Who is your real competition?

For restaurants, is it any other place that serves food for money? Or is it places that serve food similar to yours and charge the same or less? Or more?

For retailers, is it any other store that sells alcoholic beverages? Or is it other stores of similar size and reach and impact? Or is it a 2000 pound gorilla big box retailer?

For wholesalers, is it companies of similar size and with similar portfolios? Or is it the new small hip upstart that seems to be sweeping up by the glass placements? Or is the mega wholesaler who swoops in and woos new customers that used to be your old customers?

For brands and wineries, is it any other product fighting for placements or shelf space? Or is it only those in your same price point and category? Or is a small list of like minded producers or styles of wine?

The answer of course is all, or none, or some, or kinda.

In other words, to declare who you competition is will result in nothing. It doesn’t focus your efforts. It doesn’t define who you are.

Define yourself first. Do what you do. Make sure your are remarkable at it. Invent new way to talk about things. Meet with the right people. Taste the right wines. Keep relationships moving forward. Don’t take your eye off what’s important, don’t spend time looking around at your supposed competition.

Your real competition, 100% of the time, is yourself.