Batley Entrepreneurship Club
AI Business
Launch Guide
Validate your idea. Find your first customer. Build with AI as your team — even if you've never used it before.
Create
Connect
Commercialise
⏱ Completable in one weekend
Builders. Backers. Belonging.
Before you start: This guide is for BEC members who have an idea — or even just a feeling they want to start something — but aren't sure where to begin.
You don't need to know how to code. You don't need to have used AI before. Just a laptop or phone, 20 minutes to set things up, and the willingness to actually do the tasks.
Work through it stage by stage. Don't skip ahead — each one builds on the last.
Why bother with setup? Because if you just open Claude and start chatting, it forgets everything when you close the tab. A "Project" gives your AI a permanent job description — it remembers your business, your goals, and your context every single time you come back.
Step 1 — Get Claude
Go to claude.ai and create a free account. You just need an email address.
| Free Plan |
Good enough to complete every stage in this guide. Start here. |
| Claude Pro (~£18/mo) |
More messages, faster — upgrade only after you've validated your idea. |
Step 2 — Create a Project
- 1Log in and look for "Projects" in the left sidebar
- 2Click "New Project"
- 3Give it a name — your business name or just "My Business"
- 4Find the "Project Instructions" box — this is the most important part
Step 3 — Write Your Project Instructions
Copy the template below. Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own information. Rough is fine — you can update it any time.
You are my AI business advisor and assistant. Here is everything you need to know about me and what I'm building:
MY NAME: [Your first name]
MY BUSINESS IDEA: [Describe your idea in 2–3 sentences. What do you do, who is it for, and what problem does it solve?]
Example: I want to help local mums in Batley find trusted childminders quickly. There's no easy way to do this locally right now — people rely on Facebook groups and word of mouth.
MY TARGET CUSTOMER: [Who — specific: age, location, situation]
THE PROBLEM I'M SOLVING: [What pain or unmet need does your customer have right now?]
WHERE I'M AT: [e.g. "Just an idea" / "Spoken to 3 potential customers"]
MY BACKGROUND: [Relevant skills, experience, community connections]
MY GOALS FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS: [e.g. "Validate the idea" / "Get my first paying customer"]
HOW TO TALK TO ME:
- Keep advice practical and simple. No jargon.
- I am early stage. Don't assume I have money to spend.
- Always break tasks into small, doable steps.
- Be honest. If my idea has problems, tell me directly.
- Remember everything in these instructions across all conversations.
Step 4 — Set Up Your 4 Chats
Inside your Project, create four separate chats. Each has a specific job. Don't use them yet — just create and name them.
💡
Demand Validator
Test and pressure-check your idea before building anything
📬
First Customer Outreach
Find real prospects and write genuine first messages
✍️
Content Creator
Turn validated insight into posts and content people care about
📋
Weekly Planning
Your Monday check-in — the engine that keeps everything moving
⚠ If Something Looks Different
Claude updates its interface regularly. If you can't find "Projects", look for a pencil icon or "New chat" button. Stuck? Screenshot it and bring it to the next BEC meetup — someone will help.
Why validate before building? The graveyard of failed businesses is full of people who built something nobody wanted. Validation means finding out whether real people actually have the problem you think they have — and whether they'd pay to have it solved.
Open Your "Demand Validator" Chat
Go into your Project and open the Demand Validator chat. Paste the prompt below — replace what's in [square brackets].
I want you to act as a brutally honest business advisor. Help me validate whether my idea has real demand before I build anything.
MY IDEA IN ONE SENTENCE: [Describe what you do and who it's for]
THE PROBLEM I THINK I'M SOLVING: [What frustration or gap does your customer have?]
MY TARGET CUSTOMER: [Be specific — age, location, situation]
Please analyse:
1. DEMAND CHECK — Is this a real, felt problem? How urgent is it?
2. MARKET SIZE — Roughly how many people locally (Batley / West Yorkshire) might have this?
3. WILLINGNESS TO PAY — Would people pay? What are they already spending on this problem?
4. COMPETITION — What alternatives exist? Why might someone choose me?
5. BIGGEST RISKS — The 3 most likely reasons this idea fails?
6. GO / NO-GO VERDICT — Is this worth pursuing further right now, or rethink first?
Be direct. Don't soften bad news. I'd rather know the truth now than waste 6 months.
How to Interpret the Result
✅ Signs of a Go
- Real people have this problem right now
- They're already spending money on it
- No dominant local solution exists
- Claude says: worth pursuing
⚠ Signs to Rethink
- Problem is "nice to have", not urgent
- Market is tiny or hard to reach
- Strong competition already exists
- Unclear why someone would pay
⚠ If It's a No-Go — Don't Quit. Reframe.
Go back to your Demand Validator chat and ask: "Based on everything above, what small tweak to my idea or target customer would make this a stronger opportunity? Give me 3 alternative angles." Most successful businesses were the second or third version of the idea.
📌 Remember
Claude analyses based on what you give it. It's not infallible. Real validation happens when you talk to actual people. This stage helps you think clearly before you do that.
Why a conversation, not a sale? Your first goal isn't to sell anything — it's to talk to a real potential customer. One genuine conversation will teach you more than a week of AI analysis. This stage helps you find those people without being spammy or awkward about it.
Prompt 1 — Find Where Your Customers Are
My target customer is: [describe them — e.g. "local mums in Batley aged 25–40 who need childcare"]
Help me answer:
1. WHERE DO THEY HANG OUT? — Online and offline: Facebook groups, local forums, WhatsApp communities, events, shops, community centres, local businesses...
