πŸ“– Session 1
⌨️ Use ← β†’ arrow keys or spacebar
πŸ—ΊοΈ

AI BUSINESS LAUNCH CHALLENGE

Session 2: From Idea to Blueprint

Mapping Your AI Workflow

Turn your validated idea into a step-by-step plan you can actually build

+ Let AI do the heavy lifting for you

πŸ“… Session Structure (60 Minutes)

Part 1: Validation Check

8 minutes

Does your idea pass the green light checklist?

Part 2: Workflow Framework

12 minutes

The anatomy of every automation workflow

Part 3: n8n Introduction

10 minutes

Understanding nodes and how they connect

Part 4: Build Demo

10 minutes

Hands-on: Build meeting notes workflow

Part 5: AI Co-Founder

15 minutes

Let AI generate workflows, find customers

Part 6: Homework & Next Steps

5 minutes

Your AI-assisted setup checklist before Week 2

🎯

What You'll Accomplish Today

You found your idea in Session 1. Today, you're turning it into a concrete blueprint you can actually build - with AI doing most of the work.

By the end of this session, you'll have:

  • βœ… Complete workflow diagram (AI-generated)
  • βœ… Technical validation (AI-researched APIs)
  • βœ… First 5 target customers (AI deep research)
  • βœ… Pricing strategy (AI-calculated)
  • βœ… Outreach messages (AI-drafted)
  • βœ… Ready to BUILD in Week 2

πŸ€– The Secret:

You're building an AI business, so USE AI throughout the entire process. Let your AI co-founder do the research, analysis, and drafting. You just guide and validate.

⚠️

Don't Have An Idea Yet?

Go Back to Session 1 First!

You need a validated idea before this session makes sense.

Session 1 includes:

  • The AI Business Discovery Agent prompt
  • How to find problems people are paying for
  • Reddit, Upwork, and competitor research methods
  • The 3 filters for profitable AI businesses

β†’ Open Session 1 (opens in new window)

Quick Validation Checklist:

Before continuing, make sure you have:

  • βœ… A specific problem you want to solve
  • βœ… Evidence people are paying for solutions (Upwork listings or competitors)
  • βœ… An understanding of the niche/industry
  • βœ… Talked to at least 1-2 potential customers

If you don't have these ↑ stop here and complete Session 1 homework.

βœ…

The Green Light Checklist

Does your idea pass all 5 checks?

1. Payment Evidence

βœ… Found Upwork listings with rates OR competitors with pricing pages

If nobody is paying for this, you won't be the first.

2. Workflow Complexity

βœ… Your solution involves 5-15 steps connecting multiple tools

Too simple = not worth paying for. Too complex = can't build as beginner.

3. API Availability

βœ… The tools you need have APIs or can be connected

If you can't connect the systems, you can't automate the workflow.

4. Human Validation

βœ… Talked to 3 real people who confirmed this is painful

Online research validates the problem. Human conversations validate YOUR solution fits THEIR needs.

5. Niche Understanding

βœ… You understand the workflow or can learn it quickly

You don't need to be an expert, but you need to understand the pain point.

πŸ”§

Common Problems & How to Fix Them

❌ "My idea is still too generic"

Problem: "AI customer service chatbot" or "Social media automation"

Fix: Add niche specificity. "Customer service chatbot for HVAC companies that knows technical troubleshooting" or "Social media automation for real estate agents that pulls MLS listings"

❌ "I can't find payment evidence"

Problem: No Upwork listings, no competitors, no proof anyone pays

Fix: Either (1) You haven't searched hard enough - try different keywords, or (2) It's not a real problem people pay for - find a different idea

❌ "The APIs don't exist"

Problem: The tool you need doesn't have an API or integration

Fix: Find alternative tools that do the same thing OR use web scraping (advanced) OR do this step manually for first customers while you figure it out

❌ "My workflow is too complicated"

Problem: 20+ steps, needs custom AI training, requires coding

Fix: Build the MVP version first. What are the core 5-10 steps that deliver 80% of the value? Start there. Add complexity later.

πŸ”„

Anatomy of Every Workflow

Every automation follows the same basic structure:

1. TRIGGER

What starts the automation?

Examples: New record in Airtable, form submitted, time-based schedule, webhook received

2. INPUT COLLECTION

What data comes in?

Examples: Airtable record data, form responses, file attachments, API data

3. AI PROCESSING

What decisions or generation happens?

Examples: Summarize text, extract key info, categorize, generate response, analyze sentiment

4. ACTIONS

What systems get updated?

