Cigar Journal Article

A Few weeks ago, a global association emerged from a national movement: well-known female faces from the social cigar media, the cigar scene and industry formed the SOTL* Global Movement association. Their mission: to introduce women to the cigar world, to inspire and lead them to extraversion.

With the collaboration of men, the movement wants to develop a better environment for passionadas and passionados. Because it is no fun to smoke a cigar alone and because she prefers to share her love for cigars, but also everything she knows about life, entrepreneur and lecturer Anastasia Psomiadi founded the cigar club Sister of the Leaf Greece a few years ago. Psomiadi is an expert on ethical and responsible entrepreneurship and has long been active in the international arena, but, she says: “It was only during the pandemic that I realized that I’m not Greek first and foremost, but above all a citizen of the world. From this – and of course first of all because of my vision – the SOTL Global Movement [SGM] was born.

” Driven by her passion for building bridges and connecting with people, the Greek cast the global and social initiative into official structures at the beginning of the year. In organizational terms, SGM bears the hallmark of Psomiadi, a social innovator, and a management team of four passionadas and one passionado, led by Lefty Karropoulos, an experienced business development executive and certified cigar sommelier.

The team has been doing an enormous amount of groundwork in the background. An international advisory board is regularly consulted, while the SOTL committees (SOTL/BOTL collaboration, sensory, extraversionmedia, social, cultural, and scientific) are tasked with guiding strategies and helping to shape the content of SGM activities in their areas of expertise. STEREOTYPES “We all struggle with stereotypes, with pigeonholes we’re put into. And as a woman in the cigar world, you get to hear unflattering things all the time – from both men and women, by the way,” Anastasia explains. “Interestingly, when you dig deeper into the topic of stereotypes, you realize that men are also judged by stereotypical images.”

From this experience, the following vision has emerged: to create a better world, free of stereotypes, where the position of women is based on equality. SGM stands for a world of equal opportunities, where uniqueness, acceptance of individuality, respect and protection of human rights are paramount. These goals may seem big, but those who know Anastasia Psomiadi know that she is not satisfied with less. “Social responsibility and business ethics are in my DNA. SGM is a life vision inspired by love! It is defined as a movement that will sculpt a better world, in which people, and especially women, have the strength to break the stereotypes. Are you ready to join us on this divine journey? Let love be our guide, and together we will achieve great things.”