# StackPilot Start Here — Launch Approval Card

Status: local review sheet. This card is for choosing the first launch path only. It does not authorize publishing, deployment, email capture, checkout, analytics, account creation, terms acceptance, outreach, payment, or use of private identity/payment/tax/legal/KYC details.

## Decision

Choose exactly one path for the first validation test:

- [ ] Path A — Manual validation
- [ ] Path B — Free lead magnet
- [ ] Path C — Paid product
- [ ] WAIT — Improve the local asset before launch setup

Do not connect multiple paths at once. Manual validation, list-building, and low-ticket checkout create different operational risks and different first metrics.

## Path A — Manual validation

Best when the question is: do real people understand or want this pack before StackPilot creates any launch infrastructure?

Tim approval fields:

1. Exact audience or reader group:
2. Manual delivery method:
3. Message/script Tim approves:
4. Feedback log location:
5. First-5-response synthesis location:
6. First metric:
7. Stop rule:

Hermes may draft the script, prepare the feedback log, and summarize Tim-supplied responses into the synthesis template. Hermes may not send, post, DM, email, publish, scrape, or contact anyone.

## Path B — Free lead magnet

Best when the goal is learning demand and building an audience before charging.

Tim approval fields:

1. Email provider:
2. Privacy/unsubscribe language:
3. Delivery email and download path:
4. Public page copy:
5. Deployment domain/path:
6. Analytics or click tracking:
7. Support/contact path:
8. First metric:
9. Stop rule:

Hermes may prepare copy and local files. Tim must approve account setup, provider terms, public deployment, email capture, privacy language, analytics, and delivery tests.

## Path C — Paid product

Best when the goal is validating willingness to pay for a small, safe, useful starter asset.

Tim approval fields:

1. Price:
2. Checkout/marketplace platform:
3. Refund/terms language:
4. Support inbox/contact path:
5. Download delivery test:
6. Payment/KYC/tax requirements:
7. Public listing or sales page:
8. First metric:
9. Stop rule:

Hermes may prepare copy, local assets, and QA files. Tim must approve checkout, account creation, platform terms, price, refunds, payment/KYC/tax details, public listing, delivery, and support obligations.

## Proof rules

Allowed before market validation:

- Blank worksheets
- Printable pack screenshots
- Local ZIP QA output
- Fictional sample artifacts clearly labeled as fictional
- Approval-gate and safety screenshots
- Manual route map

Not allowed unless real proof exists and Tim approves:

- Fake testimonials
- Fake revenue
- Invented customers
- Unsupported case studies
- Logos or screenshots without permission
- Guaranteed income or passive-income claims
- Claims that AI will safely run the business without human approval

## First metric by path

- Manual validation: questions, objections, yes/no responses, requests, and which manual/day confused people first.
- Free lead magnet: opt-ins, delivery confirmation, replies, unsubscribes, and Day 01 completion signals if voluntarily reported.
- Paid product: purchase attempts, completed purchases, checkout friction, support questions, refund requests, and objections.

## First-5-response synthesis

Before moving from Path A into a free lead magnet or paid product, use `manual-validation-message-review.md` to prepare one Tim-edited manual share script, `manual-validation-feedback-log.md` to record replies, and `manual-validation-response-synthesis.md` to review the first five Tim-supplied responses.

Conservative decision options:

- WAIT — not enough clear market language yet.
- IMPROVE — repeated confusion or proof gaps are visible.
- MANUAL SHARE AGAIN — people understand it, but demand is still not strong enough for systems.
- FREE LEAD MAGNET — people ask for the worksheet/download/walkthrough but do not show purchase intent.
- PAID PRODUCT — the right audience asks about price, buying, or implementation help.

## Human approval lock

AI may draft, organize, summarize, score, route, remind, compare, and create local files.

Humans approve before AI publishes, sends, contacts people, buys anything, creates accounts, accepts terms, deploys, deletes records, changes account settings, connects analytics/email/checkout, uses live customer systems, or uses private payment/tax/legal/KYC/identity details.