Ready to get metaphysical over cigars? "Everything is an experience," says sensory expert and cigar passionado Reinhard Pohorec. And what a vision quest this entrepreneur is on since he joined UberLuxury cigar brand Meerapfel as its vice president. You might recognize Reinhard as host of the live cigar podcast, Light 'em Up Lounge, where he talks to cigar insiders. Tables turn as Boveda's Drew Emmer interviews Reinhard to talk first cigars, work-life balance, and finding your purpose.

What is Boveda? Luxury and craft cigars brands protect their blends with Boveda 2-way humidity control—that brown pack that you find in the box with your cigars. Boveda preserves the flavor and character of premium cigars by keeping them at ideal humidity. At home, continue to use Boveda in your humidor to keep cigars well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll enjoy full flavor and a perfect smoke from every cigar.

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(upbeat rock music)

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(gentle guitar music)

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- There's a story inside every smoke shop,

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with every cigar and with every person.

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Come be a part of the

cigar lifestyle at Boveda.

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This is Box Press.

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- Thanks for having a cigar with me.

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- Well, I have to thank you.

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It's a privilege.

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Sharing those moments

is priceless, I feel.

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- What are you inspired about today?

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What is driving you today with

your pursuits around here?

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You have a lot of relationships

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in the cigar industry, obviously.

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Reconnecting with friends you haven't seen

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perhaps since last year?

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- Absolutely.

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Well, I didn't make it

to the show last year

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because of a family situation at home.

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I'm taking care of my

grandmother. She's 102 now.

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So certain things had to be done.

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I couldn't make it to the show.

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But I was here last two weeks,

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two years ago.

- Two years ago.

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- Two years ago. That's what you call it.

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Sitting down with you

guys. And now we're back.

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So as you said, it is

all about reconnecting,

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seeing people again,

giving everybody a big hug

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and sharing a cigar.

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- Are you as passionate about food

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as you are about cigars?

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- Oh, absolutely. Yeah.

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My earliest childhood memories are

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always around the family table,

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kneading dough with my

grandfather, baking bread.

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I come from a very simple

and poor background.

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So we never had much, but

we had the family table.

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- And tell people where you're from.

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- Austria.

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I was born and raised in Vienna.

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I always say I'm a

classical Viennese mixture,

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a little bit of everything

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that the former Habsburg monarchy,

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Austro-Hungarian Empire had to offer.

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So my name is Slovenian,

but I had mixed influences

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and different parts of the family,

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but true Viennese born and raised.

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I spent most of my life there,

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apart from the time I spent in London.

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I live and work there.

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Always enjoyed London,

consider it my second home.

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And I was working in the

hospitality industry there.

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So I was a bartender at the

American Bar at the Savoy.

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I worked for a consultancy company

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and co-opened a gin craft distillery

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right in the city of London.

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So in fact, the finer things in life,

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food, good drinks,

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that's always been an

integral part of my life

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and what I enjoy the most.

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I have to say, though,

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people in the wine and spirits industry

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and in the food industry,

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they are passionate.

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But I have never experienced anything

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like the premium cigar industry

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when it comes to how people come together,

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how you connect through a humble cigar.

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The conversation that

you're having, it's unique.

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And that's utterly fascinating.

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- I wonder why that is.

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Just one idea of why that

might be the case is,

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it causes you to slow down,

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causes you to be present.

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It's very hard to enjoy a cigar

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if you're not fully engaged

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in the experience of enjoying the cigar.

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- It's not something you do rushed

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whilst you're running from A to B.

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- You don't do it passively.

- Absolutely.

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- I mean, it's not,

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I mean, you may listen to music,

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you may enjoy a meal.

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You know, we had opportunity

to eat a few meals

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together with the team.

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And the complaint among the group is,

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most of the places you eat in Las Vegas,

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you can't enjoy a cigar while eating.

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So, but in a lot of times

previously we've been here,

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we'd go to Ferraro's or

we'd sit out on the patio

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and eat this sumptuous Italian dinner.

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And while we're eating,

during the courses,

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we're enjoying, we had

cigars going during the meal.

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Is that a European thing or is that a-

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- I think it very much is.

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The only downside would be that

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in a lot of European countries,

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given the regulatory framework,

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you don't have that opportunity anymore.

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And you don't get the

privilege and pleasure

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of enjoying a good meal with a cigar.

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In certain countries, it's still possible.

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But in Austria, for example,

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you wouldn't have that opportunity

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because smoking is mostly forbidden

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indoors in public places.

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So that's a bit of a

challenge and a hurdle.

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But there's something very, very special

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about that moment when you

share a meal with somebody,

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you're breaking bread together

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and you share a cigar.

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- Well, and typically a

European, in my opinion,

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would be inclined to have a

more long course of dinner

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than an American.

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We're a lot of times obsessed

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with getting back to

whatever we were doing.

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Or there isn't the time taken and the-

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- The hustle and bustle, work,

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always being busy.

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It's true.

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I see more and more of

that internationally,

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though, as well.

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And I think in the time that we live in,

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everything is fast paced.

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Everything is digital,

everything is online.

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You're constantly available.

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And I very much love the,

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what you mentioned earlier

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and the topic that you

brought up about time.

