10 changed files with 75 additions and 1799 deletions
--- a/INDEX.md
+++ b/INDEX.md
@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # Banatie Strategy Documentation Index
-**Last Updated:** November 3, 2025
+**Last Updated:** November 2, 2025  
-**Total Documents:** 18 (numbered in strategy/execution) + research (prefixed)
+**Total Documents:** 13 (numbered in strategy/execution) + research (prefixed)  
-**Next Available Number:** 18
+**Next Available Number:** 13  
-**Project Stage:** Pre-launch / MVP Development
+**Project Stage:** Pre-launch / ICP Validation
 ---
@ -23,17 +23,12 @@
 - 06 - Future Topics Backlog
 - 07 - Validated ICP (AI Developers)
 - 08 - Validation Plan
- 09 - MVP Scope (Archived, superseded by 15)
+- 09 - MVP Scope
 - 10 - Pricing Strategy
 - 11 - Technical Architecture
 - 12 - Current Tech State
 - 13 - Competitive Analysis
 - 14 - ICP Segmentation Unified
 - 15 - MVP Scope v2 Realistic
 - 16 - Product Features
 - 17 - Week 1 Launch Checklist
-**Next to assign:** 18
+**Next to assign:** 13
 ---
@ -47,12 +42,11 @@
 **For strategic decisions:**
 - [Market Positioning](strategy/01-market-positioning-and-segments.md)
 - [Validated ICP](strategy/07-validated-icp-ai-developers.md)
 - [ICP Segmentation A/B/C/D](research/analysis-icp-segmentation-abcd.md)
 **For execution:**
 - [Week 1 Launch Checklist](execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md) ⭐ ACTIVE
 - [MVP Scope v2 Realistic](execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md)
 - [Product Features](execution/16-product-features.md)
 - [Pricing Strategy](execution/10-pricing-strategy.md)
 - [MVP Scope](execution/09-mvp-scope.md)
 - [Validation Plan](execution/08-validation-plan.md)
 ---
@ -107,18 +101,6 @@ Target: Developers using Claude Code/Cursor who build web projects
 Status: ✅ Validated  
 Stack: Express, Next.js, Gemini 2.5 Flash, MinIO, PostgreSQL, Cloudflare
 **[13 - Competitive Analysis](strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md)** (v1.0, Nov 2)
 *Competitive landscape, positioning, moats*
 Status: ✅ Updated with Runware + ImageKit research
 Key competitors: Runware ($0.0006), ImageKit ($0.10-0.25), positioning as DX premium
 Primary moat: Prompt Enhancement (3-6 months to replicate)
 **[14 - ICP Segmentation Unified](strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md)** (v1.0, Nov 2)
 *Unified product approach, A/B/C/D segments*
 Status: ✅ Validated - One product, multiple entry points
 Key insight: Direction 1 (Agencies) + Direction 2 (AI Developers) = SAME product
 Segments: A (Studios/Agencies), B (Power Users - PRIMARY), C (Freelancers), D (AI-Savvy Freelancers - SECONDARY)
 ---
 ## 🎯 Execution Documents
@ -137,7 +119,7 @@ Channels: Reddit, Indie Hackers, Discord
 **[09 - MVP Scope](execution/09-mvp-scope.md)** (Oct 20)  
 *Must-have features, 4-6 week dev timeline*  
-Status: 📚 Archived - Superseded by 15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md (Nov 2)
+Status: ⏳ Pending validation results  
 Core: MCP integration, Prompt Enhancement, CDN, @references
 **[10 - Pricing Strategy](execution/10-pricing-strategy.md)** (v2.0, Oct 20)  
@ -147,27 +129,6 @@ Tiers:
 - Credits: $20-100 for 200-1500 gens
 - Pro: $49/month for 500 gens
 ### MVP Development & Launch (Week 1)
 **[15 - MVP Scope v2 Realistic](execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md)** (v2.0, Nov 2)
 *Realistic timeline for MVP development*
 Status: 🔄 Planning - Based on actual dev capacity
 Replaces: 09-mvp-scope.md
 Timeline: Week 1 (Prompt URLs), Week 2-3 (MCP/SDK/CLI), Week 4+ (Production features)
 Current blockers: DB schema update (2 days), endpoints alignment (2 days)
 **[16 - Product Features](execution/16-product-features.md)** (v1.0, Nov 2)
 *Complete feature inventory and roadmap*
 Status: 📝 Living document
 Core features: Prompt Enhancement (PRIMARY MOAT), 6 aspect ratios, Prompt URLs, MCP, SDK, CLI
 Priority matrix with timelines and status tracking
 **[17 - Week 1 Launch Checklist](execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md)** (Nov 2)
 *Step-by-step ultra-minimal launch guide*
 Status: Ready to execute ⭐
 Goal: 3-5 early adopters try it, 1 pays (any amount)
 Includes: Pre-launch checklist, launch day schedule, Reddit/Discord copy templates, success criteria
 ### Technical Documentation
 **[12 - Current Tech State](execution/12-the-current-tech-state.md)** (v1.0, Nov 1)  
@ -212,15 +173,6 @@ Key: Platform mostly production-ready, gaps identified
 **Note:** Discussions use date-based naming (YYYY-MM-DD-topic.md)
 **[2025-11-02 - Unified Product Strategy](discussions/2025-11-02-unified-product-strategy.md)** ⭐ LATEST
 *Major strategic session - 3 hours with @men*
 Outcomes:
 - Unified product decision (Direction 1 + 2 = SAME product)
 - Week 1 launch plan created (ultra-minimal experiment)
 - Competitive analysis completed (Runware, ImageKit)
 - ICP segmentation refined (A/B/C/D segments)
 - 5 new documents created (13-17)
 **[2025-10-19 - Initial Strategic Session](discussions/2025-10-19-initial-strategic-session.md)**  
 *First strategic session - 2 hours with @men*  
 Outcomes:
@ -244,22 +196,17 @@ Current priorities:
 ### Critical path for new @men sessions:
 ```
-ROADMAP.md → 02-reality-check.md → 14-icp-segmentation-unified.md → 17-week-1-launch-checklist.md
+ROADMAP.md → 02-reality-check.md → research/passive-research-methodology.md → research/INDEX.md
 ```
 ### For strategic pivots:
 ```
-01-market-positioning.md → 13-competitive-analysis.md → 14-icp-segmentation-unified.md → research/INDEX.md
+01-market-positioning.md → research/signals-summary.md → research/analysis-icp-segmentation-abcd.md → 07-validated-icp.md
 ```
-### For tactical execution (ACTIVE):
+### For tactical execution:
 ```
-15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md → 16-product-features.md → 17-week-1-launch-checklist.md
+08-validation-plan.md → 09-mvp-scope.md → 10-pricing-strategy.md
 ```
 ### Legacy path (archived):
 ```
 08-validation-plan.md → 09-mvp-scope.md (superseded by 15) → 10-pricing-strategy.md
 ```
 ---
@ -276,37 +223,26 @@ ROADMAP.md → 02-reality-check.md → 14-icp-segmentation-unified.md → 17-wee
 ## 🔍 Key Relationships
-**Market Positioning (01) + Competitive Analysis (13) inform:**
+**Market Positioning (01) informs:**
- Validated ICP (07) + ICP Segmentation (14) - target audience selection
+- Validated ICP (07) - target audience selection