Examples: Update CRM, add to Airtable, send notification, create task

5. OUTPUT

How does customer get results?

Examples: Email sent, Airtable updated, dashboard refreshed, Slack notification

πŸ’‘

Simple Example: Meeting Notes Summarizer

The Problem:

After every client meeting, you spend 30 minutes writing up notes, extracting action items, and sending follow-up emails.

10 meetings per week = 5 hours wasted on manual note processing.

The Solution:

Automated workflow that takes raw meeting notes, uses AI to create clean summaries + action items, and automatically sends professional follow-up emails.

Time Saved:

30 minutes per meeting Γ— 10 meetings/week = 5 hours/week

Value: $50/hour Γ— 5 hours Γ— 4 weeks = $1,000/month in saved labor

Your price: $300-400/month

πŸ“‹ Meeting Notes Workflow (6 Steps)

Step 1: TRIGGER

New record is added to Airtable "Meeting Notes" table

Tool: n8n Airtable Trigger node (watches for new records)

Step 2: GET NOTES

n8n reads the new record from Airtable

Data collected: meeting date, attendee emails, raw notes text

Step 3: AI SUMMARIZES

AI reads notes and creates clean summary + bullet list of action items

Tool: OpenAI API / Anthropic API / any LLM

Prompt: "Summarize these meeting notes into 3-4 key points and extract all action items with owners"

Step 4: AI DRAFTS EMAIL

AI writes professional follow-up email with summary

Prompt: "Write a professional follow-up email including the summary and action items"

Step 5: SEND EMAIL

n8n sends email to meeting attendees

Tool: n8n Gmail node or Send Email node

Step 6: UPDATE AIRTABLE

Updates Airtable record with "Status: Email Sent" + timestamp + summary

Confirmation that workflow completed + archives summary for later reference

⭐

Why This Example Works for Beginners

βœ… Only 6 Steps

Simple enough to understand and build in a few hours

βœ… Minimal Tools Required

Airtable (free tier) + AI API ($3-5/month) + Email (free)

Total cost to operate: ~$5-10/month

βœ… Clear Input β†’ Clear Output

Raw notes go in β†’ Professional summary + email come out

Easy to test and see it working

βœ… Universal Problem

Everyone has meetings. Easy to find customers.

Target: consultants, agencies, sales teams, coaches, executives

βœ… No Complex APIs

Airtable API is well-documented and n8n has native integration

βœ… Professional Database

Airtable gives you a real database with views, filters, and reporting

Better than spreadsheets - looks more professional to clients

πŸ’°

Identifying the "Money Steps"

Which steps save the most time? Which are currently most painful?

In the Meeting Notes Example:

Step 3: AI Summarizes

πŸ’° Money Step! This is what takes 20 minutes manually

Reading through messy notes, organizing thoughts, pulling out key points

Step 4: AI Drafts Email

πŸ’° Money Step! Another 10 minutes saved

Writing professional copy, formatting nicely, ensuring nothing is missed

Steps 5-6: Automation

πŸ’° Bonus Value! Ensures it actually gets done + creates searchable archive

No more "I'll send those notes later" that never happens. Airtable becomes the single source of truth.

The "money steps" are where you demonstrate value. This is what you emphasize when selling. "We save you 30 minutes after EVERY meeting - that's 20+ hours per month back in your calendar. Plus everything is organized in Airtable so you can search past meetings instantly."

πŸ”§

What is n8n?

Visual Workflow Builder

Drag and drop nodes (building blocks)

Connect them with arrows to show data flow

No coding required (but you can code if you want)

Each Node = One Action

Airtable node reads/writes database records

AI node processes text with LLMs

Email node sends messages

Connect Anything to Anything

400+ pre-built integrations

HTTP Request node for any API

Pass data between steps automatically

Self-Hosted or Cloud

Free self-hosted version

We provide free cloud hosting for this challenge

Unlimited workflows included

Think of n8n as digital plumbing

Water (data) flows from one pipe (node) to another. Each pipe transforms or moves the water. At the end, you get the desired output.

