We recently connected with Nathan Currin and have shared our conversation below.
Nathan, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I was raised in Northeast Georgia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains… My father was a small-town Baptist preacher who raised myself and my 3 siblings in a strict, Conservative environment, but instilled in all of us a hard-work ethic and principles of doing the right thing and working to please God, not just people around you.
Every day after school and even during the summer, my Dad would put myself and my brother to work outside giving us chores, tasks and other things… and though we hated it at the time, it really did create in us a passion for hard work, a dedication to doing things the right away (not taking shortcuts), and all 4 of us ended up being entrepreneurs in one way or another.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I worked for design and marketing agencies for many years, and about 15 years ago I embarked on my own journey starting my own small graphic and web design agency, which has grown over the years. And while the design business continues to grow and expand, I took on a second venture about 3 years ago, partnering with one of my best friends to open Fuego Mobile Cigar Lounge.
Since Fuego opened, almost 2 years ago, we’ve done close to 100 events (festivals, weddings, corporate events and more). Fuego Mobile Cigars continues to have success as we’re in the early stages of franchising as well, with our Miami / Ft Lauderdale location set to open later this year.
It’s been neat combining my love for marketing and design into a new venture opening the mobile business. And as both companies continue to grow and expand, so do my responsibilities and work load. But I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Nothing tops hard work… and part of working hard is understanding smart work as well, and how putting in more hours doesn’t necessarily equal a higher level of productivity. Understand what YOU are good at, and focus on that – delegate and outsource the rest; or surround yourself or your business with individuals who are strong in areas that you are not.
A solid understanding of marketing is important in ANY business venture. I have a marketing degree, and it’s truly come in handy in a practical way across all of my businesses. But you don’t necessarily need a degree to have a basic understanding of marketing and business. Take some classes, apprentice under someone, watch online videos, invest in solid resources, and once again, surround yourself with quality people who you can learn from.
One final quality would be humility. None of us know it all… and even in our strongest areas, we can continue to learn from those around us and evolve into something even better. So, keep your mind sharp and stay humble – listen more than you speak. That’s one thing I’ve learned.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
There is always a new challenge to face… For me, it changes almost daily. Finding new clients (both design and cigar lounge) is always a challenge, all while balancing current clients and keeping them happy. (Or trying to!)
Logistics in both businesses keeps me on my toes as well… Inventory in the cigar business, and managing sub-contractors and employees in the design agency. But with each new challenge, almost daily, I rely on my faith in God, a strong support system around me, my past experience, solid partners, coaches and a therapist, and more!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nathancurrin.com AND https://fuegomobilecigars.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuegomobilecigars/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuegomobilecigars
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathancurrin/