 - Pricing Strategy (10) - competitive benchmarking
- MVP Scope v2 (15) - feature prioritization
+- MVP Scope (09) - feature prioritization
 - Positioning: DX premium vs infrastructure play
 **Reality Check (02) constrains:**
- MVP Scope v2 (15) - realistic timeline with blockers
+- Validation Plan (08) - time allocation (15-20 hrs/week)
- Week 1 Launch (17) - ultra-minimal approach
+- MVP Scope (09) - what's realistic in 4-6 weeks
- Product Features (16) - priority matrix
+- Pricing Strategy (10) - break-even requirements ($100-500 MRR)
-**Research (research/) + Competitive Analysis (13) validate:**
+**Research (research/) validates:**
- ICP Segmentation (14) - unified product approach
+- Validated ICP (07) - external confirmation
- Direction 1 + 2 = same product, different entry points
+- ICP Segmentation (research/analysis-icp-segmentation-abcd.md)
- Prompt Enhancement as PRIMARY MOAT (3-6 months to replicate)
+- Interview Questions (03) - pain points to validate
-
+- Validation Plan (08) - where to find respondents
 **ICP Segmentation (14) drives:**
 - Product Features (16) - which interfaces to build (MCP vs Prompt URLs)
 - Week 1 Launch (17) - target segments B/D (developers first)
 - GTM strategy - sequential launch approach
 **MVP Scope v2 (15) → Product Features (16) → Week 1 Launch (17):**
 - Active execution path
 - 15 defines timeline and blockers
 - 16 details all features with priorities
 - 17 provides step-by-step launch guide
 **Technical Architecture (11) + Current Tech State (12) define:**
 - What platform can do (architecture + implementation status)
- MVP Scope v2 (15) - what MUST be built vs already done
+- MVP Scope (09) - what MUST be built vs already done
- Product Features (16) - technical feasibility
+- Launch readiness - gap analysis
 **Discussion Framework (FRAMEWORK.md) guides:**
 - All strategic sessions
@ -358,5 +294,5 @@ ROADMAP.md → 02-reality-check.md → 14-icp-segmentation-unified.md → 17-wee
 ---
 **Last maintained by:** @men  
-**Version:** 4.0 (5 new documents added: 13-17, unified product strategy integrated)
+**Version:** 3.0 (research folder restructured to flat + prefixes)  
-**Next review:** After Week 1 launch (Nov 9-10, 2025)
+**Next review:** After ICP validation complete (Nov 3, 2025)
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@ -15,66 +15,11 @@
 ## 🎯 Current Status
-**Phase:** Pre-launch / MVP Development
+**Phase:** Pre-launch / ICP Validation  
-**Sprint:** Tech Debt Clear + Prompt URLs (Days 1-7)
+**Sprint:** Interview Preparation (Day 1 of 2)  
-**Focus:** Unified product approach (Direction 1 + 2 combined)
+**Focus:** A/B/C/D Segmentation Framework Complete  
-**Next Milestone:** Ultra-minimal launch (Week 1 - Prompt URLs + Manual payments)
+**Next Milestone:** Begin validation interviews (10-14 across segments)  
-**Last Updated:** November 3, 2025 (documentation integrated)
+**Last Updated:** November 2, 2025
 ---
 ## 🔄 Active Sprint: MVP Development (Nov 2-10)
 ### DECISION: Unified Product Approach
 **Key Insight:** Direction 1 (Agencies) + Direction 2 (AI Developers) = SAME product
 - Technical implementation identical
 - Difference = entry point preference (MCP vs Prompt URLs)
 - Many users are BOTH (tech lead at agency)
 **Strategy:** Build one product, multiple interfaces
 ---
 ### Current Blockers (Days 1-4)
 - [ ] DB schema update (2 days)
 - [ ] Endpoints align with DB (2 days)
 ### Week 1: Ultra-Minimal Launch (Days 5-9)
 **Tech (Days 5-7):**
 - [ ] Prompt URLs (3 days) - Universal entry point
 **Non-tech (Day 8):**
 - [ ] Landing page (2 hours) - Single page, hero + pricing + CTA
 - [ ] Docs page (2 hours) - Prompt URLs + API examples
 - [ ] Signup flow (30 min) - Google Form, manual process
 **Launch Day 9:**
 - [ ] Reddit r/cursor post (morning)
 - [ ] Discord Cursor channel (morning)
 - [ ] Respond to comments (all day)
 - [ ] Manual API key distribution
 **Goal:** 3-5 early adopters try it, 1 pays (any amount)
 **Mental model:** Experiment, not mass launch. Coffee with customer, not opening cafe.
 ### Week 2-3: Developer Tools
 - [ ] MCP Server (3 days)
 - [ ] SDK TypeScript/Python (2 days)
 - [ ] CLI (2 days)
 - [ ] Automated payments (2-3 days)
 **Goal:** 10-20 paying users
 ### Week 4+: Production Features
 - [ ] CDN integration (1 day)
 - [ ] Image transformations (1 day)
 - [ ] Focal point detection (2-3 days)
 - [ ] Admin UI (3-5 days)
 **Goal:** 50+ users, validate segments
 ---
@ -275,18 +220,7 @@
 ## 📊 Research Insights Summary
-### UNIFIED APPROACH (Direction 1 + 2 Combined)
+### Direction 2 (AI Coding Agents) ⭐ VALIDATED
 **Key Discovery:** Same product serves both segments
 - Tech implementation: Identical
 - Backend: Same (enhancement, CDN, transformations)
 - Interfaces: Multiple (MCP, SDK, Prompt URLs, Web UI)
 **Decision:** Build once, launch to both
 ---
 ### Direction 2 (AI Coding Agents) ⭐ PRIMARY LAUNCH
 **🟢 Strong Signals:**
 - Massive user base (36K+ r/cursor members)
@ -303,22 +237,16 @@
 - Market size = huge
 - Fast to revenue
-**Launch Strategy:** Week 1 (Prompt URLs + MCP)
+### Direction 1 (Agencies) - Secondary
 ---
 ### Direction 1 (Agencies) ⭐ SECONDARY LAUNCH
 **🟢 Signals:**
 - "Placeholder hell" validated
 - Client approval blocked without realistic images
 - Stock photos unprofessional
-**ICP Match:** 60-70% confidence (different personas, but overlapping needs)
+**⚠️ Concerns:**
-
+- ICP mismatch (agencies ≠ validated audience)
-**Launch Strategy:** Week 2-3 (same product, different messaging)
+- Unclear if AI solves approval problem
-
+- Longer sales cycle (B2B)
 ---
 ### Direction 6 (E-commerce) - Parking Lot
@ -331,46 +259,32 @@
 - Free tier competition (16K-31K images/month FREE)
 - Pivot required (3-6 months)
 **Decision:** Skip for now
 ---
-## 🎯 ICP Segments (Unified Product)
+## 🎯 Validated ICP Segments (A/B/C/D)
-**See detailed doc:** [14-icp-segmentation-unified.md](strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md)
+**A) Studios/Agencies - Decision Maker**
 - CEO/Founder/Manager in 3-10 person team
 - Higher ACV ($149/mo potential)
 - Longer sales cycle
-**A) Studios/Agencies** - Decision Maker (CEO/Manager)
+**B) Power Users - Tech Champion** ⭐ PRIMARY
 - 3-10 person teams
 - Client work focus
 - Higher ACV potential ($99-149/mo)
 - Prefer: REST API, Web UI, Prompt URLs
 - Use case: Client mockup approval
