Episode 139: Hector Alfonso Sr of Espinosa Cigars
James and Nick welcome blender and Director of Factory Operations for Espinosa Cigars, Hector Alfonso Sr., to the show. The trio discuss the cigar industry at large: the differences in B&M’s, the internal politics of lounges and how one or two “Alpha Dogs” can sway others in the lounge, and what differentiates “cigar slingers” from those who actually sell cigars. They also discuss why Simply Stogies Podcast is “legit” and what we do differently than others in the media space. Hector talks about Cigar of the Year lists before we dive in to how he met Erik Espinosa and and how Espinosa Cigars began. He also discusses working with Guy Fieri and how he’s just build different than other celebrities in the cigar space. Hector also discusses where he thinks Espinosa Cigars will be in five years.