πŸ”Œ The 5 Node Categories You Need to Know

1. TRIGGER NODES (Start the workflow)

β€’ Airtable Trigger - when new record added or updated

β€’ Webhook - for real-time events from other apps

β€’ Schedule - run on timer (every day at 9am)

β€’ Manual Trigger - for testing

2. DATA NODES (Get information)

β€’ HTTP Request - connects to any API

β€’ Airtable - read/write database records

β€’ Database nodes - MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB

β€’ File readers - CSV, JSON, Excel

3. AI NODES (Intelligence)

β€’ OpenAI - GPT models for generation/analysis

β€’ Anthropic (Claude) - for complex reasoning

β€’ Text Classification - categorize content

β€’ Summarization - condense text

4. ACTION NODES (Do things)

β€’ Send Email / Gmail - email delivery

β€’ Update CRM - HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive

β€’ Create Task - Asana, ClickUp, Monday

β€’ Post to Slack/Discord - team notifications

5. LOGIC NODES (Control flow)

β€’ IF conditions - make decisions

β€’ Switch/Router - branch to different paths

β€’ Merge data - combine multiple inputs

β€’ Set variables - store temporary data

πŸš€

HTTP Request Node - Your Superpower

When n8n doesn't have a pre-built node...

You can still connect to ANY service that has an API!

The HTTP Request Node Can:

  • Make GET requests (fetch data)
  • Make POST requests (send data)
  • Add authentication (API keys, OAuth)
  • Set custom headers
  • Parse JSON responses

Example: Connecting to a Random API

HTTP Request Node Settings:
Method: POST
URL: https://api.example.com/v1/data
Authentication: API Key
Headers: 
  - Content-Type: application/json
Body:
  {
    "input": "{{$json.your_data}}"
  }

n8n will handle the request and give you back the response. You just need to read the API documentation to know what to send.

Don't worry if this seems technical now. We'll walk through this together in Week 2. For now, just know: if an API exists, n8n can connect to it.

🎁

Get n8n Access

πŸ”— https://aititus.com/free-n8n

Unlimited cloud-hosted n8n instance for Ai Titus+ members

  • βœ… Unlimited workflows
  • βœ… Unlimited Executions (see limits on https://aititus.com/free-n8n)
  • βœ… All nodes included
  • βœ… Runs 24/7 in the cloud

πŸ”— https://n8n.io/

Paid cloud hosting from the creators of N8N

  • βœ… Unlimited workflows
  • βœ… 2,500 Executions
  • βœ… All nodes included
  • βœ… Runs 24/7 in the cloud

What You'll Need to Set Up:

  1. n8n account (via aititus.com/free-n8n or n8n.io)
  2. OpenAI or Anthropic API key ($3-10 initial budget)
  3. Airtable account (free plan works!)
  4. Any other services your specific workflow needs

Homework Task: Create your n8n account TODAY. Get familiar with the interface. Click around. Don't worry about building yet - just explore.

πŸ› οΈ

Let's Build It Together!

Hands-On: Meeting Notes Summarizer

The next few slides walk through building the actual workflow in Airtable + n8n

What You'll Learn:

  • How to structure your Airtable database
  • How to create a workflow in n8n step-by-step
  • How to configure each node
  • How to test and debug
  • What a working automation looks like

Follow along if you have your accounts set up, or use this as a reference for homework!

πŸ“Š

Step 1: Set Up Your Airtable Base

First, we need to create the database structure that will hold our meeting notes.

1. Create New Base

  • Log into airtable.com
  • Click "+ Create" β†’ "Start from scratch"
  • Name it: "Meeting Notes System"

2. Rename Your Table

  • Click on default "Table 1" name at top
  • Rename to: "Meeting Notes"

3. Create Your Fields (Columns)

Click the "+" button to add these fields:

Field 1: Meeting Date
Type: Date
Format: Local (MM/DD/YYYY)

Field 2: Attendee Emails
Type: Long text
Description: Comma-separated email addresses

Field 3: Raw Notes
Type: Long text  
Description: Paste your messy meeting notes here

Field 4: AI Summary
Type: Long text
(Leave empty - AI will fill this)

Field 5: Action Items
Type: Long text
(Leave empty - AI will fill this)

Field 6: Status
Type: Single select
Options: Pending, Processing, Email Sent, Failed

Field 7: Processed At
Type: Date and time
(Leave empty - n8n will fill this)
πŸ“Š

Step 1 (Continued): Configure Your Fields

Your Finished Airtable Table Should Look Like:

β”Œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”¬β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”¬β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”¬β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”¬β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”¬β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”¬β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”
β”‚ Meeting Date    β”‚ Attendee Emails  β”‚ Raw Notes   β”‚ AI Summary  β”‚ Action Items β”‚ Status   β”‚ Processed At  β”‚
β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
β”‚ 10/10/2025      β”‚ john@co.com,     β”‚ [Your notes]β”‚ (empty)     β”‚ (empty)      β”‚ Pending  β”‚ (empty)       β”‚
β”‚                 β”‚ sarah@co.com     β”‚             β”‚             β”‚              β”‚          β”‚               β”‚
β””β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”˜

