🌊 The End of the Influencer Era?

5 Business Truths from Komsan Lee Every Brand Must Know Before It’s Too Late

In today’s world, Influencer Marketing and Live Commerce have become the most powerful buzzwords in the marketing industry. Many see them as the ultimate “lifeline” and an indispensable formula for business success. From small startups to giant brands, everyone is pouring massive budgets into competing for attention through online influencers.

But what if this idea is about to become obsolete in just a few years?

On stage at The Secret Sauce, Komsan Lee, founder of Flash Express, didn’t just share a “trend”—he delivered a prophecy:
👉 5 business truths that will forever reshape the marketing landscape.
And these are things every brand builder must know—before your competitors do.

⚡ The First Shockwave: Power Has Quietly Shifted

Komsan revealed a startling fact: the dominance of Social Commerce has already shrunk to just 15%, while Marketplace Platforms now control a massive 85%. This is the ticking time bomb that signals a major transformation ahead.

1️⃣ The Last Days of the “Middleman”: AI Will Take the Throne from Influencers 🤖

The golden age of Influencers and KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) is already over in China. The next wave is clear: AI will run the game.

Within the next 2–3 years, AI tools will allow brands to reach consumers directly—making influencers less and less relevant. This isn’t just a tech shift; it’s a power shift back to platforms and brand owners.

💡 Money once spent on influencers will be redirected into building your own digital assets.

“We’re like monkeys on stage, earning less and less… until one day, we’re worthless. Because the stage isn’t ours. The audience isn’t addicted to the monkey—they’re addicted to the stage.”

2️⃣ Stop Fishing in Someone Else’s Pond 🎣 → Build Your Own Kingdom 👑

If platforms own the pond, and influencers are losing meaning, how can brands survive?

Komsan’s answer: stop being a hunter, become a farmer.

He explains the 3 eras of business:

Era 1 (Fishing): Brands chase customers on crowded social media.
Era 2 (Borrowed Fish): Influencers build their own follower ponds.
Era 3 (Farming Fish): The public ponds are drying up. The only way forward is to build your own pond—a strong brand with a loyal customer base.

“In Era 3, the pond will dry, the fish will vanish. You must raise your own fish to survive.”

3️⃣ The Giant Wave from China 🌏: Be a Bridge, Not a Wall 🌉

Chinese brands are coming—it’s not “if,” it’s when. With China’s domestic market saturated and tensions with the West, Southeast Asia is their prime target.

Instead of fearing them, Komsan urges us to be the bridge.

He founded Mad Unicorn 🦄 to bring in strong Chinese brands like CHAGEE, but with one strict rule:

“We must hold more than 51% of the shares. The day I lose independence is the day you can’t trust me.”

This isn’t surrender—it’s strategic control. By setting conditions, Thailand can absorb know‑how, build R&D centers, and add value to local resources (like Chiang Rai tea) for global export.

4️⃣ A New War Is Coming ⚔️: Giants Don’t Always Win

Many feel hopeless competing against monopolistic giants. But Komsan sees opportunity.

Why? Because technology, supply chains, business models, and—most importantly—consumers have changed.

Modern consumers crave new choices. This opens the door for small brands to stand out where big players overlook.

That’s why Komsan is eyeing the convenience store business—to challenge long‑standing market leaders.

“If war lasts long enough, peace will come. But if monopoly lasts too long, a new war will begin.”

5️⃣ Time to Awaken the Giant 👹: Transform into a “Demon” and Dare to Be Different

Survival in this new war requires more than strategy—it requires a spirit shift.

“Transform into a demon.”

By “demon,” Komsan means the unyielding entrepreneurial spirit—the refusal to stay the same. The only way to win consumers’ hearts is through difference.

His formula:

Start small → solve niche problems.
Scale up → expand into larger industries.

Even he had to adapt—launching his own TikTok channel and learning new cultures.

“The demon in my eyes is the refusal to give up. You can’t stay the same. You must pull out the DNA of an entrepreneur and amplify it. Even I changed. Please, everyone—change.”