The Power of Being Right

The prerequisite for pushing back against the regulatory inertia of the alcohol industry

Inertia may be the most powerful force in the universe. I did not know this until a few years into working with the National Association of Wine Retailers (NAWR). When that inertia works against your efforts, it’s a curse. But what keeps you pushing back is the knowledge that you are right.

On Tuesday I leave for Miami. There NAWR will hold its annual Summit. It’s an invitation-only gathering of members of the NAWR as well as others who are of the same disposition as its members when it comes to their views on the alcohol regulatory system. For a day and a half we discuss various issues of concern to specialty wine retailers such as shipping laws, litigation, and legislation. We listen to panels of experts who offer wisdom on an array of subjects from marketing and promotion to the future of the fine wine market.

I’ll be giving the annual State of the Industry address. I’ll have slides. One of the early slides is this: