2026-03-23 - Stephen Cowan - BeMicro-summary

Meeting between Dmitri Sunshine and Stephen Cowan

Overview

• The meeting focused on launching customized content creation packages tailored for founders, particularly emphasizing high-quality organic content such as website intros and social clips
• Stephen Cowan discussed his plans to create repurposable content for better ROI and invited collaboration to draft pricing models
• Dmitri Sunshine provided advice on competitive pricing, advocating for tiered packages and implementing a referral program
• The importance of enhancing content quality through collaboration was highlighted by Stephen’s experience with a high-profile interview
• Strategies for expanding reach through LinkedIn were discussed, alongside leveraging AI tools like Claude Code for workflow optimization and GitHub for version control
• The session concluded with plans for mutual support and further meetings to refine these strategies

Action Items

Stephen Cowan

• Interview founders and produce content packages tailored to client needs for social media and website use (03:08)
• Create offering sheets and define service packages after gathering client preferences (17:20)
• Maximize LinkedIn weekly connection requests to build network in relevant fields (23:38)
• Assist Dmitri with shooting professional videos on a trade basis (15:10)
• Schedule further calls with Dmitri to develop AI skills and content packages (26:06)

Dmitri Sunshine

• Provide Stephen with competitive analysis data via Claude Code research (06:11)
• Share referral program details and incentives to support Stephen’s client acquisition (07:37)
• Guide Stephen on setting up Claude Code with GitHub repos and usage of Plan Mode for efficient project planning and execution (13:00)
• Advise weekly LinkedIn connection strategy and suggest target client niches (23:29)
• Assist Stephen with AI tools and software setup on Windows to enable higher quality output (18:00)
• Connect with Stephen for follow-up meetings, offering content creation support and sharing session recordings for marketing (26:18)

Key Topics & Timeline

Podcast and Content Creation (03:08 - 04:12) Stephen Cowan explained his growing podcast work and content creation services, including interviewing founders for website intros and social media clips designed for organic and potential paid media use.

Ads and Pricing Packages (04:12 - 05:05) Stephen is comfortable helping with ads by scriptwriting, focusing on hooks and local shooting or consulting remotely, but has not yet formalized pricing packages or budgets.

Competitive Analysis (06:11 - 07:37) Dmitri Sunshine advised conducting competitive analysis using Claude Code to research competitor pricing and offerings, recommending development of tiered service packages.

Referral Program (07:37 - 08:48) Dmitri suggested using a referral program with initial incentives to encourage client referrals and outlined a ‘founding circle’ deal approach.

Website Development Guidance (08:48 - 10:08) Dmitri gave detailed guidance on building and hosting a professional website using Claude Code, Cloudflare, Astro, and Brevo as free alternatives to WordPress or Squarespace.

Claude Code Capabilities (10:08 - 13:00) Stephen expressed surprise and interest in the broad capabilities of Claude Code beyond basic chat, especially in automating tasks like website development.

Version Control and GitHub (13:00 - 19:10) Dmitri explained how using GitHub repos and version control with Claude Code can safeguard and manage website development with rollback abilities.

Plan Mode Importance (19:10 - 21:50) The importance of using Plan Mode in Claude Code to allow the AI to carefully plan before execution and asking clarifying questions was emphasized to avoid errors in coding or content creation.

Analogy for Coding (21:50 - 22:33) Dmitri shared an analogy of painting preparation to coding: most effort is in planning and cleanup rather than the actual execution, a vital tip for AI-assisted projects.

Valuable Content (22:33 - 23:29) Stephen praised the content shared as valuable ‘content gold’ and suggested it would serve as evergreen educational material.

LinkedIn Strategy (23:29 - 26:06) Dmitri encouraged weekly LinkedIn usage to maximize connection requests as a lead generation tool and suggested targeting specific niches like plant medicine or psychedelics.

Collaboration Opportunities (15:10 - 16:20) They discussed potential collaboration including Stephen helping Dmitri shoot professional videos and Dmitri assisting Stephen with AI tools and client prospecting.

Claude Code Setup Tips (18:00 - 19:10) Dmitri shared operational tips for setting up Claude Code on Windows with command line and recommended using the PRO plan and enabling Extended Thinking for higher quality results.

Follow-Up Sessions (26:06 - 27:26) Both agreed to follow up with further sessions to advance Stephen’s AI usage and content packaging efforts, potentially recording these for content creation.