 **B) Power Users - Tech Champion** ⭐ PRIMARY LAUNCH
 - Tech leads using Cursor/Claude Code
 - Already pay $20-200/mo for AI tools
- Fast decision, can influence team
+- Fast decision, can influence team adoption
 - Prefer: MCP, SDK, CLI
 - Use case: Coding workflow automation
-**C) Freelancers** - Solo Decision
+**C) Freelancers - Solo Decision**
 - Most price-sensitive
- Fast decision (no approval)
+- Fast decision (no approval needed)
- Prefer: REST API, Web UI, Prompt URLs
+- Credits > subscription preference
 - Use case: Per-project images
 - Credits > subscription
-**D) AI-Savvy Freelancers - Power Solo** ⭐ SECONDARY LAUNCH
+**D) AI-Savvy Freelancers - Power Solo** ⭐ SECONDARY
 - Active AI tool users (Cursor, ChatGPT)
- High project volume, time=money
+- High project volume
- Prefer: MCP, SDK, Prompt URLs
+- Time = money mindset
 - Use case: Fast delivery
 - Either model works
 **Key Insight:** Many users are BOTH segments (e.g., tech lead at agency)
 **Technical Product:** SAME for all segments
-**GTM Strategy:** DIFFERS by segment (messaging, pricing emphasis, channels)
+- Differences only in GTM (messaging, pricing emphasis, channels)
 ---
@ -486,13 +400,6 @@
 ---
 **Roadmap Owner:** @men + Oleg  
-**Last Updated:** November 3, 2025
+**Last Updated:** November 2, 2025  
-**Next Review:** After Week 1 launch (Nov 9-10, 2025)
+**Next Review:** After ICP validation complete (Nov 10, 2025)  
-**Version:** 3.1 (Documentation integrated: 13-17, unified product strategy active)
+**Version:** 3.0 (Research phase 1 completed, interview prep active)
 **Related Documents:**
 - [13-competitive-analysis.md](strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md) - Competitive landscape
 - [14-icp-segmentation-unified.md](strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md) - Unified ICP segments
 - [15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md](execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md) - Realistic MVP plan
 - [16-product-features.md](execution/16-product-features.md) - Feature roadmap
 - [17-week-1-launch-checklist.md](execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md) - Launch execution guide ⭐
--- a/discussions/2025-11-02-unified-product-strategy.md
+++ b/discussions/2025-11-02-unified-product-strategy.md
@ -1,340 +0,0 @@
 # Session Summary: Unified Product Strategy
 **Date:** November 2, 2025 (Evening)  
 **Topic:** Research review + MVP planning  
 **Status:** ✅ Key decisions made
 ---
 ## 🎯 MAJOR DECISION: Unified Product Approach
 **Problem:** Direction 1 (Agencies) vs Direction 2 (AI Developers) - which to choose?
 **Solution:** BOTH. Same product, multiple entry points.
 **Rationale:**
 1. Technical implementation = 100% identical
 2. Backend = same (enhancement, generation, CDN)
 3. Difference = entry point preference (MCP vs Prompt URLs)
 4. Many users are BOTH (tech lead at agency uses Cursor + presents to clients)
 **Implication:** Build once, launch to both segments sequentially
 ---
 ## 🏆 Key Insights from Research
 ### Competitive Landscape (New Info)
 **Runware:** $13M funding, $0.0006/image (166x cheaper)
 - BUT: Infrastructure only, no quality layer
 - Target: Volume buyers
 - We don't compete on price
 **ImageKit:** Enterprise scale, URL-based generation
 - Validates Prompt URLs concept works at scale
 - Target: E-commerce, marketing
 - We compete on developer focus + quality
 **Our Moats (Updated Priority):**
 1. ⭐ **Prompt Enhancement** (PRIMARY) - 3-6 months to replicate
 2. ⭐ **Consistency System (@references)** - unique, post-MVP
 3. Production Pipeline - deep integration, developer focus
 **NOT a moat:** MCP (can be built in 1 week)
 ---
 ### Pricing Strategy
 **$0.10/image = validated**
 - ImageKit effective cost = same range
 - Justified through quality layer + complete pipeline
 **Free tier strategy:**
 - NOT competing with free (OpenRouter 50/day, Google AI Studio 500-1000/day)
 - Our free tier = testing only (10/month with watermark)
 - Paid = production use (data privacy, professional quality)
 **Positioning:**
 - Runware = AWS (cheap infrastructure)
 - Banatie = Vercel (DX premium)
 ---
 ## 📋 MVP Scope (Realistic Timeline)
 ### Current Blockers (Days 1-4)
 - DB schema update (2 days)
 - Endpoint alignment (2 days)
 ### Week 1: Ultra-Minimal Launch (Days 5-7)
 **Ship:**
 - Prompt URLs (3 days)
 - Manual payments via Stripe invoice
 - Manual API key distribution
 **Launch to:** 5-10 early adopters on r/cursor
 **Goal:** Validate core value (prompt enhancement visible)
 ### Week 2-3: Developer Tools
 **Add:**
 - MCP Server (3 days)
 - SDK (2 days)
 - CLI (2 days)
 - Automated payments (2-3 days)
 **Goal:** 10-20 paying users
 ### Week 4+: Production Features
 **Add:**
 - CDN (1 day)
 - Transformations (1 day)
 - Focal point detection (2-3 days) ← IMPORTANT: Don't forget
 - Admin UI (3-5 days)
 **Goal:** 50+ users, validate segments
 ---
 ## 🎨 Key Product Decisions
 ### Prompt Enhancement
 - ✅ **Always enabled, cannot disable**
 - ✅ This is our primary value
 - ✅ Justified cost increase (text-to-text + image gen)
 - ✅ If in free limit = OK, this is what we sell
 ### Entry Points Priority
 1. **Prompt URLs** (Week 1) - Universal, simplest
 2. **MCP Server** (Week 2) - Developer hook
 3. **SDK** (Week 2) - Programmatic control
 4. **CLI** (Week 2) - Terminal workflows
 ### Features Priority
 **MVP (must-have):**
 - Prompt Enhancement ✅
 - 6 Aspect Ratios ✅
 - Prompt URLs ⏳
 - MinIO storage ✅
 **Post-MVP (validate need):**
 - @references consistency
 - Team features
 - Focal point detection
 - WordPress plugin
 ---
 ## 📢 Go-to-Market Strategy
 ### Phase 1: Developer Focus (Weeks 1-2)
 **Target:** Segment B (Power Users) + D (AI Freelancers)
 **Why first:**
 - Founder IS the ICP
 - Fast validation
 - Product-led growth
 - MCP = differentiator
 **Channels:**
 - r/cursor, Discord
 - Dev.to posts
 - Twitter #AIcoding
 **Message:** "MCP for image generation in Cursor"
 ---
 ### Phase 2: Agency Expansion (Weeks 3-4)
 **Target:** Segment A (Studios) + C (Freelancers)
 **Why second:**
 - Product validated with developers
 - Same tech, different messaging
 - Add client approval use case
 **Channels:**
 - r/webdev, r/freelance
 - LinkedIn (careful - employer risk)
 - Agency communities
 **Message:** "Speed up client approval with AI mockups"
 ---
 ### Phase 3: Optimize (Weeks 5-8)
 **Analyze:**
 - Which segment converts better?
 - Which has higher LTV?
 - Which churns less?
