The Spoon Hub, Columbus, MS (2026)

08/24/2026

🌟 GOLDEN SPOON HONOREE SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Sherry Ellis — Entrepreneurial Spirit Award
For more than 30 years, Sherry Ellis has been a driving force in her community—using her voice, creativity, business, and heart for service to encourage others and create opportunities for people to shine.

A proud mother of Janus and Andria and grandmother to Azaria, Stella Grace, and Ayden Carter Ellis, Sherry’s journey has always been centered around people and purpose.

Her community presence expanded during her time as an on-air personality with WACR Radio, where she became involved in numerous community events. Her passion for young people later led her to serve as Program Coordinator at I.C. Cousins Community Center, where she helped young people recognize their potential and encouraged them to present themselves in a positive light. Today, one of her greatest joys is seeing those same young people thriving as adults.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Sherry is a firm believer that networking and collaboration are essential to successful entrepreneurship. Through the Pop-Up Shops she hosts, she gives small businesses and entrepreneurs opportunities to showcase their talents, promote their brands, sell their products, and connect with customers they may not otherwise reach.

Nearly 8 years ago, Sherry turned her own creativity into Chic1Creations LLC. What began as a hobby for “a girl who loves to craft” quickly became a business when friends—and eventually complete strangers—began asking to purchase her creations.

But entrepreneurship for Sherry has never been just about selling products. It has been another way to bring people together.
Each March, she hosts a Women’s Empowerment Event designed to motivate, inspire, and celebrate women. This year, she honored 20 women with the “I Inspire Award.”
Each October, she brings the community together again for her All Pink Fashion & Musical Extravaganza, raising awareness not only for breast cancer but for all forms of cancer. The event remembers those who gained their wings, encourages those still fighting, and celebrates survivors.

Through youth mentorship, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, cancer awareness, community events, and creating platforms for other businesses, Sherry continues to show what it means to use your gifts to make room for others.
Her philosophy is simple: Purpose isn't determined by how much money you have, how many degrees you've earned, or the title behind your name. We all have a mission while we're here.
And Sherry knows hers:

POWERED BY PURPOSE.
The Spoon Hub is proud to recognize Sherry Ellis, owner of Chic1Creations LLC, with the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award at the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards!

Congratulations, Sherry! Continue creating, connecting, inspiring, and making an impact wherever your purpose leads you.

08/22/2026

🌟 GOLDEN SPOON HONOREE SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Diana L. Tate — A Life of Service, Resilience & Purpose
For more than 30 years, Diana L. Tate has built a legacy centered on entrepreneurship, faith, resilience, and serving others. As the owner of In A Rush Tax & Business Services, she has become a trusted resource for individuals, families, and small businesses needing tax preparation and business support.

But Diana’s impact reaches far beyond business.
With a background as a legal secretary, 18 years as a Notary Public, and more than 10 years as a bail bonding agent, Diana has spent much of her life helping people navigate important—and sometimes difficult—moments.

Her heart for the next generation is especially evident through a scholarship initiative she began approximately eight years ago. Since its creation, Diana has awarded more than 50 scholarships to graduating high school seniors, helping young people take their next steps toward higher education and brighter futures.

Her journey is also a powerful story of faith and resilience.
Diana has endured serious health challenges, including two brain aneurysms and a brain injury that affected her ability to speak. Through her faith in God, determination, and perseverance, she regained her speech and continued building the business and legacy she had worked decades to establish. 🙏🏾

Instead of allowing those experiences to stop her, Diana is turning her journey into another opportunity to serve. She is developing “Scratch Therapy,” an initiative designed to encourage and support individuals recovering from brain bleeds and brain injuries.
💛 30+ Years in Business
🎓 50+ Scholarships Awarded
🤝 A Lifetime of Community Service
🙏🏾 A Testimony of Faith & Resilience
Diana lives by the belief that we are our brother’s keeper and that helping others is both a responsibility and a calling.

The Spoon Hub is proud to recognize Diana L. Tate of In A Rush Tax & Business Services with the Community Impact Award at the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards!

Congratulations, Diana! Your story reminds us that true impact is not measured only by what we accomplish, but by how many people we help along the way. ✨

08/21/2026

🌟 GOLDEN SPOON HONOREE SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Adel “Mr. John” Musa — Excellence In Service

For 21 years, Adel “Mr. John” Musa has proudly owned and operated United Deli & Grocery, becoming a familiar face and beloved part of the Columbus community. ❤️
Mr. John’s journey is one of hard work, perseverance, family, and the American dream.
After coming to the United States from Yemen, he worked in the deli business in several cities before making Mississippi—and eventually Columbus—his home.

United Deli has become known for its generous sandwiches, burgers, gyros, fresh food, and great service. But ask many longtime customers what makes United Deli special, and their answer will likely be Mr. John.

For more than two decades, he has greeted customers, served generations of families, and created an atmosphere where people feel like more than customers—they feel like community.

His story reminds us that a successful business isn't built only on what you sell. It's built on how you serve, how you treat people, and the relationships you build along the way.
✨ 21 Years of Business
✨ 21 Years of Serving Columbus
✨ 21 Years of Building Community
The Spoon Hub is proud to recognize Adel “Mr. John” Musa of United Deli & Grocery with the Excellence in Service Award at the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards!
Congratulations, Mr. John! Your service, consistency, and commitment to our community deserve to be celebrated.

