Play the Course
Play the course.
I was recently asked who my competition is. They assumed I would say a particular Rep or a certain company.
THEY ASSUMED WRONG.
My answer: I compete with myself first and the full spectrum of the market second.
Reps that compete narrowly with a few companies or a few reps in this scene are not really doing what they think they are doing.
The Competition
I compete with a tough, never give up SOB: Myself.
I have a clear understanding of what I am doing, how I am failing, the issues, the constraints, challenges, shortcomings, and what I am working on. I take full responsibility and I am extremely competitive with myself. The moment I start thinking about someone else’s numbers, the wine that I don’t have to sell, or the coveting of another portfolio, I am lost.
I compete with the full market landscape second.
Every day I commit to trying to understand what is going on with the market below the surface. Not through Instagram or some social media facade (which is not real), but by being out and noticing. I compete with the market like I play a golf course – understanding that I may get stuck behind a tree, or that the wind may come up and there is nothing I can do but just play the shot and move on.
“ You must decide to study this beverage market to gain intuition.
One cornerstone here: You have to study the market to have a feel, to know what moves what.
I knew that this wouldn’t be an easy year for Rosé…how is that possible? Am I some prescient genius? Nope, far from it. I just study the market, and I have a good feel on how it goes. You can have a feel, too.
Start noticing today.