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To me, a cigar is time

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and it is also the perfect

product for our current time,

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because more than ever, it's

so relevant to slow down,

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focus on being present in the moment

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and to just enjoy a great conversation,

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appreciate the moment for what it is.

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And that could also be

just a moment for yourself.

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When you sit down with a cigar

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and you contemplate, you think about life,

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about the day you had, the

conversations you shared

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or reading a great book.

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So whether it's time for yourself

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or time shared with somebody else,

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the cigar is kind of

always like the facilitator

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that makes the entire

experience unique, I find.

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- So in your creative journey

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and the things that you've

worked on in your career,

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you're known as a creative,

an inspirational creator.

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I mean, that's kind of the

reputation that you have,

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at least in what I've read about you

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and what I've heard about you.

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I'm just, I'm curious,

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where your work life with,

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are you engaged fully in Meerapfel

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day in, day out?

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- Being the vice president

for Meerapfel Cigar,

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that is what I focus on, what

I spend my time, my energy on,

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and where I'm delighted and humbled

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to attribute and dedicate my time

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and resources and my passion.

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I had an interesting path

in life and career thus far.

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I'm still a young gentleman

with 35 years of age,

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but I had the privilege of

exploring different industries

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and different fields of expertise.

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But as I told you before,

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it always kind of evolved

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around the inspiration

that I have from my family

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and growing up in a humble environment

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where the meal was important,

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the family table was important,

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a good conversation was important,

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and it always stayed with me.

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I then ventured into a few other things.

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I mean, I studied socioeconomics.

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I worked with handicapped pupils.

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I was a skiing instructor.

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I almost became a professional musician.

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I'm a drummer and a singer,

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but I eventually

reconnected with the things

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that inspired me most as a young child.

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And that's always been

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those simple, honest,

handcrafted products.

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Like a great piece of

bread, a wonderful wine,

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or a handmade premium cigar.

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And so at some point I understood

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that this is truly what I would love to do

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with the time that I'm given,

that I'm presented with,

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is to share experiences with other people

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that are somewhat memorable

and meaningful to them.

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And doing that through an analog product,

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something that is real and tangible,

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that you can smell and that you can taste,

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for me, is the most impactful

and direct way to do that.

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Because it hits you right away.

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It does something to you,

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especially our senses of smell and taste.

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I mean, all our sensory system,

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it's so interconnected,

everything's intertwined,

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but our senses of smell

and taste are so relevant

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in the day-to-day life and

how we perceive the world,

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how we think about life.

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Also on an emotional level,

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it has to do with how our

brain sort of takes in

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and works in all these

sensory triggers that we get.

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But it immediately links with

our memory, with our emotions.

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To give you a simple example,

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everybody has a certain scent,

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a certain memory of

your grandmother's dish

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when you open the door

coming home from school

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or after a long day of work.

- Definitely.

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- And there's that one meal

that puts you in a place

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of tranquility and peace and comfort

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where, you know, I'm home.

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- No, I'm experiencing it right now

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as you're talking about it.

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I'm just paging through

memories that I have and-

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- And isn't it fascinating

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how you can recall those memories?

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And I have a taste on my tongue.

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I have a scent in my nose

from the potato bread

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that my grandfather used to bake.

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And that always reminds

me of how important it is

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to appreciate those things

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and to be more connected with our senses,

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with our perception of the world.

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- Well, and you could have

stopped the sentence with,

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just with "to be more connected."

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I was thinking,

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I had a conversation

with one of the gentlemen

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that runs the Luxury Cigar Club,

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and we were talking about

the luxury experience

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and how there's almost

an exhibitionist approach

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to luxury consumption, at

least in American society,

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and with all the social media.

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And going back to the simplicity

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of when you talk about the bread,

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when you talk about the smell

at the door when you walk in,

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that connects you to a memory,

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that connects you to yourself.

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It's conscious living

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and the ability of luxury experiences

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to impact conscious living

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as opposed to being just

strictly looked upon

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as a hedonistic escape.

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You know, it's,

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not to be judgmental

about hedonistic escapes,

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but it's like, there's so much more.

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- Absolutely.

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- About being present in the moment

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and it's really getting rather deep.

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But I'm rather enjoying it.

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- And, you know, that's why we said,

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Meerapfel Cigar, we

call it the UberLuxury.

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I mean, this cigar has created

254

00:12:41,430 --> 00:12:44,340

the segment of UberLuxury

in the cigar world.

255

00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:47,910

And by that we're not talking

about the price point.

256

00:12:47,910 --> 00:12:50,820

We're talking about the

hedonistic experience.

257

00:12:50,820 --> 00:12:54,993

We're talking about analog,

we're talking about time,

258

00:12:55,830 --> 00:12:57,990

and we're talking about preserving

259

00:12:57,990 --> 00:13:00,540

certain values and traditions

260

00:13:00,540 --> 00:13:04,230

that have been important in the past.

261

00:13:04,230 --> 00:13:09,230

And we probably somehow

forgot some of those things

262

00:13:11,910 --> 00:13:14,850

in these very hectic environments

263

00:13:14,850 --> 00:13:16,500

and in the world that we live in.