 **Action:** Double down on winner
 ---
 ## ⚠️ Risks & Open Questions
 ### Risks
 1. **Free tier competition** (16K-31K/month free via OpenRouter + Google)
   - Mitigation: Premium positioning, quality differentiation
 2. **Prompt enhancement cost** (additional API call)
   - Monitor: Calculate actual cost per generation
   - Decision point: If exceeds free limit
 3. **Segment confusion** (trying to serve everyone)
   - Mitigation: Sequential launch, clear messaging per segment
 ### Open Questions
 1. Which transformation service? (Need name)
 2. Focal point implementation details
 3. Admin UI approach (custom vs nextjs-saas-starter)
 4. Payment automation complexity
 ---
 ## 📝 Documents Created/Updated
 **Created:**
 - `/strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md` (Runware, ImageKit insights)
 - `/strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md` (A/B/C/D with one product approach)
 - `/execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md` (real timelines, priorities)
 - `/execution/16-product-features.md` (all features including focal point)
 - `/execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md` (step-by-step launch guide)
 **Updated:**
 - `/ROADMAP.md` (unified approach, realistic MVP timeline)
 **To review later:**
 - 01-market-positioning-v4.md (in project-knowledge, not on disk yet)
 - COMPETITIVE-ANALYSIS-QUICK-REF.md (in project-knowledge)
 - UPDATES-SUMMARY.md (in project-knowledge)
 ---
 ## 🚀 Launch Strategy (Week 1)
 ### Mental Model: Experiment, NOT Product
 **Week 1 MVP = Coffee with potential customer**
 - NOT: Mass launch, professional polish, 100 users
 - YES: 3-5 early adopters, validation, feedback
 **Goal:**
 - Prove someone will pay (even $20)
 - Discover which feature matters (MCP vs URLs?)
 - Validate ICP hypothesis
 ---
 ### What's Needed BESIDES Code
 **1. Landing Page (2 hours)**
 ```
 Hero: "Generate professional images without leaving Cursor"
 What: 3 bullets (enhancement, aspect ratios, CDN)
 Pricing: Free/Credits/Pro (simple)
 CTA: Email signup
 ```
 **2. Documentation (2 hours)**
 ```
 Prompt URLs format + example
 API curl example
 "Email us for API key"
 ```
 **3. Signup Flow (30 min)**
 - Google Form: Name, Email, Use case
 - Manual review → Invoice → API key
 **Total non-tech:** ~5 hours
 ---
 ### Launch Day (Day 9)
 **Morning: Soft launch**
 - r/cursor post (Show HN style)
 - Discord Cursor channel
 - Message: Problem, Solution, Early access
 **Afternoon: Engage**
 - Answer every question
 - Collect feedback
 - Send API keys to first 3-5
 **Success metrics:**
 - Minimum: 3 try, 1 pays
 - Strong: 5+ try, 2+ pay
 - Failure: <2 try, no payment
 ---
 ### Week 2-3: Iterate Based on Feedback
 **If success:**
 - Fix top 2 issues
 - Build most requested feature (MCP?)
 - Expand reach (Dev.to)
 **If unclear:**
 - 1-on-1 calls with early adopters
 - Iterate messaging/features
 **If failure:**
 - Analysis session
 - Pivot or rethink
 ---
 ## 🎯 Next Actions
 **For Oleg:**
 1. Clear DB blocker (Days 1-2)
 2. Align endpoints (Days 3-4)
 3. Build Prompt URLs (Days 5-7)
 4. Setup manual Stripe invoicing (Day 8)
 5. Launch to 5-10 early adopters
 **For next session with @men:**
 1. Discuss messaging for r/cursor launch post
 2. Plan interview questions (if needed after early adopters)
 3. Review payment automation approach
 4. Discuss focal point detection implementation
 ---
 ## 🎓 Key Learnings
 **Product Strategy:**
 - Direction 1 + 2 = same product, different entry points
 - Many users are BOTH segments (tech lead at agency)
 - Build once, launch sequentially
 **Competitive Position:**
 - NOT competing on price (Runware $0.0006)
 - Competing on quality layer + DX (Vercel approach)
 - Prompt Enhancement = primary moat
 **Launch Philosophy:**
 - Week 1 = experiment, not product
 - 3-5 users > 100 confused visitors
 - Manual processes OK (automate after validation)
 - Simple better than polished for early adopters
 **Next Critical Path:**
 1. Clear tech debt (Days 1-4)
 2. Build Prompt URLs (Days 5-7)
 3. Create landing/docs (Day 8, 5 hours)
 4. Launch to r/cursor (Day 9)
 5. Collect feedback, iterate (Days 10+)
 ---
 **Session completed:** November 2, 2025 ~23:30  
 **Session duration:** ~3 hours  
 **Next session:** After DB blocker cleared OR for launch planning  
 **Critical files:** [17-week-1-launch-checklist.md](../execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md) (execute this)
--- a/execution/09-mvp-scope.md
+++ b/execution/09-mvp-scope.md
@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 # MVP Scope: Banatie for AI Developers
 **⚠️ Note:** This document has been superseded by [15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md](15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md) (November 2, 2025)
 **Status:** 📚 Archived - Kept for historical reference
 ---
 **Date:** October 20, 2025
 **Target ICP:** AI-powered developers (Claude Code, Cursor users)
 **Development Timeline:** 4-6 weeks
--- a/execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md
+++ b/execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md
@ -1,299 +0,0 @@
 # MVP Scope v2: Realistic Timeline
 **Date:** November 2, 2025  
 **Status:** 🔄 Planning - Based on actual dev capacity  
 **Version:** 2.0 (replaces 09-mvp-scope.md)
 ---
 ## Current State (Nov 2)
 **DONE:**
 - ✅ API endpoints for generation
 - ✅ Prompt Enhancement (working, always on)
 - ✅ 6 Aspect Ratios (Gemini native)
 - ✅ MinIO storage connected
 - ✅ Web UI base exists
 **BLOCKERS:**
 - 🔴 DB schema update (2 days)
 - 🔴 Endpoints align with DB (2 days)
 **Total blockers:** 4 days before new features
 ---
 ## Feature Priorities
 ### Priority A: BLOCKING REVENUE (Must-have for first $ )
 **1. Prompt URLs** (3 days after blocker)
 - Universal entry point
 - Works without MCP/SDK
 - Validated by ImageKit success
 - Simplest for users
 **2. Manual Payments** (1 day)
 - Stripe invoice manual
 - Email API key
 - Track usage manually
 **3. Auth basics** (0 days)
 - Manual API key generation
 - Email to user
 - No admin UI needed yet
 **TOTAL:** 4 days work  
 **TIMELINE:** Week 1 after blockers clear
 ---
 ### Priority B: AUTOMATION (Week 2-3)
 **4. MCP Server** (3 days)
 - Cursor/Claude Code integration
 - Primary for Segment B/D
 - Differentiator vs stock photos MCP
 **5. SDK** (2 days)
 - TypeScript/Python
 - Programmatic generation
 - For technical users
 **6. CLI** (2 days)
 - Terminal workflows
 - Nice-to-have for power users
 **7. Automated Payments** (2-3 days)
 - Stripe Checkout integration
 - Auto API key generation
 - Usage tracking
 **TOTAL:** 9-10 days work  
 **TIMELINE:** Weeks 2-3
 ---
 ### Priority C: PRODUCTION (Week 4+)
 **8. CDN** (1 day)
 - Cloudflare integration
 - MinIO → CDN pipeline
 - Better performance
 **9. Image Transformations** (1 day)
 - Service already selected
 - Resize, format, optimize
 **10. Focal Point Detection** (2-3 days)
 - AI determines focus (face, product)
 - Smart cropping for aspect ratios
 - Quality feature for agencies
 **11. Admin UI** (3-5 days)
 - API key management
 - Usage dashboard
 - User management
 **TOTAL:** 7-10 days work  
 **TIMELINE:** Week 4+
 ---
 ### Priority D: POST-MVP (After validation)
 **12. @references Consistency System**
 - Only if validated need
 - Estimate: 1-2 weeks
 **13. Team Features**
 - For agencies (Segment A)
 - Multi-user accounts
 - Estimate: 1 week
 **14. WordPress Plugin**
 - If high demand
 - Estimate: 1 week
 ---
 ## Non-Tech Requirements (Day 8)
 ### Landing Page (2 hours)
 **Single page with:**
 - Hero: "Generate professional images without leaving Cursor"
 - What it does: 3 bullet points (enhancement, aspect ratios, CDN)
 - Pricing: Free/Credits/Pro (3 lines)
 - CTA: Email signup
 **Tech:** Single HTML, Tailwind, Vercel deploy
 ### Documentation (2 hours)
 **Single page with:**
 - Prompt URLs format + example
 - API curl example
 - "Email us for API key"
 **No:** Advanced usage, troubleshooting, examples library
 ### Signup Flow (30 min)
 - Google Form: Name, Email, Use case
 - Auto-reply: "API key within 24h"
 - Manual review → Invoice → API key
 ---
 ## Launch Sequence
 ### Week 1: Ultra-Minimal Launch (Experiment)
 **This is NOT:**
 - ❌ Mass launch (no Product Hunt)
 - ❌ Professional site (simple = OK)
 - ❌ 100 users goal
 **This IS:**
 - ✅ Experiment with 3-5 early adopters
 - ✅ Validation: will anyone pay?
 - ✅ Discovery: which features matter?
 **Ready:**
 - Prompt URLs (tech)
 - Landing page (2h)
 - Docs page (2h)
 - Signup form (30min)
 **Launch to:**
 - r/cursor (36K members)
 - Discord Cursor channel
 **Reddit post template:**
 ```
 Title: Show HN: Generate images in Cursor without context switching
 Problem: Stock photos generic. Midjourney = Discord workflow.
 Solution: Prompt URLs with AI enhancement.
 <img src="banatie.app/gen?prompt=hero+image&aspect=16:9" />
 Early access: 10 free images. $20 for 200 after.
 Looking for 5-10 early users for feedback.
 ```
 **Goal:** 
 - 3-5 people try it
 - 1 person pays (any amount)
 - Clear feedback pattern
 ---
 ### Week 2-3: Developer Tools
 **Add:**
 - MCP Server
 - SDK
 - CLI
 - Automated payments
 **Launch to:**
 - Broader developer audience
 - Product Hunt (maybe)
 **Goal:** 10-20 paying users
 ---
 ### Week 4+: Production Features
 **Add:**
 - CDN
 - Transformations
 - Focal point
 - Admin UI
 **Launch to:**
 - Agencies (Segment A)
 - Broader market
 **Goal:** 50+ users, validate segments
 ---
 ## Success Metrics by Phase
 **Week 1 (Minimal):**
 - 3-5 early adopters
 - 1-2 paying (any amount)
 - Positive feedback on quality
 **Week 2-3 (Developer):**
 - 10-20 users total
 - 5+ paying
 - MCP or SDK actively used
 **Week 4+ (Production):**
 - 50+ users
 - 20+ paying
 - Clear winner segment identified
 ---
 ## Decision Points
 **After Week 1:**
 - Quality validated? (enhancement working?)
 - Willing to pay? (any conversions?)
 - GO/PIVOT decision
 **After Week 3:**
 - Which interface used most? (MCP vs Prompt URLs vs SDK)
 - Which segment converts? (B/D vs A/C)
 - Double down or adjust
 **After Week 4:**
 - Is there PMF signal?
 - Revenue trajectory clear?
 - Scale or rethink
 ---
 ## What We're NOT Building (Yet)
 ❌ @references - no validated demand  
 ❌ Multiple models - Gemini only  
 ❌ Complex admin UI - manual OK  
 ❌ Team features - single user first  
 ❌ Integrations - API sufficient  
 ❌ Advanced analytics - basic tracking OK  
 **Principle:** Ship fast, validate, iterate
 ---
 ## Risks & Mitigation
 **Risk:** Complexity creep (want to build everything)  
 **Mitigation:** Strict priority system, ship Week 1 no matter what
 **Risk:** Payment complexity blocks launch  
 **Mitigation:** Manual invoices, automate later
 **Risk:** No one wants to pay  
 **Mitigation:** Week 1 shows value, pivot if needed
 ---
 ## Current Focus (Nov 2-6)
 **Days 1-2:** Clear DB blocker  
 **Days 3-4:** Endpoint alignment  
 **Days 5-7:** Prompt URLs  
 **Day 8:** Manual payment setup  
 **Target:** Launch-ready by Nov 9-10
 ---
 **Owner:** Oleg  
 **Last updated:** November 2, 2025  
 **Next review:** After Week 1 launch
--- a/execution/16-product-features.md
+++ b/execution/16-product-features.md
@ -1,312 +0,0 @@
 # Product Features Overview
 **Date:** November 2, 2025  
 **Status:** 📝 Living document - feature roadmap  
 **Version:** 1.0
 ---
 ## Core Features (MVP)
 ### 1. Prompt Enhancement ⭐ PRIMARY MOAT
 **What:** AI improves user prompts for professional quality
 **How:**
 - User provides generic prompt: "hero image for SaaS"
 - System enhances: "Professional SaaS hero image, modern gradient background, clean UI elements, high contrast, 4K quality, corporate aesthetic"
 - Gemini generates with enhanced prompt
 **Status:** ✅ Working, always enabled
 **Why it matters:**
 - This is our main competitive advantage
 - Justifies $0.10 vs $0.0006 commodity
 - Users get professional quality without prompt engineering skills
 **Cannot be disabled** - this is the value we sell
 ---
 ### 2. Six Aspect Ratios (Native)
 **Options:**
 - 16:9 (landscape, hero sections)
 - 9:16 (portrait, mobile)
 - 4:3 (classic, presentations)
 - 3:4 (portrait, alternative)
 - 1:1 (square, social media)
 - 3:2 (standard photo)
 **Status:** ✅ Working (Gemini native support)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Solves manual editing pain
 - No cropping or resizing needed
 - Validated pain point in research
 ---
 ### 3. Prompt URLs
 **What:** Generate images via URL
 **Format:**
 ```
 https://banatie.app/gen?prompt=hero+image+saas&aspect=16:9
 ```
 **Status:** ⏳ To build (3 days)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Universal entry point (no setup)
 - Works in HTML directly
 - Validated by ImageKit success
 - Simplest for non-technical users
 **Entry point for Segments A/C** (agencies, freelancers)
 ---
 ### 4. MCP Server
 **What:** Cursor/Claude Code integration
 **How:**
 ```json
 // In Cursor config
 {
  "mcpServers": {
    "banatie": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@banatie/mcp-server"]
    }
  }
 }
 ```
 **Status:** ⏳ To build (3 days)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Primary entry point for developers
 - Automation vs manual Midjourney
 - Differentiation vs stock photos MCP
 **Entry point for Segments B/D** (AI developers)
 ---
 ### 5. SDK (Programmatic)
 **Languages:** TypeScript, Python
 **Example:**
 ```typescript
 import { Banatie } from '@banatie/sdk';
 const image = await banatie.generate({
  prompt: "hero image for SaaS",
  aspectRatio: "16:9"
 });
