I have known Howie for years. Long before press releases, athlete collaborations, or lines in multiple countries. Same guy then as now. Always moving. Always smiling. Always working.

Howard G Cigars did not come out of nowhere. It came out of effort. A lot of it. And it launched in 2020, which tells you everything you need to know about Howie’s appetite for difficulty.

The hardest part early on was not factories or logistics…it was restraint.

“The hardest part for me in 2020 was not being so anxious to sign off on a blend because I liked it a lot,” Howard says. “It’s one thing for me to like, but when the goal is to build a national and then international business, it must be able to be liked by more individuals besides myself.”

Ike Taylor, Howie G, Leon Searcy

That sentence sums up the entire operation. Howie does not build cigars for his own ego. He builds them for scale. That sounds simple. It is not.

One of the first real tests of that philosophy came when it cost him time and money. Howard promised consumers that his cigars would rest for 90 days after rolling. Industry norms say they are ready in about three to four weeks. He still waited.

“Yes, the decision that could have made or broken the brand is when I decided to keep my word,” he says. “After the product was rolled, I let it rest at the factory for 90 days before shipping it to our warehouse.”

When starting out, that is not a popular decision. Patience is counterintuitive. It is also what can help separate a brand that is building trust vs just going for momentum.

If you have spent any time with Howie, you know two things. He hustles. And he loves sports. The athlete collaborations make sense because they are not transactions… sports are part of his passion. It is definitely an upside in his world.

“The pros for working with professional athletes for me is having fun creating the perfect blend for them,” he says. “Creating Ike Taylor’s 1OFAKINE blend was different than creating Leon Searcy’s Big Searc blend. It’s authentic to them, which is the most important part for me.”

The downside is predictable.

“The only con, if one would be getting things done in a certain time frame, due to their hectic schedules.”

Still, that authenticity pays off when it is time to tell the story.

“They come to the shows and tell the consumers and retailers their story, which relates better than me having to explain it for them.”

Right now, Howard’s energy is pointed squarely at the fairway.

“I’m really focused on our golf line, The Perfect Round,” he says. “It’s really gaining traction within the golf community.”

Getting cigars into humidors followed the same path as everything else he does. Relationships first. Follow up always.

“I didn’t try to reinvent the wheel,” Howard says. “Just connecting with my relationships in the cigar industry and getting the product in the hands of the consumers and retailers. Following up is the key.”

Showing up matters too.

“Going to the PCA show every year has been a HUGE help in creating relationships with retailers nationwide.”

Consistency, the thing cigar smokers care about most, is protected at the factory level.

“Having the same group of rollers making our brand in the factories we are partnered with alongside having a master blender who test the product prior to shipping to us is our key.”

New releases are slower than consumers want. That is intentional.

“We try to focus on the core brand while implementing new releases for our consumers,” he says.

The unglamorous work never stops.

“Making sure to stay connected with the factory to check on product and inventory,” Howard says. “Keeping up bands, vistas, boxes, and then you have the office stuff like taxes and licenses.”

Howie G Cigars

Six years in, the brand now reaches 33 states and three countries. If you know Howie, this part is not surprising.

“ALL of our consumers matter to us,” he says. “From the box buyers to the single stick buyers, they all make the brand where we are today.”

For retailers, his message is direct.

“We would love the opportunity to be a part of their humidor,” Howard says. “We are coming. All Gas No Breaks.”

For consumers, it is about trust and longevity.

“We are a brand here for the long haul,” he says. “Our focus is to provide an amazing smoking experience they can count on!”

I have watched Howie build this without shortcuts. Same smile. Same work ethic. Same pace. The difference now is scale. The hustle never changed.