Table SALT Group

09/01/2026

August reminded us why this work matters.

At the Community Marketplace & Networking Event, hosted by Ardenna Hardy and Yolanda Shanks, business owners stopped by, completed the Business Growth Snapshot™, and took a few minutes to really look at their businesses through four areas:

Protect. Measure. Grow. Fund.

It's me, Dr. LaRachelle Smith, author and founder of Table SALT Group.

What I enjoyed most were the conversations that came after.

People were not just talking about what they needed to improve. They were also recognizing what was already working and where a little more structure, focus, or support could help them move forward.

So many entrepreneurs attend workshops, take pages of notes, and leave with good intentions. The harder part is implementation.

That is exactly the problem we are working to solve.

The goal is not simply to leave inspired.

The goal is to leave knowing your next move.

More to come as we prepare for September.

📅 Saturday, September 26
🕧 12:30–3:30 PM
📍 Spring Creek BBQ
4895 State Highway 6 | Missouri City, TX 77459

08/29/2026

Have you ever left a workshop with pages of notes and good ideas, only to get back to business and struggle to put any of it into action?

Too many entrepreneurs leave events inspired and informed, but still unsure what to do next.

At Table SALT Group, we’re focused on closing that gap.

On September 26, we’re bringing back the Business Growth Snapshot to the Community Marketplace & Networking Event, hosted by our friends Ardenna Hardy and Yolanda Shanks. Experience the Business Quad Challenge™ designed to help business owners identify where they need to focus next:

Protect. Measure. Grow. Fund.

Because you probably don’t need more advice.

You need a practical next move.

5 Minutes. 4 Quadrants. 1 Next Move.

More details coming soon.

08/24/2026

One of the best parts of the Community Marketplace & Networking Event was the opportunity to connect with women who are actively building, leading, and creating opportunities for others.

We enjoyed meeting Valerie Peterson Kelly whose work centers on connecting women with opportunities for positive change, self-development, and empowerment.

That mission immediately resonated with the work we are building at Table SALT Group.

Our ecosystem begins with Black to the Future — understanding the why behind ownership, legacy, and economic prosperity — and continues through practical tools like the Business Quad Squad™, which helps entrepreneurs identify where they need to Protect, Measure, Grow, or Fund their business more intentionally.

Connections like this matter because stronger businesses are rarely built in isolation. They are built through relationships, shared knowledge, encouragement, and access to the right resources.

Valerie, so glad our paths crossed and look forward to seeing where the conversation leads.

Learn the why. Build the how. Take the next move.

08/23/2026

It was such a good day.

The Community Marketplace & Networking Event gave us a chance to listen, connect, and see how entrepreneurs responded to the tools we’ve been building.

From *Black to the Future*, which helps frame the “why” behind ownership, legacy, and economic prosperity, to the Business Quad Squad™ Quick Start Playbook, which helps turn that thinking into action, the goal was simple: help business owners identify what they need next.

Throughout the day, visitors chatted with author and founder, Dr. LaRachelle Smith, and completed the Business Growth Snapshot and reflected on where they may need to **Protect, Measure, Grow, or Fund** more intentionally.

The energy was encouraging, the conversations were meaningful, and the engagement confirmed that practical tools can create space for better business decisions.

That's the Table SALT Group business research and development ecosystem in action.

Grateful to the organizers, Ardenna Hardy and Yolanda Shanks from the RetieCollection and everyone who stopped by, shared their perspective, and supported the work.

**Learn the why. Build the how. Take the next move.**

08/21/2026

🚨 TOMORROW!

You’ve been building. You’ve been figuring things out. And you probably have at least one question about what comes next.

Bring that question with you Saturday.

Table SALT Group will be there offering the FREE 5-Minute Business Growth Snapshot™ to help entrepreneurs take a quick look at four areas of their business:

🛡️ PROTECT what you’re building
📊 MEASURE what matters
🌱 GROW your customers and opportunities
💰 FUND your vision and future

This isn’t a test. And you don’t need to have all the answers.

It’s a quick conversation designed to help you identify what deserves your attention next.

Come shop. Meet entrepreneurs. Make connections. And before you leave, give us five minutes to talk about your business.

We’ll see you TOMORROW.

And know someone building a business? Send this post to them tonight.

08/21/2026

Every family has stories.

Some have been told so many times that everyone knows them by heart. Others are tucked away in old photo albums, handwritten letters, or the memories of an elder who simply hasn't been asked.

But every family also has another history.

It's the one being written today.

It's found in the conversations we have around the dinner table, the traditions we choose to continue, the values we model for our children, and the memories we're creating with every gathering.