264

00:13:17,460 --> 00:13:19,260

And that's also,

265

00:13:19,260 --> 00:13:20,850

and coming back to what we were discussing

266

00:13:20,850 --> 00:13:23,700

about my previous work experiences.

267

00:13:23,700 --> 00:13:25,860

That's where I immediately understood

268

00:13:25,860 --> 00:13:28,230

and realized that the Meerapfel family

269

00:13:28,230 --> 00:13:30,330

has a unique legacy and history,

270

00:13:30,330 --> 00:13:33,060

with 400 years and 11 generations.

271

00:13:33,060 --> 00:13:36,240

And this project, it's a legacy project.

272

00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:41,240

It's a means to share values

and history with people

273

00:13:43,290 --> 00:13:44,763

through an actual cigar.

274

00:13:46,620 --> 00:13:50,520

And that was why I immediately connected

275

00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,013

with this idea and with the concept,

276

00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:58,880

besides the fact that I

share a European heritage

277

00:13:58,890 --> 00:14:01,710

and an upbringing like

the Meerapfel family.

278

00:14:01,710 --> 00:14:04,920

So there's certain things

that we have in common

279

00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,730

and that we clicked

initially and immediately.

280

00:14:08,730 --> 00:14:11,040

And that's why I'm blessed and grateful

281

00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,220

to dedicate my time and resources to this.

282

00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:15,843

- Who smokes that cigar?

283

00:14:20,079 --> 00:14:22,320

- That's a very interesting question.

284

00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,250

And without being judgmental

285

00:14:26,250 --> 00:14:30,543

or, you know, stressing

any preconceived notions,

286

00:14:32,790 --> 00:14:36,760

we always wanted Meerapfel Cigar to be

287

00:14:38,970 --> 00:14:42,270

affordable and available

for pretty much anybody.

288

00:14:42,270 --> 00:14:44,820

Yes, this is a luxury

cigar, an UberLuxury cigar

289

00:14:44,820 --> 00:14:47,160

with a certain price point to it.

290

00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,400

But everybody should have the opportunity

291

00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,823

to enjoy a Meerapfel cigar at least once.

292

00:14:56,430 --> 00:14:58,860

And depending on where you are,

293

00:14:58,860 --> 00:15:01,950

availability, a certain disposable income,

294

00:15:01,950 --> 00:15:05,820

that might be once a month, once a year,

295

00:15:05,820 --> 00:15:10,020

or once in a lifetime.

- Or once in a lifetime.

296

00:15:10,020 --> 00:15:13,920

- But I think this is a product for people

297

00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:18,123

who treasure those

values that we discussed.

298

00:15:19,290 --> 00:15:21,150

People who want to take the time

299

00:15:21,150 --> 00:15:24,870

to reflect on what was important,

300

00:15:24,870 --> 00:15:25,920

what has been important,

301

00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,163

what is and will be

important for a long time.

302

00:15:30,540 --> 00:15:33,930

And certainly people who appreciate

303

00:15:33,930 --> 00:15:35,730

the finer things in life, right?

304

00:15:35,730 --> 00:15:37,455

No question about that.

305

00:15:37,455 --> 00:15:38,410

But

306

00:15:43,260 --> 00:15:44,093

I've seen

307

00:15:45,630 --> 00:15:48,120

men and women all around the world

308

00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:49,893

lighting up one of these cigars.

309

00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:54,050

And I can tell you

every single one of them

310

00:15:56,490 --> 00:16:00,870

took a moment, looked

at the cigar, smelled.

311

00:16:00,870 --> 00:16:02,850

- It's a beautiful cigar.

- The ethereal sense,

312

00:16:02,850 --> 00:16:07,850

and had that taste sensation

lingering on the palate.

313

00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,898

And there's always something happening.

314

00:16:12,898 --> 00:16:13,731

I see it in the eyes.

315

00:16:13,731 --> 00:16:14,580

I see it when,

316

00:16:14,580 --> 00:16:19,580

it's kind of like that moment

where you stop for a moment

317

00:16:21,660 --> 00:16:24,510

and you realize that something

very special is happening.

318

00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,580

And I have that with cigars in general,

319

00:16:29,580 --> 00:16:33,060

where I feel very much

connected with all the people

320

00:16:33,060 --> 00:16:35,850

who invested so much time and energy

321

00:16:35,850 --> 00:16:38,850

into crafting and creating this.

322

00:16:38,850 --> 00:16:43,050

But even more so when you

reflect upon a family history

323

00:16:43,050 --> 00:16:46,800

and a legacy of 11 generations

324

00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,580

who have been so heavily

involved with trading tobaccos

325

00:16:50,580 --> 00:16:51,780

all around the world

326

00:16:51,780 --> 00:16:56,520

and shaping the industry

in one way or another,

327

00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:57,990

even though mostly behind the scenes,

328

00:16:57,990 --> 00:17:00,240

because the name Meerapfel,

329

00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,140

to many people who enjoy

tobacco and cigars,

330

00:17:04,140 --> 00:17:07,980

might still be rather unknown,

331

00:17:07,980 --> 00:17:11,430

though the family has been

around for such a long time.

