341 lines
8.2 KiB
Markdown
341 lines
8.2 KiB
Markdown
# Session Summary: Unified Product Strategy
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**Date:** November 2, 2025 (Evening)
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**Topic:** Research review + MVP planning
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**Status:** ✅ Key decisions made
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---
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## 🎯 MAJOR DECISION: Unified Product Approach
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**Problem:** Direction 1 (Agencies) vs Direction 2 (AI Developers) - which to choose?
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**Solution:** BOTH. Same product, multiple entry points.
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**Rationale:**
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1. Technical implementation = 100% identical
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2. Backend = same (enhancement, generation, CDN)
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3. Difference = entry point preference (MCP vs Prompt URLs)
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4. Many users are BOTH (tech lead at agency uses Cursor + presents to clients)
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**Implication:** Build once, launch to both segments sequentially
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---
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## 🏆 Key Insights from Research
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### Competitive Landscape (New Info)
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**Runware:** $13M funding, $0.0006/image (166x cheaper)
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- BUT: Infrastructure only, no quality layer
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- Target: Volume buyers
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- We don't compete on price
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**ImageKit:** Enterprise scale, URL-based generation
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- Validates Prompt URLs concept works at scale
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- Target: E-commerce, marketing
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- We compete on developer focus + quality
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**Our Moats (Updated Priority):**
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1. ⭐ **Prompt Enhancement** (PRIMARY) - 3-6 months to replicate
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2. ⭐ **Consistency System (@references)** - unique, post-MVP
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3. Production Pipeline - deep integration, developer focus
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**NOT a moat:** MCP (can be built in 1 week)
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---
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### Pricing Strategy
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**$0.10/image = validated**
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- ImageKit effective cost = same range
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- Justified through quality layer + complete pipeline
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**Free tier strategy:**
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- NOT competing with free (OpenRouter 50/day, Google AI Studio 500-1000/day)
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- Our free tier = testing only (10/month with watermark)
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- Paid = production use (data privacy, professional quality)
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**Positioning:**
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- Runware = AWS (cheap infrastructure)
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- Banatie = Vercel (DX premium)
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---
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## 📋 MVP Scope (Realistic Timeline)
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### Current Blockers (Days 1-4)
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- DB schema update (2 days)
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- Endpoint alignment (2 days)
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### Week 1: Ultra-Minimal Launch (Days 5-7)
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**Ship:**
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- Prompt URLs (3 days)
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- Manual payments via Stripe invoice
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- Manual API key distribution
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**Launch to:** 5-10 early adopters on r/cursor
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**Goal:** Validate core value (prompt enhancement visible)
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### Week 2-3: Developer Tools
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**Add:**
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- MCP Server (3 days)
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- SDK (2 days)
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- CLI (2 days)
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- Automated payments (2-3 days)
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**Goal:** 10-20 paying users
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### Week 4+: Production Features
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**Add:**
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- CDN (1 day)
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- Transformations (1 day)
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- Focal point detection (2-3 days) ← IMPORTANT: Don't forget
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- Admin UI (3-5 days)
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**Goal:** 50+ users, validate segments
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---
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## 🎨 Key Product Decisions
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### Prompt Enhancement
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- ✅ **Always enabled, cannot disable**
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- ✅ This is our primary value
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- ✅ Justified cost increase (text-to-text + image gen)
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- ✅ If in free limit = OK, this is what we sell
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### Entry Points Priority
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1. **Prompt URLs** (Week 1) - Universal, simplest
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2. **MCP Server** (Week 2) - Developer hook
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3. **SDK** (Week 2) - Programmatic control
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4. **CLI** (Week 2) - Terminal workflows
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### Features Priority
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**MVP (must-have):**
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- Prompt Enhancement ✅
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- 6 Aspect Ratios ✅
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- Prompt URLs ⏳
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- MinIO storage ✅
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**Post-MVP (validate need):**
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- @references consistency
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- Team features
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- Focal point detection
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- WordPress plugin
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---
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## 📢 Go-to-Market Strategy
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### Phase 1: Developer Focus (Weeks 1-2)
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**Target:** Segment B (Power Users) + D (AI Freelancers)
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**Why first:**
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- Founder IS the ICP
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- Fast validation
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- Product-led growth
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- MCP = differentiator
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**Channels:**
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- r/cursor, Discord
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- Dev.to posts
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- Twitter #AIcoding
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**Message:** "MCP for image generation in Cursor"
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---
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### Phase 2: Agency Expansion (Weeks 3-4)
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**Target:** Segment A (Studios) + C (Freelancers)
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**Why second:**
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- Product validated with developers
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- Same tech, different messaging
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- Add client approval use case
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**Channels:**
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- r/webdev, r/freelance
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- LinkedIn (careful - employer risk)
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- Agency communities
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**Message:** "Speed up client approval with AI mockups"
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---
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### Phase 3: Optimize (Weeks 5-8)
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**Analyze:**
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- Which segment converts better?
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- Which has higher LTV?
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- Which churns less?