One day, today's ordinary moments will become tomorrow's family stories.

The newest edition of the **SALT Shaker Digest**, **"Every Family Has Two Histories,"** explores the beautiful connection between the history we inherit and the history we're creating for future generations. It's an invitation to pause, reflect, and become more intentional about the legacy we're leaving every single day.

As you spend time with the people you love, consider asking one simple question:

**"What is one family story that should never be forgotten?"**

You may discover that the greatest treasures your family possesses aren't stored in a box or written on a deed—they're carried in the hearts and memories of the people around you.

💬 We'd love to hear from you.

What's one story, tradition, or lesson that has been passed down in your family that you hope future generations will continue to share?

Read the latest article in the **SALT Shaker Digest** and join the conversation.

Every family carries two histories. The first is the one we tell. It’s shared around the dinner table, at family reunions, during long car rides, and on front porches as the sun begins to set. It’s the story of how grandparents worked the land, how children were raised, where weddings were celeb...

08/21/2026

⏱️ What could 5 minutes tell you about your business?

More than you might think.

This Saturday, Table SALT Group is offering entrepreneurs a FREE 5-Minute Business Growth Snapshot™ built around four areas every business owner should be thinking about:

🛡️ PROTECT — Are you protecting what you're building?
📊 MEASURE — Do you know the numbers that matter?
🌱 GROW — Are your customers and opportunities growing?
💰 FUND — Are you positioned to access capital?

You don't need a perfect business plan.
You don't need to have everything figured out.

You just need a business—or an idea you're serious about building.

In five minutes, we'll help you identify where you may be strong and where it may be time to pay closer attention.

Come see us Saturday and take your Business Growth Snapshot™.

And if you're not building a business, tag or send this to somebody who is.

PROTECT • MEASURE • GROW • FUND

📅 Saturday, August 22
⏰ 12:30–3:30 PM
📍 Spring Creek BBQ
4895 State Highway 6 | Missouri City, TX

Hosted by Yolanda Shanks and Ardenna Hardy founders of the RetieCollection

08/20/2026

SALT Shaker Wednesday

What happens when we intentionally circulate resources within our communities?

We do more than make a purchase.

We help an entrepreneur test an idea, build a customer base, strengthen a business, and create something that has the potential to last.

That’s Group Economics—the “G” in Table SALT Group’s LEGACY Framework.

At our recent gathering, we watched people stop at vendor tables, ask questions, discover new products, exchange information, and make connections. Those moments may look small, but they are part of how stronger local business ecosystems are built.

This week’s SALT Shaker Wednesday: Don’t just shop small. Get to know the business behind the product.

Ask the owner about their story. Refer someone. Follow their business. Share their work. Come back.

Because one transaction can become a relationship—and relationships can become legacy.

💬 What is one small business you’ve discovered recently that more people should know about? Drop their name in the comments.

08/18/2026

Behind every vendor table is a story. 💜

A product doesn't simply appear on a table.

Someone had an idea.

Someone invested money before knowing whether customers would buy.

Someone learned through trial and error.

Someone stayed up late filling an order, solving a problem, creating something new—or figuring out how to keep going.

That's part of what you'll encounter Saturday at the Community Marketplace & Networking Event.

You'll meet entrepreneurs offering everything from:

👔 handcrafted fashion and accessories
👜 distinctive handbags
🕯️ fragrances and scented products
🎨 creative and faith-inspired products
💡 wellness products and solutions
📚 business resources and ideas

But here's my challenge:

Don't just ask, “What are you selling?”

Ask:

“Tell me about your business.”

That's a very different conversation.

You may discover why they started.

Who they serve.

What they're trying to build.

Or even an opportunity to connect them with someone you know.

That's the kind of marketplace experience I'd like to see us create.

And Table SALT Group will be doing a little more listening this Saturday, too. 👀

We'll be paying attention to how these entrepreneurs present their businesses, engage customers, communicate their value, and create memorable experiences.

Why?

Because we're bringing something new to recognize some of the entrepreneurs who are doing those things particularly well. 🏆

I'm not revealing everything yet. 😉

You'll have to come see.

📅 Saturday, August 22
⏰ 12:30–3:30 PM
📍 Spring Creek BBQ
4895 State Highway 6 | Missouri City, TX

Hosted by Yolanda Shanks and Ardenna Hardy, founders of the RetieCollection

Come shop—but also meet the people behind the businesses.

You might leave with something much more valuable than what you purchased.

Which do you enjoy most at a marketplace: discovering new products, meeting the entrepreneurs, or finding something you didn't know you needed?

Comment below.