A passion, a dream, and a blessing

Curiosity has, for better or worse, always gotten the best of me. I have lived my life a passionately curious person, thirsting to understand in minute detail what are sometimes the most mundane of things. This has I suppose worked to my detriment in certain ways, as I've often focused intently for extended periods on things that, quite frankly, were viewed by others as a waste of time and effort.

Yet, I've always had faith, despite the doubters and detractors, that when one pursues everything in life that interests them both passionately and intensively there will in the end come a time when everything will fall together, make sense, and offer the wonderful reward of being able to make a living doing something you love.

To paraphrase Steve Jobs, you just never know how, where or when the dots will connect until they do.

Almost a decade ago I found I had reached an age when I wanted to do something I could get up every day looking forward to, and began working in a local cigar shop. I quickly recognized the unrealized potential the business had, and determined I was going to make a contribution to its success.  Today, albeit not entirely of my own doing, that 2 store operation has grown into a 24 store chain.

During my tenure, I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting many of the blenders, manufacturers, and owners of the cigars I so enjoy, and discovered that the people in the industry are unlike those in any other field I've ever worked in.  They awake every day with the same passion and intense curiosity I do, and I came to realize that I had found my home. With their encouragement, knowledge, and guidance I've even had the good fortune of establishing the Emilio cigar brand, something I would never have imagined possible when this all began.

Today I feel blessed to work in an industry that has so willingly and openly shared so much with me, and presented me with the wonderful opportunity to both learn and share what I have learned.

So this is the beginning of what I hope will be a long and fruitful conversation, in which I'll share my thoughts and listen to yours on a whole range of topics related to the industry I've come to love, and the people I've come to so admire.

Listen if you wish.