Start Here, first useful prompt, and the safety rules.
Open previewAI Field Guide - Entry product
Start using AI without feeling behind.
A plain-English starter guide for people who have never used AI, tried ChatGPT once, want Claude or Codex next, or run a business and need AI to save time without making it feel like extra work.
Start where you are
Beginner-friendly, practical, and built around one useful first win.
Offer path
Start free. Buy the guide later. Join the room when it opens.
The organized starter product with prompts, examples, and practice paths.
View guide shelfThe guided community layer. Join link stays placeholder until launch.
Join link coming soonChoose your door
Where are you starting from?
No long form. Pick the lane that sounds most like you and the guide opens on the right first move.
01
What ChatGPT is, how to open it, what not to paste, and the first safe thing to type.
Open Start Here
02
Use the first useful prompt, then steer the draft with clean follow-up questions.
Run First Prompt
03
Turn random chats into saved jobs, rules, answer shapes, and proof checks.
Build A Workspace
04
See when ChatGPT, Claude, and Codex each make sense without tool overload.
See Tool Lanes
05
Pick one repeat job, write the rules, and require proof before it touches real work.
Start Business Workflow
Never used AI
I need the plain beginner start.
Tried ChatGPT
I want one answer worth saving.
Need a system
I keep starting over every time.
Next tools
I want Claude or Codex next.
Business owner
I need AI to save or make money.
Start here if you came from the video
Seven stops. One useful AI habit.
The first public path stays small on purpose: write one useful prompt, fix the rough answer, save the workflow, pick the right tool, turn the chat into a saved workspace, prove the output, then move toward the Classroom when it opens. Random chat is a quick answer. A workspace is the repeatable job, rules, answer shape, and proof check.
- 01 First Useful Prompt Get one real answer instead of staring at the blank box.
- 02 Fix A Bad AI Answer Treat the first answer like a draft, then steer it.
- 03 Prompt To Workflow Save the job, inputs, rules, answer shape, and proof check.
- 04 Which Tool Do I Use? ChatGPT first, Claude for drafts, Codex for build work.
- 05 Random Chat vs AI Workspace Stop starting over. Save the job, rules, and proof.
- 06 Proof Before Trust Check names, numbers, dates, privacy, promises, tone, and next action.
- 07 Free Guide To Classroom Use the guide now. Join link comes later.
Plain-spoken promise
No robot talk. No fake guru promise.
Chance's rule for this guide is simple: use normal words, make one useful thing, then check it before trusting it. That is the voice of the Field Guide, the Classroom, and the future Boardroom.
Explain the tool like a person would explain it at the table, not like a tech conference.
Use AI on one real task first: a message, summary, checklist, post, estimate, or plan.
Names, numbers, dates, promises, private details, and final judgment stay with the human.
Pick your starting point
Five doors. Same guide.
No long quiz. Pick the line that sounds like you and start with the chapter that fits.
01
I have never used AI.
Start with what AI is, what ChatGPT is, and how to get into the right screen.
Start at the beginning 02I tried ChatGPT a little.
Skip the warm-up and use the first prompt, then fix the answer with follow-ups.
Get one useful answer 03I want to stop starting over.
Learn when a normal chat is enough and when to save the job, rules, answer shape, and proof step.
Turn chat into a habit 04I want Claude or Codex next.
See where those tools fit after you understand the basic ChatGPT move.
See the next tools 05I run a business.
Pick one repeat job, save the rules, and require proof before the answer touches real customers or money.
Build one safe workflowFocused chapter pages
Each starting point now has its own short path.
Open the path page for the quick win. Keep scrolling for the full AI Field Guide, prompt pack, McVay AI Classroom onramp, and Business Boardroom coming-soon lane.
The sellable promise
It starts before the blank ChatGPT box.
A short guide with a clear first path: understand what they opened, know where to click, type the first real request, and improve the answer without feeling lost.
