Most everything that he does with his business is driven by his passion for cigars and the industry as a whole. When it comes to making decisions that will impact his business, he always relies on his internal instincts to help him make the best decision for Tatuaje.
“I do everything from the feeling in my gut,” he says. “It’s simple for me: Either it sucks or it doesn’t. If something doesn’t feel right, I just don’t do it.”
The Power of Belief
Years after becoming a brand owner, Johnson attributes much of his success to his mentors, many of whom are still active and present in the industry today. Despite how much his life has changed over the years, Johnson still sees himself as a tattooed guy working in a typically traditional industry. While those elements were a bit unusual when he first launched Tatuaje in 2003, they’ve now helped to define him as a unique voice within a big industry.
“I think, more than anything, people now take the time and talk to me,” he says. “They want to hear my opinion on cigars and tobacco-related things. That didn’t happen much with music. Cigars are what I do, and I believe I have had the best teachers in the world.”
As Johnson continues to feed his creative appetite and passion for cigars, his advice to other entrepreneurs based on his own personal journey is simple: Believe in what you do, don’t try and sell crap, and if you believe in your product, eventually others will believe in it as well.
This story first appeared in the July/August 2018 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.
– Story by Antoine Reid, an editor and digital content director for Tobacco Business Magazine. You can follow him on Instagram @editor.reid.