4. Set Default Status Value

  • Click on "Status" field settings (βš™οΈ icon)
  • Under "Options", make sure "Pending" is the first option
  • This will be the default for new records

5. Get Your Airtable API Key

  • Click your profile icon (top right) β†’ Account
  • Scroll to "API" section
  • Click "Generate API key"
  • Copy and save it securely

6. Get Your Base ID

  • Go to https://airtable.com/api
  • Click on your "Meeting Notes System" base
  • Look for "The ID of this base is appXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
  • Copy that Base ID - you'll need it in n8n!
πŸ”§

Step 2: Create Your n8n Workflow

1. Log into n8n

  • Go to your n8n instance (aititus.com/free-n8n)
  • Click "New Workflow" button
  • Name it: "Meeting Notes Automation"

2. Add Airtable Trigger Node

  • Click the "+" button on canvas
  • Search for "Airtable Trigger"
  • Click to add it

3. Configure Airtable Credentials

Click "Create New Credential" β†’ Enter:

Name: My Airtable Account
API Key: [paste your Airtable API key]

Click "Save"

4. Configure Trigger Settings

Base ID: [paste your Base ID from Airtable]
Table: Meeting Notes
Trigger Field: Status
Trigger Value: Pending

Poll Times:
Every Minute: ON

This means: "Watch for new records where Status = Pending"
πŸ€–

Step 3: Add AI Summarization Node

1. Add OpenAI Node

  • Click "+" after Airtable Trigger
  • Search for "OpenAI"
  • Add "OpenAI" node

2. Configure OpenAI Credentials

Click "Create New Credential" β†’ Enter:

API Key: [paste your OpenAI API key from platform.openai.com]

Click "Save"

3. Configure Summarization Prompt

Resource: Chat
Operation: Message a Model

Model: gpt-5-mini (cheaper and faster)

Prompt:
────────────────────────────────────────
You are a professional meeting notes assistant.

Please read these meeting notes and provide:

1. A clean 3-4 sentence summary of the key discussion points
2. A bullet list of all action items with the person responsible

Meeting Notes:
{{$json.fields["Raw Notes"]}}

Format your response as:

**SUMMARY:**
[Your summary here]

**ACTION ITEMS:**
- [Action 1] - Responsible: [Name]
- [Action 2] - Responsible: [Name]
────────────────────────────────────────

Note: The {{$json.fields["Raw Notes"]}} pulls the data from Airtable!
βœ‰οΈ

Step 4: Add Email Draft Node

1. Add Another OpenAI Node

  • Click "+" after first OpenAI node
  • Search for "OpenAI"
  • Add another "OpenAI" node

2. Use Existing OpenAI Credential

  • Select the credential you just created
  • No need to create a new one!

3. Configure Email Draft Prompt

Resource: Chat
Operation: Message a Model

Model: gpt-5-mini

Prompt:
────────────────────────────────────────
Write a professional follow-up email based on this meeting summary.

Keep it friendly, concise (under 200 words), and include:
- Brief thank you for attending
- The summary
- The action items
- Encouraging next steps

Meeting Date: {{$('Airtable Trigger').item.json.fields["Meeting Date"]}}

Meeting Summary:
{{$json.message.content}}

Write the email subject line and body:
────────────────────────────────────────

Note: We're using the OUTPUT from the previous OpenAI node!
πŸ“§

Step 5: Send Email Node

1. Add Send Email Node

  • Click "+" after second OpenAI node
  • Search for "Send Email"
  • Add "Send Email" node

2. Configure Email Settings

From Email: your-email@gmail.com
To Email: {{$('Airtable Trigger').item.json.fields["Attendee Emails"]}}

Subject: Meeting Follow-Up - {{$('Airtable Trigger').item.json.fields["Meeting Date"]}}

Text (Extract from AI response):
{{$json.message.content}}

SMTP Settings (for Gmail):
Host: smtp.gmail.com
Port: 465
Secure: SSL/TLS
User: your-email@gmail.com  
Password: [your Gmail app password - not regular password!]