Five guide paths, one simple goal: help the buyer get one useful AI win this week, save the part that worked, and know what to do next.
Free to guided path
Give them a first win, then show the next room.
The offer path needs to feel simple: learn the first move for free, get the Field Guide when they want the shelf organized, use the Classroom when they want help staying with it, and keep Boardroom clearly marked for later.
Free start
Beginner Guide
A clean first page for people who have never used AI. They learn what ChatGPT is, how to open it, what not to paste, and the first safe thing to type.
Start freeEntry product
AI Field Guide
The starter product. It turns the free first move into a shelf: first prompt, example answers, follow-ups, practice days, and simple business examples with saved rules and proof checks.
Open BookshelfGuided layer
McVay AI Classroom
The weekly room for people who want help turning the guide into a repeatable habit, saved prompts, and real workflows. Join link coming soon.
Join ClassroomFuture lane
Business Boardroom
Coming soon. A future high-touch lane for small business owners who have proven one useful workflow and need custom help cleaning up the next layer of operations.
Preview future laneEnough to trust the guide.
Starting point router, ChatGPT basics, one first prompt, follow-up moves, safety notes, and a few practical examples.
The organized shelf.
More prompts, practice days, example answers, beginner chapters, and simple workflows people can come back to.
The room, rhythm, and proof.
A simple room for the messy task, plain help, saved workflow cards, and proof checks before people trust the answer.
What they get
A short guide that teaches the whole first move.
What AI is
A normal-person explanation without pretending it is magic.
What ChatGPT is
The chat screen, what it is good at, and what it is not.
How to access it
Browser, mobile app, desktop app, account, and sign-in basics.
Free vs paid
Start free. Upgrade only when the limits actually matter.
The first prompt
A copy-paste message that tells ChatGPT the job, tone, and audience.
A good answer
What usable output looks like and what still needs human checking.
Follow-up questions
Short fixes for answers that are too stiff, too long, or too vague.
AI workspace
One repeat job, one rules sheet, one checklist, and proof before trust.
Work examples
Customer replies, posts, estimates, notes, saved rules, and proof-before-use checks.
Inside the guide
The buyer can use it before they feel ready.
The Field Guide is not a pile of AI theory. It gives them the first task, the first prompt, the first check, and the next move so they can get one useful answer today.
Use the starter prompt
01
Get to the right screen
Open ChatGPT in the browser or official app and start one clean chat for one task.
02
Paste one real job
Give it context, the outcome, the reader, and the tone instead of a vague command.
03
Fix the first draft
Ask for shorter, warmer, clearer, or more specific until the answer is useful.
04
Turn it into a workspace
Save the rules, steps, and proof checks so next week starts faster.
Copy-ready sample
First useful win
I am new to using ChatGPT.
Help me turn these messy notes into a clear message.
The person reading it is [customer, client, coworker, or myself].
Make it sound warm, plain, and not salesy.
If something important is missing, ask me one question before you write.
Here are my notes:
[paste rough notes]Human check before using it
- Are the names, dates, prices, and promises correct?
- Does it sound like something you would actually say?
- Did you remove private details that do not need to be there?
- Is there one clear next step for the reader?
McVay AI Classroom
The room should feel simple before it feels big.
The Field Guide gets them moving. The Classroom is the guided room where they bring the messy task, get a plain answer, save the workflow, and prove it worked before trusting it.
Pick one AI job
Name the real task, the messy context, and the safety line before typing.
Save one answer
Use a plain prompt and follow-up question until the answer is worth saving.
Build a workflow card
Turn the useful prompt into inputs, output format, review steps, and reuse rules.
Proof before trust
Check facts, privacy, tone, numbers, names, and the next action before using it.
Good fit if...
- You tried AI but did not know what to do next.
- You want examples using normal work, not theory.
- You need a weekly push to turn one prompt into one repeatable workflow.
What they leave with
- One useful answer saved from a real task.
- One workflow card they can reuse next week.
