together with Courtyard Theater Patron Service Attendant Pam Holland and local volunteer Melissa O’Neil, the trio has been whittling down the collection to a point where it is getting close to something presentable. Or at least they think it is. “We just all came together and now we are this closeknit group,” Crimmins says. The group typically meets a couple of afternoons per week. Work initially began with a few boxes and a handheld slide viewer at a space in the Oak Pointe Nature and Retreat Center. At the time it was closed due to COVID-19. When the facility reopened, they moved to the Courtyard Theater space. The women now have slide projectors to more quickly view the endless boxes of slides. Those projectors were once upon a time cutting-edge technology used during city council meetings. With so many items to go through, one of the group’s constant challenges is trying to determine exactly what they are looking at. One of the first things they’ve noticed is how quickly Plano has grown over the past half century. Many of the oldest photos highlight the city’s humble beginnings. Most people wouldn’t have a clue that those snapshots of country dirt roads or sprawling farms are today the sites of bustling businesses or modern neighborhoods. Holland has become adept at playing the photo detective. It’s something she enjoys so much she literally sets an alarm on her phone to ensure she goes home at a decent time. Her process usually starts with examining pictures for clues like identifying signs or city officials she recognized from a certain era. Things like utility lines or water towers help her get her bearings. “We saw all these water towers and thought if we could just figure out where the water towers are we could kind of orient ourselves,” she says. Of course, water towers have come and gone over the course of Plano’s history. However, thanks to a layered map put togeth-
33
er with the help of business intelligence analyst Shari Forbes, Holland can find water towers along with information on when they were installed. She also has access to old aerial photos that, when viewed consecutively, provide a timelapse-style illustration of just how much the city has grown. By using this data along with her local expertise (and if she’s lucky, a date on the photo), she’s become pretty adept at determining where these unidentified photos were taken. Many pictures reveal once common items that younger people would not recognize today. Things like giant computers, old-school printers and drafting tables now seem nearly as dated as a Model T. There are also photos of mustachioed police officers on the firing range with no protective equipment and dispatchers typing away on clunky typewriters. Smoking was also everywhere with ashtrays ubiquitous in just about every setting. A few special photos show former City Manager Bob Woodruff at the Plano Balloon festival when it was held at Oak Grove Park. After he died unexpectedly in a 1986 car accident, the park would be renamed for him. Woodruff was among the community visionaries who helped shape the modern city people recognize today. Many
34
photos also illustrate just much the parks department has accomplished since its founding. Documents show evidence of planning decades in advance for some of today’s popular facilities. Pictures of long-forgotten events like “Picnic in the Park” and the “Plano Roundup” may also inspire the department to reexamine discontinued programs to see if they may find new life today. It’s been a learning experience every day for the three women who have spent countless hours pouring over Plano’s past. Now they can’t wait to share what they have found with others. “It’s been so much fun,” Crimmins says. “I’ve learned so much about the city going through all this.”
P
COURTNEY BENSON + DARICE BOLDEN
MAKING PLANO REAL ESTATE FUN
N I TA A D VA N I REALTOR ® advanirealtygroup@gmail.com 214-436-7060 5045 Lorimar Dr., Plano, TX 75093 Whether you’re a first-time buyer or an experienced investor, your agent must leverage technology, understand the market and ease you through the process of real estate. Nita Advani, ranked top 2% of her brokerage, is that agent! She is passionate, patient and driven to perform by helping you find your next home!
courtney benson property group Coldwell Banker D Magazine’s Best Realtor + Top Producer: 2017 - 2021 Top 500 Agent in DFW by Real Producers Magazine Diamond Club Coldwell Banker
469-855-6490 www.CourtneyBensonPropertyGroup.com Realtor | ABR | GRI | PSA | RENE | Certified Luxury
Christene “Chris” Krupa Downs, Attorney WILLS | ESTATE PLANNING GUARDIANSHIP | PROBATE LAW
214.556.3862 P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR, MEAGAN WAUTERS story & photography LIESBETH POWERS
Lyla’s: Clothing Deco r & Mo re sta r ted as a pop - up shop, mak ing occasion al appea rances a round Plano. Now, it sits nestled among the H isto r ic Down town shopping st r ip along 15th St reet. Owne r Meagan Waute r s has def ied the odds of the last yea r to keep it the re by innovating and expanding the shop’s reach. D ressed in head -to -toe Lyla’s appa rel, Waute r s is ready to take on the chal lenges that remain fo r smal l business owne r s. WHE N AND HOW DID YOU COME TO PL ANO? I am o r ig inal ly from Loui siana. I moved to Texas in 2 0 06 th rough JCPenney [and] have been a resi dent of Plano since 2 015. TE LL US A LIT TLE BIT ABOUT LYL A’S. Lyla’s is named af te r my g randmothe r s, Lydia and Lau ra. Af te r leaving co rpo rate retai l, I sta r ted Lyla’s as a clothing on l ine boutique. We slow ly sta r ted doing vendo r shops in vendo r [and] consign ment mal l s. [ This incl uded] school pop ups l ike Plano West Snow flake and Ma rket in the Meadow School shows. I took the leap to smal l business af te r getting ma r r ied. I wanted to get away from wo r k ing eve r y weekend to sta r t a fam i ly. I opened Lyla’s in Downtown Plano in 2 017. HOW DID YOU CHOOSE TO BRING LYL A’S TO DOWNTOWN PL ANO? The location was suggested to me th rough fr iends. Downtown Plano is being revital i zed, and t raf f ic is bui lding in the a rea.
