Mindstream

7 AI Tools Every Founder Needs in 2026: Complete Workflows, Prompts & Templates

Choose the scenario that matches your biggest need right now. Each workflow is designed to be implemented in days, not months.

Unlock access to all of these AI tools — and many more — plus get up to 90% off HubSpot with HubSpot for Startups.

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The Founder's Dilemma in 2026

It's 11pm. You're eating cheese over the sink, refreshing your empty inbox, wondering if you forgot to hit "send" on that investor email. Your to-do list has 73 items. You've rewritten your landing page 14 times. You still don't have a single customer.

How to Use This Guide

Here's the truth: you don't need more tools. You need the right tools working together. This guide shows you exactly how seven AI platforms (Notion, Claude, Clay, Lovable, Gamma, HubSpot, and Make) solve the stuff keeping you up at night—launching products, finding customers, raising money, hiring your first employee without losing your mind.

Each scenario is built for speed. No month-long timelines. No "Phase 1, Phase 2" nonsense. Just: here's the problem, here are the tools, here's the workflow, now go do it.

How to Get Started

Pick one scenario. Spend a weekend. Ship something real. Everything you need—prompts, templates, video walkthroughs—is right here. Stop overthinking. Start building.

Scenario 1

Launch a Product in 30 Days

Video

Quick Walk-Thru

Watch how to launch a product in 30 days with this easy to follow workflow using only 4 AI tools. You'll have a product roadmap dashboard, landing page, and pitch deck all created in a matter of minutes.

Before	After
Idea in your head	Live landing page + pitch deck + launch plan

Tools Used:

🤖 Claude	📝 Notion	💻 Lovable	📊 Gamma
Define product concept & brand to inform all other tools	Build 30-day launch plan & track progress	Build MVP landing page	Create pitch deck & launch materials

Why This Matters

Traditional product launches take 3-6 months. By then, competitors have moved, and your assumptions are stale. This workflow gets you from concept to live product in 30 days by building fast and launching before you're "ready." Speed isn't reckless, it's strategic.

The Example: Meeting Mints

We're launching Meeting Mints — stress-relief mints for meeting-heavy professionals. Flavors include "This Could've Been an Email" (espresso mint), "You're on Mute" (peppermint), "Can Everyone See My Screen?" (lavender mint), and "Let's Take This Offline" (spicy cinnamon). Packaged like a first-aid kit with retro 70s branding. Tagline: "Because sometimes the only thing worse than a meeting is having bad breath during one."

Use Claude to nail your concept, positioning, and brand identity. Feed it your rough idea and have it help you refine your one-sentence pitch, target customer, core features, and brand personality.

Let’s use this condensed version of our product for quick generation to inform every tool we’ll be using in the workflow to get us ready for our product launch:

Product Name: Meeting Mints
About Product: Breath mints positioned as "survival tools" for meeting-heavy professionals, packaged like a first-aid kit with humor-driven flavor names that tap into universal workplace frustrations.
Target Audience: Remote workers, Founders, anyone with calendar hell
Flavors:
- "This Could've Been an Email" (espresso mint)
- "You're on Mute" (cooling peppermint)
- "Can Everyone See My Screen?" (anxiety-reducing lavender mint)
- "Let's Take This Offline" (spicy cinnamon for when you're done)
Marketing angle: "Because sometimes the only thing worse than a meeting is having bad breath during one."
Brand personality: Humorous, fun, sarcastic millennial with anxiety and dark humor, relatable.
Brand visuals: Retro 70s - colorful, bubbly, hippy vibes
Brand colors:

Groovy Orange (#FF6B35) - Primary brand color, energetic and attention-grabbing
Electric Pink (#FF1E9D) - Bold accent for highlights and call-outs
Retro Blue (#00B4D8) - Cool contrast color for balance
Sunshine Yellow (#FFD23F) - Bright supporting color for variety
Deep Purple (#6A0572) - Rich accent for depth and sophistication

TIP: Need help with creating your brand kit? Use HubSpot’s free tool!

Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 5.49.16 PM

Create a simple roadmap database in Notion to track your 4-week sprint.

Let’s use this prompt to create a product roadmap:

Make a roadmap database for a new product called  “Meeting Mints” — survival mints for back-to-back meetings. The product roadmap will be 4 weeks and needs to include: 

Week 1: Finalize product, flavors, brand, messaging and PR kit

Week 2: Build website (website features ranked Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have) and create product photography setup

Week 3: Create launch content and content calendar

Week 4: Go live, launch on socials, celebrate

Meeting Mints

Describe your landing page to Lovable in plain English. It generates working code—no design skills needed. For Meeting Mints, we built a retro 70s site with hero section, 4 product cards (one per flavor), testimonials, and email signup.

Let’s use Lovable’s Product Launch Page Builder. Remember, as you move through each tool you want to provide the tool context of your product so you can get the most out of each tool without too many iterations needed. Our goal is refinement of the output, not thousands of iterations (who has time for that?).

Quick prompt for Lovable:

Create a retro 70s landing page for Meeting Mints - stress-relief mints for meeting-heavy professionals.
STYLE: Groovy 70s aesthetic with rounded corners, bubble fonts, wavy patterns
COLORS: Groovy Orange #FF6B35, Electric Pink #FF1E9D, Retro Blue #00B4D8, Sunshine Yellow #FFD23F, Deep Purple #6A0572
TONE: Humorous, sarcastic, relatable millennial humor
SECTIONS:
1. HERO
- Headline: "Survive Your Calendar, One Mint at a Time"
- Subheadline: "Stress-relief mints for people drowning in Zoom calls"
- Email signup form + CTA button "Get Your Survival Kit"
- Retro sunburst background pattern
2. FLAVORS (4 product cards in grid)
- "This Could've Been an Email" (Espresso Mint) - Yellow background
- "You're on Mute" (Cooling Peppermint) - Blue background
- "Can Everyone See My Screen?" (Lavender Mint) - Pink background
- "Let's Take This Offline" (Spicy Cinnamon) - Purple background
Each card: flavor name, mint type, funny description
3. HOW IT WORKS
- 3 steps: "Pop a mint" → "Survive the meeting" → "Repeat as needed"
- Orange background with wavy pattern
4. TESTIMONIALS
- 3 cards with funny quotes from "customers"
- Example: "Finally, something to distract me during status updates. - Sarah P."
5. FOOTER
- Purple background, white text
- Links: About, Shop, Contact, Social icons
DESIGN: Rounded corners everywhere, groovy typography, retro patterns, mobile responsive, hover animations

From our example here is the final result. After making refinements to the page you can then add e-commerce (connect Shopify), polish the copy, and test the checkout flow.

