Some Gave All

We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.” – Unknown. A fitting thought for Memorial Day.

This week’s post will be a little different.

My company, CDS International Holdings, has done a lot of different things over the years—real estate, restaurants, vitamins, men’s clothing, hotels, eco-tourism resorts, beverages (Celsius), retail ventures and the list goes on.

Our founder, the late Carl DeSantis was a visionary and a lifelong entrepreneur. He kept a note pad next to his bed because he’d wake up with an idea and he was afraid he would forget it if he didn’t write it down. I have a desk drawer full of his notes—some of which we converted into businesses.

One of his brainstorms became Tabanero, a sauce company that creates and manufactures an array of delicious sauces and rubs. CDS and the Tabanero team are committed to building a brand that we hope can be the next Celsius, which went from a small company to a global phenomenon with a market cap of over $20 billion.

For Carl, it wasn’t about the money. Carl loved the game. Could we create something that would transform the marketplace.

He did it at Rexall Sundown, where he changed the game for vitamins and nutrition. Celsius certainly upended the energy drink space grabbing market share from giants such as Red Bull and Monster.

With Tabanero, he set his sites on what he thought was a tired hot sauce category. The idea evolved into being more of a company dedicated to a variety of sauces that could add pizzazz to anything we may eat.

That’s how visionaries think and more importantly act—Carl was a man of action. We went from idea to execution quickly.

Anyway, Tabanero was something he cooked up and a talented team is giving this brand its best shot.

This Memorial Day, the Tab team is donating online sales to benefit a Marine who lost his life to cancer. I thought I’d share this effort.

Here’s the letter from the team:

“During this Memorial Day weekend, Tabañero is taking a moment to honor the sacrifices of military service members who were also leaders in the tight-knit rugby community.

This year, we are supporting the family of Sgt. Ben Williams, USMC, a courageous marine who recently ended his fight with cancer directly linked to his services in the Gulf War.

He was a loving father and leader of his community, profoundly touching the lives of those around him.

In tribute to Sgt Ben Williams, Tabañero is committing 100% of all sales made through our website on Memorial Day to his family. All Tabañero website purchases made on Monday, May 27 — Memorial Day —  will directly support the Williams family, ensuring his legacy of bravery and sacrifice continues.

Join us on Memorial Day to honor Sgt Ben Williams, USMC and all who have served our country with honor and distinction. Together, let us express our gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

Thank you for standing with us,

The Tabañero Team”

Below is a link. If you are interested, today is the day. We hope to raise significant funds for Sgt. Williams’ family.

Have a safe Memorial Day. Please remember those who gave all.

https://tabanero.com/collections/shop-all

Here’s some more about Sgt. Williams.

  Sergeant Ben Williams served with dedication in the United States Marine Corps and was actively involved in his community. He passed away in February 2024 from pancreatic cancer, which was linked to his exposure to oil well fires and burn pits during the Gulf Wars. In addition to his military service, Sergeant Williams was deeply involved in the rugby community, coaching the Lady Cavaliers Rugby team and playing for the Old Breed Rugby Club, fostering a welcoming environment for every player. His influence extended beyond the field, helping students gain admission to prestigious colleges through their involvement in rugby.

Nick Bursey, Director of Coaching and Operations for the Pleasanton Cavaliers Rugby Club, expressed his admiration, saying, “Everyone should have someone like Ben in their life.”

The shared values of the military and rugby communities drive Tabañero’s initiative. Several Tabañero team members, who are rugby players, see this as a meaningful way to honor military families. The collaboration with military rugby organizations highlights the close-knit nature and commitment to support within these communities.

Bobby Linder, Chief Operating Officer of Tabañero and a retired military veteran emphasized the shared values of the military and rugby: “On the battlefield or rugby pitch, we rely on the same core values. We will never accept defeat, we will never quit, and we will never leave a comrade behind. We ask you this Memorial Day to reflect on our freedom earned by our military service members and take the opportunity not just to say thanks  but to give thanks.”