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**Action:** Double down on winner
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---
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## ⚠️ Risks & Open Questions
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### Risks
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1. **Free tier competition** (16K-31K/month free via OpenRouter + Google)
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- Mitigation: Premium positioning, quality differentiation
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2. **Prompt enhancement cost** (additional API call)
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- Monitor: Calculate actual cost per generation
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- Decision point: If exceeds free limit
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3. **Segment confusion** (trying to serve everyone)
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- Mitigation: Sequential launch, clear messaging per segment
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### Open Questions
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1. Which transformation service? (Need name)
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2. Focal point implementation details
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3. Admin UI approach (custom vs nextjs-saas-starter)
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4. Payment automation complexity
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---
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## 📝 Documents Created/Updated
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**Created:**
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- `/strategy/13-competitive-analysis.md` (Runware, ImageKit insights)
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- `/strategy/14-icp-segmentation-unified.md` (A/B/C/D with one product approach)
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- `/execution/15-mvp-scope-v2-realistic.md` (real timelines, priorities)
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- `/execution/16-product-features.md` (all features including focal point)
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- `/execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md` (step-by-step launch guide)
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**Updated:**
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- `/ROADMAP.md` (unified approach, realistic MVP timeline)
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**To review later:**
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- 01-market-positioning-v4.md (in project-knowledge, not on disk yet)
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- COMPETITIVE-ANALYSIS-QUICK-REF.md (in project-knowledge)
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- UPDATES-SUMMARY.md (in project-knowledge)
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---
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## 🚀 Launch Strategy (Week 1)
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### Mental Model: Experiment, NOT Product
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**Week 1 MVP = Coffee with potential customer**
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- NOT: Mass launch, professional polish, 100 users
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- YES: 3-5 early adopters, validation, feedback
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**Goal:**
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- Prove someone will pay (even $20)
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- Discover which feature matters (MCP vs URLs?)
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- Validate ICP hypothesis
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---
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### What's Needed BESIDES Code
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**1. Landing Page (2 hours)**
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```
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Hero: "Generate professional images without leaving Cursor"
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What: 3 bullets (enhancement, aspect ratios, CDN)
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Pricing: Free/Credits/Pro (simple)
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CTA: Email signup
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```
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**2. Documentation (2 hours)**
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```
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Prompt URLs format + example
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API curl example
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"Email us for API key"
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```
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**3. Signup Flow (30 min)**
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- Google Form: Name, Email, Use case
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- Manual review → Invoice → API key
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**Total non-tech:** ~5 hours
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---
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### Launch Day (Day 9)
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**Morning: Soft launch**
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- r/cursor post (Show HN style)
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- Discord Cursor channel
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- Message: Problem, Solution, Early access
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**Afternoon: Engage**
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- Answer every question
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- Collect feedback
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- Send API keys to first 3-5
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**Success metrics:**
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- Minimum: 3 try, 1 pays
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- Strong: 5+ try, 2+ pay
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- Failure: <2 try, no payment
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---
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### Week 2-3: Iterate Based on Feedback
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**If success:**
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- Fix top 2 issues
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- Build most requested feature (MCP?)
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- Expand reach (Dev.to)
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**If unclear:**
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- 1-on-1 calls with early adopters
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- Iterate messaging/features
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**If failure:**
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- Analysis session
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- Pivot or rethink
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---
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## 🎯 Next Actions
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**For Oleg:**
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1. Clear DB blocker (Days 1-2)
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2. Align endpoints (Days 3-4)
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3. Build Prompt URLs (Days 5-7)
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4. Setup manual Stripe invoicing (Day 8)
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5. Launch to 5-10 early adopters
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**For next session with @men:**
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1. Discuss messaging for r/cursor launch post
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2. Plan interview questions (if needed after early adopters)
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3. Review payment automation approach
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4. Discuss focal point detection implementation
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---
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## 🎓 Key Learnings
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**Product Strategy:**
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- Direction 1 + 2 = same product, different entry points
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- Many users are BOTH segments (tech lead at agency)
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- Build once, launch sequentially
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**Competitive Position:**
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- NOT competing on price (Runware $0.0006)
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- Competing on quality layer + DX (Vercel approach)
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- Prompt Enhancement = primary moat
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**Launch Philosophy:**
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- Week 1 = experiment, not product
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- 3-5 users > 100 confused visitors
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- Manual processes OK (automate after validation)
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- Simple better than polished for early adopters
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**Next Critical Path:**
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1. Clear tech debt (Days 1-4)
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2. Build Prompt URLs (Days 5-7)
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3. Create landing/docs (Day 8, 5 hours)
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4. Launch to r/cursor (Day 9)
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5. Collect feedback, iterate (Days 10+)
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---
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**Session completed:** November 2, 2025 ~23:30
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**Session duration:** ~3 hours
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**Next session:** After DB blocker cleared OR for launch planning
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**Critical files:** [17-week-1-launch-checklist.md](../execution/17-week-1-launch-checklist.md) (execute this)
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