Meeting Mints by Gamma

You’ll need to communicate with your internal team what this launch will look like, so let’s get a deck together with Gamma.
We want to include the following elements in our deck: product, flavors, brand, messaging and PR kit, and launch plan. Let’s use the below quick prompt to get a quick generation:

Prompt for Gamma:

Create a 10-slide product launch deck for Meeting Mints with retro 70s design aesthetic.
BRAND: Stress-relief mints for meeting-heavy professionals. Humorous, sarcastic millennial tone.
COLORS: Groovy Orange #FF6B35, Electric Pink #FF1E9D, Retro Blue #00B4D8, Sunshine Yellow #FFD23F, Deep Purple #6A0572
STYLE: Retro 70s - rounded corners, bubble fonts, groovy patterns
SLIDES:
1. COVER
Title: "Meeting Mints: Survive Your Calendar"
Subtitle: Product Launch Deck 2026
2. THE PROBLEM
Headline: "Meeting Fatigue is Real"
Stats: Average worker spends 18 hours/week in meetings, 67% feel overwhelmed by calendar
Visual: Chaotic calendar screenshot
3. THE SOLUTION
Headline: "Introducing Meeting Mints"
Description: Breath mints packaged as survival tools with humor-driven flavors
Tagline: "Because sometimes the only thing worse than a meeting is having bad breath during one"
4. THE FLAVORS
4 product cards:
- "This Could've Been an Email" (Espresso Mint)
- "You're on Mute" (Cooling Peppermint)
- "Can Everyone See My Screen?" (Lavender Mint)
- "Let's Take This Offline" (Spicy Cinnamon)
Include flavor descriptions
5. TARGET AUDIENCE
Who: Remote workers, founders, professionals with calendar hell
Demographics: 25-45, tech/startup workers, meeting-heavy roles
Psychographics: Millennial/Gen Z humor, values work-life balance, burnt out
6. BRAND PERSONALITY
Visual mood board showing:
- Retro 70s aesthetic examples
- Humorous, sarcastic, relatable tone
- Self-aware millennial with anxiety and dark humor
7. KEY MESSAGING
Brand Pillars:
- Survival > Perfection
- Humor > Corporate Speak
- Function > Fluff
Sample copy examples for social, email, PR
8. PR KIT HIGHLIGHTS
Launch assets:
- Product images & packaging shots
- Founder story angle
- Press release: "Startup Launches Mints for Meeting Hell"
- Media contacts & sample pitches
9. 30-DAY LAUNCH PLAN
Week 1: Soft launch to network, collect testimonials
Week 2: Product Hunt launch, social media blitz
Week 3: PR outreach, influencer partnerships
Week 4: Paid ads, retail conversations
Key metrics to track: sales, engagement, PR mentions
10. CALL TO ACTION
Headline: "Let's Make Meetings Suck Less"
Contact info, website, social handles
Next steps for partnerships/press inquiries
Make slides visually engaging with retro patterns, product mockups, and humor throughout.

Export as PDF for investors/partners, or share as a live link for your team.

The time has come! Within this last week you can schedule social media posts for the announcement, place the final tweaks on your pages and product, and then pop the bubbly to celebrate your launch!

Now that we have walked through fully launching our made-up product, you can do the same for your own product launches!

To help you along the way, you can use the below templated prompts.

Free Prompts

Starter Prompts

Copy and paste this:

I'm launching a new product. Walk me through defining it completely before I build a launch plan. 
MY PRODUCT: [describe your idea] 
Help me nail down: 
1. Product fundamentals (what it is, positioning, price) 
2. Target customer (specific persona) 
3. Brand identity (personality, tone, visual vibe) 
4. Distribution strategy (where people buy) 
5. Success definition (what does "launched" mean?) 
Ask clarifying questions. Challenge my thinking. Don't create a launch plan yet—just help me get crystal clear on what I'm building.

Copy and paste this:

Make a roadmap database for a new product called  [product name + description]. The product roadmap will be 4 weeks and needs to include: 
Week 1: Finalize product, features, brand, messaging and PR kit
Week 2: Build website (website features ranked Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have) and create product photography setup
Week 3: Create launch content and content calendar
Week 4: Go live, launch on socials, celebrate

Get Started

Lovable

Build your MVP in plain English → Start building with Lovable and get $25 off with the promo code MATGPOD25

Claude

Your AI product strategist → Get started with Claude (Free tier available)

Notion

Your launch command center → Start with Notion (discount for Startups)

Gamma

Create launch materials in minutes → Try Gamma and HubSpot for Startups customers can now get 50% off any Gamma Plus or Gamma Pro plan

Scenario 2

Hire and Onboard My First Employees

Before	After
Chaotic hiring, no process, praying candidates show up	Structured pipeline + automated outreach + onboarding system ready day one

Tools Used

🧱 Clay	🤖 Claude	📝 Notion
Source candidates from LinkedIn & build talent pipeline with auto-enriched emails	Generate job descriptions, interview questions, outreach emails & scorecards	Build hiring tracker, manage candidate pipeline & create onboarding wiki

Why This Matters

Early-stage hiring is chaos. You're juggling 47 other things, candidates ghost you, and you're making it up as you go (we’ve been there too!). Most founders waste weeks manually searching LinkedIn, writing one-off emails, and forgetting to follow up. This workflow brings structure without the bloat—think recruiting ops in a box. Hire faster, look professional, and don't accidentally hire the wrong person because you forgot to ask basic questions.

The Example: Hiring Your First Engineer

You need a full-stack engineer who can ship fast, doesn't need hand-holding, and vibes with startup chaos. You're competing with companies offering $200k+ salaries, but you've got equity, mission, and the chance to build something from zero. Let's find them, pitch them, and onboard them properly.

Screenshot 2025-11-10 at 3.38.29 PM

Use Clay to scrape LinkedIn for potential candidates matching your criteria. Build a table with 50-100 prospects including their current role, company, LinkedIn URL, and email (Clay enriches this automatically). Clay also lets you track outreach status directly in the platform.

Working inside Clay:

Create a New Workbook and for Sources select Find people
For input criteria we selected:
- Limit: 1000
- Company size: 2-10, 11-50, 51-200, 201-500
- Job Functions: Engineering
- Minimum Number of Experiences: 5
- Job Title Keywords: Software Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, Frontend Engineer
- Include Past Experiences: false
- Job Title Seniority Levels: manager, head
- Include countries: United States

Use Claude to write everything you need: job description, interview questions, outreach emails, and scorecards. Feed it your company context and have it generate personalized, non-robotic content.
Quick Prompt for Claude:

I'm hiring a [role] for [company name], a [describe product/mission] startup.
Create:
1. Job description (conversational, 200 words max, emphasize mission + equity + impact)
2. 10 interview questions (mix technical, behavioral, culture fit)
3. Cold outreach via LinkedIn and email template (personalized, not salesy, 100 words)
4. Interview scorecard (5 criteria to evaluate candidates consistently)
Tone: Startup energy, no corporate jargon. Make it feel like joining a rocket ship, not filling a seat.

Claude generates everything in 2 minutes. Refine as needed, then drop it into Notion.

Pro tip: Have Claude write 3 variations of your outreach email, test which gets the best response rate.

Create two databases: one for Candidates (synced from Clay) and one for Interview Templates (your scorecards and questions).
Candidate Pipeline Database:

Name, Role, LinkedIn URL, Email, Phone
Status: Sourced → Reached Out → Responded → Interviewed → Offer → Hired
Interview Date, Scorecard Score (1-5), Notes
Link to interview template

Interview Templates Database:

Role, Interview Questions, Scorecard Criteria, Onboarding Checklist

Set up a Kanban board view to drag candidates through stages. Use Notion's calendar view to schedule interviews and track follow-ups.
Quick Prompt for Notion Setup:

Create a candidate pipeline database to track hiring.
Role
Title: Full‑stack Engineer (Founding)
Core stack: <fill in>
Must-haves: <fill in>
Nice-to-haves: <fill in>
Location/Time zone: <fill in>
Work mode: <remote/hybrid/onsite>
Pipeline stages
Status: Sourced → Reached Out → Responded → Interviewed → Offer → Hired
Decision field with options: Hire, Hold, No hire
Include a brief “Decision Rationale” after each interview
Candidate record fields to keep updated
Role (multi-select), LinkedIn URL, Email, Phone
Interview Date
Scorecard Score (1–5)
Notes
Compensation Expectations
Availability
Work Authorization
Artifact links: Resume URL, Portfolio URL, Coding Exercise URL, Interview Recording URL
Interview Template: link to the template used for this candidate
Interview loop and templates
Stages: Recruiter screen, Hiring manager screen, Coding, CTO/Founder chat
Each template includes:
Interview Questions: free‑form prompts specific to the stage
Scorecard Criteria: Problem solving, Code quality, System design, Communication, Ownership. Use a 1–5 scale with brief rubrics.
Onboarding Checklist: what success looks like in month 1–3 for this role
Everyone can view all sections
Scoring rubric (1–5 quick guide)
1: Significant gaps. Unable to complete or reason about problems.
2: Partial signal. Needs guidance and has notable skill gaps.
3: Solid. Meets expectations for the role.
4: Strong. Above expectations with clear strengths.
5: Exceptional. Sets the bar and elevates the team.