⚠️ Gmail App Password Required

You need to create an "App Password" in Gmail:

  • Go to Google Account β†’ Security
  • Enable 2-Step Verification (required)
  • Search for "App Passwords"
  • Generate password for "Mail"
  • Use that 16-character password in n8n
βœ…

Step 6: Update Airtable Status

1. Add Airtable Update Node

  • Click "+" after Send Email node
  • Search for "Airtable"
  • Add "Airtable" node (not trigger)

2. Configure Update Settings

Credential: [Select your Airtable credential]

Operation: Update
Base ID: [same as before]
Table: Meeting Notes

Record ID: {{$('Airtable Trigger').item.json.id}}

Fields to Update:
────────────────────────────────────────
Status: Email Sent

AI Summary: {{$('OpenAI').item.json.message.content}}

Processed At: {{$now.toISO()}}
────────────────────────────────────────

This marks the record as complete and stores the summary!

πŸŽ‰ Your Workflow is Complete!

You now have:

  • βœ… Airtable Trigger (watches for new notes)
  • βœ… AI Summarization (creates summary)
  • βœ… AI Email Draft (writes follow-up)
  • βœ… Send Email (delivers to attendees)
  • βœ… Update Airtable (marks complete + saves summary)
πŸ§ͺ

Step 7: Test Your Workflow

1. Save Your Workflow

  • Click "Save" button in top right of n8n
  • Your workflow is saved but NOT active yet

2. Create Test Data in Airtable

  • Go back to your Airtable base
  • Click "+ Add record"
  • Fill in:
Meeting Date: Today's date
Attendee Emails: your-test-email@gmail.com
Raw Notes: 
────────────────────────────────────────
Client Meeting - Project Kickoff

Attendees: John, Sarah, Mike

Discussion:
- Project timeline: 8 weeks starting Nov 1
- Budget approved: $50k
- Sarah will lead design, Mike handles dev
- Weekly standup meetings every Monday 10am

Action Items:
- John: Send contract by EOW
- Sarah: Create initial mockups by Oct 20
- Mike: Set up dev environment this week
- All: Review project charter by Friday
────────────────────────────────────────

Status: Pending (should be default)

3. Activate Your Workflow

  • Go back to n8n
  • Toggle "Active" switch in top right to ON
  • Your workflow is now watching Airtable!
πŸŽ‰

What Success Looks Like

Within 1-2 Minutes, You Should See:

1. In n8n Execution Log:

  • βœ… Airtable Trigger found the new record
  • βœ… First OpenAI node generated summary
  • βœ… Second OpenAI node drafted email
  • βœ… Email sent successfully
  • βœ… Airtable updated
  • Green checkmarks on all nodes!

2. In Your Email Inbox:

Professional follow-up email with:

  • Subject: "Meeting Follow-Up - [date]"
  • Clean summary of discussion
  • Bullet list of action items with owners
  • Friendly, professional tone

3. In Airtable:

  • βœ… Status changed to "Email Sent"
  • βœ… AI Summary field filled with the summary
  • βœ… Processed At shows timestamp

Congratulations! You just built a working AI automation that saves 30 minutes per meeting. This is what your customers will pay $300-400/month for!

πŸ€–

Your AI Co-Founder

Stop Doing Everything Manually

You're building an AI business. Use AI to BUILD your AI business!

AI Will Help You With:

  • πŸ”„ Generate your workflow outline automatically
  • πŸ” Deep research to find specific target customers
  • πŸ”§ Identify which APIs and tools you need
  • πŸ’° Calculate pricing based on market research
  • ✍️ Draft outreach messages and positioning

The next few slides give you copy-paste prompts to let AI do the heavy lifting. You just guide and validate.

πŸ”„

AI-Powered Workflow Generator

Don't map your workflow manually - let AI generate it for you!

πŸ“‹ Copy This Prompt:

You are a workflow automation expert specializing in n8n and AI integrations.

I need you to design a detailed step-by-step workflow for my business idea:

**MY BUSINESS IDEA:**
[Paste your validated business idea here - include the problem, who it's for, and what solution you want to build]

**CREATE A WORKFLOW WITH:**
- 5-10 clear steps (not too complex for a beginner)
- Specify the trigger (what starts it - Airtable new record, webhook, schedule, etc.)
- Each step should include:
  * What happens in this step
  * Which tool/API handles it (be specific - Airtable, OpenAI, HubSpot, etc.)
  * What data goes IN to this step
  * What data comes OUT of this step
- Highlight where AI is used and what prompts to use
- Final step showing how customer receives the output

**ALSO PROVIDE:**
- List of all tools/APIs needed
- Which n8n nodes exist for each tool (or if HTTP Request is needed)
- Estimated cost to operate per month
- Which steps are the "money steps" (save the most time)

Format this as a clear numbered list I can follow when building in n8n.

