Launch approval card / SP-APPROVE-00

Choose the launch path without connecting the launch.

A compact review sheet for the Start Here pack. It compares manual validation, free lead magnet, and paid product paths side-by-side, then names the exact Tim approvals needed before Hermes touches accounts, checkout, email, analytics, deployment, or outreach.

Open approval cardCompare launch doorsReview Path A messageOpen Path A packetReview lead magnetReview paid productCompare offer readiness
StatusLocal decision sheet
Live systemsNone connected
OutputApproval checklist
Risk ruleTim decides first

Command brief

This card prevents accidental half-launches.

The Start Here pack can become a manual validation asset, a free lead magnet, or a low-ticket product. Those are different businesses for the first week. This page makes the choice explicit before any account, form, checkout, analytics, delivery, or public page is connected.

10-year-old mode

Pick one door before opening the store.

Do not build an email list, shop page, tracking setup, and outreach script at the same time. Choose one path, write down what is allowed, test it by hand, then decide whether the next door should open.

Side-by-side launch paths

Three possible next gates. One should be chosen.

SafestPath A / Manual validation

Human-share test

Use when the goal is learning buyer objections before accounts, checkout, email capture, or analytics exist.

  • Tim approves exact audience and delivery method.
  • Hermes may draft the message but may not send it.
  • Tim records replies in the feedback log.
  • Success signal: replies, questions, objections, or requests.
List-buildingPath B / Free lead magnet

Email download test

Use only after Tim approves an email provider, privacy/unsubscribe language, delivery flow, and public-page copy.

  • No email account setup or terms acceptance without approval.
  • Success signal: opt-ins plus reply/engagement quality.
  • Stop if people download but cannot explain the first manual.
Revenue testPath C / Paid product

Low-ticket checkout

Use only after price, checkout platform, refund/terms, tax/KYC/payment, delivery, and support expectations are approved.

  • No payment platform, listing, or KYC fields without Tim.
  • Success signal: purchase intent, preorders, or paid sales.
  • Stop if support/refund/delivery path is unclear.

Approval matrix

What must be true before each path opens.

Approval field
Manual validation
Free lead magnet
Paid product
AudienceExact small test group approved.Target reader and traffic source approved.Buyer, price sensitivity, and sales page promise approved.
Proof allowedWorksheet screenshots and fictional samples only.Local pack, samples, QA proof, no fake testimonials.Same proof plus approved terms, refund, support, and delivery claims.
SystemsNo account systems required.Email provider, privacy/unsubscribe, delivery, analytics if approved.Checkout, payment/KYC/tax, delivery, refund, support, analytics if approved.
Human lockHermes drafts only; Tim sends and records feedback.Tim approves provider setup, copy, public deployment, and capture.Tim approves platform, price, terms, payment details, listing, and launch.
First metricQuestions, objections, requests, and clarity notes.Opt-ins, confirmation, replies, and first-manual confusion.Purchases, cart friction, support load, refunds, and objections.

Interactive local approval card

Choose a path and see the exact approval packet.

Approval card complete locally. Next real-world gate: Tim chooses whether to run manual validation, build an approved lead-magnet path, or build an approved checkout path.

Safety locks

Hermes-safe work vs Tim-required approvals.

Hermes can do locally

Prepare and organize.

Draft copy, compare paths, build local HTML/Markdown, inspect links, update ZIPs, run QA, create approval worksheets, and summarize objections after Tim supplies feedback.

Tim must approve

Anything external or irreversible.

Publishing, deployment, email capture, checkout, analytics, accounts, terms acceptance, outreach, posting, ads, payment/KYC/tax/legal/identity details, customer data, and public proof claims.

Downloadable counterpart

Keep this card inside the Start Here pack.

The matching Markdown version lives in the local download folder so the ZIP contains the launch decision fields alongside the worksheets. Path A also has a manual message review sheet, a printable Path A packet, a blank feedback log for Tim to record real market language after he approves a manual test, a first-5 response synthesis sheet, a no-data decision review page, a lead-magnet readiness draft for any future free-download path, a paid-product readiness draft for any future checkout path, and an offer-readiness comparison for choosing the conservative next move before opening email, checkout, analytics, deployment, or outreach systems.

Open Markdown approval cardOpen Message ReviewOpen Path A PacketOpen Manual Feedback LogOpen Response SynthesisOpen Decision ReviewOpen Lead Magnet DraftOpen Paid Product DraftOpen Offer ReadinessOpen local ZIP