When candidates hit "Interview Scheduled," prep with your Notion scorecard. During the interview, take notes directly in Notion. After, score them on your rubric (1-5 for each criterion).
Once hired, flip on your Onboarding Checklist in Notion:

Week 1: Laptop setup, team intros, product walkthrough
Week 2: First shipped feature, 1-on-1 with founder
Week 3: Feedback session, assign first big project

Use Notion to track onboarding progress and set automated reminders for check-ins.

Pro tip: Record a Loom welcome video. New hires love seeing your face before day one—makes remote onboarding way less awkward.

Get Started

Clay

Source candidates and build talent pipelines → Try for free with Clay

Claude

Generate job descriptions, interview questions, and outreach emails → Try Claude (Free tier available)

Notion

Build your hiring tracker and onboarding system → Start with Notion (discount for Startups)

💡 Pro Tip: Don't wait until you "need" someone to start building your pipeline. Source 5-10 dream candidates every month, even if you're not hiring. When the time comes, you've got a warm list instead of starting from scratch. Future you will thank present you.

Free Prompts

Starter Prompts

I'm hiring a [role] for [company name], a [describe product/mission] startup.
Create:
1. Job description (conversational, 200 words max, emphasize mission + equity + impact)
2. 10 interview questions (mix technical, behavioral, culture fit)
3. Cold outreach via LinkedIn and email template (personalized, not salesy, 100 words)
4. Interview scorecard (5 criteria to evaluate candidates consistently)
Tone: Startup energy, no corporate jargon. Make it feel like joining a rocket ship, not filling a seat.

Create a candidate pipeline database to track hiring.
Role

Title: Full‑stack Engineer (Founding)
Core stack: <fill in>
Must-haves: <fill in>
Nice-to-haves: <fill in>
Location/Time zone: <fill in>
Work mode: <remote/hybrid/onsite>

Pipeline stages

Status: Sourced → Reached Out → Responded → Interviewed → Offer → Hired
Decision field with options: Hire, Hold, No hire
Include a brief “Decision Rationale” after each interview

Candidate record fields to keep updated

Role (multi-select), LinkedIn URL, Email, Phone
Interview Date
Scorecard Score (1–5)
Notes
Compensation Expectations
Availability
Work Authorization
Artifact links: Resume URL, Portfolio URL, Coding Exercise URL, Interview Recording URL
Interview Template: link to the template used for this candidate

Interview loop and templates

Stages: Recruiter screen, Hiring manager screen, Coding, CTO/Founder chat
Each template includes:
- Interview Questions: free‑form prompts specific to the stage
- Scorecard Criteria: Problem solving, Code quality, System design, Communication, Ownership. Use a 1–5 scale with brief rubrics.
- Onboarding Checklist: what success looks like in month 1–3 for this role
Everyone can view all sections

Scoring rubric (1–5 quick guide)

1: Significant gaps. Unable to complete or reason about problems.
2: Partial signal. Needs guidance and has notable skill gaps.
3: Solid. Meets expectations for the role.
4: Strong. Above expectations with clear strengths.
5: Exceptional. Sets the bar and elevates the team.

Scenario 3

Create A Lead Generation System

Before	After
No content strategy, random social posts, zero leads	Published ebook + landing page + email automation + lead pipeline + social promo

Tools Used

🤖 Claude	📝 Notion	📊 Gamma	🎯 HubSpot
Generate ebook content, landing page copy & social copy	Create a social media calendar	Design social graphics & promotional materials	Build landing page, capture leads & automate follow-up email

Why This Matters

Most founders know they need a lead generation strategy but have zero time to execute. This workflow gets you from idea to published lead magnet in 2 weeks, complete with landing page, email automation, and promotional assets. No marketing team required. Just structure, speed, and the willingness to ship something imperfect.

The Example: "The Founder's Guide to Girl Dinner"

We're creating "The Founder's Guide to Girl Dinner (When You Forget to Eat Again)"—a 50-recipe ebook of chaotic meal solutions for founders too busy to cook. Think "Series A Snack Plate," "Emergency Desk Feast," and "The 'I'll Eat a Real Meal Tomorrow' Board." Each recipe has a 3-minute prep time and a chaos rating (1-5 🔥). Tagline: "Nutrition is a construct. This is survival."

You can use Claude to outline and edit your ebook. Once you have the final copy then you can prompt Claude to come up with several social promotion ideas for the ebook.
Quick Prompt for Claude:

I'm creating a 50-recipe ebook of chaotic meal solutions for founders too busy to cook.
Title: The Founder's Guide to Girl Dinner (When You Forget to Eat Again)
Tone: self-aware humor and sarcastic
Generate:
1. 5 social posts from the recipes in this format:
   - Title
   - [Relevant metadata: time, difficulty, etc.]
   - Description (100 words, funny and useful)
Recipe title examples: "Series A Snack Plate," "Emergency Desk Feast," and "The 'I'll Eat a Real Meal Tomorrow' Board."
2. 5 social media captions promoting the ebook
3. For each social post include what the title is, copy, platform to be posted on and if visuals are needed
Make it [adjectives: relatable, actionable, funny, etc.].

Notion Social Media Calendar

Leverage Notion’s Social Media Calendar template to plan and stay on top of all your social media posts.

Copy-paste all Claude outputs into Notion. Use the timeline view to visualize your launch sprint and catch any bottlenecks.

Pro tip: Add a "Content Repurposing Ideas" section—each recipe becomes a LinkedIn post, Twitter thread, or Instagram carousel later.

Screenshot 2025-11-10 at 4.10.46 PM

Turn your ebook content into shareable social graphics using Gamma. Create promotional materials: quote graphics, recipe previews, and launch announcement slides.
Quick Prompt for Gamma:

Create 5 social media graphics for "The Founder's Guide to Girl Dinner" ebook launch.
STYLE: Chaotic maximalist energy—think cluttered desk meets indie magazine aesthetic
COLORS: Warm terracotta, sage green, butter yellow, muted pink
TONE: Funny, relatable, slightly unhinged
GRAPHICS:
1. Cover reveal (ebook title + tagline + flame emojis)
2. Recipe preview: "Series A Snack Plate" with chaos rating and ingredients
3. Quote graphic: "Nutrition is a construct. This is survival."
4. Behind-the-scenes: "50 recipes for founders who forgot lunch exists"
5. Launch day CTA: "Download free before your next meeting" with link
Make them Instagram-friendly (1080x1080) and shareable. Add playful typography and food doodles.

Gamma generates all 5 in minutes. Export as PNGs for social, or grab the shareable links for LinkedIn/Twitter posts.

Pro tip: Create a "recipe of the day" series—post one recipe per day leading up to launch to build anticipation.

Landing page for founder's guide to girl dinner

HubSpot’s Marketing Campaign feature has everything you need in one place to build your lead generation funnel. Use a starter template to move fast by creating the landing page with AI and an email sequence from a template.

Quick HubSpot Setup:

Navigate to Marketing > Campaigns > Create Campaign > Start from Template > Select the “Lead Generation” template. This gives you a ready-to-go landing page + form + email workflow.

Select your lead generation form then get ready to build your Landing Page with Breeze to accelerate the process.