Where to Use This:

β€’ ChatGPT Plus (GPT-5)

β€’ Claude (Sonnet or Opus)

β€’ Perplexity (has web search)

Takes 2-3 minutes. AI generates your entire workflow map!

πŸ”

AI Deep Research: Find Your First 5 Customers

Don't manually search - use AI deep research tools to find specific targets!

🌐 Free Deep Research Tool:

OpenDeepResearch: https://www.opendeepresearch.dev/

Free tool that does extensive web research and finds specific people, companies, and contact info

πŸ“‹ Copy This Deep Research Prompt:

I need you to find 5 specific potential customers for my business using deep web research.

**MY BUSINESS:**
[Describe your business - what problem you solve and for who]

**TARGET CUSTOMER PROFILE:**
- Industry: [e.g., Real estate, SaaS, Consulting]
- Job titles: [e.g., Sales Director, Operations Manager]
- Company size: [e.g., 10-50 employees]
- Location: [if relevant]

**RESEARCH AND FIND:**
For EACH of the 5 targets, provide:
1. **Specific Person Name** OR **Company Name**
2. **Why they're a good fit** (based on LinkedIn, company website, or other sources)
3. **Contact method** (LinkedIn profile URL, company email format, or phone if available)
4. **A specific pain point** they likely have (based on their industry/role)
5. **Source link** where you found them

**SEARCH THESE PLACES:**
- LinkedIn (search by job title + industry)
- Company websites and "About Us" pages
- Industry directories
- Facebook/LinkedIn Groups related to [your niche]
- Local business listings (if location-based)

Make these REAL people or companies I can actually reach out to, not generic categories.
🌐

How to Use OpenDeepResearch

Step 1: Visit the Tool

Go to: https://www.opendeepresearch.dev/

Free to use, no signup required

Step 2: Paste Your Research Prompt

Use the prompt from the previous slide

Be specific about your target customer profile

Step 3: Let It Search

OpenDeepResearch will:

  • Search across multiple sources (LinkedIn, company sites, directories)
  • Find specific people or companies matching your criteria
  • Compile contact information and pain points
  • Provide source links for everything

Step 4: Validate the Results

Check each target they found:

  • βœ… Visit their LinkedIn profile or company website
  • βœ… Confirm they fit your target customer profile
  • βœ… Save their info in Airtable or spreadsheet
  • βœ… Draft personalized outreach message for each

This saves 2-3 hours of manual searching! You go from "I need to find real estate agents" to "Here are 5 specific agents with LinkedIn profiles and their pain points."

πŸ”§

AI-Assisted API & Tool Research

Don't manually Google each API - let AI research everything for you!

πŸ“‹ Copy This API Research Prompt:

I need you to research the technical feasibility of my workflow by finding all necessary APIs and tools.

**MY WORKFLOW:**
[Paste your workflow steps here - the one AI generated for you]

**FOR EACH TOOL/SERVICE IN THE WORKFLOW:**

Research and provide:
1. **Does an API exist?** (Search for "[tool name] API documentation")
2. **API Documentation URL** (direct link)
3. **Authentication method** (API key, OAuth, etc.)
4. **Pricing/Rate limits** (free tier? cost per request?)
5. **Does n8n have a pre-built node?** (Search "n8n [tool name] integration")
   - If YES: Link to n8n node documentation
   - If NO: Can we use HTTP Request node? (check if REST API available)

**ALSO FIND:**
- Alternative tools if primary choice doesn't have API
- Free alternatives for testing
- Estimated monthly API costs based on usage

**OUTPUT FORMAT:**
For each tool, create a checklist:
βœ… [Tool Name]
   - API: [Yes/No] - [Documentation URL]
   - n8n Node: [Yes/No] - [Link or "Use HTTP Request"]
   - Cost: [Free tier or $X/month]
   - Auth: [API key/OAuth/other]

This research will tell me if my workflow is technically buildable.

AI will research all your APIs in 3-5 minutes. You'll know immediately if your workflow is technically feasible!

πŸ’°

AI-Powered Pricing Analysis

Don't guess your pricing - let AI calculate it based on value and market research!

πŸ“‹ Copy This Pricing Prompt:

Help me calculate the optimal pricing for my automation service based on value delivered and market comparables.

