By Eva D. Coleman
Lifestyle & Culture Editor
Texas Metro News

Tucked away near the religion section of Barnes & Noble in Cedar Hill, Texas, around 50 people gathered on Feb. 11, 2026 for a fresh revival. It was the kickoff tour for L. Michelle Smith’s latest book, “Call and Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church.”

Smith, a longtime digital maven, former communications executive and highly regarded leadership coach sat in conversation with dynamic leader and former Dallas Mavericks CEO, Cynt Marshall. This convo was live and recorded as an offering for Smith’s Culture Soup Podcast, guest hosted by public relations guru Neil Foote.

Marshall led the discussion, interviewing Smith about many features in her book, with much related to Smith’s self-proclaimed values of “faith, family and freedom.” The connectivity was evident, perhaps as a result of their shared employer of AT&T many years ago.