Powerful Stories of Redemption in Each Cigar I have been involved in the cigar culture for over a year. It has been an incredible journey. I have met many interesting people. Cigars are often called the great equalizer. The differences in political beliefs, economic circumstances, and social backgrounds fade in rooms filled with cigar smoke. I have also discovered the culture of different cigar lounges. There is a culture within the culture. There are lounges with dilapidated furniture desperately in need of an upgrade. There are lounges with private rooms for members that allow for 24-hour access. Additionally, I have learned about different cigar blends, how cigar tobacco is grown, and the care put into each rolled cigar. Finally, I have also learned more about the people and families behind certain cigars.  All that I have learned is built into the cigar culture in the form of stories. Stories are powerful! Seth Godin states, ‘Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” Marketing is an essential business tool to garner interest as well as to encourage consumers to purchase the “stuff that you make.” Good marketers can move “stuff” quickly, but great marketers can move “stuff” well. Moving “stuff” quickly and moving “stuff” well are not the same thing. Moving “stuff” quickly often leads to the lack of care and poor quality of the product. There is a greater focus on the gains for the producer and the consumer is an afterthought. Moving “stuff” well is about trial and error to release a quality product. There is a sincere focus on offering the best to the consumer. Quality is encompassed in a powerful story. A couple of months ago, I visited a cigar lounge in McKinney, Texas, and sat next to a…