**MY SERVICE:**
[Describe what your automation does and who it's for]

**TIME SAVED:**
- [X] hours per week per customer
- [Describe what tasks are being automated]

**RESEARCH AND CALCULATE:**

1. **Value-Based Pricing:**
   - Assume the customer values their time at $50-100/hour
   - Calculate: [hours saved] Γ— [hourly value] Γ— 4 weeks = monthly labor cost saved
   - Suggest my price at 30-40% of labor cost saved

2. **Competitor Research:**
   - Search for similar automation services or tools
   - Find 3-5 competitors and their pricing
   - List: Company name, what they charge, URL to pricing page
   - Analyze: Where do I fit in this range?

3. **Pricing Model Recommendation:**
   - Should I do: Setup fee + monthly, pure monthly, tiered plans, or usage-based?
   - Suggest specific numbers (e.g., "$500 setup + $600/month")

4. **First Customer Discount:**
   - Suggest a discounted price for first 3-5 customers
   - Explain when to raise prices

**OUTPUT:**
- Recommended starting price: $X/month
- Pricing model: [specific structure]
- Competitor comparison table
- Value justification (what customer is getting)
- When to increase pricing

AI does the market research and calculations. You get confident pricing backed by data, not guesswork!

✍️

AI-Generated Outreach Messages

Don't write cold messages from scratch - let AI draft personalized outreach!

πŸ“‹ Copy This Outreach Prompt:

Help me write personalized outreach messages for my first 5 target customers.

**MY SERVICE:**
[Brief description of your automation and who it helps]

**VALUE PROPOSITION:**
[What problem you solve and time/money saved]

**TARGET CUSTOMER INFO:**
For each person/company:
- Name: [Their name or company]
- Why they're a good fit: [Specific reason based on their role/industry]
- Pain point: [What they're struggling with that you solve]
- Where I'm reaching out: [LinkedIn, email, phone, etc.]

**WRITE 5 PERSONALIZED MESSAGES:**

For EACH target, create:
1. **Subject line** (if email) or **Opening line** (if LinkedIn/message)
2. **Message body** (3-4 short paragraphs):
   - Hook: Reference something specific about them/their company
   - Problem: Call out the pain point they have
   - Solution: Briefly explain how you solve it
   - Call to action: Ask for 15-min call or demo

**REQUIREMENTS:**
- Keep each message under 150 words
- Friendly but professional tone
- Don't be salesy - focus on helping them
- Include specific details about THEIR situation
- End with easy yes/no question or calendar link

**ALSO PROVIDE:**
- Follow-up message if no response after 1 week
- Response template if they say "tell me more"

AI writes personalized messages for each target. You just review, tweak if needed, and send!

πŸ€–

Your AI Co-Founder Workflow

Here's how AI helps you with EVERYTHING:

  1. Workflow Design: AI generates your step-by-step automation map
  2. Customer Research: OpenDeepResearch finds 5 specific targets with contact info
  3. API Validation: AI researches all tools and confirms technical feasibility
  4. Pricing Strategy: AI calculates value-based pricing and researches competitors
  5. Outreach Messages: AI writes personalized messages for each target

Time Saved: What would take 6-8 hours manually, AI does in 30-45 minutes.

Quality: AI has access to more data and examples than you could research alone.

You Focus On: Validating AI's outputs, talking to humans, and building relationships.

πŸ“š

Homework Before Session 3

7 AI-Assisted Tasks. Budget 3-4 hours total (AI does most of the work!).

πŸ€– AI-Powered Tasks:

  1. Use AI to generate your complete workflow map (15 min)
  2. Use OpenDeepResearch to find 5 specific target customers (20 min)
  3. Use AI to research all APIs and validate feasibility (20 min)
  4. Use AI to calculate your pricing strategy (15 min)
  5. Use AI to draft personalized outreach messages (15 min)

βœ‹ Manual Tasks:

  1. Create all accounts (n8n, AI APIs, Airtable, workflow tools) (1 hour)
  2. Watch n8n basics tutorial (30 min)

⚠️ This is Critical

Session 3 (Week 2) we start BUILDING. If you don't have your workflow mapped and accounts set up, you'll be stuck watching instead of doing.

