“People need to practice what they preach” – POV by Damien Guichard
© Damien Guichard
BCB POV is a new opinion series featuring leading voices from across the global bar community.
This edition features Damien Guichard — BCB Brand Ambassador — who reflects on a big contradiction of the industry: the growing gap between what we say and what we actually do.
We live in a performative era
We live in a performative era, where what is said often seems more important than what is actually done. I’ve been fortunate to stand at a crossroads between the bartending community and the wider industry, and what I’ve observed is a persistent disconnect between words and actions.
The gap between words and actions
On one side, bartenders voice valid concerns: low pay, lack of respect, unhealthy work habits among peers, and the need for better education.
There’s talk about the rise of non-alcoholic options, about awards not mattering, about guests being the true priority, about education being the foundation of progress.
Yet in practice, brands struggle to fill events, seminars remain half empty, and people still travel across the world while leaving their bars understaffed, some miss opportunities because they won’t open their emails.
On the other side, brands consistently claim that bartenders are the most important part of the industry and ask how they can support them.
At the same time, advocacy budgets are cut, “win-win” often translates into unpaid or underpaid labor, and support tends to go primarily to those who already deliver value to the brand.
Change is slower than we hope
There is no shortage of things that need to change.
But change is slower than most people hope.
Talking about issues and raising awareness matters: it's a starting point, not a conclusion.
Real change comes from small, deliberate, consistent actions that accumulate over time. That’s precisely why it feels so difficult: each individual step seems too small to matter.
Progress is incremental
We live in a fast-paced world that conditions us to expect immediate results.
But meaningful progress requires patience, consistency, and belief.
At the same time, our perception of others is increasingly shaped by what they choose to show - what we’re left to see. Making it easy to misjudge what others are doing better or worse than us.
Change begins with the individual. It’s uncomfortable, often lonely at first, and rarely dramatic. But it is growth.
You don’t achieve work-life balance overnight, just as you don’t master spirits or techniques in a day. Progress is incremental.
Make a list.
Decide what truly matters to you.
Take the first step.
Ask for help.
Build a plan - and then follow through.
Damien Guichard
BCB - Brand Ambassador, Consultant
Do you agree with Damien's point of view?
Join the discussion on LinkedIn and Instagram, or continue the conversation in person at BCB Berlin 2026. See you soon!
Looking for more drinks industry insights?
Join the entire industry at BCB.