332

00:17:11,430 --> 00:17:13,890

And so that's what's

so fascinating for me,

333

00:17:13,890 --> 00:17:15,420

when you see something click,

334

00:17:15,420 --> 00:17:17,100

something happens with the people

335

00:17:17,100 --> 00:17:19,140

where they connect with themselves,

336

00:17:19,140 --> 00:17:22,380

but also with something

that's bigger than themselves

337

00:17:22,380 --> 00:17:23,550

and has meaning.

338

00:17:23,550 --> 00:17:26,553

- Everybody has a first

experience with a cigar.

339

00:17:28,802 --> 00:17:30,330

They're varied.

340

00:17:30,330 --> 00:17:35,330

And a father sharing

something with a son, a buddy,

341

00:17:36,060 --> 00:17:39,164

you know, my recollection of cigars

342

00:17:39,164 --> 00:17:42,090

was playing garage poker

343

00:17:42,090 --> 00:17:45,870

and smoking really cheap,

store-bought, you know,

344

00:17:45,870 --> 00:17:48,330

like convenience store-bought cigars

345

00:17:48,330 --> 00:17:51,090

like a Swisher or a White Owl

346

00:17:51,090 --> 00:17:53,190

or whatever back in high school,

347

00:17:53,190 --> 00:17:55,023

late high school, early college.

348

00:17:57,630 --> 00:18:01,080

Today I take a lot of pleasure

349

00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,930

from giving cigars to people.

350

00:18:03,930 --> 00:18:04,800

- Oh yeah.

351

00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,790

- Finding someone that

maybe I met at the store

352

00:18:08,790 --> 00:18:11,310

that I visit with regularity

353

00:18:11,310 --> 00:18:12,873

and they were smoking a,

354

00:18:14,370 --> 00:18:16,560

perhaps a infused cigar.

355

00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,030

because that's how they got introduced.

356

00:18:18,030 --> 00:18:21,360

And then introducing them

to a Connecticut or a Maduro

357

00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:24,990

or Habana wrapper that I

like, that's approachable

358

00:18:24,990 --> 00:18:27,480

and not gonna put a

dent in their forehead,

359

00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,370

that they're gonna have

a decent experience with

360

00:18:29,370 --> 00:18:32,100

to take it to the next level.

361

00:18:32,100 --> 00:18:33,300

What's your experience been

362

00:18:33,300 --> 00:18:35,340

with introducing people to cigars?

363

00:18:35,340 --> 00:18:38,430

Or is that part of your focus

364

00:18:38,430 --> 00:18:41,760

as you look at your Meerapfel experience

365

00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:46,760

in terms of how to engage people?

366

00:18:46,770 --> 00:18:49,720

- I think there's different aspects

367

00:18:51,870 --> 00:18:53,790

how to best answer that question.

368

00:18:53,790 --> 00:18:58,540

One is, I love introducing

people to cigars

369

00:18:59,550 --> 00:19:02,940

when they probably haven't

had that experience before.

370

00:19:02,940 --> 00:19:05,790

And to give them the

opportunity to explore

371

00:19:05,790 --> 00:19:10,110

and experience the unique magic

372

00:19:10,110 --> 00:19:14,283

of a conversation and a cigar

shared with great people.

373

00:19:16,110 --> 00:19:18,990

I wouldn't necessarily present somebody

374

00:19:18,990 --> 00:19:19,950

with a Meerapfel cigar

375

00:19:19,950 --> 00:19:22,263

as their first cigar ever.

376

00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:25,950

But that's the other aspect.

377

00:19:25,950 --> 00:19:30,573

If you meet somebody who is

a seasoned cigar aficionado,

378

00:19:32,310 --> 00:19:34,590

and I have the privilege

of presenting them

379

00:19:34,590 --> 00:19:35,853

with a Meerapfel cigar,

380

00:19:36,750 --> 00:19:39,990

that to me is a very, very special moment.

381

00:19:39,990 --> 00:19:44,430

I mean, you saw that it makes me humble

382

00:19:44,430 --> 00:19:48,330

and I'm very respectful in

the way I treat these cigars.

383

00:19:48,330 --> 00:19:49,170

Because even for me,

384

00:19:49,170 --> 00:19:50,547

it's a rare treat to enjoy one of these.

385

00:19:50,547 --> 00:19:51,930

- Downright reverent.

386

00:19:51,930 --> 00:19:55,980

- But to have the opportunity

to present somebody,

387

00:19:55,980 --> 00:19:58,650

a friend, a fellow, or even a stranger,

388

00:19:58,650 --> 00:20:00,240

with a Meerapfel cigar,

389

00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,070

to me is a magical moment.

390

00:20:02,070 --> 00:20:05,820

So it's both the ability

391

00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:10,320

to introduce new people

to the world of cigars

392

00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,740

or to introduce people who already had,

393

00:20:13,740 --> 00:20:16,200

who had tipped their toe into the waters

394

00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:17,670

of premium cigars

395

00:20:17,670 --> 00:20:19,855

and then introduce them

to a Meerapfel cigar

396

00:20:19,855 --> 00:20:22,500

are equally special and and beautiful.

397

00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:24,420

- Do you remember your first one?

