Cigarticles
Cigar Weekly Interview with Ernesto Perez-Carillo
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo: "In 1968, my dad started the business with one cigar roller. I would work with my father first after school, then during the day. But I always loved music, and I thought that was my goal. My dad and my mom were always very insistent that I take this business over. Quite frankly, the business wasn't going all that well. I wasn't getting a salary from the cigar business, so I was playing gigs at night and that was how I would survive -- getting money from the music. But as for my music, I eventually realized I wasn't that good. It was a rude awakening.
CW: What are your first steps in the new venture?
CW: I know it is early but what are you thinking?
CW: Will you be at IPCPR this year?
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo: "I don't know. If I do go to New Orleans it would just be to visit. I won't have anything set up."
CW: What are Lissette and Ernie doing now?
CW: And General will continue making the El Credito brands?
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo: "Yes, General has the factory in Miami and in the DR and they are going to keep making them. But I am not going away even though I will be working on my own. They will have to kick me out. We have talked a lot about this and they are very open to anything that I need and whatever they need from me I am there for them. General and Swedish Match helped me live my dream and now they are helping me live my other dream to come out with a brand for my family.
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo: "Absolutely. When you are working for a company like General, you have everything in your hand and it is a whole different ballgame what I am getting into now. They had the tobacco, marketing, sales finance. Believe me, I gave this plenty of thought. Like when I sold the business, but that turned out to be a good thing for me. It is a question of taking that first step. From there on, everything will work out on its own. I have a little bit more idea of what to do, my son is into finance and my daughter is a lawyer so I know they can handle it. This opportunity also gives them a sense of ownership because they are working on something that will be theirs down the road. There is a saying - 'to play the blues you gotta live it' and this is my life and I gotta live it how it is right for me especially at my age. "
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Frank Seltzer (Mowee) is a former network correspondent who now owns a media consulting company in Dallas , TX . A regular cigar smoker since 1973, Frank runs the DFW Cigar Society, a group that has almost 300 members who get together twice a month to trade smokes and lies. He also runs away as often as he can to his condo in Maui ... hence the name Mowee (which, by the way, was the way Captain Cook
originally spelled the island when he heard Hawaiians speak it.)