16 TOBACCO BUSINESS | MAY / JUNE | 22 knowledge with others without feeling like the post has to be sexualized in any way to be “liked” or read by others. “The keyword for me about this is intention,” said Lamar. “What is the intention of the post? Your intention will help you share the right message. Be thoughtful in your messaging. Is it right for you and your values? Does it speak to the larger values of women as multifaceted beings within this industry? Just be thoughtful and mindful of your intention.” “I always think of my daughters when I try to send a message across,” added Bush. “What will they think when they look at this? Did I send the right message? That helps me. Whether you have daughters or not, make the best decision for women as a whole.” Lamar, who is also a mother, says it’s also important to teach sons early on that although there may be differences between the sexes, men and women are equal and should be treated accordingly. Another issue that doesn’t often get spoken about is how there is some division among women within the industry. “A lot of people don’t realize a lot of women in the industry are kind of going against each other as well,” Arroyo stated. “You could be doing the most fantastic thing in the world— you could have a cigar line or run a retail shop—but a lot of women are just not really as supportive of each other as you would think.” Part of this goes back to images and stereotypes, Arroyo explained. In the past, a woman’s place in the cigar industry was that of a sex symbol used to sell products. While that strategy helped many brands build awareness in the past, it no longer works today. The industry needs to be a bit more open-minded and willing to see things differently, especially when it comes to the role women have in today’s cigar industry. There’s room for everyone in the cigar industry, so rather than taking a narrow approach where all women are forced to behave and act in one way, Arroyo expressed the need to allow everyone to feel like today’s industry is a safe space and welcoming to all. Creating Safe Spaces Another way the industry can become more inclusive and open to women is to provide themwith forums and opportunities for discussing issues that are important to them, similar to TPE Ignite’s educational panels. Bush also has experienced the weirdness in the industry that impacts women and believes it’s due in part to an underlying current of competition. She’s made the idea of “sisters supporting sisters” one of the driving forces at her company, Emperors Cut Cigars, and constantly looks for ways to bring women into her company, whether it’s as a collaborator or a customer. “If we set an example as women in the industry and in business, we can set the example and just try to pass it on to at least one person and tell them to pay it forward. I do that in my other industries and it sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn’t, but at least we know that each one can teach one, right?” Women are constantly fighting to be seen and heard in this maledominated industry, Lamar pointed out, and this fight can sometimes ERICA ARROYO Host of The Lounge Experience (TLE) podcast JANELLE LAMAR ATL Cigar Co. Atlanta, Georgia RILEY CLARK Shore Thing Cigars Watersound, Florida TEMI BUSH Emperors Cut Cigars Houston, Texas Meet Our Panel The keyword for me about this is intention. What is the intention of the post? Your intention will help you share the right message. Be thoughtful in your messaging. Is it right for you and your values? Does it speak to the larger values of women as multifaceted beings within this industry? Just be thoughtful and mindful of your intention. —Janelle Lamar, ATL Cigar Co.
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