Detailed Notes

Content Creation and Marketing Strategy

• Launch of Customized Content Packages was discussed by Stephen Cowan who described his current offer of interviewing founders to create organic, high-quality content like one-minute website intros and social clips (03:14)

  • He emphasized creating content that can be repurposed into paid media for better ROI
  • Stephen is comfortable producing ads with a strong focus on hooks, including script co-creation and shooting, preferably for local clients
  • He has yet to set fixed packages or pricing but plans to tailor offers based on clients’ needs and budgets
  • He invited help to draft offering sheets and pricing models for clearer client proposals

• Competitive Pricing and Package Design advice was provided by Dmitri Sunshine, urging Stephen to leverage AI tools for market research and competitive analysis (06:11)

  • Recommended using Claude Code to research competitors’ pricing and service materials to build a pricing database
  • Suggested creating tiered packages: a basic “tripwire,” a middle option, and a premium “whale” package to fit different budgets
  • Highlighted the importance of having clear packages for client conversations to avoid undervaluing services
  • Also introduced a referral program offering 10-15% commissions during a limited founder phase to help grow client base

• Content Production Quality and Collaboration was highlighted through Stephen’s example of a high-profile interview with Jonathan Ness, showing professional video and audio quality (15:45)

  • Stephen offered to trade video shooting services for support with AI content development
  • Agreed on mutually beneficial collaboration to enhance content quality and output
  • Emphasized making clients look professional and engaging through video quality improvements

• LinkedIn Prospecting and Networking Strategy was recommended by Dmitri to expand Stephen’s audience and client reach (23:27)

  • Suggested consistently maxing out weekly LinkedIn connection requests targeting niche communities like plant medicine and psychedelics
  • Encouraged personalized connection requests referencing mutual contacts and podcast participation to build trust
  • Noted the risk of temporary bans from overuse but stressed the importance of regular outreach

AI Tools and Workflow Optimization

• Using Claude Code for Content and Web Development was described by Dmitri as a powerful way to automate research, competitive analysis, and website building (08:48)

  • Claude Code can generate entire websites using free hosting platforms like Cloudflare and static site managers such as Astro
  • Recommended using Brevo for free newsletter management to capture leads and maintain contact forms
  • Encouraged Stephen to explore Claude Code’s desktop app to integrate chat, code, and project tools

• AI Planning Mode and Permissions Management was explained as key to reliable coding and content generation (20:00)

  • Stressed using “plan mode” to force AI to think through steps before executing, reducing errors
  • Warned about risks of enabling “dangerously bypass permissions,” which grants AI broad access but requires careful oversight
  • Recommended setting up a senior reviewer agent to verify AI plans and outputs before implementation

• GitHub Integration for Version Control was introduced as a best practice to manage website and code changes safely (13:11)

  • Using GitHub allows automatic backups and easy reversion of unwanted changes
  • Claude Code can interact with GitHub repos through extensions to manage API keys and commits
  • Encouraged Stephen to sign up for GitHub and link it to Claude Code for better project control

• Extended Thinking and Prompt Optimization were recommended to enhance AI output quality (17:40)

  • Advised enabling “Extended Thinking” and using the OPUS model for improved reasoning and detailed responses
  • Suggested that Stephen be explicit about his beginner status when prompting, so AI provides step-by-step guidance

Strategic Collaboration and Future Planning

• Mutual Support and Trade Agreements were confirmed between Stephen and Dmitri for reciprocal help on video production and AI content work (16:24)

  • Stephen offered to help Dmitri with professional video shoots in exchange for AI workflow advice
  • Both agreed on a win-win approach to build each other’s capabilities and client offerings

• Next Meeting Scheduling and Content Recording was set to continue progress (26:06)

  • Both planned to meet again around the Thursday morning hike for further work sessions
  • Agreed to record future sessions to create content for social sharing and audience growth

• Client Target Market Definition clarified Dmitri’s focus on wealth ecosystem clients like wealth managers and attorneys (26:37)

  • Stephen’s network mainly includes natural products founders, showing complementary client bases
  • Dmitri aims to secure board seats and consulting roles in wealth and private foundation sectors for credibility

Keywords

Claude Code, Content creation, Referral program, Competitive analysis, LinkedIn networking, AI project planning