M.
So Paul Maldonado, tell us about yourself.
PM: Well, that is always an interesting question, now isn’t it. I would say I tend to be reserved but also very fun to be around. I am very strict with many things as people will learn and one of those things is how I carry myself. I am very polite and that is just passed down from my family and as thus I truly enjoy an environment of elegance and class, I would say I value that as much as I value philanthropic work.
I mean it when I say I am strict and since The Maldonado Dynasty directly reflects the core of my being, I control every aspect of what we put out, from our marketing to our products. Ask any of the vendors who works with me, they know I demand the very finest from them. I am the hardest on myself, however, I push myself to the point of breaking and then push even HARDER. I want the finest and will not settle for anything short of that. I think it's safe to say I'm intense.
Other than that, I am a very curious person who enjoys exploring this world. So I will say I’m worldly, since I have been describe that way countless times.
THE
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www.MaldonadoDynasty.com
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Where did the Maldonado Dynasty derive from?
P.M.: I always knew I would build something like this, however, I naturally stayed away from it as long as possible knowing the responsibility behind it. I was a director for a long time, focusing on my love of music videos, that medium of film making is so broad and affords a director a chance to explore surreal planes of life. The career didn’t progress as I had hoped but I always knew why and that reason was The Maldonado Dynasty... Destiny is an interesting thing.
I took a break from directing after working on a couple music videos in NY that didn't satisfy any longer. I flew out to Guatemala since my family has business out there, to give myself a chance to reflect and evaluate where I was going in life.
It was there that the iconic “M.” which is our trademark now, seeped in my mind. I swear it started out so tiny that I disregarded it at first. Fate, however, had other plans and it started growing into this all consuming image in my mind that would not leave me alone.
I recall being in Guatemala City, walking by a cigar shop and then a chic fragrance store and asking myself, “Fine! So what do I do with this 'M.’” In that very moment, I realized it was a luxury brand and I needed to focus on the things I love; cigars, fragrances, etc. I say etc. because there is so much more that is being developed under The Maldonado Dynasty brand for future release. But it was freeing to finally realize this was the path I should have been walking down the whole time and I knew I had tremendous work ahead of me at that point.
How did that evolve into The Maldonado Dynasty?
P.M.: While at USC, I had a classmate who would be very competitive with me. He would ask what project I was working on and at that time I started developing the reputation as the Producer to work with. I mentioned a few projects that I had on my plate and he said, “You’re building a Dynasty…” I figured he was really just alluding to himself but that idea resonated
Tell us something about yourself that most would not know.
P.M. Well, I play the piano and guitar. I have since I was a child. In fact, I played in bands with both instruments, did the whole college punk band-thing. The piano especially has this beautiful euphonious sound about it, so elegant.
You talk a lot about inspiration, what is the deal with that?
P.M. I do! It is something I am beyond grateful to do. I feel it is my obligation to push forward and encourage my fellow brothers and sisters to achieve greatness. It is something that I would feel incomplete without; I have the burning desire to keep inspiring others. I only hope my words encourage others and perhaps even bring some light into their lives.
You are developing a very strong support, what do you account that to?
P.M. It is an incredible experience. People know when something is authentic and I will be the first to say I am fiercely passionate about The Maldonado Dynasty and everything that is created under the brand. You know, I have to add to what it takes to succeed; believe with all your heart because there will be times when it is tested.
For now, I enjoy that the brand appeals to individuals with refined and sophisticated palettes, those who are used to the finest.
The Montage Beverly Hills Lobby Lounge; sipping a morning cappuccino, croissant, The Journal, and our Ultra-Luxury, Super-Premium cigar "The Mogul."
PM: Above all, that The Maldonado Dynasty is becoming and will be a Global Luxury brand for years to come, I am fully committed to that and will see to it.
I also wanted to mention, we have noticed that people enjoy "The Mogul," for special occasion which we LOVE! When we captured the spirit of The Mogul in our cigar, we intended to create an everyday celebratory cigar; one that tempts you with Luxurious flavor, velvety smoke, and a suave character-because I happen to celebrate every day with the finest.
"If it's not extraordinary, why bother."
What inspires you?
P.M. So much inspires me, it's hard to just list off certain things without giving other aspects the full attention they fully deserve. I can start by saying Love inspires me the most. It is just a beautiful gift and amazing sight to witness. I am talking about love between a man and a woman; love between family, between friends-it is awe-inspiring.
oments earlier, we sit inside the lounge of The Montage Beverly Hills, Paul Maldonado sips his morning cappuccino and catches up with world affairs. Stylish as usual, he carries himself in a reserved and polite manner; it's clear to see the essence of Paul Maldonado reflects the legacy of The Maldonado Dynasty.
If you haven't heard, The Maldonado Dynasty is making its presence known, synonymous with Elegance and Luxury. A little over a year of development and branding and their Ultra-Luxury, Super-Premium cigar "The Mogul," is creating quite the buzz, with its Luxuriously-smooth, Rich flavor and sophisticated aroma. It appears they are building a solid foundation for years to come--Paul is building a Dynasty.
The Saturday after those grueling 2 weeks, I received a text from a dear friend and this is what it read: “Hey Mogul” His nickname for me is “Mogul,” and now that I think about it, it makes me laugh. He must have known something I didn’t because after that epiphany, everything just took off naturally! It is amazing how far The Mogul has come and where it is going. Even the blend has a special place in my heart, as people know I am demanding and only want the finest and this particular blend is smooth with such rich complexity, it really is handcrafted for those with discriminating taste-those who enjoy the finest.
