We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tana Cain a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I grew up in a small town in a church where the “Church Ladies” served every Sunday to serve coffee and cookies after church service, meals after funerals and other community functions. When we moved to Woodbury, I knew that I had to be intentional about creating my community. I met these amazing kindred spirits that embodied that community that I was looking for. When one of us had a graduation, the rest of us took care of the details so that our friend could be fully present to celebrate her child and make memories.
In 2021 we were planning my daughter’s wedding. We found a quaint pioneer village with a little white church, little schoolhouse, pavilion and rolling green hills in New Richmond, WI, where we planned a family picnic style wedding. For the year leading up to it, we bought picnic baskets for each family to pack their dinner, stamped tea towels for the baskets, our caterer packed individual sandwiches and salads, one of my friends planned a charcuterie spread. We planned lawn games, dancing, stocked a bar, cleaned the church, and decorated the full grounds. The plans were perfectly suited for my daughter’s vision! As we got closer to the wedding date, my community of women stepped in and reminded me that my role for this wedding was Mother-Of-The-Bride. They took days out of their lives to stay in New Richmond handling every detail of our big day. That was a gift that I will cherish forever!
After that day, I felt a stirring in my heart to be THAT type of person for others. With encouragement from my family and friends, I launched A Table Set Before You!

Tana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I spent the better part of 25 years working a 9-to-5 in the financial world, but I always felt the need for a creatively social outlet—something that would truly fill my bucket. I naturally gravitated toward roles where I could serve others, often creating spaces where people felt welcome, comfortable, and fully present in the moment.

A few years ago, I had an epiphany: the kind of service that brought me joy was actually something others deeply needed. I remember early conversations with potential clients who would say, “I don’t need much help—maybe just a couple of hours.” But as we talked more, that quickly turned into, “Oh, and could you also help with…?” It’s been incredibly fulfilling to take care of those details and watch my clients create lasting, once-in-a-lifetime memories together.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My favorite source of new clients is word of mouth from past clients! The goal of operating A Table Set Before You is to be present for my clients AND be fully present for my family. While every business owner wants to make a living working their craft; I want to stay rooted in the people around me and that is a fine balance!

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

We’re incredibly fortunate to have so many tools at our fingertips—but for me, the most powerful one has been intentionally seeking out and staying connected with my community. That sense of connection has been the foundation for my personal growth and has played a vital role in how I’ve developed as a business owner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ATableSetBeforeYou.com
• Instagram: @A Table Set Before You
• Facebook: @A Table Set Before You
• Linkedin: https://LinkedIn.com/a-table-set-before-you
• Yelp: A Table Set Before You

Image Credits

Sigrid Dabelstein Photography