In this Texas Talk, recorded live at Wax Space in September 2023, Hance Taplin shares the story behind his brand By Way of Dallas and the lessons he’s carried from design school to Nike to building a community-focused label from the ground up. He reflects on why direction matters more than speed, the importance of embracing all sides of the city, and why he believes if you can make it in Dallas, you can make it anywhere. Along the way, he offers candid stories—near misses, collaborations that almost were, and the challenge of staying true to your own “cool”—while making the case for getting your hands dirty to help Dallas grow. Wax Space hosts Texas Talks, a live lecture series featuring creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, and community voices from across the state. We bring a selection of these conversations to the Hidden City podcast so you can hear them, too.