TOB_Magazine

[ 46 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ MAY / JUNE | 18 ] Purpose Driven Leadership On the first day of 2018, Dylan Austin took on the role of vice president of sales and marketing at Davidoff of Geneva USA. Coming nearly a decade after he joined the company, this pro- motion followed the acquisition of Camacho Cigars. While Austin always had high aspira- tions, he says he never aimed for the role he has today—it just happened. “My focus was just doing great work, building the brands, and trying to push us and myself beyond where we had been,” Austin explains. “I started as an assistant, not knowing where that would go. To be honest, I was overcome with love for the industry and the people. That’s what kept me going. What I can say is I never would have thought I’d spend the next 13 years in the cigar business. It’s such a great industry, and the journey has been amazing.” Austin is similar to many other leaders in the tobacco industry, in that his climb up the corpo- rate ladder was gradual. After working as a con- sultant and taking a yearlong hiatus, he received a phone call out of the blue from the then-owner of Camacho Cigars, which led first to an inter- view and then to a job offer. Austin entered the industry with a fresh take on a product steeped in tradition. Having spent time in different positions throughout his career, he now has an entirely new take and view on leadership, teamwork and how to push past obstacles to take products and brand- ing to new heights. The Qualities of a Leader Asked what it means to be a leader, Austin responds, “Consistently inspiring those around me and genuinely caring about their development and future. Providing a clear vision, guidance and insight that can be carried throughout and executed across the organization. Being the first to jump in the mix when a situation or challenge arises—then being the last out of the trenches. Leaving things better than you found them.” His take on leadership has been influenced by his various jobs and positions, both big and small. Having started at the bottom, Austin knows exactly what employees up and down the chain experience, which gives him a unique insight into how to lead. His takeaway is that as employees face greater responsibilities, they will likely face more challenges and complexities in their day-to-day grinds. These challenges, how- ever, shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing, but rather as fun learning experiences. “I’m a firm believer in the fact that if you can’t solve today’s problems, you won’t be able to solve tomorrow’s,” Austin says. “With the var- ious positions I’ve held, that has always been one thing that remained at the center for me. That ultimately keeps you with a sense of constant urgency, which is a trait that is key no matter what level you are [at] in an organization.” ➤ Davidoff ’s Dylan Austin reveals how having a purpose can drive innovation and improve leadership BY ANTOINE REID PREMIUM CIGARS / WHO’S THE BOSS