 console.log(image.url); // CDN URL
 ```
 **Status:** ⏳ To build (2 days)
 **Why it matters:**
 - For technical users
 - Programmatic control
 - Batch generation
 ---
 ### 6. CLI
 **Example:**
 ```bash
 banatie gen "hero image for SaaS" --aspect 16:9
 # → Returns CDN URL
 ```
 **Status:** ⏳ To build (2 days)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Terminal workflows
 - Scripting/automation
 - Power user tool
 ---
 ## Production Features (Week 3-4)
 ### 7. CDN Delivery
 **What:** Cloudflare CDN for global delivery
 **Why it matters:**
 - Fast load times worldwide
 - Production-ready URLs
 - Part of "complete pipeline" value prop
 **Status:** ⏳ To build (1 day)
 ---
 ### 8. Image Transformations
 **Service:** Selected (name?)
 **Capabilities:**
 - Resize (width, height)
 - Format conversion (PNG, JPEG, WebP)
 - Quality optimization
 - Compression
 **API:**
 ```
 https://cdn.banatie.app/image-id?w=800&h=600&format=webp
 ```
 **Status:** ⏳ To build (1 day)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Responsive images
 - Performance optimization
 - Common developer need
 ---
 ### 9. Focal Point Detection ⭐ QUALITY FEATURE
 **What:** AI detects subject focus (face, product, main element)
 **How:**
 1. After generation, run AI analysis
 2. Identify focal point coordinates (x, y)
 3. Store with image metadata
 4. Use for smart cropping
 **Use case:**
 ```
 Original: 16:9 landscape with person on left
 Transform to: 9:16 portrait
 → Smart crop centers on person, not random crop
 ```
 **Status:** ⏳ Post-MVP (2-3 days)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Professional quality transformations
 - Prevents bad crops (cutting faces)
 - Differentiator for agencies
 **Target segment:** A (agencies doing client work)
 ---
 ## Post-MVP Features (After Validation)
 ### 10. @references Consistency System
 **What:** Maintain style/objects across multiple images
 **Example:**
 ```typescript
 // First generation
 const hero = await banatie.generate({
  prompt: "SaaS hero @style:modern-gradient"
 });
 // Later generation maintains style
 const features = await banatie.generate({
  prompt: "features section @style:modern-gradient"
 });
 // → Same color scheme, visual style
 ```
 **Status:** 🔮 Future (needs validation)
 **Why it matters:**
 - Brand consistency
 - Style persistence
 - Potentially unique feature
 **Estimate:** 1-2 weeks build
 **Risk:** Complex, may not be needed for MVP
 ---
 ### 11. Team Features
 **For:** Segment A (agencies with multiple team members)
 **Features:**
 - Multi-user accounts
 - Role-based access
 - Shared image library
 - Usage by team member
 **Status:** 🔮 Future (after agency validation)
 **Estimate:** 1 week build
 ---
 ### 12. Advanced Analytics
 **Features:**
 - Generation history
 - Usage patterns
 - Cost tracking
 - Popular prompts
 **Status:** 🔮 Future (basic tracking sufficient for MVP)
 ---
 ### 13. Integrations
 **Potential:**
 - WordPress plugin
 - Figma plugin
 - Webflow app
 - Shopify app (if e-commerce pivot)
 **Status:** 🔮 Future (API-first approach for MVP)
 ---
 ## Feature Priority Matrix
 | Feature | Segment | Priority | Status | Days |
 |---------|---------|----------|--------|------|
 | Prompt Enhancement | All | 🔴 Critical | ✅ Done | - |
 | 6 Aspect Ratios | All | 🔴 Critical | ✅ Done | - |
 | Prompt URLs | All | 🔴 Critical | ⏳ Todo | 3 |
 | MCP Server | B/D | 🟡 High | ⏳ Todo | 3 |
 | SDK | B/D | 🟡 High | ⏳ Todo | 2 |
 | CLI | B/D | 🟡 Medium | ⏳ Todo | 2 |
 | CDN | All | 🟡 High | ⏳ Todo | 1 |
 | Transformations | All | 🟡 Medium | ⏳ Todo | 1 |
 | Focal Point | A | 🟢 Nice | 🔮 Future | 2-3 |
 | @references | ? | 🔵 Validate | 🔮 Future | 7-10 |
 | Team Features | A | 🔵 Validate | 🔮 Future | 5 |
 ---
 ## Technical Stack
 **Generation:** Gemini 2.5 Flash  
 **Storage:** MinIO  
 **CDN:** Cloudflare  
 **Transformations:** [Service name]  
 **Backend:** Express.js  
 **Database:** PostgreSQL  
 ---
 **Owner:** Oleg  
 **Last updated:** November 2, 2025  
 **Next review:** After each feature completion
--- a/execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md
+++ b/execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md
@ -1,251 +0,0 @@
 # Week 1 Launch Checklist
 **Date:** November 2, 2025  
 **Purpose:** Step-by-step guide for ultra-minimal launch  
 **Status:** Ready to execute
 ---
 ## 🎯 Goal
 **NOT:** Mass launch, 100 users, perfect product  
 **YES:** 3-5 early adopters, validation someone will pay, feedback
 ---
 ## ✅ Pre-Launch (Days 1-8)
 ### Technical (Days 1-7)
 - [ ] Clear DB blocker (2 days)
 - [ ] Align endpoints (2 days)
 - [ ] Build Prompt URLs (3 days)
 - [ ] Test generation flow end-to-end
 - [ ] Verify Prompt Enhancement working
 ### Non-Technical (Day 8)
 **Landing Page (2 hours):**
 - [ ] Hero section with value prop
 - [ ] 3 bullet points (what it does)
 - [ ] Pricing (Free/Credits/Pro)
 - [ ] Email signup CTA
 - [ ] Deploy to Vercel/Netlify
 **Documentation (2 hours):**
 - [ ] Prompt URLs format + example
 - [ ] API curl example
 - [ ] "Email for API key" instruction
 - [ ] Deploy docs page
 **Signup Flow (30 min):**
 - [ ] Create Google Form (Name, Email, Use case)
 - [ ] Setup auto-reply email
 - [ ] Prepare API key email template
 **Stripe (1 hour):**
 - [ ] Create Stripe account if needed
 - [ ] Test invoice generation
 - [ ] Prepare invoice template
 ---
 ## 🚀 Launch Day (Day 9)
 ### Morning (9-10 AM)
 **Reddit r/cursor:**
 - [ ] Post title: "Show HN: Generate images in Cursor without context switching"
 - [ ] Body: Problem → Solution → Early access call
 - [ ] Include example Prompt URL
 - [ ] Link to landing page
 **Discord Cursor:**
 - [ ] Post shorter version in #share channel
 - [ ] Monitor reactions
 ### Throughout Day (10 AM - 10 PM)
 **Engagement:**
 - [ ] Answer every comment within 1 hour
 - [ ] Collect all feedback in spreadsheet
 - [ ] Note feature requests
 - [ ] Send API keys to first responders
 **Manual Process:**
 1. Someone fills Google Form
 2. Review submission (good fit?)
 3. If yes: Send Stripe invoice
 4. After payment: Email API key
 5. Check in next day: "How's it working?"
 ---
 ## 📊 Tracking (End of Day 9)
 **Count:**
 - Signups: _____
 - Paid: _____
 - Active users: _____
 - Feedback themes: _____
 **Questions to answer:**
 - [ ] Did anyone pay? (minimum validation)
 - [ ] What's the #1 requested feature?
