A name is the beginning.
Evidence makes the guide.

Every person, book, and channel goes through the same eight gates. You can see what exists, what is missing, and what happens next.

Follow the new guidesSee the full process

Guides in onboarding

5 new guides in onboarding; 4 already have chat. Existing chat access does not certify that every gate below has passed. This batch covers the seven individual biography subjects; the central figures in group books need a separate scope audit.

Alysa Liu

Sport and self-direction

Sourcing · chat not enabled

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Decide whether to pause, return, or change the terms of a demanding pursuit.

Next: Verify first-person interviews and permitted use; write an original synthesis of her stated choices without inferring private motives.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Team USA athlete profile. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide inspired by public interviews; no private motives, medical coaching, or claim to be Alysa.

Proposed skill: A return on your own terms. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “How can I return to something I left without repeating the conditions that made me leave?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Albert Einstein

Scientific imagination

Sourcing · chat not enabled

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Question assumptions and design a thought experiment before committing to an explanation.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Einstein: His Life and Universe. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide based on documented public work; separate historical evidence, interpretation, and present-day application.

Proposed skill: Test the hidden assumption. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “How could I test whether my most basic assumption is wrong?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Leonardo da Vinci

Observation and creativity

Sourcing · chat not enabled

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Use close observation to connect ideas across disciplines.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Leonardo da Vinci. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide based on documented public work; separate historical evidence, interpretation, and present-day application.

Proposed skill: Observe before explaining. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “How can I use observation to get unstuck on a creative problem?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Jennifer Doudna

Scientific collaboration

Sourcing · chat not enabled

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Frame an uncertain research question and examine the responsibilities that come with a discovery.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: The Code Breaker. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide based on documented public work; separate historical evidence, interpretation, and present-day application.

Proposed skill: Discovery and responsibility. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “What should my team consider before applying a powerful discovery?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Henry Kissinger

Diplomacy and historical judgment

Sourcing · chat not enabled

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Examine negotiation tradeoffs alongside their human costs and historical consequences.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Kissinger: A Biography. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: Historical analysis must include contested decisions, human costs, and credible counterevidence; no endorsement or impersonation.

Proposed skill: Map interests and consequences. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “How do I evaluate a negotiation without ignoring who bears its costs?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Benjamin Franklin

Habits and civic projects

Existing chat · audit pending

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Open existing guide

Translate a useful idea into habits, experiments, and shared institutions.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide based on documented public work; separate historical evidence, interpretation, and present-day application.

Proposed skill: Design a small experiment. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “How can I test a new habit before making it a permanent rule?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Steve Jobs

Product focus

Existing chat · audit pending

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Open existing guide

Choose what to remove from a product so its purpose becomes clearer.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Steve Jobs. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide based on documented public work; separate historical evidence, interpretation, and present-day application.

Proposed skill: Find the essential product. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “Which feature should we remove to make this product more coherent?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Elon Musk

Engineering constraints

Existing chat · audit pending

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Open existing guide

Identify the physical or process constraint before accelerating work.

Next: Locate an authorized edition through Bookbox and map chapters to claims; supplement with primary documents before synthesizing.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Elon Musk. Identified 2026-09-07; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI guide based on documented public work; separate historical evidence, interpretation, and present-day application.

Proposed skill: Question the requirement. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “Which requirement should I question before optimizing this process?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

Rose Blumkin

Retail and customer value

Existing chat · audit pending

2 of 8 onboarding gates documented

Open existing guide

Build an honest low-price offer supported by real operating economics.

Next: Starter chat has two primary-account syntheses. Expand independent and first-person evidence, create a dedicated exercise, evaluate answers and voice, and finish the onboarding audit.

Inspect the onboarding brief

Source lead: Berkshire 1983 shareholder letter. Identified 2026-09-20; reference only. Full-text access and allowed uses remain unverified.

Boundary: AI interpretation, not Rose Blumkin; starter source coverage, no endorsement, no accent imitation.

Proposed skill: Price from an operating advantage. Awaiting source-backed implementation.

Evaluation question: “Should I undercut a competitor when my overhead is higher?”

  1. 1.Outcome and demand, Documented in this brief
  2. 2.Identity and boundary, Documented in this brief
  3. 3.Rights and source map, Pending evidence
  4. 4.Corpus and citations, Pending evidence
  5. 5.One-page distillation, Pending evidence
  6. 6.Skills and tools, Pending evidence
  7. 7.Evaluation, Pending evidence
  8. 8.Runtime and launch, Pending evidence

One standard for every guide

162 source manifests, workflows and evaluation checklists. Available chat does not mean a complete corpus or a certified release.