08/19/2026

Latasha Hill is a passionate entrepreneur, business owner, proud wife of Landry Jabbar Hill, mother, and woman of faith who is dedicated to serving her community and encouraging others to pursue their God-given purpose. A proud native of West Point, Mississippi, and alumni of Mississippi University for Women. Latasha is the founder and owner of TK’s Edible Arrangements, a business she started from home in 2014 with a vision, determination, and a heart to serve.

Through hard work and perseverance, that vision grew into a thriving business, including smoothie shop locations in Columbus and West Point. Latasha takes pride in creating fresh, quality products while providing exceptional customer service and meaningful connections within her community.

Beyond entrepreneurship, Latasha is passionate about helping others, supporting community initiatives, and being a positive example of what faith, perseverance, and purpose can accomplish. She believes that success is not simply measured by what you build for yourself, but by the lives you are able to impact along the way.

Her guiding scripture, Psalm 37:5: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” , reflects the foundation of her life and business. Latasha continues to trust God’s direction while inspiring others to dream boldly, walk in faith, and never give up on the vision God has placed in their hearts.

Latasha continues to give God the glory for every door He has opened and looks forward to all that He has yet to accomplish through her life and purpose.

08/18/2026

The Woman Behind the Vision

Born and raised in West Point, Mississippi, LaThomas learned early that being ordinary was never an option for her.
She has always been an overachiever, a natural leader, and a woman determined to turn every obstacle into an opportunity.

Her entrepreneurial journey began in October 2011, when she founded Jewelz By LaThomas. What started as a vision became the foundation of a journey filled with creativity, resilience, growth, and purpose. In March 2023, she expanded that vision by founding the Black WallStreet Expo—a platform created to celebrate entrepreneurs, connect businesses, create opportunities, and shine a light on the power of collaboration within our community.

Throughout her journey, she has built and invested in various business ventures, while also working behind the scenes to help others bring their visions to life. She believes deeply in collaboration because she understands that success becomes even more powerful when we create it together. She doesn’t believe in competing when we can collaborate, build together, and create something greater than any one of us could create alone.

She has had the privilege of mentoring young girls, encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs, supporting small businesses, and using my experiences to help others recognize the greatness within themselves. Some of my greatest accomplishments have happened behind the scenes, where the applause may be absent but the impact is undeniable.

At the center of everything she does is her faith in God and my love for my family. She has devoted mother to two beautiful girls, and they are among the greatest inspirations behind the woman I continue to become.

Her journey has not been without pain, setbacks, or moments when she questioned the path ahead. But she's learned that every struggle can become a lesson, every setback can become a setup, and every painful chapter can serve a greater purpose.

Her daily motto is simple: She will turn her pain into purpose, and her purpose into paper.

Because her story isn’t simply about what she's built.

It’s about who she's helped build, who she's inspired to believe, and the legacy she's determined to leave behind.

08/17/2026

Joe Baldwin Jr. | Founder & CEO, Exclusive Clothing
Entrepreneur • Business Leader • Trailblazer

Joe Baldwin Jr. is a Columbus, Mississippi native, entrepreneur, and the Founder and CEO of Exclusive Clothing. His journey is a powerful example of how vision, determination, and hard work can turn a dream into a lasting business.

Before becoming a full-time entrepreneur, Baldwin worked as an ironworker while pursuing his goal of financial independence. He began his entrepreneurial journey by selling clothing from his car while continuing to work his regular job.

For almost 2 decades, Exclusives Clothing has served the Columbus community by providing customers with popular and evolving fashion trends.

Baldwin's impact extends beyond clothing and retail. He has used his entrepreneurial experience to encourage others to pursue business ownership, emphasizing the importance of hard work, time management, education, perseverance, and learning how to overcome challenges. He has also offered small-business classes designed to share knowledge with aspiring entrepreneurs.

From selling clothes out of his vehicle to building an established Columbus business, Joe Baldwin Jr.'s story represents the entrepreneurial spirit at its best—starting where you are, using what you have, and remaining committed to the vision.
For his longevity in business, entrepreneurial leadership, and willingness to inspire others to pursue their own path, The Spoon Hub proudly recognizes Joe Baldwin Jr. as a Trailblazer.

08/16/2026

Join us Saturday, August 29th at 7:00pm, at the Catfish Alley Stage. Let's celebrate Mrs. Matthews.

08/13/2026

Lisa Jones | Serial Entrepreneur & Business Leader

Lisa Jones is a dedicated serial entrepreneur whose commitment to business, service, and community has created a lasting impact for more than two decades.

For 22 years, Lisa has owned and operated Lisa’s Land of Learning, providing quality childcare and creating a nurturing environment where children can learn, grow, and thrive. Her longevity in the childcare industry reflects her dedication, perseverance, and passion for serving families.

Expanding her entrepreneurial journey, Lisa became the owner of Girlz N Pearlz Boutique, which she has successfully operated for 12 years. Through the boutique, she has combined her passion for fashion and entrepreneurship while continuing to build a recognizable local business.

With more than two decades of entrepreneurial experience, Lisa’s journey is a testament to consistency, resilience, hard work, and the power of building businesses that serve others.

The Spoon Hub is proud to recognize Lisa Jones, owner of Lisa’s Land of Learning and Girlz N Pearlz Boutique, as our 2026 Business of the Year honoree at the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards.

Join us on August 29th at 7pm to celebrate Lisa Jones. Cat Fish Alley Stage. Seats are limited. Get your ticket today!

08/11/2026

This event is fastly approaching, we can't wait to connect with you.

08/02/2026

As we get ready to celebrate our 2nd Annual Honors Event, we would love to have you join us. We are very excited about this year's honorees.

The Spoon Hub

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