We noticed you have a love of music.
P.M. Very much so! I truly LOVE music. It is such an amazing gift to have bestowed on us. I literally need music on at all times; there is a very special power in music. And I feel we as individuals have the power to invert the purpose of music and use it to our advantage. For example, when I was building The Maldonado Dynasty, I cannot count the times it was so overwhelming, however, with the power of music I was able to push even harder and now here we stand.
Do you have a favorite genre?
PM: Very much so! I love World music. It brings so much to me; there is so much depth to that genre. Every country has its sound and culture and their music reflects it. For instance, I listened to Greek, Venezuelan, French, and Persian music just today alone.
Aside from that, I have an affinity for smooth jazz. There is something so peaceful and sophisticated about it, it takes me to a velvety world. And classical music a close second as well.
Where do you see The Maldonado Dynasty going?
Simple. Since day one when I acknowledged what destiny had gifted me, I knew it would be a global Luxury brand. Some people call it a lifestyle brand, however, to me it is a legacy of Elegance and Prestige. I am very proud of it and know it will only continue to grow into a Global presence.
with me and when it came time to name my Legacy, I remembered it.
I have to mention as well, that my family had a bit of a coffee dynasty, I am unsure of all the details but I felt it was a privilege to carry on the legacy in my way and that is now The Maldonado Dynasty.
Beverly Hills?
P.M.: Yes, it is where my heart rests. Beverly Hills has always been a HUGE part of my life, since my childhood and like other things in my life, I ignored her for years, trying to find her in other cities and other countries. I truly owe her my entire success and cultivation as to who I am today. The reason why I placed Beverly Hills on our cigar bands is I wanted pay homage to her and her support of The Maldonado Dynasty and myself.
We know you enjoy your fine cigars, what else do you do to unwind?
P.M.: I am very leisurely despite how hard I work for The Maldonado Dynasty. So to me an ideal day revolves around family and very close friends, enjoying the beauty of the day: brunch, polo, tennis, golf or anything that involves me laying around sipping champagne and listening to music. I'm certain people have learned about my passion for cooking as well. A glass of Rioja and cooking a gourmet meal brings a lot of peace to me.
I also love to travel; I should perhaps consider a career in anthropology because experiencing how different people live in different environments is quite interesting. There is so much culture out there and I personally like to dive into it and experience it first hand.
Tell us the story about “The Mogul," its origin.
P.M. Yes that is a story that I truly enjoy telling. I picked a similar name at first and then realized it was taken. I had the most horrific next 2 weeks because I could not come up with anything similar, if not better.
Romance also inspires me a great deal. An exchange between a man and his woman: the look deep in a man's eye when he sees the treasure that is his woman. A woman who closes her eyes yet express the profound love she has for him in her caress of his face. Those are moments, treasures that truly inspire me and I like to capture that in everything I do. We strive to capture such beauty and enchantment with The Maldonado Dynasty.
What do you want people to gather from this interview, about you?
Any last thoughts or comments?
P.M. Yes, I want to thank our friends/family and supporters for believing in us and all the people who contributed to the development of our Ultra-Luxury cigar; when I see the box of "The Mogul," sitting on my desk, I can't help feel so proud because it is precisely how I envisioned it; Elegant, Powerful and Prestigious.
On a side note, people wouldn't even be interested in reading this piece if it wasn't for the early support of people like Daniel Temos, Tom Ufer, and Clarice Save, who really took a chance with us and told others about us. There are so many others now spreading the word and believing so thank you!! Remember to "Always demand the finest." *
"Always demand the finest," is your slogan, tell us more about it.
P.M. When I first came up with the phrase, I was just in the early stages of development, way back when I was trying to find the brand's identity. It really takes a wise disposition to allow something to grow into its own right. And that line just seemed very natural so I started to test it out.
In a way, I suppose I was telling myself what I am really about and inadvertently telling myself to stay true to the vision. I figured it would face some opposition, some take the meaning with a certain stigma, however, I just mean that one should always strive for the finest from themselves, from others and from this life. Let's be honest, anything short of that is just that.
I would say fashion and the elegance in it really inspires me and definitely plays a crucial role in the development of everything we manufacture. I believe that every detail in a product, be it a fine cigar or a fragrance, has to be perfectly handcrafted to blend together to create an entity of great depth. I enjoy depth, be it in people or the cigars I smoke, that is why you will see that our cigar bands are so meticulous design, the boxes handcrafted to be worthy of holding such beautiful cigars. I recall a recent tweet where a cigar aficionado stated he wasn't sure if he wanted to smoke "The Mogul," or frame it and that was our goal from its inception.
Art truly inspires me. It is the perspective of an individual captured in a medium that gives the objective outsider a glimpse into their world through their eyes-sheer brilliance!! I feel The Maldonado Dynasty pays homage to it all. I have said in the past and will continue to say so until I no longer exist, if it's not extraordinary, why bother. This to me applies to everything in life from the relationships in my life to what I smoke.
t's turning out to be another typical day in Beverly Hills; warm weather, tourists, and a clear blue sky the sun fully owns. Perfection!
In the middle of Rodeo Drive, Paul Maldonado enjoys his pride and joy "The Mogul," as people walk by wondering who he is and why he is being photographed.
by L. BAKER
Photos by Manny Rosales
PREORDER THE LAVISHED TASTE OF "THE MOGUL."
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