398

00:20:24,420 --> 00:20:25,410

- My first Meerapfel cigar?

399

00:20:25,410 --> 00:20:27,360

- Yeah.

- Yes, absolutely.

400

00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:28,503

As it were yesterday.

401

00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:31,683

It was together with Jeremiah Meerapfel.

402

00:20:32,820 --> 00:20:35,760

We were in Belgium at a beautiful castle

403

00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:37,150

called Château de Moxhe

404

00:20:39,149 --> 00:20:44,149

and we broke open a box

of Meerapfel cigars.

405

00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,050

We visited a very good

friend of the family

406

00:20:47,970 --> 00:20:50,100

and we at the same time

had the opportunity

407

00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:53,523

to shoot some photo and video

content for Meerapfel Cigar.

408

00:20:54,780 --> 00:20:57,580

And it was the first time

that I sat down with Jeremiah.

409

00:21:00,150 --> 00:21:02,280

He presented me with a Meerapfel cigar.

410

00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,250

In fact, it was a Meir Pyramid,

411

00:21:05,250 --> 00:21:07,150

same cigar that I'm smoking right now.

412

00:21:09,930 --> 00:21:12,603

And it was like the world stopped.

413

00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,390

I didn't think about

time and place anymore.

414

00:21:18,390 --> 00:21:22,830

And I just had that very

moment shared with Jeremiah

415

00:21:22,830 --> 00:21:24,540

and to explore and experience

416

00:21:24,540 --> 00:21:25,990

the cigar for the first time.

417

00:21:29,220 --> 00:21:32,130

- It sounds like a fabulous

setting for that introduction.

418

00:21:32,130 --> 00:21:32,963

- Absolutely.

419

00:21:32,963 --> 00:21:34,860

I couldn't have thought

about a better place

420

00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:38,880

with that gorgeous environment,

surrounded by lovely people

421

00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,250

and then getting to share one of these.

422

00:21:41,250 --> 00:21:43,350

- So did the friendship precede

423

00:21:43,350 --> 00:21:45,030

the engagement with the company?

424

00:21:45,030 --> 00:21:46,170

Was there-

- Oh, absolutely.

425

00:21:46,170 --> 00:21:47,610

- For a long length of time?

426

00:21:47,610 --> 00:21:48,903

- Absolutely, yes.

427

00:21:50,130 --> 00:21:55,130

Otherwise, I couldn't be in that place

428

00:21:55,290 --> 00:21:58,795

and I wouldn't want to,

to work on a project

429

00:21:58,795 --> 00:22:02,177

if I don't feel like

430

00:22:02,177 --> 00:22:05,790

it has a special meaning or I belong.

431

00:22:05,790 --> 00:22:09,660

And, you know, I've been

self-employed for 10 years,

432

00:22:09,660 --> 00:22:10,830

running my own company,

433

00:22:10,830 --> 00:22:15,830

and to take the time and

the effort and the passion

434

00:22:16,290 --> 00:22:18,783

to invest myself into a project,

435

00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:22,410

it means a lot to me.

436

00:22:22,410 --> 00:22:26,785

And I couldn't do it for any other,

437

00:22:26,785 --> 00:22:30,213

you know, random project and product.

438

00:22:31,050 --> 00:22:33,240

It took me a while to realize in life,

439

00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,790

what's really important

is to love what you do

440

00:22:35,790 --> 00:22:39,720

and to enjoy every single

day, not even going to work.

441

00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,050

You know, for me, the whole

concept of work-life balance

442

00:22:43,050 --> 00:22:43,980

doesn't exist,

443

00:22:43,980 --> 00:22:48,450

because there's meaning in

what I get to do for a living.

444

00:22:48,450 --> 00:22:51,600

And I consider it an

integral part of my life.

445

00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,720

We all spend most of our time working,

446

00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,830

so I never wanted it to feel like work.

447

00:22:58,830 --> 00:23:01,710

So I have to love and enjoy it.

448

00:23:01,710 --> 00:23:04,672

And besides having an

entrepreneurial spirit and mindset,

449

00:23:04,672 --> 00:23:09,150

for me, whichever project I work on,

450

00:23:09,150 --> 00:23:11,643

whichever product I get to work with,

451

00:23:12,780 --> 00:23:14,250

I give it my all.

452

00:23:14,250 --> 00:23:18,630

And I would always treat

it not only with respect,

453

00:23:18,630 --> 00:23:20,313

but as if it were my own.

454

00:23:22,950 --> 00:23:27,030

And that was crucial in the way

455

00:23:27,030 --> 00:23:31,500

the relationship and the

friendship evolved with Jeremiah

456

00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:34,410

and then afterwards with

the whole Meerapfel family

457

00:23:34,410 --> 00:23:36,682

and with our family team,

458

00:23:36,682 --> 00:23:39,870

where it's an integral part

459

00:23:39,870 --> 00:23:43,290

of the way we come

together, we work together.

460

00:23:43,290 --> 00:23:45,630

And what we then get to

share with the outside world.

461

00:23:45,630 --> 00:23:47,550

- You look at statistics and data

462

00:23:47,550 --> 00:23:50,040

that's produced in surveys,

463

00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:51,750

and the vast majority of people

464

00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:53,763

aren't in love with what they do.

