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Charles Blain
Notes, Stories & Thoughts on Marketing & Growth

Latest

27
Feb

Force vs Feedback

Romania, 1966. Ceausescu decided his country needed more people. He banned abortions for women under forty-five. The birth rate doubled.
1 min read
26
Feb

I Prefer Blondes

How do you know you chose what you chose? Petter Johansson showed subjects two photographs and asked which face they
1 min read
25
Feb

Four Floors of Pipe

Donella Meadows turned the hot faucet in an old London hotel. The water heater sat in the basement, four floors
1 min read
24
Feb

The Numbers Were Enough

In 1986, the US government required factories to report their toxic emissions publicly. No new regulations. No fines. No mandated
1 min read
23
Feb

Dirty Dishes, Clean Excuses

Someone criticized you today. Before they finished the sentence, you had a rebuttal. Not because you weighed their argument. Because
1 min read
20
Feb

The Taste Premium

AI can build your deck in 10 minutes. You already know this doesn't feel like an advantage. Because
1 min read
19
Feb

Agreement Theater

Every executive in your AI strategy meeting is nodding. None of them are talking about the same thing. One means
1 min read
18
Feb

Unlearn First

Sarah Winchester started building in 1886. She didn't stop for 36 years. Each room made sense when the
1 min read
17
Feb

Work Slop

In 1636, Dutch traders invented something elegant. Instead of buying tulip bulbs, you could buy windhandel. Wind trade. A formal,
1 min read
16
Feb

The Pipe Reveal

You don't need to pick the winning AI model. The real shift already happened underneath. Microsoft invested $13
1 min read