It was only in December 2021 that Joshua and Cynn Coburn made official their purchase of Dissident Cigars, a boutique brand that has passed through a number of ownership hands in recent years. Part of the Oveja Negra stable of cigar lines manufactured at James and Angela Brown’s Oveja Negra Factory in Estelí, Dissident, as its name suggests, has always cultivated a reputation for distinctively unconventional marketing, at least as premium cigars go.
Now that the brand is in the hands of the Coburns, you can think not so much of buttoned-down, high-society cigar lounges as heavy metal concerts, tattoos, piercings and body modification. Says Cynn Coburn, “It has been long thought that cigars were for the elites—people with money, the golfers, the upper class. We are trying to change that and show people that the cigar industry is really about creating family, and everyone is welcome.” Cigar reviews tell the tale of a small company that consistently creates tasty, highly-rated cigars, which is the operative factor.
The Coburns, both native Midwesterners—Joshua is from Iowa, and Cynn hails from Detroit—are self-described “serial entrepreneurs,” counselors, and motivational speakers. Cynn’s “Cynnspirational” self-help blog posts can be found on her website cynnister.com, and Joshua is the author of four books and a long-experienced motivational speaker who nowadays communicates mainly through social media—both to promote Dissident and to spread the glad tidings of more healthy thinking. (Four of his tweets just in the past week advised: “A Forced Change is Often the Best Path Forward!” and “If Things Aren’t Right We Can Just Try Again!” and “Sometimes Just Being Present & listening is enough!” and “Think Big But Work Small! The Little Goals Get Us There!”)
The Coburns were already cigar lovers in 2019 when they embarked on an Oveja Negra factory cigar tour. Explains Cynn, “After a few days in Estelí, we headed a few hours south with the Browns for some relaxing downtime, and we really fell in love with Nicaragua and wanted to bring our kids to Nicaragua for a little vacation.” Eventually, the Coburn kids were so enchanted that they began asking why the family couldn’t just move to Nicaragua. Cynn says, “After lengthy discussions and researching, as a family it was decided, and we were Nicaragua-bound!” They now live about four hours south of the factory, close enough to observe the goings-on in Estelí.
This proximity to the cigar industry in Nicaragua led to opportunity in 2021. The Dissident brand, though populated with highly rated smokes, was in need of new owners who would take the company in hand and give it some love. The Coburns felt Dissident presented a perfect opportunity for them to enter the cigar business. Says Cynn, “There were a lot of moving pieces to Dissident at the time, and how we acquired Dissident was through some personal exchanges. We try not to elaborate further on that. Unfortunately there isn’t really a source to go to in order to learn about the full history of the brand. We don’t even know much about it, except for the bits and pieces we’ve been able to find online. We do know that Dissident started in 2013 and we are the 3rd owner,” she says. (It is known that the Coburns purchased Dissident from Benjamin Holt, who had previously bought the brand from Neil Edwards and Jason Webster.)
When the Coburns took ownership of Dissident, the brand offered only two cigars in its core line—the Soapbox and the bLoC. Rant, Rave & Tirade were then considered “small batch,” but those got moved to core line status soon after the Coburns’ purchase was finalized. And the return of the HOME, a limited-edition yearly release, was just announced on February 7. (Its on-brand tagline: “If you feel like you don’t belong, it means you belong with us. Welcome HOME!”) The Coburns offer an MSRP only for singles (Dissident cigars start at $10), leaving box prices up to retailers.
So far, things seem to be going swimmingly for the Coburns. Cynn manages store events in the States, while Josh stays closer to home in Nicaragua, “managing things in the background” and posting inspirational messages—except for the PCA trade show, says Cynn. “Josh does attend that with me.” They are more than gratified at the growth they are seeing in sales. Cynn demurred when asked about current production numbers, but she said, “Dissident retail locations are now in the hundreds. That’s something we are very proud of. And we are currently working on getting Dissident overseas, including in the European market.”
The Coburns are entranced with the life they have found in Nicaragua, and with the people there. “It’s a beautiful country full of amazing, humble, hard-working people,” says Cynn. “The weather is great, and if you approach Nicaragua with the willingness to help, you can make a big difference in your local communities.” This applies despite a fairly conservative Christian population. “Looking the way we do has changed nothing. Most people are eager to learn more, and find the way we look intriguing.”
To be sure, cigar entrepreneurship is no guaranteed path to riches, but money does not appear to have been a big motivator for the Coburns. “The cigar industry is not a get-rich-fast industry by any means, especially for a cigar company owner,” Cynn says. “It takes a lot of time, patience, and money to get anywhere. It’s a long game, a steady walk with lots of hills and turns. You have to invest wisely and understand that it won’t be easy, and all good things take time.”
The Coburns are quick to acknowledge the help they have received from Oveja Negra owners James and Angela Brown, and, Cynn adds, “from our cigar reps who have gracefully held our hand through this process and taught us the vital ropes to succeed. It’s a learning process with some things, but having the Browns has made things a lot smoother as we continue to grow. Though we know there is drama in the cigar industry, as with any industry, we ourselves have not run into that. We approach everyone with kindness.” This is a recurring theme when you interact with Cynn Coburn: “Just be kind. It goes a long way. We have been well received and everyone has been wonderful. We truly love the cigar industry for so many reasons!”
Retailers who might wish to get some Dissident cigars on their shelves will find that help is easy to find. “We have an entire team of reps that reside all over the U.S.,” says Cynn. “Each territory is covered.” Any merchant interested in opening an account with Dissident should connect with a rep through the Oveja Negra website at ovejanegracigars.com.
– Photography courtesy of Dissident Cigars. Story by William C. Nelson.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 1, 2023. To receive a copy of this magazine you must be a current member of PCA. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.