AI Chief of Staff
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Session 1

Your Foundation

You'll leave this session with your COS alive, wired into your email, and doing real work.

Session Slides Full presentation deck
Open Slides →
Session Notes & Recap Full outline, tips, install fixes, homework
Read Notes →
Objectives

By the end of this session, you will have:

  • ✓ Ghostty terminal installed and not scary
  • ✓ Hermes Agent installed and running on your machine
  • ✓ Claude API account set up and connected as your COS brain
  • ✓ Gmail + Google Calendar wired in
  • ✓ 3-tier email triage running automatically every 30 minutes
  • ✓ Morning email summary delivered to your phone
  • ✓ Your COS sends an email on your behalf – live, in the session
Tools We're Using
Ghostty
Your terminal. This is how you talk to your COS. No coding required – just commands.
ghostty.org →
Hermes Agent
The runtime that powers your COS. Think of it as the operating system your AI lives inside.
hermes-agent.nousresearch.com →
Claude API
The brain. Set up an API account — pay-as-you-go, ~$10-20/mo to start.
platform.claude.com →
Gmail + Google Calendar
Your COS's first two integrations. This is where the leverage starts.
Google Workspace →
Session Agenda
  • Part 1
    The Mental Model (30 min)What a real AI COS does. Why this stack. What we're building across all 4 sessions.
  • Part 2
    Install Ghostty + Hermes (20 min)Get the CLI up. Connect Claude API. First test prompt.
  • Part 3
    Build Your CONTEXT.md (20 min)Write your COS its brain – your business, your voice, your priorities.
  • Part 4
    Wire Gmail + Calendar (15 min)Connect your inbox and calendar to Hermes.
  • Part 5
    Deploy Triage + Morning Brief (20 min)Set the 3-tier email sort running. Get your morning summary wired to your phone.
  • Part 6
    Live Test + Open Support (15 min)Your COS sends an email. Questions, troubleshooting, celebration.
Homework

Between now and Session 2, let your COS run. Do not touch it.

Watch your morning summary hit your phone every day. Notice what the triage catches. Start thinking about who calls you and what you'd want your COS to say to them.

One task: Write down 3 things you want your COS to handle that you currently handle yourself. Bring that list to Session 2.

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Session 1 – Your Foundation
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Session 2 – Give Your COS a Voice
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