 - [ ] Is messaging clear? (confused comments?)
 - [ ] Is enhancement value visible? (quality feedback?)
 ---
 ## 🎯 Success Criteria
 **Minimum Viable Success:**
 - ✅ 3 people try it
 - ✅ 1 person pays (any amount)
 - ✅ 5+ said "interesting, but need X"
 **Strong Signal:**
 - ✅ 5+ people try it
 - ✅ 2+ people pay
 - ✅ Clear feature request pattern (e.g., "all want MCP")
 **Failure Signal:**
 - ❌ <2 people try it
 - ❌ No one willing to pay
 - ❌ Confused responses ("what is this?")
 ---
 ## 🔄 Post-Launch (Days 10-14)
 ### If Success:
 - [ ] Fix top 2 feedback issues (Days 10-11)
 - [ ] Build most requested feature (Days 12-14)
 - [ ] Plan Week 2 expansion (Dev.to post?)
 ### If Unclear:
 - [ ] Schedule 1-on-1 calls with all early adopters
 - [ ] Ask: What worked? What didn't? Would you pay $X?
 - [ ] Iterate based on insights
 ### If Failure:
 - [ ] Schedule analysis session with @men
 - [ ] Review: Wrong messaging? Wrong segment? Wrong product?
 - [ ] Decide: Pivot or stop?
 ---
 ## 📝 Copy Templates
 ### Reddit Post
 ```markdown
 Title: Show HN: Generate images in Cursor without context switching
 Hey r/cursor! Built a tool to generate images directly in your workflow.
 **Problem:** 
 - Stock photos (Unsplash MCP) = generic, overused
 - Midjourney = Discord, manual save, context switching
 **Solution:** 
 Prompt URLs that work like this:
 <img src="https://banatie.app/gen?prompt=hero+image&aspect=16:9" />
 **Our trick:** 
 AI enhances your prompt for professional quality.
 "hero image" → "professional SaaS hero, modern gradient, 4K, clean UI"
 **Early access:** 
 10 free images to try. $20 for 200 images after that.
 Link: [your-landing-page]
 Looking for 5-10 early users for feedback. 
 What features matter most to you?
 ```
 ### Auto-Reply Email
 ```
 Subject: Your Banatie API Key (24h)
 Hi [Name],
 Thanks for your interest in Banatie!
 I'll review your submission and send:
 1. Stripe invoice for $20 (200 images credit)
 2. Your API key within 24 hours
 Quick start once you have your key:
 https://docs.banatie.app/quickstart
 Questions? Just reply to this email.
 - Oleg
 ```
 ### API Key Email
 ```
 Subject: Your Banatie API Key
 Hi [Name],
 Your API key: [KEY]
 Quick start:
 <img src="https://banatie.app/gen?prompt=YOUR_PROMPT&aspect=16:9&key=[KEY]" />
 Docs: https://docs.banatie.app
 Feedback? I'm all ears. Reply anytime.
 - Oleg
 ```
 ---
 ## 🎯 Day 9 Hourly Schedule (Example)
 **9:00 AM** - Post to Reddit r/cursor  
 **9:15 AM** - Post to Discord Cursor  
 **9:30 AM** - Monitor responses, respond immediately  
 **10:00 AM** - First signups coming in, review forms  
 **11:00 AM** - Send invoices to good fits  
 **12:00 PM** - Lunch break, check payment status  
 **1:00 PM** - First payment? Send API key!  
 **2:00 PM** - Check in with early users: "How's it working?"  
 **3:00 PM** - Compile feedback themes  
 **4:00 PM** - Continue responding to comments  
 **6:00 PM** - Evening check: metrics count  
 **8:00 PM** - Final responses, plan Day 10  
 **10:00 PM** - End tracking, write summary  
 ---
 ## 💡 Key Reminders
 **Week 1 = Experiment, not Product**
 - Simple is better than polished
 - 3-5 users > 100 confused visitors
 - Feedback > features
 - Fast iteration > perfect launch
 **You're selling to early adopters:**
 - They tolerate rough edges
 - They want to shape the product
 - They value solution over polish
 - They'll give honest feedback
 **Manual processes are OK:**
 - Email API keys manually
 - Send Stripe invoices manually
 - This doesn't scale, that's fine
 - Automate only after validation
 ---
 **Created:** November 2, 2025  
 **Owner:** Oleg  
 **Execute:** After DB blocker cleared (Day 5-9)
--- a/research/INDEX.md
+++ b/research/INDEX.md
@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ This folder contains all passive research conducted to validate ICP hypotheses f
 **Technical Product:** SAME for all segments
 **GTM Strategy:** DIFFERS by segment (messaging, pricing emphasis, channels)
 **Confidence Ranking:**
 1. 🥇 Direction 2 (AI Coding Agents) - 70-80% - GO for interviews
 2. 🥈 Direction 1 (Agencies) - 60-70% - Secondary exploration
 3. 🥉 Direction 6 (E-commerce) - 30-40% - Parking lot
 ---
 ## 📈 Research Outcomes & Next Steps
--- a/strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md
+++ b/strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md
@ -1,130 +0,0 @@
 # Competitive Analysis
 **Date:** November 2, 2025  
 **Status:** ✅ Updated with Runware + ImageKit research  
 **Version:** 1.0
 ---
 ## Key Competitors
 ### Runware AI ($13M funding)
 - **Price:** $0.0006/image (166x cheaper than us)
 - **Positioning:** Infrastructure play (AWS approach)
 - **Target:** High-volume, price-sensitive buyers
 - **Gaps:** No prompt enhancement, no consistency, REST only
 ### ImageKit.io (Enterprise scale)
 - **Price:** $0.10-0.25/image effective
 - **Feature:** URL-based generation (validates Prompt URLs concept)
 - **Target:** E-commerce, marketing teams
 - **Gaps:** No prompt enhancement, no @references, no developer tools
 ### Inference Infrastructure (Commodity)
 - fal.ai: $0.028/image
 - Replicate: $0.03/image
 - Together.ai: Similar
 - **Positioning:** Raw compute, no pipeline
 ### Manual Tools
 - Midjourney: $0.05/image, Discord workflow, no API
 - DALL-E: Via OpenAI, no consistency
 ---
 ## Our Competitive Advantages
 ### 1. Prompt Enhancement (PRIMARY MOAT)
 - Generic → Professional quality
 - 3-6 months to replicate
 - Always enabled, not optional
 - This is what justifies $0.10 vs $0.0006
 ### 2. Consistency System (@references)
 - Style/object persistence across generations
 - Unique feature, no competitor has this
 - Post-MVP (needs validation)
 ### 3. Production Pipeline
 - CDN delivery included
 - 6 aspect ratios built-in
 - Transformations (with focal point detection)
 - Zero manual work
 ### 4. Developer Experience
 - MCP (Cursor/Claude Code)
 - SDK (programmatic)
 - CLI (terminal)
 - Prompt URLs (universal)
 ---
 ## Positioning vs Competitors
 **NOT competing on price:**
 - Runware = infrastructure ($0.0006)
 - Us = DX premium ($0.10)
 **Analogy:**
 - Runware = AWS S3 (cheap storage)
 - Us = Vercel (developer experience)
 **Effective cost comparison:**
 | Solution | List Price | Hidden Costs | Effective Total |
 |----------|-----------|--------------|-----------------|
 | Runware | $0.0006 | CDN setup, transformations, prompting, 10 min manual | $4-25/image |
 | Banatie | $0.10 | Zero | $0.10/image |
 **Target different buyers:**
 - Runware: Infrastructure teams, volume buyers
 - ImageKit: E-commerce, marketing teams
 - Banatie: AI developers, web agencies
 ---
 ## Why We Win
 ### vs Runware:
 - Quality layer (enhancement)
 - Complete solution (not just generation)
 - Developer workflow (MCP, SDK, CLI)
 ### vs ImageKit:
 - Developer-first (not marketing-first)
 - Prompt enhancement (not generic)
 - @references consistency (unique)
 ### vs Midjourney:
 - Automation (API vs Discord)
 - Integration (MCP vs manual)
 - Speed (instant vs 5-10 min workflow)
 ---
 ## Free Tier Strategy
 **NOT competing with free:**
 - OpenRouter: 50/day free
 - Google AI Studio: 500-1000/day free
 - Combined: 16K-31K/month free
 **Our free tier = testing only:**
 - 10 images/month with watermark
 - All features included
 - Goal: Prove quality, convert to paid
 **Paid tier = production use:**
 - Data privacy (not used for training)
 - Professional quality (enhancement)
 - Production features (CDN, transformations)
 - Support
 **Messaging:**
 > "Free tier = hobby projects, generic quality.
