Today we’d like to introduce you to Octavia Toliver.
Octavia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I fell in love with cigars about ten years ago. Someone took me on a date to a cigar lounge and I tried my first cigar. I was very young, and it felt sophisticated and much different than the nightclubs and lounges I was used to at that time. I immediately wanted to be a part of that culture.
I began to go to different cigar bars and lounges, but never felt accepted. Sometimes it would be the shop owners/staff following me around the humidor trying to sell me all the typical cigars that “the ladies” like. Other times, it was condescending tones and nasty glares from veteran smokers who seemed annoyed at my questions and my presence as a whole. I just wanted to learn, but this didn’t feel good to me. Eventually, I removed myself altogether, and continued my journey smoking cigars on my balcony, at my pool, and at the nightclubs that I was used to.
Fast forward to 2016, a friend of mine had begun to do cigar events. I started helping him and knew that I could bring something special to this lane, especially when it came to women. I am a true girl’s girl! I know what women like, and I knew exactly how to make women feel comfortable while enjoying and learning about cigars.
I started an Instagram page and started posting other women smoking cigars! Ultimately, @herficionado was a feature page. I was so afraid to let people see who was behind the page because my only other public experience with cigar smoking was that of intimidation, catcalls, and condescending men trying to figure out what someone like me is doing in a cigar bar. I thought that if I showed my face, all of the negative comments, that were inevitable, would be directed at ME.
Shortly after opening my page, I started curating an event called “She Smokes Too” in 2016. My first event had about 15 people, but I was proud so I pressed on. Each month, the event grew exponentially, and the movement began to catch on throughout social media. Women from all over the world were using my hashtags and tagging me in their posts. This was bigger than me. This was bigger than my event. This was about women feeling comfortable engaging in a male-dominated activity and feeling empowered to create their own lanes within it. This was my goal from the onset, and this was just the beginning of the realization of it.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My road has been relatively smooth thanks to the power of social media and all of my amazing supporters! I truly have the best people rooting for me, and I could not be more grateful for that. However, with any new endeavor, there are challenges.
I am not the stereotypical cigar enthusiast. The most obvious differences are that I am a woman and I’m younger than the average cigar smoker. This combination causes many to question my authenticity. When I first started to put myself in the forefront of my movement, I felt pressure to prove myself. I had been smoking cigars for almost a decade at that point, but I still felt the need to prove my knowledge and establish my right to be in that space.
I remember being practically interrogated at one of my events by a man who just couldn’t understand how this “little lady in a silky dress” could know anything about cigars and could fill a room with 400 people. This was the moment that I decided to STOP entertaining this type of mentality. I was so insulted that a man who had never met me, and knew nothing about me was at MY event questioning me! I realized that the people who would look at me and assume one thing or another about me were not my people and did not deserve my energy. That switch made me much stronger.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
HERficionado is a platform for events, services, and products surrounding the smoke culture. I curate and facilitate a safe space for women to explore and enjoy the world of cigars in a way that most have not been able to achieve.
Historically, the cigar culture has been male-dominated in a conservative environment. Male patrons are usually dressed in a business suit during the week, or khakis and a T-shirt on the weekend; there was no in between. The small number of women involved usually downplayed their femininity by dressing casually because of the fear of being viewed as too high maintenance in a masculine environment.
The HERficionado experience is different than the traditional cigar experience because it is not just about the cigars. It is about a lifestyle which incorporates fashion, spirits, beautiful spaces and ambiance, as well as a consistent theme of women’s empowerment. My events encourage guests to come out in all their splendor and glory! I want my ladies especially to feel like they can wear their favorite dresses, and really get dolled up for a night out solo, with a significant other, or with the girls! While this seems trivial, I believe that those moments when a woman looks her best are often associated with the moments she FEELS her best!
What were you like growing up?
I’m a Florida girl so I LOVED the beach, and playing outside during the summers! I was also a cheerleader from middle school through high school. Oddly enough, I was very shy. I had friends that I enjoyed, but I didn’t branch out too much from those friends. I think people who know me now would be surprised that I was such an introvert.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://herf-shop.myshopify.com
- Email: octavia@herficionado.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/herficionado
Image Credit:
Robdeula Lewis, Emef Photography, Park Hill Multimedia
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