- One proof check that keeps the output honest.
Classroom portal preview
Community, Classroom, Calendar, Members, and Progress.
The public guide teaches the first move. The Classroom room uses the community shape people already understand: a feed for stuck questions, lessons for the sprint, a planned calendar, progress tags, and member roles when the real room opens.
First post kit, prompt repair, wins, questions, and pinned start-here notes.
Start Here, ChatGPT Starter, Prompt to Workflow, AI Workspace, and proof check.
Lesson drop, working room, office-hour review, and Friday proof post placeholders.
Local profile, learner roles, progress tags, and no fake member count.
Future option
Boardroom stays in the future lane.
Some business owners will eventually need more than a guide or group program. That is where Boardroom can sit later: business-specific AI workflows, process cleanup, and implementation help after one small workflow has already proven useful.
Small business owners
One proven workflow first
Custom cleanup later
For now, the Field Guide and Classroom stay the path. Boardroom is only here so business owners can see the later option without skipping the starter work.
Start with one business jobChapter 1
Start here: you are not behind.
AI moved fast. You do not need to master every tool before you start. You need one clean first win.
This guide has one job: help you understand the basics, open the right screen, type one real request, get one useful answer, and know how to make that answer better.
The simple rule: fast draft, human judgment. You stay the boss.
Chapter 2
What is AI?
For this guide, AI means software you can talk to in plain English. You type what you need, and it can help draft, explain, organize, compare, summarize, brainstorm, or turn messy notes into something easier to use.
It is not a person. It is not automatically right. It does not know your whole life or your whole business unless you give it context. Think of it like a fast helper that can write a first draft, then needs you to judge what is true, useful, and safe to send.
Good beginner use
Draft a message, clean up notes, explain a topic, make a checklist, or give you options.
Bad beginner use
Paste private information, trust facts without checking, or let it make promises for your business.
Chapter 3
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is the AI chat tool most people have heard about first. You type into a message box, it answers, and you keep talking until the answer is useful enough to work with.
Use ChatGPT for the first pass: a customer reply, a cleaner email, a simple post, a summary, a list of next steps, or a plain-English explanation. Do not treat the first answer like the final answer. Treat it like a draft that showed up fast.
If the blank box makes you freeze, that is not a character flaw.
It just means nobody gave you the first sentence yet.
Chapter 4
How to access ChatGPT.
Start simple. Use the browser first if you are unsure. Once you are comfortable, add the official mobile or desktop app if it makes your day easier.
Browser
Open ChatGPT in a web browser, sign in or create an account, and start a new chat.
Mobile app
Use the official app from OpenAI on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Check the publisher before installing.
Desktop app
Desktop can be useful later for files, screenshots, and faster access, but it is not required for Day 1.
What the screen looks like when you arrive
1
The middle of the page has a message box. That is where you type the request.
2
A new chat starts clean. Use one chat per task so the conversation does not get messy.
3
The side area usually holds recent chats. That is where old conversations live.
4
Extra tools can appear around the box. Ignore them on Day 1 unless you need a file or image.
Beginner move: use one account, one browser tab, and one real task.
Do not start by installing every tool.
Chapter 5
Free vs paid in plain English.
The free plan is enough to learn the basic move. Paid plans mostly buy more room: higher usage limits, broader access to advanced tools, faster or expanded features, and more business/work options.
Start free when...
You are learning, testing prompts, writing short drafts, and seeing if you will actually use it.
Upgrade when...
You keep hitting limits, need heavier file/image/research use, or depend on it for work every week.
Plan names and limits change. The buying rule does not: do not pay just because everyone is talking about AI. Pay when the tool is already saving time or making work better.
Chapter 6
What not to paste, and when to verify.
Before you paste anything, use the parking-lot rule: if you would not leave it printed on your dashboard in a busy parking lot, do not paste it into a beginner AI chat.
