The Spoon Hub, Columbus, MS (2026)

08/31/2026

We want to personally thank Ms. Reatha Hunter for a great job for being our Welcome Ambassdor, and Mr. De'Angelo Bush for his wonderful craftmanship on the awards. You helped us make this event a success.

08/31/2026

🥄✨ THE 2ND ANNUAL GOLDEN SPOON AWARDS WAS A GREAT SUCCESS! ✨🥄
What an incredible evening! 🖤🤍💛

It was truly an honor to see so many of you come out to honor our honorees, celebrate small businesses, and recognize the entrepreneurs and community leaders who work tirelessly to make an impact.

The Golden Spoon Awards is about more than handing out awards. 🏆 It is about giving people their flowers, sharing their stories, celebrating longevity, recognizing service, and reminding small-business owners that their work MATTERS.

To every honoree—CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 Your dedication, perseverance, service, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit deserve to be celebrated.

To everyone who purchased a ticket, attended, supported an honoree, sponsored, shared a post, volunteered, or helped make this event possible—THANK YOU! Your support helped make the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards a beautiful success.

Most importantly, thank you for believing in the mission of The Spoon Hub and the importance of supporting, connecting, promoting, and celebrating our local small-business community.
🥄 When small businesses are supported, communities grow.
🤝 When entrepreneurs collaborate, opportunities are created.
🏆 And when people are doing great work, we should celebrate them while they can receive their flowers!

This is only the beginning. We have more stories to tell, more businesses to spotlight, more connections to make, and more reasons to celebrate.
✨ Cheers to our 2026 Golden Spoon Honorees and another successful year!

08/27/2026

🌟 GOLDEN SPOON HONOREE SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Sharon Johnson — Excellence In Commerce

Some of the most impactful leaders aren't always standing in the spotlight. They're working behind the scenes—managing resources, building partnerships, strengthening organizations, and helping communities move forward.
For more than 12 years, Sharon Johnson has built a career rooted in tourism, hospitality, financial leadership, operations, and community service.

Today, Sharon serves as Business Director for the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Columbus), where she provides financial and operational leadership while working alongside board members, community partners, and stakeholders to support tourism and strengthen the local economy.

A CAREER BUILT ON EXCELLENCE
Sharon's journey with the Columbus-Lowndes Convention & Visitors Bureau has included serving as Interim Business Director and spending nearly six years as Financial Assistant. Her professional experience also includes work with the Tunica County Tourism Commission and Prairie Opportunity, Inc.
Throughout her career, she has developed extensive experience in:
✨ Financial management
✨ Administration and operations
✨ Compliance and reporting
✨ Tourism and destination management
✨ Organizational leadership

Sharon understands that tourism is about much more than attracting visitors. Tourism creates economic opportunities, supports local businesses, tells the story of a community, and helps communities grow.

COMMITTED TO CONTINUED GROWTH
A lifelong learner, Sharon has completed Years 1 and 2 of the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College and the Mississippi Tourism Association's Excellence in Tourism Leadership Program.
She is also a Certified Heart of Hospitality Expert through the Mississippi Tourism Association and an active member of the Golden Triangle SHRM Chapter.

At the heart of Sharon's leadership is a belief in responsible stewardship, collaboration, attention to detail, and supporting the people and organizations that make communities thrive.
She is grateful for the mentors, colleagues, community leaders, and partners who have helped shape her journey—and she remains committed to contributing to the continued growth and vitality of Columbus and Lowndes County.

The Spoon Hub is proud to recognize Sharon Johnson with the Excellence in Commerce Award at the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards! 🏆✨

Sharon's story reminds us that leadership doesn't always have to be loud to be powerful. Sometimes, the people working diligently behind the scenes are the ones helping an entire community move forward.
Congratulations, Sharon! 👏🏾💛

08/26/2026

🌟 GOLDEN SPOON HONOREE SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Brenda Morris Martin — BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY HEART AWARD
For an incredible 44 years, Brenda Morris Martin, founder and owner of M&M Tax Service LLC in Columbus, Mississippi, has dedicated her career to helping individuals, families, and small-business owners navigate their finances and tax responsibilities with knowledge, accuracy, and personal care.

What makes a business last for more than four decades? For Ms. Martin, it has been a commitment to continuing education, professional excellence, integrity, and treating every client with respect.

44 YEARS OF TAX EXPERIENCE
Even after decades in the industry, Ms. Martin continues to learn. She regularly studies changes in tax laws and IRS guidance and has attended the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum for 25 years. She is also trained to assist clients facing IRS tax matters and problems.
Today, M&M Tax Service serves multiple generations of clients—a testament to the trust and relationships Ms. Martin has built throughout her career.

A RECORD OF PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
M&M Tax Service has received numerous honors, including:
✨ WCBI Viewers’ Choice Best Accounting Firm — 2024 & 2025
✨ Recognition by The Commercial Dispatch as a leading accounting firm for 2026–2027
✨ Google business recognition — 2025 & 2026
✨ Black Excellence Award — 2022
✨ Recognition from the NAACP
But Ms. Martin’s legacy extends far beyond the doors of her business.

LEADERSHIP THROUGH SERVICE
Throughout the years, she has contributed her experience and leadership to numerous community efforts. Her service has included involvement with the Lowndes County Health Department, where she worked to help secure the $2.5 million health department facility on Lehmberg Road, as well as serving two terms as an Election Commissioner for the City of Columbus.
Her professional journey has also included work as a licensed insurance agent and certified credit counselor, helping families strengthen their financial positions and work toward homeownership.

She has served with organizations and community initiatives including United Way, the Columbus City Schools Business Roundtable Committee, and the Chamber Business Roundtable, while maintaining professional affiliations with the National Society of Accountants and the National Association of Tax Professionals.

GIVING BACK TO THE NEXT GENERATION
Ms. Martin has also operated a nonprofit that provided children and families with toys, school uniforms, school supplies, coats, mentoring, and educational workshops. Her service has extended to helping individuals experiencing homelessness and encouraging young people to become involved in civic life, develop leadership skills, and consider entrepreneurship.
After 44 years, her work is about much more than preparing taxes.
It is about building trust.
It is about educating families.
It is about strengthening businesses.
It is about serving the community.
And most importantly, it is about leaving a legacy.

The Spoon Hub is proud to celebrate Brenda Morris Martin of M&M Tax Service LLC at the 2nd Annual Golden Spoon Awards!
Congratulations, Ms. Martin, on an extraordinary career of professional excellence, community leadership, and compassionate service. 44 years of serving others is a legacy worthy of celebration! ✨

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.

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