You will be asked to fill in the highlighted areas with specific details like and then hit “Generate with Breeze” to build out the page. Customize the headline, add your ebook preview image, connect your form, and hit publish!

Landing Page Structure:

Heading: Get Your Free Founder's Guide to Girl Dinner
Description: Forgot to eat again because you were too busy crushing your Q3 goals? We get it. Our "Founder's Guide to Girl Dinner" delivers 50 ridiculously easy meal solutions for the chronically entrepreneurial. Zero cooking skills required, ready in under 3 minutes, and just enough nutrition to keep you alive through your next pitch deck. Because sometimes self-care looks like cheese and crackers eaten over your keyboard at 11pm. #TreatYourselfToActualFood
Testimonials
Benefits: ✅ No cooking required ✅ Under 3 minutes each ✅ Actual survival tips disguised as humor
Form: Name + Email
CTA Button: Get the Free Ebook

Create a simple 1-email workflow that fires immediately after someone fills out the form. This email delivers the ebook PDF and introduces your brand.

Quick HubSpot Email Setup:

Within your Campaign you can “Create an automated follow-up email”

Steps:

Create email > Automated > select the E-book template

Now change the template to fit the following structure:

Subject: "Your survival guide has arrived 🔥"
Preview: "50 recipes for when you forgot to eat (again)"
Body:
- "Thanks for downloading! Here's your ebook: [PDF link]"
- "Quick intro: We're [your company], and we [what you do]"
- "PS: Which recipe are you trying first? Hit reply and tell us."
CTA: Link to your website or invite them to follow you on social

Finalize everything, test the landing page form, confirm the email delivers the PDF, and schedule social posts.

Launch Day

6am: Post on LinkedIn ("I made a thing for founders who live on snacks...")
9am: Twitter thread with sample recipes + landing page link
12pm: Instagram carousel showing 5 recipes with "Link in bio"
Email your network: "I wrote this because I'm tired of pretending cheese and crackers isn't dinner"
Post in relevant communities (Reddit: r/startups, r/Entrepreneur; Slack groups; founder Discord servers)

Track your metrics in HubSpot: form submissions, email open rate, landing page traffic.

Pro tip: Pin your LinkedIn post for the week. Reply to every comment. Engagement = algorithm love = more eyeballs.

Prompts

Starter Prompts

Copy and paste this:

I'm creating a humorous ebook for [target audience] about [topic].
Title: [Your ebook title]
Tone: [Describe brand voice]
Length: [Number of pages or chapters]
Generate:
1. Table of contents with chapter titles
2. Introduction (200-300 words)
3. 5 sample [recipes/tips/chapters] in this format:
   - Title
   - [Relevant metadata: time, difficulty, etc.]
   - Description (100 words, funny and useful)
4. Conclusion with CTA
5. 5 social media captions promoting the ebook
Make it [adjectives: relatable, actionable, funny, etc.]

Copy and paste this:

Write landing page copy for my ebook: [title]
Include:
1. Headline (10 words max, benefit-driven)
2. Subheadline (explain what it is, who it's for)
3. 3 bullet points (key benefits or what's inside)
4. Social proof placeholder ("Join 1,000+ founders who...")
5. CTA copy (button text + supporting line)
Tone: [Your brand voice]
Make it scannable, persuasive, and conversion-focused.

Get Started

Claude

Generate all your content in one conversation → Start with Claude (Free tier available)

Notion

Organize your content campaign and assets → Start with Notion (discount for Startups)

Gamma

Design social graphics in minutes → HubSpot for Startups customers can now get 50% off any Gamma Plus or Gamma Pro plan

HubSpot

Build landing pages and automate email delivery with HubSpot for Startups → eligible startups save up to 90% off HubSpot.

💡 Pro Tip: Don't obsess over perfection. Your first lead magnet won't be your best—but it'll teach you what works. Ship the ebook, track what people respond to (which recipes get shared, which emails get opened), then create V2 based on real data. Iteration beats procrastination every time.

Scenario 4

Go from Idea to Validated MVP

Before	After
Idea in your head, no market validation	Refined product concept + Working MVP + competitive intel + feature tracking

Tools Used

🤖 Claude	🧱 Clay	📝 Notion	💻 Lovable
Refine concept, write copy & identify assumptions to test	Generate ICP + competitive intelligence in seconds	Track validation metrics & feature priorities	Build a working mobile MVP in under an hour

Why This Matters

Most founders spend months building something nobody wants. The #1 startup killer isn't bad execution—it's solving the wrong problem for the wrong people. This workflow flips that: you validate product-market fit with real data BEFORE writing code, then ship fast to a hyper-targeted audience. You'll know who your customers are, what your competitors are doing, and whether your idea has legs—all in under 2 weeks.

The Example: "Who Will You Be Today?" - Daily Motivation App

You want to build "Who Will You Be Today?"—a mobile app that matches users with inspiring figures to embody each day. Take a 5-question quiz (mood, goals, challenges, interests), get matched with someone like Frida Kahlo or RuPaul, receive a daily motto and traits to embrace, then journal at end-of-day to earn badges. It's BuzzFeed meets motivation meets gamification. But before building 50 celebrity profiles and a badge system, let's validate: Do people actually want this? Who are your competitors? What makes yours stick?

Use Claude to crystallize your idea, write app store copy (even before building), and identify the riskiest assumptions that need testing.
Quick Prompt for Claude:

I want to build a mobile app called "Who Will You Be Today?" 
Concept: Daily motivation app that matches users with inspiring celebrities/historical figures to embody based on a 5-question quiz about mood, goals, challenges, and interests. Users get a motto, traits to embrace, motivational quote, and end-of-day journaling with badge rewards.
Help me:
1. Write a one-sentence value proposition
2. Identify my target user (be specific: demographics, pain points, what they currently use)
3. List 5 core MVP features (be ruthless—what's minimum to launch?)
4. Write App Store copy (app name, tagline, description under 200 words)
5. Identify 3 key assumptions to test (e.g., "Will people come back daily?" "Do badges actually motivate?")
Be critical. Challenge my thinking.

Claude helps you nail down what you're building, who it's for, and what needs validation. Export this to Notion—it's your north star.
Pro tip: The app store copy Claude writes? Use it for your landing page and social posts. If you can't explain it clearly now, you can't market it later.

Use Clay's pre-built template to research 4-10 competitors to understand your competitor’s ideal customer profiles (ICP) and gain insights into their competitive edge in seconds. Just add company names, Clay does the rest.

Quick Clay Setup:

1. Make a copy of Clay’s "AI-Generated ICP and Target Customer" template. If you’re already a user, you’ll be directed to your workspace. If not, you’ll be prompted to create a free Clay account.

2. In the “Ideal Customer Profile” and “Competitive Intelligence” columns don’t forget to select which ChatGPT model you want to use.

3. Add 4 competitor app names such as "Calm", "Headspace", "Waking Up", and "Insight Timer"

4. Clay automatically runs each ChatGPT prompt and produces full competitive intel reports

In 60 seconds, you'll have detailed profiles of competitors' strengths/weaknesses and a crystal-clear picture of how to best position yourself in the market.

Pro tip: Look for gaps in competitor offerings. If all 5 focus on meditation but ignore gamification + personality matching, that's your wedge.

Prepare the competitive intel from Clay by copying and pasting your results into a Google Doc with all the specifics necessary. Then upload the document in Claude to have it inform your messaging, feature priorities, and differentiation strategy.
Quick Prompt for Claude:

Here's my app concept: [paste from Step 1]
Attached are what my competitors are doing.
Now help me:
1. Refine my positioning (what's my unique angle based on competitor gaps?)
2. Prioritize my MVP features (which 3 features does my ICP care about most?)
3. Write messaging that resonates with ideal customer's pain points
4. Suggest 3 places my ICP hangs out (subreddits, Instagram hashtags, communities)
Make it sharp. No fluff.