Do not paste
- Passwords
- Credit card numbers
- Private customer details you do not need
- Medical, legal, tax, or financial details that need a professional
Always verify
- Facts, dates, prices, and claims
- Anything legal, medical, tax, or compliance related
- Promises before a customer sees them
- Numbers before money moves
Instead of this
Here is my customer's full name, phone number, address, and account issue. Write a reply.
Use this
A customer has a billing question and feels frustrated. Help me write a calm reply that asks for the right details privately.
You can still use ChatGPT. Just describe the situation without exposing private data.
Chapter 7
The first message to paste.
Change the brackets so it sounds like your real life.
Hi. I run a [type of business or describe your work] and I am new to using ChatGPT.
Please keep this simple and friendly.
I need help with [the real thing you need help with].
The person reading it is [customer, client, coworker, family member, myself, etc.].
Make it sound [warm, plain, calm, professional, casual, direct].
Before you write, ask me one question if you need more information.Why each line is there
Who
I run a [type of business] tells ChatGPT what world you are in.
Level
I am new to using ChatGPT tells it not to talk over your head.
Job
I need help with... gives it the real task instead of making it guess.
Reader
The person reading it is... changes the answer for a customer, helper, or yourself.
Tone
Make it sound... keeps the answer from getting stiff, fake, or too salesy.
Question
Ask me one question slows the tool down when it does not have enough context.
What should come back
You want either one clear draft or one useful question. If it gives
you a giant lecture, tell it: Make this shorter and give me only
the message I can send.
This works because it gives ChatGPT context, the job, the audience, the tone, and permission to ask instead of guessing.
Chapter 8
What a good answer looks like.
A good answer is not fancy. It is clear, usable, and close enough that you can edit it instead of starting from zero.
Weak answer
Thank you for your inquiry. We appreciate your interest in our services. Please provide additional information and we will be happy to assist you further at our earliest convenience.
Better answer
Hi Sarah, thanks for reaching out. I can help with that. The next step is to send me a photo of the current setup and the best time for a quick call. Once I see what we are working with, I can give you a clear next step instead of guessing.
Why it works
- It sounds like a real person.
- It gives the customer one clear next step.
- It does not overpromise.
- It still needs you to check the facts before sending.
What to fix next
- Meaning: Did it answer the real problem?
- Tone: Would you actually say it this way?
- Length: Can the reader understand it fast?
- Truth: Are names, dates, prices, and promises correct?
Chapter 9
Fix the answer with follow-up questions.
Do not decide in three seconds whether AI is good or bad. Read it like a draft from a helper.
Is the meaning right?
Is the tone right?
Is it too long?
Is it too stiff?
Did it make anything up?
Would I actually send this?
Talk back with short fixes.
Chapter 10
The prompt recipe: Context + Outcome + Audience + Tone.
Context
Who you are and what is happening.
Outcome
What you want back.
Audience
Who will read or use it.
Tone
How it should sound.
Weak prompt
Write a customer email.
Better prompt
I run a small bakery. A customer ordered a birthday cake for Saturday, but I need to move pickup to Sunday morning because an ingredient shipment came late. Write a short customer email. Tone: honest, apologetic, not dramatic. Keep it under 120 words.
Chapter 11
Five worked examples from real work.
HVAC quote follow-up
Weak: Write a follow-up text.
I run a small HVAC company. I sent a quote for a furnace replacement 5 days ago and have not heard back.
Write a low-pressure follow-up text to the homeowner. Make it friendly, short, and easy for them to reply yes, no, or ask a question.Sample answer: Hi [Name], just checking in on the furnace quote I sent over. No pressure either way. If you have questions, want to adjust anything, or decided to wait, just let me know and I can help from there.
Salon appointment reminder
Weak: Remind my client.
I own a small salon. Write a short appointment reminder text for a haircut tomorrow at 2:30 PM.