465

00:23:54,870 --> 00:23:56,760

What a gift.

466

00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,090

- That's why I said I would hope to,

467

00:24:00,090 --> 00:24:01,983

I would love that that's the case.

468

00:24:03,507 --> 00:24:04,340

And I hope

469

00:24:05,580 --> 00:24:08,310

that could serve as an inspiration

to other people as well,

470

00:24:08,310 --> 00:24:13,310

to have the courage to reconsider

471

00:24:17,010 --> 00:24:19,620

what it is they're

passionate about in life

472

00:24:19,620 --> 00:24:22,083

and what they get to do on a daily basis.

473

00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:29,240

At the end of the day, what do

we want to be remembered for?

474

00:24:29,340 --> 00:24:31,530

Or what do we want to think about

475

00:24:31,530 --> 00:24:33,570

and remember ourselves

476

00:24:33,570 --> 00:24:36,390

when eventually things come to an end

477

00:24:36,390 --> 00:24:41,373

or we go onto the next

part of our journey, right?

478

00:24:42,660 --> 00:24:45,930

I would hope that we can say,

479

00:24:45,930 --> 00:24:49,660

with gratitude and with joy, that

480

00:24:52,110 --> 00:24:54,840

we had the opportunity to

do something with our lives

481

00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,330

that is meaningful and

that means something

482

00:24:57,330 --> 00:24:58,860

to ourselves and to other people,

483

00:24:58,860 --> 00:25:02,760

and that hopefully we got to share moments

484

00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,130

and experience with other people

485

00:25:05,130 --> 00:25:06,603

that are worth remembering.

486

00:25:08,010 --> 00:25:13,010

And you know, you always say,

"Lead by example," right?

487

00:25:13,020 --> 00:25:15,010

And I wouldn't dare say that

488

00:25:16,290 --> 00:25:19,920

we get to influence other people

489

00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:21,660

in what they want to do with their life

490

00:25:21,660 --> 00:25:24,870

or where they're supposed

to end up work-wise.

491

00:25:24,870 --> 00:25:28,890

But I hope that it can be a role model

492

00:25:28,890 --> 00:25:31,833

where other people also think about,

493

00:25:33,750 --> 00:25:36,987

what do we do with the

time that we are given

494

00:25:36,987 --> 00:25:41,070

and that we're presented

with and make it memorable.

495

00:25:41,070 --> 00:25:42,960

- I'm very relaxed all of a sudden.

496

00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:44,467

I've gone from,

497

00:25:44,467 --> 00:25:46,320

"Who's gonna be on the schedule today

498

00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,650

and how many people are we

gonna be able to connect with?"

499

00:25:49,650 --> 00:25:54,450

And I'm just in a sort

of a place in the day

500

00:25:54,450 --> 00:25:56,280

where I'm just, I feel really relaxed.

501

00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:57,990

I wanna thank you for that.

502

00:25:57,990 --> 00:25:59,760

- I have to thank you.

- Experience in conversation.

503

00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,433

I mean, it's just a lovely experience.

504

00:26:03,390 --> 00:26:05,248

- I wouldn't dare say, like,

505

00:26:05,248 --> 00:26:06,081

you're in a bubble, right?

506

00:26:06,081 --> 00:26:10,080

But it feels like you

become somewhat disconnected

507

00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,330

from what's happening around,

508

00:26:12,330 --> 00:26:15,330

from all the hustle and

bustle and, you know,

509

00:26:15,330 --> 00:26:17,310

time and place aren't

that relevant anymore

510

00:26:17,310 --> 00:26:20,700

because you get to share and

enjoy something, an experience.

511

00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:24,600

And that's what cigars,

what great cigars can do,

512

00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,490

and what great conversation does.

513

00:26:26,490 --> 00:26:27,810

- Talk about Light 'Em Up.

514

00:26:27,810 --> 00:26:32,553

Talk about your interviewing world.

515

00:26:36,270 --> 00:26:39,813

- I think it comes back to

what we were discussing before.

516

00:26:40,830 --> 00:26:43,050

The whole idea of Light

'Em Up from day one

517

00:26:43,050 --> 00:26:47,700

has been to build bridges,

bring people together,

518

00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:52,530

and provide a safe space and environment

519

00:26:52,530 --> 00:26:56,643

where people can meet and

enjoy a great conversation.

520

00:26:58,830 --> 00:27:01,290

Ever since day one,

521

00:27:01,290 --> 00:27:05,910

Light 'Em Up has been

about the love and respect

522

00:27:05,910 --> 00:27:08,100

for the premium cigar industry,

523

00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:09,900

the people therein,

524

00:27:09,900 --> 00:27:14,430

and how we can share those stories

525

00:27:14,430 --> 00:27:16,500

with the outside world,

526

00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:18,030

whether it's a cigar enthusiast

527

00:27:18,030 --> 00:27:21,450

or people who never enjoyed

and smoked a premium cigar.