Claude uses real data to tell you what to build, how to talk about it, and where to find your first users.

Create a simple database to track assumptions, success metrics, and feedback as you test.

Validation Tracker Database:

Assumption: "People will come back daily"
Hypothesis: "If we add streaks + badges, 40%+ of users return day 2"
Success Metric: "40% day-2 retention OR 10+ users with 7-day streaks"
Status: Untested / Testing / Validated / Invalidated
Evidence: Usage stats, user interviews, app analytics

Add a Feature Backlog:

Feature: Badge system
Priority: Must-Have / Nice-to-Have / Future
ICP Insight: "Clay data shows gamification drives retention in wellness apps"
Status: Backlog / Building / Shipped

Track everything here. After launch, this becomes your product roadmap.

Lovable App

Describe your app to Lovable in plain English. It generates working code for iOS/Android—no native development needed.
Quick Prompt for Lovable:

Create a mobile app called "Who Will You Be Today?" - a daily motivation app that matches users with inspiring figures to embody.
APP FLOW:
1. WELCOME SCREEN
- App logo + tagline: "Find your icon. Live your best day."
- Button: "Start Today's Quiz"
2. DAILY QUIZ (5 screens, one question each)
Question 1: "How are you feeling today?"
- Options: Energized, Anxious, Burnt Out, Confident, Lost
Question 2: "What's your goal for today?"
- Options: Take a risk, Stay focused, Rest & recharge, Create something new, Connect with others
Question 3: "What's your biggest challenge right now?"
- Options: Fear of failure, Lack of motivation, Imposter syndrome, Burnout, Uncertainty
Question 4: "What lights you up?"
- Options: Music, Art, Tech, Science, Writing, Business, Activism, Sports
Question 5: "What would make today feel like a win?"
- Text input (short answer)
Progress bar showing 1/5, 2/5, etc.
3. MATCH REVEAL SCREEN
- Full-screen photo of celebrity/figure (use placeholder image)
- Name reveal with animation: "Today, you are [Name]!"
- Button: "See Your Daily Guide"
4. DAILY GUIDE SCREEN
- Photo at top
- "Your Motto for Today" - shareable quote card with share button
- "Traits to Embrace" - 3 bullet points
- "Your Motivational Quote"
- Expandable "Tap to Learn More" with mini-bio
- Button: "Set Your Daily Challenge"
5. CHALLENGE SCREEN
- Display motto-based challenge
- Button: "I Accept This Challenge"
6. END-OF-DAY CHECK-IN
- Prompt: "How did you embody [Name] today?"
- Text input for journal
- Button: "Complete & Earn Badge"
- Badge unlock animation
7. PROFILE SCREEN
- Streak counter
- Badge collection grid
- Past figures list
- Button: "Retake Today's Quiz"
DESIGN: Modern, playful, empowering. Colors: coral, gold, sage green, soft purple. 
Bottom navigation: Quiz, Today's Guide, Profile
FUNCTIONALITY:
- Quiz results determine figure based on answers
- 50 figures database with traits, quotes, bios, challenges
- Social share generates motto image card
- Daily reset at midnight
- Streak tracking and badge system
Make it inspiring and fun.

Lovable builds the entire app. Test it, iterate, deploy to TestFlight (iOS) or Play Store beta (Android) in 48 hours.

Go back to Clay's ICP data. Where does your ideal user hang out? Reddit's r/productivity? Instagram's #morningmotivation? LinkedIn founder groups?

(Psst if you don’t know then head to Scenario 6: Find My First 100 Customers to get these answers!)

Post your beta link with a hook:

"I built an app that tells you which icon to channel each day (today I got RuPaul 💅). Try it?"
Share your own results: "Apparently, I need to embody Frida Kahlo today. The app isn't wrong."

Track in Notion:

Signups, daily active users, day-2 retention, badge unlocks
Qualitative feedback: "What did you love? What felt off?"

Pro tip: Offer the first 100 beta users a "Founding Icon" badge. People love exclusive early-access perks.

Free Prompts

Starter Prompts

Copy and paste this:

I want to build [describe your app idea in 2-3 sentences].
Help me:
1. Write a one-sentence value proposition
2. Identify my target user (specific: role, pain points, current solutions)
3. List 5 core MVP features (be ruthless—what's minimum viable?)
4. Write App Store copy (name, tagline, description under 200 words)
5. Identify 3 key assumptions I need to test before building
Be critical. Challenge my thinking.

Copy and paste this:

Here's my app: [paste concept]
Here's my ICP from Clay: [paste ICP data]
Here's competitor intel: [paste competitive insights]
Help me:
1. Refine positioning (unique angle based on gaps?)
2. Prioritize MVP features (what does ICP care about most?)
3. Write messaging that resonates with ICP pain points
4. Suggest 3 distribution channels where ICP hangs out
Make it sharp and differentiated.

Copy and paste this:

Create a mobile app called [App Name] that [one-sentence description].
Core features:
1. [Feature 1 with user flow]
2. [Feature 2 with user flow]
3. [Feature 3 with user flow]
Design style: [aesthetic description]
Color palette: [list colors]
Navigation: [describe bottom nav or tabs]
Key functionality:
- [Database needs]
- [User interactions]
- [Notifications or reminders]
- [Social sharing if applicable]
Make it [adjectives: intuitive, fun, inspiring, etc.].

Copy and paste this:

Create a validation tracker for my app MVP with two databases:
1. Assumptions & Hypotheses
- Columns: Assumption, Hypothesis, Success Metric, Status (Untested/Testing/Validated/Invalidated), Evidence
- Track key assumptions that need testing
2. Feature Backlog
- Columns: Feature, Priority (Must-Have/Nice-to-Have/Future), ICP Insight, Status (Backlog/Building/Shipped)
- Link features to assumptions they validate
Add views: Kanban for feature status, table filtered by priority.

Get Started

Claude

Refine your concept and positioning strategy → Start with Claude (Free tier available)

Clay

Generate ICP + competitive intelligence instantly → Try Clay

Notion

Track validation metrics and organize feedback → Start with Notion (discount for Startups)

Lovable

Build your mobile MVP in 48 hours → Build with Lovable and get $25 off with the promo code MATGPOD25

Scenario 5

Raise Seed/Series A Funding

Before	After
Scattered investor list, generic cold emails, no pipeline	200+ targeted investors + personalized outreach + pitch deck

Tools Used

🧱 Clay	🤖 Claude	📊 Gamma
Build an investor database with auto-enriched data	Analyze investors & craft personalized outreach	Create a compelling pitch deck

Why This Matters

Fundraising is a full-time job disguised as "a few coffee meetings." Most founders waste months chasing the wrong investors, sending generic emails that get ignored, and losing track of who they've talked to. This workflow treats fundraising like a sales process: build a targeted list, personalize your outreach, nail your pitch, and track everything obsessively. You'll raise faster, waste less time on dead ends, and actually know where you stand at every stage.

The Example: Raising a $2M Seed Round for “Who Will You Be Today?”

You're raising $2M for “Who Will You Be Today?”, a mobile app that matches users with inspiring figures to embody each day. You need investors who: understand mental health tech, invest in consumer apps at seed stage, write $250K-$500K checks, and ideally have portfolio companies in productivity or wellness. Let's find them, pitch them, and close them.

