Nestor Miranda’s life and cigar journey began in Cuba. What he lacked in formal education he more than made up for with hard work, perseverance, and business savvy. His work in sales eventually led him to joining his wife at Miami Cigar & Company, fulfilling the American Dream, and becoming a titan in the cigar industry. A true legend, Miranda talked with Cigar Life Guy about hard work, family, and why it’s a great time to be a cigar smoker
First Premium Cigar Experience
Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.
Nestor Miranda: My cigar smoking experience began in my hometown of Holguin, Cuba. I used to take my grandfather’s cigars and go smoke them in the park near my house. They were Churchill-sized and I remember always getting sick. But it never stopped me from smoking because all the girls would look at me like I was the man!
Starting in Sales and the Miami Cigar Company
Cigar Life Guy: You worked for Southern Wine and Spirits before working full-time at Miami Cigar Company. Tell us what you brought to the Miami Cigar Company back in 1995.
Nestor Miranda: Southern Wine gave me a great training into what it took to be a great salesman. From the moment I started there, I knew that sales was for me. It was in my blood! There was nothing more enjoyable than making that big sale and returning to the office to let everyone know who the man is! All of my accounts knew that when Nestor Miranda walked into the door they were in trouble! (Laughs) I actually couldn’t have done it without them, the relationships that I formed in the liquor industry helped me when we moved forward to the cigar industry.
Cigar Life Guy: You are a legend in the cigar industry. What is your greatest accomplishment and why?
Nestor Miranda: I would say my greatest accomplishment was being able to come from Cuba to the United States with limited education and zero English and live the American Dream. It wasn’t easy, but that’s ok. It makes me appreciate what I have been able to do even more knowing that it took everything I had to make it happen.
Cigar Life Guy: What advice would you give to some of the upstart companies who are looking to make a name in the cigar industry?
Nestor Miranda: You need to find the hardest worker in the industry and out-work them! There is no replacement for hard work in this business. Many people say that they have it in them but when the time comes to do it, only the strong survive, brother!
Challenges in the Cigar Industry
Cigar Life Guy: What are the biggest challenges in the cigar industry and how does it differ from a few decades ago?
Nestor Miranda: The biggest challenge is keeping up with the consumer’s ever-changing palate. We try our best to provide the consumers with what they are looking for but it’s not easy when you have an amazing group of competitors like we do in this industry. They say that iron sharpens iron and this is so true! It is a great time to be a cigar smoker because everyone is constantly innovating and coming out with new wonderful products for the consumer.
Family and Tradition
Cigar Life Guy: Miami Cigar Company is a family business. Your son took on an integral role in the company before he passed away, and now you work with your daughter and son-in-law, Jason. Why is tradition so important to the cigar industry and your company?
Nestor Miranda: Family is the reason we do what we do! At the end of the day when your time is over on this planet, you want to rest easy knowing that you did everything possible to position your family to be successful in the future.
Cigar Life Guy: Your company’s slogan, “It’s not just cigars. It’s a lifestyle.” What is your favorite aspect of the cigar lifestyle
Nestor Miranda: “One Life” is a slogan that we live by here at Miami Cigar. It basically means that in this world you are given one life and it is up to you to decide what you make of it. My wife and I arrived in the United States with nothing and we decided to put in the blood, sweat and tears necessary to be successful and live the American Dream. Now it is up to my daughter and son-in-law to continue this for their children.
Beyond Cigars
Cigar Life Guy: What is one of your passions outside of cigars? What would people not know about you?
Nestor Miranda: I am an outdoors-man. Fishing and hunting are the things I like to do—while smoking a cigar, of course!
One thing that people do not know about me is that I was enlisted in the US Army and was training for the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.
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photo credit: Miami Cigar & Co.