Make it warm and clear. Include that they can reply to this text if they need to reschedule.Sample answer: Hi [Name], quick reminder that your haircut is tomorrow at 2:30 PM. Looking forward to seeing you. If you need to move the time, reply here and we will figure it out.
Angry review reply
Weak: Respond to this bad review.
A customer left this review:
"[paste review]"
Help me write a calm public reply. Take the concern seriously, do not argue, do not sound defensive, and invite them to contact us so we can understand what happened.Sample answer: Thank you for telling us. I am sorry this was your experience. That is not the standard we are aiming for, and I would like to understand what happened so we can make it right where we can.
Landscaping estimate explanation
Weak: Explain this estimate.
I run a landscaping business. Help me explain this estimate to a homeowner in plain English:
[paste line items]
Keep it friendly and clear. Explain what each part does and why it matters without making the customer feel talked down to.Sample answer: The first part covers cleanup and prep so the new work has a clean base. The second part covers materials. The third part covers labor and hauling away what we remove.
Facebook post for a local shop
Weak: Make a post.
I run a local [shop type]. Write 3 short Facebook posts about [new item, service, event, or sale].
My customers are local people who like practical updates, not hype.
Make the posts friendly, specific, and easy to reply to. No cheesy hashtags.Sample answer: We just added [item] this week. If you have been waiting for something simple for [use case], this is the one I would look at first. Stop in or message us with questions.
Chapter 12 - business owner path
A simple business workflow for this week.
Do not start by trying to automate your whole business. Pick one recurring mess, use ChatGPT to make the first draft cleaner, then save the prompt if it worked.
1
Customer reply
Use AI to draft a calm answer, then check tone and facts before sending.
2
Follow-up
Turn a quote, estimate, or meeting into one clear next-step message.
3
Post or email
Make one practical update for customers without hype or fake urgency.
4
SOP/checklist
Turn a task you repeat into steps a helper could follow.
5
Weekly routine
Save the useful prompts and run the same cleanup every week.
The 30-minute routine
10 min
Paste one messy customer message or rough notes.
10 min
Ask for a shorter, warmer, clearer version.
5 min
Verify facts, dates, prices, and promises.
5 min
Save the prompt if it helped and reuse it next week.
I run a [business type]. A customer sent this message:
[paste message without private details]
Help me write a calm reply. Keep it human, clear, and under 120 words. Give the customer one next step. Mark anything I should verify before sending.I run a [business type]. Here are my messy notes from this week:
[paste notes]
Turn this into:
1. customer follow-ups
2. admin tasks
3. one useful post idea
4. one process I should turn into a checklist
5. the first thing I should do Monday
Business rule: use AI where the work repeats. If you only do a task
once, just get the draft. If you do it every week, save the prompt.
Classroom next step
Want help turning this into a habit?
The Classroom is where this weekly business cleanup can become guided practice: bring one real task, improve the prompt, and save the workflow for next week.
Chapter 13 - optional next tools
Claude and Codex come after the first win.
Start with ChatGPT because most beginners recognize the name. That lowers the friction. Claude and Codex can sit beside it once the buyer understands the basic move: give context, ask for an outcome, judge the answer, then follow up.
Try Claude when...
You want a careful writing pass, a calm second opinion, or help thinking through messy words.
Try Codex when...
You are ready to build, fix, or organize software, websites, automations, or code-heavy projects.
Keep the buyer moving. ChatGPT first, Claude and Codex after the beginner path is clear.
Chapter 14 - Claude next
Claude is for careful second passes and messy words.
Claude is a good next tool when the buyer has already learned the basic ChatGPT move and wants help with longer notes, a rough draft, a sensitive reply, or a piece of writing that needs a calmer second read.
Use it for writing cleanup
Paste the draft, explain who it is for, and ask for a clearer version without changing the meaning.
Use it for long context
Give the messy notes first, then ask one clear question at the end so the answer stays focused.
Use it for second opinions
Ask what is unclear, too harsh, missing, risky, or worth checking before someone else sees it.