Investor database

Use Clay to create a targeted list of 50 VCs and angels who actually invest in companies like yours. Clay's AI can build this entire table automatically—you just need to define your criteria.
Quick Prompt for Clay:

Build a database of 50 venture capital firms and angel investors for a Series A raise in the mental health tech space.
Criteria:
- Investment stage: Series A
- Sector focus: Mental health tech
- Check size:$500K
- Geography: U.S. nationwide
- Thesis alignment: Look for firms investing in mental wellness
For each investor, pull:
- VC Firm Name
- Partner Name (decision-makers who lead deals in this stage/sector)
- LinkedIn Profile URL
- Portfolio Companies (recent investments in similar space)
- Investment Thesis (what they look for)
- Warm Intro Path (mutual LinkedIn connections)
- Last Fundraising News (recent activity)
Add columns for:
- Outreach Status (Not Contacted / Contacted / Responded / Meeting / Passed)
- Fit Score (1-5 based on thesis alignment)
- Notes
Sort by: Best fit (thesis + warm intro potential) at top

Clay's AI will automatically populate this table with enriched data in minutes. You'll have investor emails, portfolio companies, and warm intro paths, everything you need to start outreach.

Feed Claude your Clay investor data. Have it identify your best matches and write personalized outreach emails that reference specific portfolio companies and investment thesis.
Quick Prompt for Claude:

I'm raising a $2M seed round for [your product]: [one-sentence description].
Here's my investor list from Clay: [upload top 20 investor rows with: firm name, partner, portfolio companies, thesis]
Help me:
1. Rank these 20 investors by fit (1-10 score based on thesis alignment + portfolio relevance)
2. For the top 5, identify the specific portfolio company or investment that makes them a great fit
3. Write a personalized cold email for each of the top 5 that:
   - References their specific investment or thesis
   - Explains why my product fits their portfolio
   - Includes a clear ask: "15-minute intro call this week?"
   - Stays under 100 words
Make it personal, not templated. Show I actually researched them.

Claude analyzes your data and generates 5 custom emails. Each one feels like you spent an hour researching—but it took 2 minutes.
Pro tip: Use the "warm intro path" column from Clay. If you have a mutual connection, mention it: "I'm a friend of [Name], who suggested I reach out."

Build a compelling pitch deck that tells your story in 10 slides. Gamma turns your rough outline into a polished deck in minutes.
Quick Prompt for Gamma:

Create a 15-slide investor pitch deck for [your company name], a [product category] for [target audience].
SLIDES:
1. Cover: Company name + tagline + contact info
2. Problem: The pain point we're solving (include market data)
3. Solution: Our product in 1-2 sentences + key features
4. Demo: Screenshots or product walkthrough (3-4 key screens)
5. Market Size: TAM, SAM, SOM with sources
6. Business Model: How we make money (pricing, unit economics)
7. Traction: Key metrics (users, revenue, growth rate, retention)
8. Go-to-Market: How we acquire customers (channels, CAC, LTV)
9. Competitive Landscape: Who else is in this space and why we're different
10. Product Roadmap: What we're building next (6-12 month view)
11. Team: Founders + key hires with relevant experience
12. Fundraising: How much we're raising + what we'll use it for
13. Milestones: What we'll achieve with this capital
14. Vision: Where we're going in 3-5 years
15. Thank You: Contact info + "Let's talk"
STYLE: Clean, professional, founder-friendly (not too corporate)
COLORS: [Your brand colors]
TONE: Confident but not arrogant. Data-driven but human.
Include placeholder spots for charts/graphs where needed.

Gamma generates your full deck. Add your actual data, screenshots, and metrics. Export as PDF for email or use Gamma's live link for presentations.
Pro tip: Keep it to 15 slides max. Investors see hundreds of decks, respect their time.

Now you have everything: targeted investors, personalized emails, polished deck, organized pipeline. Time to execute.

Week 1-2: Outreach Blitz

Send 10 personalized emails per day (50/week)
Prioritize warm intros over cold emails
Track opens and responses in Notion
Follow up 3 days later if no response

Week 3-4: First Meetings

Book intro calls (15-30 min)
Use intro calls to gauge interest and ask for pitch meeting
Send pitch deck after intro call, not before
Update Notion with meeting notes and next steps

Week 5-8: Pitch Meetings

Present your full deck (30-45 min)
Answer questions, address objections
Ask for feedback: "What would you need to see to move forward?"
Send follow-up email within 24 hours with: thank you, key discussion points, any docs they requested

Week 9-12: Due Diligence & Term Sheets

Share data room docs (financials, customer references, legal)
Negotiate terms
Get multiple term sheets if possible (creates leverage)
Close your lead investor, then fill out the round

Track every step in Notion. Review weekly: Who's hot? Who's cold? What objections keep coming up?

Pro tip: Fundraising is a numbers game. Expect 200 outreach → 50 responses → 20 intro calls → 10 pitch meetings → 3 term sheets → 1 closed deal.

Free Prompts

Starter Prompts

Build a database of 200 venture capital firms and angel investors for a [stage] raise in the [sector] space.
Criteria:
- Investment stage: [Your stage]
- Sector focus: [Your industry]
- Check size: [Your target range]
- Geography: [Your preference]
- Thesis alignment: [Your specific angle]
For each investor, pull: Firm Name, Partner Name, LinkedIn URL, Email, Portfolio Companies, Investment Thesis, Warm Intro Path, Recent Activity.
Add columns for: Outreach Status, Fit Score (1-5), Notes.
Sort by best fit at top.

I'm raising [amount] for [product]: [description].
Here's my investor list from Clay: [paste top 20 rows]
Help me:
1. Rank these 20 by fit (1-10 score)
2. For top 5, identify specific portfolio match
3. Write personalized email for each top 5 that:
- References their investment/thesis
- Explains why my product fits
- Clear ask: "15-min intro call?"
- Under 100 words
Make it personal, not templated.

I'm pitching [product] to [investor name] from [firm].
They invested in [portfolio company] and focus on [thesis].
Generate:
1. Opening hook (30 seconds) that connects my product to their thesis
2. 3 key talking points that differentiate us from [competitor]
3. Anticipated objections and how to address them
4. Closing ask: "What would you need to see to lead our round?"
Make it conversational, confident, data-driven.

Create a [number]-slide investor pitch deck for [company], a [category] for [audience].
Include slides for: Problem, Solution, Demo, Market Size, Business Model, Traction, Go-to-Market, Competitive Landscape, Product Roadmap, Team, Fundraising, Milestones, Vision, Thank You.
Style: [aesthetic]
Colors: [your brand colors]
Tone: Confident, data-driven, human
Include placeholders for charts and product screenshots.

Get Started

Clay

Build your investor database with auto-enriched data → Start with Clay

Claude

Analyze investors and craft personalized outreach → Try Claude (Free tier available)

Gamma

Create your pitch deck in minutes → Start with Gamma

Notion

Manage your entire fundraising pipeline → Start with Notion (discount for Startups)

💡 Pro Tip: Fundraising is a full-time job. Block 20-30 hours/week for outreach, meetings, and follow-ups. Treat it like a sales sprint—you're selling equity in your company. The more disciplined your process, the faster you close. And always, always get multiple term sheets. Competition creates leverage.

Scenario 6

Find My First 100 Customers

Before	After
No customers, posting into the void, crickets	100+ engaged customers from communities that actually care

Tools Used

🤖 Claude	📝 Notion	💻 Lovable
Deep research to find where your ICP lives + generate engagement strategy	Track community engagement, waitlist signups & customer conversions	Build early access landing page with waitlist form

Why This Matters

Cold outreach is dead. Generic LinkedIn DMs get ignored, and paid ads burn cash without converting. The secret? Go where your customers already gather, provide value first, and build relationships before pitching. This workflow helps you infiltrate the right communities, identify active members, and convert them through trust, not spam. It's slower than blasting 1,000 emails, but your conversion rate will be 10x higher because these people actually want what you're building.