528

00:27:21,450 --> 00:27:23,550

We have people joining

from all over the world,

529

00:27:23,550 --> 00:27:24,750

all walks of life,

530

00:27:24,750 --> 00:27:29,750

and everything from a seasoned

cigar enthusiast aficionado,

531

00:27:32,670 --> 00:27:36,690

a once every-now-and-then kind of smoker,

532

00:27:36,690 --> 00:27:39,780

to people who never

enjoyed a premium cigar,

533

00:27:39,780 --> 00:27:41,490

but they love the conversation.

534

00:27:41,490 --> 00:27:44,010

And not once,

535

00:27:44,010 --> 00:27:46,800

but many times I had

people coming up to me

536

00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,740

or sending an email, a text message,

537

00:27:49,740 --> 00:27:51,210

or a DM on social media,

538

00:27:51,210 --> 00:27:54,960

that they don't smoke cigars,

539

00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,360

they've never tried one in their life,

540

00:27:57,360 --> 00:27:58,530

but they love joining

541

00:27:58,530 --> 00:28:01,520

because they're fascinated

by the conversations

542

00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,813

and the stories of these people.

543

00:28:05,130 --> 00:28:07,290

What inspired them, what influenced them,

544

00:28:07,290 --> 00:28:09,990

and what ultimately

brought them to the dance

545

00:28:09,990 --> 00:28:12,030

and to the industry.

546

00:28:12,030 --> 00:28:13,680

And that to me is a true testament

547

00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:16,710

of what we discussed earlier,

548

00:28:16,710 --> 00:28:20,100

the ability of a premium

cigar to bring people together

549

00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:21,990

and to give us an

opportunity to share a moment

550

00:28:21,990 --> 00:28:23,763

and share certain stories.

551

00:28:24,900 --> 00:28:27,421

And so that has always been the nucleus

552

00:28:27,421 --> 00:28:29,460

and the core of Light 'Em Up

553

00:28:29,460 --> 00:28:30,870

And still to this day it is.

554

00:28:30,870 --> 00:28:33,930

And on a weekly basis, every Wednesday,

555

00:28:33,930 --> 00:28:36,576

we get to open our virtual lounge via Zoom

556

00:28:36,576 --> 00:28:38,973

to the people who come and join us.

557

00:28:40,170 --> 00:28:43,680

We have normally a guest, a star guest,

558

00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:48,540

an icon from the cigar industry

to lead the conversation

559

00:28:48,540 --> 00:28:51,720

and to share the interview with me.

560

00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:55,560

And then we have people joining

from all around the world

561

00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,720

directly via Zoom at the lounge

562

00:28:57,720 --> 00:28:59,970

or through the live

stream that we put online

563

00:29:00,870 --> 00:29:02,580

and become immersed in that experience

564

00:29:02,580 --> 00:29:03,990

and become part of it.

565

00:29:03,990 --> 00:29:06,240

So it's not like a static format

566

00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,700

where you just sit and watch

or you listen to a podcast,

567

00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:11,490

but you can truly become

part of the experience.

568

00:29:11,490 --> 00:29:13,350

And that to me is very important.

569

00:29:13,350 --> 00:29:18,350

It's a different way of

engaging with the conversation

570

00:29:18,930 --> 00:29:21,030

and not to just passively listen,

571

00:29:21,030 --> 00:29:22,683

but to truly be a part of it.

572

00:29:24,090 --> 00:29:29,090

- I've enjoyed the occasion

to interview people

573

00:29:30,030 --> 00:29:34,270

and have conversations that

we've captured on video

574

00:29:35,447 --> 00:29:36,600

for our podcasts

575

00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:41,040

and different events that

we've participated in.

576

00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,073

And what I've loved so much about it is,

577

00:29:45,270 --> 00:29:47,760

it's a very parallel reflection

578

00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:49,470

of what Boveda is about as a company.

579

00:29:49,470 --> 00:29:53,583

We're an asterisk on this entire industry.

580

00:29:57,145 --> 00:29:58,770

We're not the star of the show.

581

00:29:58,770 --> 00:30:00,753

We're a supporting actor.

582

00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:07,400

We're committed to helping our customers

583

00:30:07,890 --> 00:30:09,510

enjoy their passions,

584

00:30:09,510 --> 00:30:12,030

maximize their passions.

585

00:30:12,030 --> 00:30:14,700

And there's something,

586

00:30:14,700 --> 00:30:19,050

it's just a privilege to get with people

587

00:30:19,050 --> 00:30:22,560

and give them space to tell their story

588

00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,530

or share the notion that

they're fascinated with

589

00:30:25,530 --> 00:30:26,363

in the moment.

590

00:30:28,547 --> 00:30:29,460

It's a real reflection

591

00:30:29,460 --> 00:30:33,420

of what this endeavor has been for me.

592

00:30:33,420 --> 00:30:34,659

That's what I do,

593

00:30:34,659 --> 00:30:37,620

I introduce people to, basically,

594

00:30:37,620 --> 00:30:42,180

to freshness and to maintaining quality

595

00:30:42,180 --> 00:30:43,710

of things that we love.

596

00:30:43,710 --> 00:30:46,470

- It's a beautiful analogy

that you brought up

597

00:30:46,470 --> 00:30:49,620

and I never thought of it that way

598

00:30:49,620 --> 00:30:52,800

in regards to Boveda,

599

00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:57,510

but it is entirely what I have experienced

600

00:30:57,510 --> 00:30:58,410

through Light 'Em Up

601

00:30:58,410 --> 00:31:00,813

and through my journalistic

work in general.

