On May 8, 2025, Runway Dallas hosted Beyond the Cut at SparkHype Marketing Agency, Inc. in Dallas. It was a free panel built for the people shaping fashion, beauty, and business across North Texas. Dallas Media Company covered the event as media partner.
The room filled with designers, models, stylists, and founders. This was not a runway show. This was strategy. Here is what stood out.
Who Took the Stage
Beyond the Cut brought together a lineup with range. The announced speakers included:
- FeLisa Gambrell, Executive Director of Model and Talent Development at Runway Dallas, on modeling with excellence.
- Keith Garner, Executive Director of Partnerships and Public Relations at Runway Dallas, on careers in makeup and hair plus a business mindset.
- Phyllis Hayden Woods, CEO of Transitional Woman Boutique, on business transition and growth.
- Carrie Haskins of The Haskins Team, on building business through systems.
- Tina Cummings, CMO and partner tied to Redwine Law Firm and Experience Title, on fashion branding.
- DavidLee Richardson, Head of Organizational Leadership and Development at Harris and Harris, on executive presence.
- Anna Golovan, owner and creative force behind KRASA in Dallas, Houston, and LA.
The panel discussion drew its sharpest moments from Keith, Tina, Carrie, and DavidLee. Their answers moved fast and hit hard.
Executive Presence Runs on One Simple Formula
DavidLee Richardson framed executive presence around a short acronym. He called it OIL.
O is opportunity. You cannot seize what you are not present for. I is image. People judge you by what they see, and this industry knows that better than most. L is leap. Talent means nothing without the nerve to move.
He put it plainly. Leaders are not born. They are made. He pushed the room to find mentors who have already gone where they want to go. He also reminded everyone that Dallas Fort Worth is a massive market. There is room for many people to win.
Storytelling Is the Brand
Tina Cummings gave the crowd a framework worth writing down. She called them the Four V’s: visibility, value, visuals, and voice. Stay consistent across all four, and your brand takes shape.
She went further on story. Authenticity builds connection. Connection builds loyalty. Loyalty builds community. Strong brands do not just sell. They gather people.
The takeaway was clear. A logo will not save a weak brand. Your story will.
AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement
The panel spent real time on AI, and the tone stayed practical. DavidLee shared how fast corporate America is moving. He described leaders being told to adopt AI or step aside.
Tina uses AI every day. She named Claude for marketing, Perplexity for research, and Gemini and Leonardo for images. She trains these tools to carry her voice. Still, she drew a hard line. Get in front of the camera yourself. People connect with a person, not an automation.
Carrie added the reality check. A client once brought her an offer generated by a chatbot. It failed within 24 hours. Her point stuck. AI can assist, but judgment and human touch still close the deal.
The shared message ran through every answer. As AI takes the routine work, get better at being human. Soft skills win now.
Systems and Listening Build the Business
Carrie Haskins runs on systems, and she credits them for keeping her steady in a volatile market. She also made listening the center of her pitch. Too many people talk and never hear the person in front of them. She meets clients where they are. She leads with empathy. Then she guides them through.
Keith Garner echoed the systems point and added a lesson from his own path. Learn from other people’s mistakes. Experience teaches, and so does watching closely.
Education Is the Smartest First-Year Investment
The panel closed on one question. What is the smartest investment a new business owner can make in year one? The answers lined up.
Tina invested heavily in education and never stopped. DavidLee framed it through a 30, 60, 90 day plan, where the first stretch is mostly learning. Both warned against the same trap. Do not spend all your time working in your business. Work on it.
Carrie backed the case for coaching. She pointed to Michael Jordan, who kept a coach watching his form long after he became great. Small corrections compound. An outside eye catches what you cannot.
The Money Is on LinkedIn
DavidLee left the room with a direct assignment. Set up a professional LinkedIn profile tonight. He argued that investors, presidents, and business owners live on that platform. Other networks build viewership. LinkedIn builds business.
He added a warning. Do not copy and paste the same content everywhere. Each platform has its own audience and its own voice. Know the psychographics, not just the demographics.
