What’s up, y’all? It’s Bourbon, Bass, and Barbells. Today, I’m not here to talk about content or reviews or what I’ve been lifting lately. I want to talk about something a little deeper.

Someone asked me recently, “Why are you doing this?”
Not what I’m doing—reviews, lifting videos, content. But why.

And I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t have an answer right away. I’ve never sat down and mapped out some grand plan for this page. I didn’t start out thinking I was going to become a bourbon influencer or build a huge following. I just knew I liked talking to people. I liked bourbon. I liked sharing my story—especially the part where I transitioned from being a CrossFit instructor to Olympic weightlifting. I’ve had injuries. I’ve been knocked down. And I’ve come back stronger than ever. I like sharing that.

I started posting consistently again last May. Said I’d post every day. And for the most part, I did. Maybe missed a day here or there, but I showed up. I went from around 100 followers to nearly 4,800 on Instagram, 4,300 on TikTok, and a couple thousand on YouTube. It wasn’t magic. It was just showing up.

So again, why do I do it?

The short answer is, I don’t know exactly.
But the longer answer? I do it to build something. A community. A network. A voice. Maybe even a little side hustle down the road. Passive income would be nice, sure. But let’s be real. Bourbon content isn’t exactly a money machine. It’s mostly me spending my money chasing bottles and building relationships with store owners. I’ve had a few brands send me samples or cool gifts, but most of the time, this is a passion project, not a payday.

And I want to keep it that way. Because the second this stops being me, it stops being fun. I work in digital marketing. I know the game. I know what it takes to go viral, to build audiences, to “optimize.” But I also know how easy it is to lose yourself trying to be someone else. I’m not about that.

I’ve had people accuse me of not opening bottles because of one wall in one room that happens to be behind me on my videos. And yeah, those comments used to bother me. But over time, you get thicker skin. You realize most people only see one post. One clip. One frame. And they assume that’s the whole story. It’s not. I’ve opened hundreds of bottles. I’ve shared those moments. But they don’t always see that.

That’s what makes this whole thing tricky. People on the outside think this is easy. “Oh, you post once a day. Must be nice.” Yeah? Try doing it every day. Original content. No memes. No reposts. No gimmicks. Just honest takes, my actual opinions, and videos I made myself. That’s a grind.

And I’ve watched people start and stop in this space. Some flame out after a month or two. Some fake their follower count. I’m not here to name names. But I am here to say that this kind of work only pays off if you’re consistent and if you’re real. That’s something I probably carried over from years of working out. You don’t PR without the reps. Same deal here.

I’ve had moments I wanted to quit. Told a friend that once. And they said, “You’ve done more in eight months than most people ever will.” That stuck with me. Because yeah, I’ve put in the time. I’ve done the hard work. And honestly? That is the reward.

If something bigger comes from this, awesome. If a brand wants to send me some bottles, if I get to do picks with stores, if someone wants to collaborate? I’m here for it. But that’s not the point. The point is to keep growing the network. Keep making connections. Keep showing up.

I’ve got a trip coming up in May to do multiple barrel picks. I might even get to pick one of my own. That opportunity only came because I stayed consistent. Not because I was the loudest or the biggest, but because I was genuine. Because I built real relationships.

That mindset has bled into other parts of my life, too. My organization has gotten better. I stay ahead of my schedule now. My wife and I are planning a small staycation soon. Just a couple hours away in an Airbnb, celebrating both of our birthdays and reconnecting. That’s the stuff that matters most.

People tell me I’d be bigger on TikTok if I did lives. But I don’t want to. I don’t have time to sit around and wait for strangers to hop into a stream. I’ve tried it. It’s not for me. I’m not retired. I’m not sitting on a pension. I’m building a family, building a future. I don’t have time to camp out at liquor stores or chase every truck drop. And I’m okay with that. I’ll take the bottles I do get and make the most of them.

At the end of the day, I’m doing this for me.
To get some cool bottles.
To make some cool connections.
To stay true to who I am.

That’s it. That’s the why.
And honestly, that’s enough.

– Damian: Bourbon, Bass, & Barbells