I’ve spent two decades in specialty chemicals and advanced materials, and the longer I do this the more curious I get. Curiously Optimistic is where I chase the questions I can’t stop thinking about: how these markets are really structured, what makes companies grow, why some teams execute and others don’t, and how AI is changing industrial work.
I don’t write from a finished opinion. I pick a question, research it properly, and share what I find — consensus first, then where I think it’s wrong. Optimistic by disposition, but not credulous.
Two kinds of writing here. Short weekly notes on what I’m seeing and wondering about, free to everyone. And monthly Deep Dives: long, sourced research on one question, with a claims ledger so you can see exactly where every number comes from. The Deep Dives are for paid subscribers — you’re subsidizing the research, and we learn together.
Come be curious with me.
Bob Girton, August Grace Advisory
