For Cigar Lounges and Tobacconists

Certify Your Floor Staff

The people working the humidor are the reason customers come back. Train them properly, certify them with something real, and put a framed proof of it on your wall.

Lounge Annual Plan
$299
Per year — unlimited staff

Staff Who Can Actually Explain the Cigars They Sell

Every seat goes through the full Cigar Sommelier Academy course. Ten units covering history, tobacco cultivation, production methods, vitolas, pairing, and service. They sit the 70 question proctored exam at ninety percent to pass. Trained staff sell more premium cigars because they can answer the question behind the question.

A Co Branded Certification Your Customers Can See

Every staff member who passes earns a co-branded certificate with your lounge name on it. Download it, print it, frame it. A wall of certified staff credentials behind the counter tells customers your lounge invests in expertise before they say a word.

Training That Scales Without Pulling You Off the Floor

You are not the one teaching the course. The Academy handles every unit, every quiz, every study guide, every proctored exam. Your job is to hand out invite codes to your new hires. Their job is to finish the course and pass. That is forty hours you get back per new hire.

A Retention Tool Staff Actually Feel

Staff who earn a real credential on the job feel invested in. They put the certification on their LinkedIn. They stay longer because you backed their growth. The Cigar Sommelier Academy certification is something they take with them anywhere they go in this industry.

Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the training take?
Each staff member moves at their own pace. Most finish the ten units in three to four weeks. The proctored exam is ninety minutes. Total time commitment per staff member is roughly fifteen to twenty hours spread out however they want.
What happens if a staff member leaves before they pass?
You can request a new invite link from your admin portal and hand it to the next hire. The annual plan is unlimited so there is no cap on how many staff you put through the course.
How do staff access the course?
You receive invite links when you sign up. Send one to each staff member. They click, create an account, and they are in the student portal. No passwords for you to manage. No accounts for you to create.
What if I need more invite links?
Request them from your admin portal any time. The annual plan is unlimited so there is no extra charge for adding more staff.
Is this all online?
Yes. The course, the study guides, and the exam all run online. Each staff member who passes downloads and prints their co-branded certificate. No shipping. No waiting.
Do the certifications expire?
No. The certification each staff member earns is theirs for life. The annual plan renews your lounge access each year. The individual credentials do not expire.
How do I display the certification?
Print the co-branded certificates at any print shop and frame them. Most lounges hang them behind the humidor counter or near the seating area. The certificates are formatted for standard frame sizes.
What makes this different from training staff ourselves?
You get time back. You get a consistent curriculum every staff member goes through. You get a credential with a name customers recognize. And you get a credential with a name behind it that turns staff training into a visible trust signal on your floor.

You train your staff either way. The question is whether they come out with something on the wall that says so.

Unlimited staff. One location. Cancel any time.