36
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
NOT the Biggest,
Only the Best Wagyu Beef USDA Prime Grade Steaks Dry Aged Prime Steaks Shop Made Smoked Sausage Fresh All Natural Poultry Parker Rd ALMA dr
1301 W Parker Rd #100 Plano, TX Tue-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm Sun-Mon closed
972.633.5593 Hirschsmeats.com
THE FRESHEST SEAFOOD IN DFW!
TRY ONE OF OUR MOUTHWATERING LOBSTER ROLLS OR A LOBSTER GRILLED CHEESE!
Fish Market & Grill 4017 Preston Rd #530, Plano, TX 75093 (972) 473-2722 www.seabreezefish.com 37
W H AT C A N S H O PPE R S F I N D? I h a ve a n ew p a s s i o n fo r f i n d i n g s a rca s t i c, f u n g i f t s . I l ove h e a r i n g c u s to m e r s l a u g h a s t h ey wa l k t h ro u g h t h e s to re. S h o p p e r s ca n f i n d o n t re n d c l ot h i n g , c u te g i f t s a n d h o m e d e co r i te m s . W H AT AR E SO M E O F T H E B I G G E S T WAYS YO U A N D LYL A H AVE CH A N G E D? W H AT CO R E T H I N GS H AVE S TAYE D T H E SA M E ? T h e b i g g e s t wa y s I h a ve c h a n g e d i s l e a r n i n g c u s to m e r t re n d s a n d co nt i n u o u s l y a d j u s t i n g [to t h o s e]. Ly l a’s s ta r te d o u t p re d o m i n ate l y c l ot h i n g , a n d I s l ow l y i n co r p o rate d g i f t s . W i t h t h e p a n d e m i c, I n ot i ce d a s h i f t i n b u y i n g p at te r n s to m o re g i f t s . W H AT WA S I T L I K E M A K I N G I T T H RO U G H T H E PA N DEMIC? I t ’s b e e n a s t r u g g l e. At t h e b e g i n n i n g of t h e p a n d e m i c, I d i d n’t k n ow i f we wo u l d m a ke i t. W i t h t h e s e s u rg e s a n d t h e e a s e of o rd e r i n g f ro m A m a zo n , s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s h a ve a n u p h i l l b at t l e. I t r y to of fe r u n i q u e c l ot h i n g a n d g i f t s t h at at t ra ct c u s to m e r s i n .
DO YOU HAVE ANY EXCITING PROJEC TS OR CHANGE S COM ING UP? We have been wo r k ing on upg rading and bui ld ing ou r website to g ive a bet te r on l ine shopping ex pe r ience. [We a re] mak ing it mo re use r fr iend ly [and] get ting new a r r ival s on l ine quick ly w ith qual it y photos. We sti l l of fe r cu r bside pickup! DO YOU SE E CURBSIDE AS A LONG -TE R M OPTION EVE N POST-PANDE M IC? [ Ye s], i f p e o p l e n e e d a q u i c k g i f t a n d wa nt to s h o p s m a l l ! B e i n g n ex t to t h e c i t y of P l a n o’s h e a d q u a r te r s a n d b u s i n e s s e s , s o m e co m e i n fo r l a s t - m i n u te g i f t s a n d re s e r ve i te m s o n l i n e. We b a g w i t h t i s s u e p a p e r a n d m a ke i t g i f t re a d y. W H AT D O YO U E N J OY D O I N G M O S T I N PL A N O? I l ove th e sen se of co m m u n it y i n Pl a n o! T h e t re m en d o u s su p p o r t by th e res i d ent s to keep s m a l l b u s i n es ses th r i v i n g i s a m a z i n g to see. I wa s i n vo l ved i n th e J u n i o r Lea g ue of Co l l i n Co u nt y a n d h o p e to g et b a ck i nto it. I [a l so] recent l y j o i n ed th e P TA w ith my n ew k i n d e rg a r tn e r.
P
Lyla’s: Clothing Decor & More, 1024 E. 15th St., Plano, 214.907.6239, lylasplano@gmail.com, www.lylasclothing.com
38
P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M
FLEXIBLE DAY OFFICES FOR RENT NO COMMITMENTS
FAST WIFI
FREE COFFEE
COST-EFFECTIVE
FULLY FURNISHED
CONCIERGE SERVICE
CITYCENTRAL.COM
2101 Cedar Springs Rd Dallas 214.292.7951 Uptown@CityCentral.com
6010 W. Spring Creek Pkwy Plano 972.737.8120 Plano@CityCentral.com
17250 Dallas Pkwy North Dallas 469.513.8489 Dallas@CityCentral.com
500 N Central Expy Richardson 972.737.8392 500@CityCentral.com
600 W Sixth St. Fort Worth 214.292.7591 600@CityCentral.com