The Example: Squish Your Demons

You're launching Squish Your Demons, customizable stress balls representing the inner demons you're working through (imposter syndrome, self-doubt, burnout). Customers design their demon, then use a companion Tamagotchi-style app where feeding and caring for your demon transforms it into something positive. Self-doubt becomes audacity. Imposter syndrome becomes delusional confidence. Your ICP? Anxious founders, burnt-out creatives, and therapy-fluent millennials who'd rather squish their feelings than ignore them.

Scenario 6_Deep Research

Use Claude's research feature to identify where your ideal customers actually spend time online. This isn't a guess—Claude will search across Reddit, Discord servers, Slack communities, LinkedIn groups, and niche forums to find active communities matching your ICP.

Quick Prompt for Claude:

Use deep research to find online communities where my ideal customers hang out.
My product: Squish Your Demons - customizable stress balls + Tamagotchi app for transforming negative self-talk into positive traits.
My ICP: Anxious founders, burnt-out creatives, therapy-fluent millennials (25-40), people working through imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or burnout.
Find 10-15 active communities including:
- Reddit subreddits (with member counts and activity levels)
- Discord servers (mental health, founder communities)
- Slack groups (startup/creator communities)
- LinkedIn groups
- Niche forums or Facebook groups
For each community, tell me:
1. Platform and community name
2. Member count and activity level
3. Why my ICP is there
4. Community rules about self-promotion (can I post about products or only engage?)
5. Best content types (polls, stories, memes, helpful resources)
Rank them by: active engagement + ICP density + promotion-friendliness.

What you'll get:

Specific communities like r/Entrepreneur, r/AnxietyDepression, "Startup Therapy" Discord, mental health founder Slack groups
Rules for each (some ban promotion, others welcome it if you add value first)
Content strategies tailored to each platform

Pro tip: Focus on 3-5 communities max. Better to be known in a few places than invisible everywhere.

Create a simple waitlist page to capture interest before you even have inventory. This gives you a place to send people when they ask "Where can I get this?"

Quick Prompt for Lovable:

Create an early access landing page for Squish Your Demons - customizable stress balls with a Tamagotchi app.
SECTIONS:
1. HERO
- Headline: "Squish Your Demons. Transform Your Inner Critic."
- Subheadline: "Customizable stress balls + app that turns imposter syndrome into delusional confidence"
- Waitlist form: Name + Email
- CTA button: "Get 50% Off (First 100 Only)"
- Background: Playful illustrations of little demon characters
2. HOW IT WORKS
- 3 steps with icons:
  Step 1: "Design Your Demon" (choose what it represents)
  Step 2: "Squish It IRL" (physical stress ball)
  Step 3: "Transform It" (Tamagotchi app turns demon into strength)
3. THE TRANSFORMATIONS
- Show 3 examples with before/after:
  Self-Doubt → Audacity
  Imposter Syndrome → Delusional Confidence
  Burnout → Strategic Rest
4. EARLY ACCESS PERKS
- "First 100 get:"
  ✅ 50% off retail price
  ✅ Exclusive demon designs
  ✅ Lifetime app access
  ✅ "Founding Demon Squisher" badge
5. TESTIMONIALS (PLACEHOLDER)
- "Finally, a therapist I can fit in my pocket." - Anxious Founder
- "My imposter syndrome never stood a chance." - Burnt-Out Creative
6. FOOTER
- Social links, contact, FAQ link
STYLE: Playful but modern. Think: mental health meets indie game aesthetic
COLORS: Soft pastels with bold accents (lavender, mint green, coral, butter yellow)
TONE: Self-aware, vulnerable, slightly chaotic but comforting
Make it mobile-friendly and emotionally resonant.

Lovable builds your landing page in minutes. Test the form, connect it to your email provider (ConvertKit, Mailchimp), and publish.

Use your research report to build a tiered engagement strategy—prioritizing communities where you can move fastest while building long-term trust in stricter spaces.

Quick Prompt for Claude:

Based on my community research: [attach or paste report from Step 1]
Create a 30-day tiered engagement strategy:
TIER 1: Fast-Track Communities (Indie Hackers, Women Helping Women Entrepreneurs)
- Week 1: 5 value-first posts per community using their "Best Content" formats
- Week 2: Soft intro Squish Your Demons in context (use their 7-9/10 promo-friendliness)
- Week 3-4: Direct promotional posts following their rules + DM warm leads
TIER 2: Relationship-First Communities (Leapers, Design Buddies, Online Geniuses)
- Week 1-2: Daily engagement, build trust (comments, helpful replies)
- Week 3: Share founder story mentioning product naturally
- Week 4: Use showcase/marketplace channels if available
TIER 3: Long-Game Communities (r/Anxiety, r/Entrepreneur, r/startups)
- Week 1-4: Value-only (NO product mentions, build karma)
- Plan Month 2-3 strategy for when I can softly introduce product
For each tier, provide:
- Specific post templates matching their "Best Content" preferences
- DM scripts that respect platform norms
- Red flags to avoid based on their promotion rules
Include a daily 30-min engagement routine split across all tiers.

What you'll get:

Prioritized plan that respects each community's promotion tolerance
Quick wins from promo-friendly spaces while building trust in strict ones
Time-boxed daily routine so you're not spending 3 hours scrolling Reddit

Pro tip: The research showed r/Anxiety has 1/10 promo rules but 10/10 ICP density. Play the long game there—spend Month 1 just being helpful, then in Month 2 share your founder journey with Squish Your Demons as a natural part of your story.

Create a simple database to manage community engagement and track your path to 100 customers.

Community Engagement Tracker:

Community Name (text)
Platform (select: Reddit, Discord, Slack, LinkedIn)
Post/Comment (text): What you shared
Date (date)
Engagement (number): Upvotes, comments, DM replies
Leads Generated (number)
Status (select): Active, Paused, Banned (hey, it happens)

Waitlist Tracker:

Name (text)
Email (text)
Source (select): r/Entrepreneur, Discord, LinkedIn, Direct DM
Signup Date (date)
Status (select): Waitlist → Code Sent → Purchased → Customer
Demon Type (text): What they're working through
Notes (text)

Set up a Kanban view to track leads through your funnel. Use calendar view to schedule daily engagement sessions.

Quick Notion Setup:

Create two databases:
1. Community Engagement Tracker
- Columns: Community Name, Platform, Post/Comment, Date, Engagement Count, Leads Generated, Status
- Track which communities drive the most signups
2. Waitlist to Customer Pipeline
- Columns: Name, Email, Source Community, Signup Date, Status (Waitlist/Code Sent/Purchased), Demon Type, Notes
- Kanban view by Status
- Filter by source to see which communities convert best

Pro tip: Add a "Conversion Rate by Community" view—double down on the communities that actually convert, abandon the ones that don't.

Now execute your 30-day plan. Post in communities, engage authentically, and when people show interest, send them to your Lovable landing page.

Your Daily Routine (30 min/day):

Comment on 5 relevant posts in your top 3 communities
Reply to any DMs or comments on your posts
Share one helpful resource or story
Update Notion with engagement metrics

When someone signs up for your waitlist:

Auto-send welcome email: "You're on the list! Here's your exclusive code: DEMON50"
Manually follow up 3 days later: "Have you designed your demon yet? Need help choosing?"
Track in Notion: move from Waitlist → Code Sent → Purchased

Week 4 Push: Once you hit 50 signups, create urgency: "Only 50 spots left for 50% off!" Post this in communities where you've built credibility.

Pro tip: Your first 10 customers are your marketing team. Ask them to post photos of their demons with #SquishYourDemons. Offer a free second demon for best post. User-generated content sells the next 90.

