Why Don't Drink Beer Is a Monopoly
Monopolies are commonly thought to be the result of government regulation, leading to scarcity and high prices. While that can certainly be the case, the term more broadly represents a lack of competition to produce a good or service, coupled with a lack of adequate substitutes. While the barriers to entry are technically low when it comes to beer content creation, the barriers to success are very high. One content creator has managed to navigate the minefields of the last decade so well and achieve a market concentration so dominant, that he’s set a virtually unreachable bar.
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The Struggling Influencer
What motivates you? Career-wise, that question has always been a moving target for me. I’m a big believer in capitalizing on the opportunities that come my way and allowing fate to have a grip on the steering wheel. While I've never tried to stay any preconceived path, I do believe that you make your own luck.
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The Fraudulent Influencer
Prior to working in beer and actively using social media, I was a forensic accountant at a consulting firm and held a designation called a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). To pass that exam, you have to memorize every known financial fraud scheme, how to detect it, and how to prevent it. The training teaches you how to identify red flags on a company’s financials, reports, & analysis, instilling a natural suspicion. This background is how I ended up working in Internal Audit and eventually running that department for Reyes Holdings. I mention this only to provide context to why this topic jumps out at me:
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Blame Instagram
Instagram has received a lot of well-deserved credit (and blame) for igniting the New England-style IPA trend, in part thanks to its bright, colorful, juice-like appearance that's typically accompanied by very attractive and 'gramable can art. We were brought up understanding that beer should be clear, but Instagram has been slaying the fundamentals of beer, one after another. We shouldn't be surprised, as Instagram has become a key source of advertisements, inspiration, and [gulp]...influence for all industries. We're watching a lot less TV these days, which is where we used to get our style and pop culture trends, whether intended or not.
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