 > Paid tier = professional work, client-ready quality."
 ---
 **Last updated:** November 2, 2025  
 **Next review:** After 10 customer interviews
--- a/strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md
+++ b/strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md
@ -1,235 +0,0 @@
 # ICP Segmentation: Unified Approach
 **Date:** November 2, 2025  
 **Status:** ✅ Validated - One product, multiple segments  
 **Version:** 1.0
 ---
 ## Key Insight: ONE Product, Multiple Entry Points
 **Technical implementation:** IDENTICAL for all segments  
 **Difference:** Entry point preference + use case emphasis
 ---
 ## Segment Profiles
 ### A: Studios/Agencies (3-10 people)
 **Profile:**
 - Tech lead + 1-2 juniors
 - Build sites for clients
 - CEO/Manager makes buying decisions
 **Pain Points:**
 - Client approval blocked without realistic images
 - Placeholder hell (projects stall 1-2 months)
 - Generic stock photos = unprofessional
 **Preferred Entry Points:**
 - REST API (integration)
 - Web UI (client presentations)
 - Prompt URLs (easy for team)
 **Use Case:** Client mockup approval
 **Pricing Preference:** Subscription ($49-99/mo)
 **Sales Cycle:** Medium (B2B, need demos)
 ---
 ### B: Power Users (Tech Leads) ⭐ PRIMARY
 **Profile:**
 - Uses Cursor/Claude Code daily
 - Builds web projects with AI agents
 - Can influence team adoption
 **Pain Points:**
 - Stock photos generic, overused
 - Manual Midjourney workflow tedious
 - Context switching between tools
 **Preferred Entry Points:**
 - MCP (Cursor integration) - PRIMARY
 - SDK (programmatic)
 - CLI (terminal)
 **Use Case:** Coding workflow automation
 **Pricing Preference:** Subscription ($49/mo)
 **Sales Cycle:** Fast (self-serve, product-led)
 **Budget:** Already pays $20-200/mo for AI tools
 ---
 ### C: Freelancers (Solo)
 **Profile:**
 - Builds sites for clients
 - Price-sensitive
 - Fast decision maker (no approval needed)
 **Pain Points:**
 - Stock photos unprofessional
 - Client approval slow
 - Budget constraints
 **Preferred Entry Points:**
 - REST API
 - Web UI
 - Prompt URLs
 **Use Case:** Per-project images
 **Pricing Preference:** Credits (pay-as-you-go)
 **Sales Cycle:** Fast (self-serve)
 ---
 ### D: AI-Savvy Freelancers ⭐ SECONDARY
 **Profile:**
 - Active AI tool user (Cursor, ChatGPT)
 - High project volume
 - Time = money mindset
 **Pain Points:**
 - Manual workflows slow
 - Generic images hurt quality
 - Need fast turnaround
 **Preferred Entry Points:**
 - MCP (automation)
 - SDK (if codes)
 - Prompt URLs (if not)
 **Use Case:** Fast project delivery
 **Pricing Preference:** Credits or Subscription (high volume)
 **Sales Cycle:** Fast (self-serve)
 **Budget:** Already pays for AI tools
 ---
 ## Technical Product = SAME
 **Backend:**
 - Prompt enhancement (always on)
 - Gemini 2.5 Flash generation
 - 6 aspect ratios
 - CDN delivery
 - Transformations (with focal point)
 **Interfaces:**
 - MCP Server (for B/D)
 - SDK (for B/D)
 - CLI (for B/D)
 - REST API (for all)
 - Prompt URLs (for all)
 - Web UI (for all)
 **Features:**
 - @references consistency (post-MVP)
 - Team management (post-MVP, for A)
 - Usage analytics (all)
 ---
 ## GTM Strategy: Sequential Launch
 ### Phase 1: Developer Focus (Weeks 1-4)
 **Target:** B + D (AI developers)
 **Why first:**
 - Founder IS this ICP
 - Fast validation
 - Product-led growth
 - MCP = differentiator
 **Channels:**
 - r/cursor, Discord
 - Dev.to, Twitter
 - Direct outreach
 **Message:** "MCP for image generation in Cursor"
 **Goal:** 5-10 paying users
 ---
 ### Phase 2: Agency Expansion (Weeks 5-8)
 **Target:** A + C (agencies, freelancers)
 **Why second:**
 - Product validated
 - Add use case messaging
 - Same tech, different frame
 **Channels:**
 - r/webdev, r/freelance
 - LinkedIn (careful)
 - Agency communities
 **Message:** "Speed up client approval with AI mockups"
 **Goal:** 10-20 additional users
 ---
 ### Phase 3: Optimize (Weeks 9-12)
 **Analyze:**
 - Which segment converts better?
 - Which has higher LTV?
 - Which churns less?
 **Action:** Double down on winner
 ---
 ## Messaging by Segment
 ### For B/D (Developers):
 > "Generate unique images without leaving Cursor. MCP integration for AI coding workflows."
 **Emphasis:** Automation, speed, quality
 ---
 ### For A (Agencies):
 > "Speed up client approval with realistic AI mockups. Stop waiting for client content."
 **Emphasis:** Client approval, professional quality, faster payment
 ---
 ### For C (Freelancers):
 > "Stop using generic stock photos. Generate unique images for client sites."
 **Emphasis:** Affordability, uniqueness, professionalism
 ---
 ## Overlap: Many people are BOTH
 **Example:** Tech lead at small agency
 - Morning: Codes in Cursor (uses MCP)
 - Afternoon: Client presentation (uses Web UI)
 - **Same person, two use cases**
 This validates unified product approach.
 ---
 **Last updated:** November 2, 2025  
 **Next review:** After customer interviews validate segments