Free Prompts

Starter Prompts

Use deep research to find online communities where my ideal customers hang out.
My product: [describe product]
My ICP: [describe target customer: demographics, psychographics, pain points]
Find 10-15 active communities including Reddit, Discord, Slack, LinkedIn groups, and niche forums.
For each, tell me:
1. Platform and name
2. Member count and activity level
3. Why my ICP is there
4. Self-promotion rules
5. Best content types
Rank by: engagement + ICP fit + promotion-friendliness.

Create an early access landing page for [product name] - [one-sentence description].
Include:
- Hero section: headline, subheadline, waitlist form (Name + Email)
- How It Works: 3-step visual process
- Early Access Benefits: what first 100 customers get
- Testimonial placeholders
- Footer
Style: [aesthetic]
Colors: [palette]
CTA: "Get [discount]% Off (First 100 Only)"
Make it convert.

Get Started

Claude

Research communities and generate engagement strategy → Start with Claude (Free tier available)

Notion

Track waitlist signups and community engagement → Start with Notion (discount for Startups)

Lovable

Build your early access landing page → Build with Lovable, and get $25 off with the promo code MATGPOD25

💡 Pro Tip: Community-led growth is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't expect 100 customers in week one. Expect 10 who love you enough to tell their friends. Those 10 bring the next 90. Focus on depth over breadth—one raving fan beats 100 lukewarm followers.

Scenario 7

Analyze and Act on Customer Feedback at Scale

Visual

AI Workflow

Learn how to automate customer feedback responses with this simple workflow using Claude, Google Sheets, and Make. You'll have categorized feedback, personalized responses, and automated emails sent to customers—all without lifting a finger after the initial setup.

Before	After
Feedback buried in emails, no response system, customers feel ignored	Organized feedback database + AI analysis + automated personalized responses

Tools Used

🤖 Claude	📊 Google Sheets	⚙️ Make
Analyze feedback themes, categorize by urgency & generate personalized responses	Centralize all customer feedback in one place	Monitor sheet and auto-send response emails to customers

Why This Matters

Customer feedback is everywhere—support tickets, survey responses, social media comments, angry emails—and most of it gets ignored or buried. You know you should respond, but there never seems to be enough time. This workflow solves that: collect everything in one place, let Claude analyze patterns and write personalized responses, then automate the sending with Make. You close the feedback loop in hours instead of weeks, showing customers you actually listen without drowning in manual work.

Warning: Be careful when sharing customer information with AI platforms. Make sure you understand data privacy laws and do not share any sensitive information.

The Example: Feedback for "Meeting Mints"

You launched Meeting Mints six months ago. You've got 150 customers and feedback is pouring in: "Love the espresso flavor but it's too strong," "Can you make a decaf version?", "Shipping took forever," "These saved my sanity during all-hands." Some is praise, some is bugs, some is feature requests. You need to respond to everyone, identify patterns, and figure out what to build next, without spending 20 hours writing individual emails.

Create a master feedback sheet where all customer input flows. Set up columns for the raw data you're collecting from various sources.

Your Google Sheet Structure:

Column A: Customer Name
Column B: Customer Email
Column C: Feedback Source (Survey, Email, Social Media, Support Ticket)
Column D: Date Received
Column E: Feedback (their actual comment/message)

Manually copy-paste feedback from emails, surveys, and social comments into this sheet. Or set up simple form submissions that feed directly into the sheet.

Pro tip: Use Google Forms to collect structured feedback (NPS surveys, feature requests). Responses auto-populate into your sheet, no manual entry needed.

Export your Google Sheet as a PDF or copy the data. Upload it to Claude and ask it to analyze themes, categorize by urgency, and generate personalized response templates.

Quick Prompt for Claude:

I have customer feedback from my product launch. Attached is a spreadsheet with columns: Customer Name, Customer Email, Feedback Source, Date, Feedback.
Analyze this data and create a new table with these additional columns:
1. Issue Category (Bug, Feature Request, Complaint, Praise, Question)
2. Priority Level (High, Medium, Low)
3. Theme (group similar feedback: e.g., "Shipping delays", "Flavor too strong", "Request decaf version")
4. Personalized Response (100 words max, empathetic tone, address their specific concern)
For each row, write a response that:
- Acknowledges their specific feedback
- Shows we're listening and taking action
- Includes next steps if applicable (e.g., "We're working on decaf!" or "Here's your tracking number")
- Ends with appreciation
Tone: Friendly, founder-to-customer, not corporate.
Then give me a summary:
- Top 3 feedback themes by frequency
- % breakdown by category (Bug, Feature Request, etc.)
- High-priority issues requiring immediate action

What you'll get:

Every piece of feedback categorized and prioritized
Personalized response for each customer (not generic templates)
Data insights showing what to fix/build next

Pro tip: Run this analysis weekly. Patterns emerge fast, after 3 weeks you'll know exactly what customers love and what's broken.

Send a Gmail email from a new Google Sheets row on Make

Set up a Make scenario that watches your Google Sheet and automatically sends emails when new rows with responses are added.

Make Setup:

Connect your Google account
Start with the Send a Gmail email from a new Google Sheets row template
Follow the setup guide to select your spreadsheet so it can watch when new rows are added and then send the email.
Connect your Gmail account and tell Make where to find the specifics of what email to send from the spreadsheet
Run the scenario

Now when you paste Claude's responses into your sheet, Make automatically sends personalized emails to each customer within minutes.

Pro tip: Add a "Status" column (Column J) with values: Pending, Sent, Responded. Make updates this to "Sent" after emailing so you don't double-send.

Monitor which responses get replies, which themes keep appearing, and what actions you need to take.

Weekly Review Routine:

Run Claude analysis on new feedback
Identify top 3 recurring themes
Decide: Is this a quick fix? A new feature? A communication problem?
Update your roadmap in Notion based on high-priority patterns
Reply to customer replies (the ones who respond to your automated email)

Your Feedback Loop:

Customers submit feedback → Google Sheet
Weekly: Claude analyzes + generates responses
Make auto-sends emails
Customers feel heard, you identify patterns, product improves

Pro tip: When customers reply to your automated email with "Thanks for listening!", that's gold. Screenshot it, use it as social proof on your landing page.

Free Prompts

Starter Prompts

I have customer feedback from [product/service]. Attached is a spreadsheet with columns: Customer Name, Customer Email, Feedback Source, Date, Feedback.
Analyze and create new columns:
1. Issue Category (Bug, Feature Request, Complaint, Praise, Question)
2. Priority Level (High, Medium, Low)
3. Theme (group similar feedback)
4. Personalized Response (100 words max, empathetic, actionable)
For each response:
- Acknowledge their specific feedback
- Show we're taking action
- Include next steps if applicable
- End with appreciation
Tone: [Your brand voice - friendly founder, not corporate support]
Then summarize:
- Top 3 themes by frequency
- % breakdown by category
- High-priority issues requiring immediate action

Get Started

Claude

Analyze feedback and generate personalized responses → Start with Claude (Free tier available)

Make

Automate email responses to customers → Try Make and if you’re a HubSpot for Startups members you can get one year free of Make

💡 Pro Tip: Don't wait until you have 1,000 customers to start this system. Build it after your first 10. Early feedback is the most valuable—it tells you what's broken before it ruins your reputation. Plus, those first 10 customers who get personal responses? They become your biggest advocates. Treat them like gold.

Conclusion

Get Started

You've got the workflows. You've got the prompts. You've got the tools. Now the only question is: which scenario are you tackling first? Pick one, block a weekend, and ship something real. Your competitors are overthinking it—you're about to outpace them in 48 hours. Download your templates, grab those discount codes, and stop waiting for the "perfect moment." The perfect moment is right now.

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