LA Story

The Salt and The Straw in Larchmont Village

The Salt and The Straw in Larchmont Village

Greetings from Los Angeles.
I’m out here with our west coast Tabanero team interviewing agencies for what will become our first major advertising effort in 2017.
It’s the next step in our start up entrepreneurial journey and it’s exciting.
We’ve done billboards, print ads, Amazon promotions, events, samplings, coupons and social media advertising along the way, but the new effort will represent our first large scale–for us anyway –advertising campaign.
It’s exciting and a little scary too. This is our shot and while we’re confident we’ve got a great hot sauce and Bloody Mary mix we are all veterans in business. We know it’s not easy and that there’s no shortcuts. We have great assets: a great tasting premium sauce and some excellent retailers and some challenges too: a crowded category and a need for more brand awareness. We are a challenger brand in a world of Goliaths. But we see that as our advantage because we live in a world where consumers want new and exciting over old and tired.
We’ll keep you posted.
Some impressions about LA: I love it.
Yes,  there’s traffic and sprawl. Crazy traffic and debilitating sprawl.
But there’s also great weather, very interesting people and this is where you can see the future emerge.
LA and NYC are where trends are birthed and spread.
So when I come here I like to look around. What are the new restaurant concepts? What are the new items on menus? What are the new drink trends?
What’s happening in retail, hotels, fashion and design?
It’s interesting for me to see what’s happening and what people are talking about. Information is currency. And you never know what insight you might glean that can help you in whatever business you’re in.
The same principle applies to cities.
Switched on municipal leaders are always scanning the horizon for ideas that can be customized for their communities.
Whether it’s street furniture or pop up retail, unique crosswalks or parking technology it pays to see what others are doing.
When I venture west I stay in the Hotel Orlando a very comfy boutique hotel.
It’s amazing how boutique and historic hotels and inns have become focal points for cities and neighborhoods.
A few great little hotels mixed in with restaurants, art and event spaces can literally make a place pop.
On this trip I’m anxious to see creative work spaces. One agency we interviewed is housed in an old industrial space that has been converted into one of the nicest offices I have ever seen.
Wide open, with exposed ceilings and fun games and furniture, the space is just inspiring.
I also loved that the office featured a slew of dogs. It was comfortable but productive.
Count me in as someone who would love to work alongside dogs, mine and others.

West Hollywood where I’m anchored is a cool spot.
Since I can never adjust to the time, I find myself up early and able to take walks before a day of meetings.
I stumbled on a neighborhood featuring very old but beautifully designed apartments I later learned were designed by legendary architect Leland Bryant in the 20s and 30s for movie studio personnel.
The craftsmanship, details, bay windows and unique design are stunning. It made me wonder whether these types of artisans exist today or whether developers would even consider these types of details given the high cost of land and the regulatory hurdles we’ve instituted.
Curious I did some light research on Bryant who turned out to be quite the guy. I learned that he built 300 projects in Los Angeles and Hollywood in the time it would take to get one or two projects approved and built today considering rules and politics.
None of his iconic and beautiful projects would meet today’s codes despite their enduring beauty and value. Now that’s food for thought.
I’ve often wondered in our zeal to “control growth” with rigid codes and batty politics whether we are also stifling creativity. While developers and architects bear their fair share of responsibility wouldn’t it be interesting to challenge them to be creative and design something that generations might embrace rather than fight. Heavy sigh.
Leland Bryant would be dead in his tracks today.

Another observation…
As mentioned, California is a great place to search for trends.
Food and restaurants have come a long way in the last decade.
It seems like every industry and option are being disrupted by innovative artisans.
California is teeming with them.
From cold pressed juices and craft burgers to artisanal sandwiches (I kid you not) California has it all.
Sure some ideas are hipster pretentious, but others are just flat out inspiring.
A marketing firm we use out here recommended we visit a small ice cream shop called the Salt & Straw to sample various interesting flavor combinations. We did.
Aside from seasonal offerings like fennel eggnog there were options that included olives and sea salt and goat cheese.
Somehow it works. The ice cream was amazing.
My California colleague, a native Floridian, said the creativity he found in the Golden State keeps him here despite the high cost of living, heavy taxes and traffic.
“California is where the creators come to innovate,” he said. “It’s aspirational. Not every one makes it here. It’s hard and the competition is fierce but it’s where you come if you want to make an impact.” As they say if you want to dance you go where the music is playing.
Can Florida make the same claim?
I have to ponder that one. But if the answer is no it ought to be yes.
The places that empower people and inspire dreams and risk taking are the ones that will thrive.
I found Delray to be highly aspirational when I came here. I think Boca is a city coming into its own these days. As a friend recently told me about Boca: “that city has depth.”
By that he meant assets.
He’s right.
Delray has assets too, but there needs to be greater attention paid to ensure that those assets stay healthy and new assets need to be developed.
More on that when I come home.