The beginner Claude recipe
1
Context: what this is and who will read it.
2
Job: what you want Claude to do with the material.
3
Output: the exact shape you want back.
4
Check: ask what you should verify before using it.
I want a careful second pass on this draft.
Context:
[who this is for and what situation it is about]
Draft:
[paste draft]
Please return:
1. a clearer version that keeps my meaning
2. what you changed and why
3. anything that sounds too harsh, vague, or risky
4. what I should verify before sending<context>
[paste notes, transcript, policy, email thread, or messy information]
</context>
<job>
Turn this into a plain-English summary for someone new to the topic.
</job>
<output>
Give me:
1. what matters most
2. what is unclear
3. the next 3 useful actions
4. questions I should answer before relying on this
</output>
Claude rule: give it the messy material, then tell it the exact job.
Do not just ask it to "make this better."
Chapter 15 - Codex next
Codex is for building, fixing, and organizing technical work.
Codex is not the first stop for most beginners. Use ChatGPT first to learn the basic conversation. Move to Codex when the work touches code, websites, automations, local files, or a project folder that needs changes.
Use ChatGPT when...
You need words, ideas, summaries, explanations, customer replies, or a plain plan.
Use Claude when...
You want a careful writing pass, long context, or a calm second read on messy material.
Use Codex when...
You want help reading code, changing files, fixing bugs, reviewing work, or building a small technical project.
Beginner-safe first task
Ask Codex to explain the project before you ask it to change anything. A good first request is: "Look through this folder and tell me what this project does, what files matter, and what you would touch for my request."
Do not start here
Do not point Codex at private folders, payment code, customer data, or a live business system unless you understand what it may read or change. Start in a copy, a test folder, or a small local project.
Look through this project folder and explain it in plain English.
Tell me:
1. what this project does
2. which files matter most
3. where I should be careful
4. what you would change for this request:
[describe the change]
Do not edit files yet. Give me the plan first.I want one small, safe change.
Goal:
[describe the goal]
Rules:
- only touch the files needed for this change
- explain what you changed
- run or describe the check you used
- stop and ask before changing anything risky
Codex rule: plan first, small change second, verify third. That is
how beginners avoid turning one fix into a bigger mess.
Free beginner guide sampler
Five prompts that give one real win.
The public page should not dump the whole paid shelf. These five prompts teach the first loop: open AI, type the first useful prompt, fix the answer, save what worked, and build one small workspace.
1. First useful prompt
Hi. I am new to using ChatGPT. Help me with [one real task]. The situation is [short context]. The answer is for [person]. Make it sound plain and useful. Ask one question if you need more information.
2. Make it usable
Take your last answer and make it shorter, warmer, and easier to use. Keep the meaning, remove anything that sounds stiff, and give me one version I could actually send.
3. Show what to verify
Before I use this answer, list anything I should verify. Mark facts, names, dates, prices, promises, assumptions, and anything that could be wrong or risky.
4. Turn it into a template
Turn this prompt and answer into a reusable fill-in-the-blank template. Use [brackets] for the parts I should change next time, and include a short checklist for reviewing it.
5. One job, one workspace
This chat is for one repeat job: [job]. Help me create a rules sheet for it: audience, voice, what to avoid, what to verify, and the steps I should follow each time.
Small worksheet
Use this before you try to learn everything.
Fill this out once. It gives the free Beginner Guide a real end: one useful AI answer saved somewhere you can find again.
My first AI task
Context AI needs
Format I want
First prompt
What was wrong
Fix prompt
Final useful answer
Where I saved it
Next workflow to build
Make it stick
The first 7 days.
This turns the guide into a habit. Check one box each day. The boxes save locally in this browser only.
Sales page bottom
Get the guide. Pick your path. Use AI on one real thing.
The Field Guide is the easiest entry point. The Classroom is there when they want help staying with it. Boardroom can wait until a business owner needs deeper implementation.
Pick a starting point Join Classroom