Behind The Discovered Leaf is a small team driven by curiosity, conversation, and respect for the craft.
This podcast is built around thoughtful discussion, differing perspectives, and a shared interest in understanding what makes a cigar worth paying attention to.
Every voice behind the microphone plays a role in that process.
Founder & Host
A student of history and cigar culture, Sean is drawn to the same mindset that shaped the forefathers of cigar smoking. That mindset is reflected in the journey of Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres, who traveled with Columbus aboard the Santa Maria and encountered tobacco for the first time in the New World.
They left behind what was familiar, witnessed something unknown, and brought it back with them. What they discovered was so unfamiliar that it cost Rodrigo his freedom, yet their willingness to explore and share what they found helped lay the foundation of cigar culture as it exists today.
That instinct to move beyond the familiar is not just historical to Sean. It has shaped his life within the IT world, the music industry, and earlier work as a boxing manager. His path has consistently been shaped by a need to fully understand an environment and then push past its surface.
He brings that same intensity and curiosity into the world of cigars. Rather than relying on established names or reputation, Sean immerses himself in the deeper layers of the craft, studying soil, fermentation, blend philosophy, and history with the mindset of an explorer rather than a consumer.
What lies at the core is the same pattern that defined the explorers. That is leaving familiarity behind, stepping into the unknown, paying attention to what reveals itself, and returning with something worth sharing.
It is this approach that brings their paths into alignment across centuries. What Sean carries forward is a deep respect for the process itself, and a belief that the search holds as much value as the finding.
Co-Host, The Discovered Leaf
Jeimy Pérez is rarely just a guest in the room. More often, she is part of the reason the room exists.
Known and respected among established figures within the cigar industry, Jeimy has positioned herself as both advocate and architect. Her influence extends beyond the lounge into the structure of events, partnerships, and brand development. Where others see gatherings, she sees opportunity. Where others see product, she sees positioning.
As the founder of Cigar Sorority, she has helped shape a powerful movement that amplifies the presence of women within the cigar world. Not as novelty. Not as exception. But as leaders, contributors, and decision makers. Her work moves beyond the idea that cigars are reserved for men or that women participate casually. She has built spaces where women are taken seriously and where their insight carries real authority.
Jeimy is deeply involved in the business mechanics of the industry, from coordinating high level cigar events to structuring collaborations and guiding emerging brands toward clarity and direction. She understands not only how cigars are experienced, but how they are built, positioned, and sustained within the marketplace.
As a Latina in a historically male dominated industry, her authority is built on work that speaks for itself.
On The Discovered Leaf, Jeimy brings sharp insight and industry awareness. She approaches cigars not only as a seasoned aficionada, but as someone who understands the mechanics of the industry itself. Her perspective ensures the conversation does not stop at taste, but examines the structure, decisions, and people behind the cigar.
Jeimy does not simply participate in the cigar world. She helps shape it.