602

00:31:01,860 --> 00:31:03,033

It takes,

603

00:31:06,750 --> 00:31:09,150

I don't know if humility

is the right word,

604

00:31:09,150 --> 00:31:13,893

but the realization

that it's not about you,

605

00:31:15,300 --> 00:31:20,070

it's about providing an

opportunity and a platform

606

00:31:20,070 --> 00:31:22,140

for other people to share their story,

607

00:31:22,140 --> 00:31:23,583

to express themselves,

608

00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:28,470

and for the viewer, the

listener, the participants

609

00:31:28,470 --> 00:31:32,429

to engage and become part of that story.

610

00:31:32,429 --> 00:31:33,510

You have to take a step back.

611

00:31:33,510 --> 00:31:36,630

- It's interest, it's,

612

00:31:36,630 --> 00:31:38,280

people have interest in something

613

00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,353

for a variety of motivations.

614

00:31:41,232 --> 00:31:42,240

So I can be interested

615

00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,000

because of something you're gonna give me.

616

00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:46,230

I'm going to get paid

617

00:31:46,230 --> 00:31:48,480

because I sold you something, you know,

618

00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:50,940

or you can be interested

619

00:31:50,940 --> 00:31:53,013

for the sake of being interested,

620

00:31:54,420 --> 00:31:56,400

to genuinely-

- And funnily enough,

621

00:31:56,400 --> 00:32:00,720

I think everything else then

is a natural progression

622

00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:02,403

or is a natural result of that.

623

00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,210

I never believed in sales

624

00:32:06,210 --> 00:32:08,677

or being salesy for the sake of,

625

00:32:08,677 --> 00:32:10,650

"I'm trying to talk you into,

626

00:32:10,650 --> 00:32:14,157

this is the best thing

ever since sliced bread."

627

00:32:15,780 --> 00:32:20,010

If we genuinely get

together, share a story

628

00:32:20,010 --> 00:32:22,980

and share the interest

with the other person

629

00:32:22,980 --> 00:32:27,980

so that I get to know you and

learn what you are all about,

630

00:32:28,350 --> 00:32:31,020

what the company or the product

631

00:32:31,020 --> 00:32:33,931

that you work for and with is all about,

632

00:32:33,931 --> 00:32:35,583

everything else will follow.

633

00:32:37,830 --> 00:32:42,150

And so I think you hit

the nail on the head

634

00:32:42,150 --> 00:32:44,553

and you phrased it perfectly.

635

00:32:45,750 --> 00:32:48,120

It's the genuine interest

for the other person.

636

00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:52,653

And then we come together and suddenly,

637

00:32:54,060 --> 00:32:56,460

one plus one equals-

638

00:32:56,460 --> 00:32:58,530

- Way more than two.

- Absolutely.

639

00:32:58,530 --> 00:33:02,250

There's a cigar for every

moment and every occasion.

640

00:33:02,250 --> 00:33:05,794

And that could be

different things, you know?

641

00:33:05,794 --> 00:33:09,630

Similar to aromas and flavors

642

00:33:09,630 --> 00:33:11,190

being different for everybody

643

00:33:11,190 --> 00:33:13,770

based on your sensory experiences

644

00:33:13,770 --> 00:33:18,330

and the database of aromaticity and tastes

645

00:33:18,330 --> 00:33:19,770

that you have built for yourself,

646

00:33:19,770 --> 00:33:23,959

the references that you

have for certain triggers

647

00:33:23,959 --> 00:33:26,490

that hit your sensory system, right?

648

00:33:26,490 --> 00:33:31,470

So I don't necessarily

like to talk all too much

649

00:33:31,470 --> 00:33:35,220

about, "The cigar tastes like X, Y, Z,"

650

00:33:35,220 --> 00:33:37,350

because it might be

different for everybody.

651

00:33:37,350 --> 00:33:38,472

- Yeah. Go experience it yourself.

652

00:33:38,472 --> 00:33:40,680

- And who am I to tell you that,

653

00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,770

you know, this has a note of

frankincense in it, right?

654

00:33:43,770 --> 00:33:45,360

It might be different for you,

655

00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,800

but we can talk about it.

656

00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,590

And there again, the cigar

becomes a door opener

657

00:33:52,590 --> 00:33:54,810

to a great conversation

658

00:33:54,810 --> 00:33:57,570

and a whole journey beyond that.

659

00:33:57,570 --> 00:33:59,703

- Reinhardt, I wanna thank

you for the conversation.

660

00:33:59,703 --> 00:34:00,750

(gentle music)

- Thank you very much.

661

00:34:00,750 --> 00:34:02,340

It's been an absolute pleasure for me.

662

00:34:02,340 --> 00:34:03,630

- It was a treat. I hope

we get to do it again.

663

00:34:03,630 --> 00:34:05,700

- I look forward to that.

Thank you very much.

664

00:34:05,700 --> 00:34:06,928

- Yeah.

665

00:34:06,928 --> 00:34:10,345

(gentle music fades out)