“do the math” — memo to the spreadsheet-averse
feelings are negotiable. numbers are not.
cold open
three words, one ultimatum. fire them into a brainstorm—watch pastel post-its wilt in silence.
the anatomy of quantified contempt
“do” – command, no courtesy.
“the” – there is only one bottom line.
“math” – the part of reality your brand narrative can’t negotiate with.
opinions compound interest in echo chambers; profit compounds interest on ledgers.
intuition inflation vs. arithmetic austerity
vibes are cheap until payroll’s due. the phrase slashes story-time, drags every idea to a P&L and asks if it can survive division.
it’s the CFO’s mic-drop in a room full of storytellers.
$1.2 T – annual global spend on “gut-feel” marketing
8 % – initiatives that hit forecast without recalculation
0 – feelings that balance a spreadsheet
napkin-math protocol
drop the line after the sixth slide of pastel wedges. if the presenter reaches for a calculator, hope remains.
if they reach for another anecdote, liquidate the budget.
we don’t crave approval.
we reconcile ledgers.
footnote on numerical nihilism
maths has no empathy, but it never ghosts you. ignore it, and the quarterly report will ghost you instead.
closer
say it once. watch forecasts sweat. then decide whether to pilot—
or pivot—before the decimals make the decision for you.