πŸ“š Homework: AI-Powered Tasks 1-2

Task 1: AI Workflow Generation (15 min)

What to do:

  • βœ… Copy the workflow generation prompt from Slide 27
  • βœ… Paste into ChatGPT Plus, Claude, or Perplexity
  • βœ… Fill in your business idea
  • βœ… Review AI's output and ask follow-up questions if needed
  • βœ… Save the complete workflow map

Output: Complete numbered workflow with tools, nodes, and data flow documented

Task 2: AI Customer Research (20 min)

What to do:

  • βœ… Go to https://www.opendeepresearch.dev/
  • βœ… Copy the customer research prompt from Slide 28
  • βœ… Fill in your target customer profile
  • βœ… Let AI search for 5 specific people/companies
  • βœ… Review each result - visit their LinkedIn/website
  • βœ… Save the 5 validated targets in Airtable or spreadsheet

Output: List of 5 specific names with contact methods and why they're good fits

πŸ“š Homework: AI-Powered Tasks 3-4

Task 3: AI API Validation (20 min)

What to do:

  • βœ… Copy the API research prompt from Slide 30
  • βœ… Paste your workflow into the prompt
  • βœ… Let AI research each tool's API availability
  • βœ… Click through the documentation links AI provides
  • βœ… Confirm n8n nodes exist or HTTP Request is viable
  • βœ… Screenshot relevant API docs

Output: Checklist confirming every tool in your workflow is technically buildable

Task 4: AI Pricing Strategy (15 min)

What to do:

  • βœ… Copy the pricing analysis prompt from Slide 31
  • βœ… Fill in your service details and time saved
  • βœ… Review AI's value calculation and competitor research
  • βœ… Visit competitor pricing pages AI found
  • βœ… Decide on your starting price (usually first customer discount)
  • βœ… Write down your pricing model and justification

Output: Confident pricing decision backed by data: "$X/month because..."

πŸ“š Homework: Tasks 5-7

Task 5: AI Outreach Messages (15 min)

What to do:

  • βœ… Copy the outreach prompt from Slide 32
  • βœ… Paste in your 5 target customers from Task 2
  • βœ… Let AI draft personalized messages for each
  • βœ… Review and add specific details you found about each person
  • βœ… Save the messages (don't send yet! Wait until you have MVP)

Output: 5 personalized outreach messages ready to send when your MVP is built

Task 6: Create All Accounts (1 hour)

Manual task:

  • βœ… n8n at aititus.com/free-n8n
  • βœ… Airtable at airtable.com (free plan)
  • βœ… OpenAI or Anthropic API (add $10-20 credit)
  • βœ… Every service your workflow needs (use AI's list from Task 3)
  • βœ… Get API keys for each service
  • βœ… Save all credentials in password manager

Task 7: Watch n8n Basics (30 min)

Manual task:

  • βœ… Log into your n8n account
  • βœ… Watch n8n's official YouTube tutorials
  • βœ… Try creating a simple 2-node workflow
  • βœ… Get comfortable with the interface
πŸš€

What Happens in Session 3 (Week 2)

πŸ“… We Start BUILDING!

Session 3 is 100% hands-on. We'll:

  • Build your first n8n workflow from scratch (live walkthrough)
  • Connect Airtable, AI APIs, and other tools
  • Set up AI nodes with your prompts
  • Debug issues in real-time
  • Get your MVP working end-to-end

What You MUST Have Ready:

  • βœ… Complete workflow map (AI-generated and validated)
  • βœ… All accounts created with API keys
  • βœ… n8n account active and explored
  • βœ… Airtable table set up (if using for your workflow)
  • βœ… Basic understanding of your workflow's logic

⚠️ If You Skip Homework:

You'll spend Session 3 creating accounts and getting setup while everyone else is building. Don't let that be you!

Pro Tip: If you followed along with the Meeting Notes demo (slides 16-25), you already have a working example to reference! Use it as a template for your own workflow.

🎯

Resources & Next Steps

πŸ”— Key Resources:

  • Free n8n access: https://aititus.com/free-n8n
  • n8n documentation: https://docs.n8n.io
  • n8n integrations: https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/
  • Airtable: https://airtable.com
  • Airtable API: https://airtable.com/api
  • OpenDeepResearch: https://www.opendeepresearch.dev/
  • Challenge community: https://www.skool.com/aititus-2906/about
  • Session 1 Reference: session01.html

πŸ€– Your AI Tools:

  • Workflow Generation: ChatGPT Plus, Claude, Perplexity
  • Deep Research: OpenDeepResearch (free!)
  • API Research: Any LLM with web search
  • Pricing & Outreach: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity

πŸ“– Reference the Build Demo:

Slides 16-25 contain the complete step-by-step guide for building the Meeting Notes Summarizer. Use this as a reference when building YOUR workflow!

← Jump to Build Demo

You just turned your idea into a concrete, AI-researched plan. You saw how to build a real workflow. You have your customers, your pricing, and your outreach ready. Now go set up your tools and get ready to BUILD in Week 2! πŸš€

Remember: AI is your co-founder. Use it constantly!

See you in Session 3 where we build YOUR workflow together! πŸ’ͺ