My Fiance and I just had a really great 4-day visit here at home with my future in-laws. As I’ve said before, it’s one thing to fall in love with your spouse, and it’s quite another to fall in love with her family, as well.

I’m really fortunate and blessed in that regard. In 37 days, I will not only be marrying my girl, but will also become a member of her family, as well; and I could not be any happier about either. Which all lead me to thinking more and more about the subject of “family” this morning. I came across the following quote on the topic today:

“The family you come from isn’t as important as the family you’re going to have” – R. Lardner

I began thinking about how that quote is timely to our business development here at Crowned Heads, as well. If you’ve been following our journey, you probably already know that we are in the process of searching for the right cigar manufacturer to help us take our vision, help us bring it to life, and eventually find its place among the shelves of a select group of retail tobacconists across the country.

You may be saying to yourself, “What’s so difficult about that? You just pick the factory that has produced the hottest brands out there, send them an email, and get them to create a blend for you.”

And you may be correct.

But that is not how we’re going about it.

Weeks ago, we spent days–sequestered in a room–just us and a lot of big, blank, white paper–writing down potential factory candidates…analyzing, rating, evaluating, speculating. We rated each one in several specific categories. Yes, product quality weighed heavily in that equation. But so did some other traits, as well; one of which was ‘trust.‘ We believe you have to trust the people making your products in much the same way that you trust your own family. They must understand your vision, share your passion, and in a way, they become an extension of yourself in a country and a culture far away from the comfort zone of your own home. Eventually, in the best case scenario, they become like your ‘family.’

Of course, that evaluation period lead to us actually boarding a plane and going down to meet and discuss our plans with numerous factories in Central America. While we’ve yet to actually make a manufacturer decision, I will share with you that we have significantly narrowed down the field. When I look at the potential candidates today, I see that they have something in common. Yes, they make some of the best premium cigars on the planet today. Beyond that, however, they are also businesses whose day-to-day operations are managed by FAMILIES.

Cigars are a centuries-old art form–one that is rich in tradition, heritage, and knowledge that is passed down from generation to generation. This is an art form that is best served warm with spirit, joy, and love. It fails and falls short when served cold with calculation, machination, and greed.

So, as we grow closer to making that very important decision of just who will be translating the Crowned Heads vision into an actual cigar that will (hopefully) be enjoyed by cigar enthusiasts around the globe, that quote from today keeps playing over and over in my head like a scratchy old LP…

“The family you come from isn’t as important as the family you’re going to have.”

So, here’s to ‘family’–and I hope that Crowned Heads will ‘marry well.’

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads