Preston Hollow business owner Lilly Watson is inviting women leaders from across the country to gather in Salado. The founder of Camp Crafty is launching The Point Woman Crew, a three-day, two-night retreat for women who “ride point” as decision makers in their work and lives.
The event will take place Nov. 20 to 22 at the Stagecoach Inn, Texas’ second-oldest continuously operating hotel. Watson, an Ursuline Academy graduate, chose the historic Main Street property for its quiet rooms, reflective corners, and access to the creek that runs through town.
“For years, I have known that even a small break can do so much for my ideation and connection as a business owner,” Watson said. “Salado, Texas, has been my getaway spot since I was a girl, and my mother’s before that, so you could say I’ve been planning this weekend all my life. I can’t wait to see where everyone at Point Woman Crew is thriving a year from now after all of our connections and joy.”
The retreat grows from Watson’s experience building Camp Crafty, now in its seventh year. With that venture, she aimed to enable wholesome experiences that let kids create keepsakes while giving parents a simple option that does not leave them overtaxed.
What started as a response to polished children’s parties has become a thriving business with partnerships including Whataburger and the Perot Museum. “Camp Crafty was a really kind of old-fashioned solution to a problem,” Watson explained. “I thought that the parties were very beautiful and orchestrated, but I was missing the more wholesome qualities. With my retail and events background, I felt like it was something that I could try.”
The all-female Camp Crafty team now fields 10 to 12 women on busy weekends and remains tightly connected to the Park Cities and Preston Hollow communities.
Leading that team revealed a quieter truth.
“You’re the one with your name on the bank account, your name on the lease, and your dream on the line,” Watson said.
A mentor once told her it is lonely at the top. Reading Lonesome Dove, her favorite book, helped her reframe the feeling as the point woman of a cattle outfit — an honor that still carries isolation.
The Point Woman Crew aims to ease that loneliness. Twenty women, selected by invitation or application, will gather for keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, and intimate dinners. Topics will cover finance, AI, and human resources for mid-sized female business owners, along with identity and belonging. Hands-on workshops, including a welcome hat bar and bag-charm making, will encourage connection.
Speakers include producer Kate Cunningham and Dallas nonprofit founder Paige Chenault.
Watson hopes attendees leave with lasting ties.
“My goal is just leaving with new group texts on your phone,” she said. “As you launch things and discover things we’ll all still be there, having your back. It’s not as lonely as it can feel. If you take that feeling of loneliness or fear and you look at it from a sense of capability, it’s really excitement.”
Author
Josh Hickman
Josh Hickman is a national award-winning journalist, visual artist, sometime musician, and author of seven books. His writing For People Newspapers often focuses on arts & culture, local small businesses, local history & government, and interesting personal stories. His paintings include a commission for Dallas County and a donation to Parkland Memorial Hospital.