2. WHO DO THEY ALREADY TRUST? — Local people, businesses, or organisations that have their trust. These might be useful introductions or partnerships.
3. HOW DO I FIND 10 REAL PEOPLE? — A simple, non-creepy way to find 10 people matching this description within the next 7 days using only free methods.
4. WHAT'S THE OPENING LINE? — A natural, non-salesy way to start a conversation.
Goal: NOT to sell. Goal: to ask them about their experience with [the problem].
Be specific to my local area — Batley, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
Prompt 2 — Write Your First Outreach Message
Works for a DM, WhatsApp message, Facebook group post, or face-to-face opener.
Write me a short, genuine first message to send to a potential customer.
CONTEXT:
- I'm based in Batley / West Yorkshire
- My idea is: [one sentence]
- The problem I think they have: [specific frustration]
- Where I'm sending this: [Facebook group / WhatsApp / Instagram DM / face to face]
- My tone: warm, local, community-minded — not corporate
RULES:
- Do NOT pitch anything or mention prices
- Do NOT be vague — reference the specific problem
- DO mention I'm researching / exploring the idea (honest and disarming)
- Ask only ONE question at the end — about their experience with the problem
- Keep it under 80 words
- Sound like a real local person, not a marketer
Write 3 versions in slightly different tones. I'll pick the one that feels most like me.
Prompt 3 — Handle Replies
Someone replied to my outreach. Here's what they said:
"[paste their exact reply here]"
Help me write a genuine follow-up. My goals:
1. Keep the conversation going naturally
2. Learn more about their specific situation and pain points
3. NOT pitch or sell anything yet
4. Sound warm and human, not scripted
Also tell me: based on their reply, what's the most valuable thing I've just
learned about my target customer?
🎯 Your Target for This Stage
Send your first message to at least 5 real people this week. You're not looking for 5 yeses. You're looking for 1 real conversation. One conversation with one real person is worth more than 100 Instagram followers.
Why one piece of content now? Content is how people who don't know you personally find out you exist. It doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn't need to go viral. It just needs to be honest and useful to the specific person you're trying to reach.
Pick ONE Platform Before You Start
Choose where your customer actually is — not the platform you personally use most. 45-year-old tradesperson in Dewsbury? Facebook. 24-year-old freelancer? LinkedIn or Instagram. Decide before you open the chat.
Help me create my first piece of content as a new business owner in Batley, West Yorkshire.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED SO FAR:
- My idea: [one sentence]
- The real pain my customer has: [from validation / conversations]
- Something specific that rang true: [even from your AI validation]
PLATFORM: [Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn — pick ONE]
CONTENT GOAL: I want someone with this problem to read this and think
"this person actually gets it."
Please write:
1. One post for [platform] — max 150 words
2. A simple image caption or visual description I could use with it
3. One honest CTA (comment, share, DM — NOT to buy yet)
TONE: Warm, local, community-minded. Honest. Like a neighbour helping a neighbour.
Do NOT use buzzwords. Do NOT start with "Are you struggling with..."
Do NOT make it sound like an ad.
⚠ Resist the Urge to Post Everywhere at Once
One platform. One post. That's the rule for your first week. Spreading yourself across five platforms before you've found your voice is how people burn out and quit before they've even started.
Why a weekly rhythm? The biggest threat to your early-stage business isn't competition — it's inconsistency. Life gets in the way. If you don't have a simple weekly structure, the business just stops. This isn't about doing more. It's about always knowing what the next most important thing is.
The Monday 20-Minute Check-In
Every Monday morning (or Sunday night), open your Weekly Planning chat and run this brain dump. Don't write it neatly — just type whatever's in your head, messy and unfiltered.
Here's my brain dump for this week:
LAST WEEK REVIEW:
- What I actually did (not what I planned): [be honest]
- What worked or felt good: [even small wins count]
- What I didn't do and why: [no judgment, just facts]
- What I learned from conversations or feedback: [even one thing]
THIS WEEK'S SITUATION:
- Time I realistically have available: [hours — honest, not optimistic]
- Energy level right now: [high / medium / low]
- Anything eating my time this week: [kids, work, family, etc.]
- The one thing I feel most stuck on: [if anything]
Based on all of this, give me:
1. My 3 most important tasks for THIS WEEK ONLY
2. The single most important one to do first, and why
3. One thing I should NOT do this week (to protect my focus)
4. An honest reality check: Am I making progress, or am I busy-but-not-moving?
The Four Chats — Quick Reference
💡
Demand Validator
Test your idea, explore pivots, pressure-check your thinking
📬
First Customer Outreach
Prepare messages, find prospects, handle replies
✍️
Content Creator
Write posts, captions, emails, any public-facing message
📋
Weekly Planning
Every Monday — the glue that holds everything else together
🧠 When Claude Gives Confusing Advice
Just say: "That doesn't feel right for me. Here's why: [explain]. Can you give me a simpler or more realistic version?" You're allowed to push back. Claude is a tool, not a boss.
You're Ready to Launch When...
Tap each item as you complete it. Every single one matters.
I have a Claude account (free or paid)
I've created a Project and filled in my Project Instructions
I've set up my four named chats inside the Project
I've run the Demand Validator and got a Go (or rethought my idea)
I know where my target customers actually spend time
I've sent at least one real outreach message to a potential customer
I've had at least one real conversation with someone who has my problem
I've created and posted my first piece of content
I've done my first Monday planning session
I know my 3 most important tasks for this week
0 of 10 complete