Inspect all guides
GuideCategoryNotesDistillationStatus
Abraham Lincolnunclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Adam Foroughiinvesting1AuthoredPartial corpus
Adam Neumannbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Albert Einsteinscience7AuthoredPartial corpus
Alex Karpbusiness6AuthoredPartial corpus
Alexander Taubmanbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Alexander the Greatleadership24AuthoredPartial corpus
Alysa Liuwellbeing6AuthoredPartial corpus
Annie Dukeeffectiveness7AuthoredPartial corpus
Ari Emanuelbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Benjamin Franklineffectiveness20AuthoredPartial corpus
Bill Wilsonunclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Bob Marleycreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Brad Jacobsbusiness6AuthoredPartial corpus
Brian Armstrongbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Buffett & Mungerinvesting59AuthoredPartial corpus
C.S. Lewisunclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Cal Newporteffectiveness9AuthoredPartial corpus
Carol Dweckeffectiveness11AuthoredPartial corpus
Charlie Mungerinvesting25AuthoredPartial corpus
Dana Whitecreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Daniel Ekbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Dave Ramseyinvesting7AuthoredPartial corpus
David Baszuckibusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
David Deutschscience32AuthoredPartial corpus
David Heinemeier Hanssoninvesting1AuthoredPartial corpus
David Senrabusiness242AuthoredPartial corpus
Derek Siversbusiness75AuthoredPartial corpus
Doug Leonebusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Ed Catmullbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Elon Muskbusiness31AuthoredPartial corpus
Eric Glymaninvesting1AuthoredPartial corpus
Eric Jorgensonbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Evan Spiegelbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Gustav Söderströmbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Henry Kissingerleadership7AuthoredPartial corpus
Hermann Hessephilosophy12AuthoredPartial corpus
Ivanka Trumpbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
James Cleareffectiveness22AuthoredPartial corpus
James Dysonscience2AuthoredPartial corpus
Jason Friedinvesting1AuthoredPartial corpus
Jeff Bezosbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Jeff Zalaznickcreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Jennifer Doudnascience8AuthoredPartial corpus
Jensen Huangbusiness18AuthoredPartial corpus
Jeremy Sternbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Jimmy Iovinebusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
John D. Rockefellerbusiness39AuthoredPartial corpus
John Mackeybusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
John Vervaekephilosophy13AuthoredPartial corpus
Jonathan Rossbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Josh Kushnerunclassified5AuthoredPartial corpus
Lee Kuan Yewleadership63AuthoredPartial corpus
Leonardo da Vincicreativity8AuthoredPartial corpus
Luca Ferraribusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Lucius Annaeus Senecaphilosophy51AuthoredPartial corpus
Luigi Cornarounclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Lulie Tanettphilosophy11AuthoredPartial corpus
Lulu Cheng Meserveycreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Marc Andreessenbusiness19AuthoredPartial corpus
Marcus Aureliusphilosophy12AuthoredPartial corpus
Maria Montessoriunclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Marie Curiescience2AuthoredPartial corpus
Mati Staniszewskibusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Michael Dellinvesting1AuthoredPartial corpus
Michael Ovitzbusiness2AuthoredPartial corpus
Micky Malkabusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Naoufal Fillaliunclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Napoleon Hilleffectiveness15AuthoredPartial corpus
Nassim Nicholas Talebinvesting67AuthoredPartial corpus
Naval Ravikantinvesting23AuthoredPartial corpus
Patrick O'Shaughnessybusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Paul Grahambusiness6AuthoredPartial corpus
Paul Millerdphilosophy11AuthoredPartial corpus
Pendleton Wardcreativity3AuthoredPartial corpus
Peter Rahalbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Peter Thielbusiness18AuthoredPartial corpus
Ray Dalioinvesting43AuthoredPartial corpus
Rick Rubinunclassified3AuthoredPartial corpus
Ricky Gervaiscreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Ronnie Fiegcreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Rose Blumkinbusiness2AuthoredPartial corpus
Sam Altmanbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Sam Waltonbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Scott Wubusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Steve Jobsbusiness30AuthoredPartial corpus
Steve Stoutecreativity1AuthoredPartial corpus
Steven Pressfieldcreativity24AuthoredPartial corpus
Strauss Zelnickbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
The Gottmansrelationships11AuthoredPartial corpus
Tim Ferrisseffectiveness39AuthoredPartial corpus
Tobi Lütkebusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Todd Gravesbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Tony Xubusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Torsten Reilbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Travis Kalanickbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Visakan Veerasamycreativity17AuthoredPartial corpus
Vivek Murthyunclassified8AuthoredPartial corpus
Warren Buffettinvesting34AuthoredPartial corpus
Zach Dellbusiness1AuthoredPartial corpus
Adventure Time: The Art of Ooocreativity0Needs sourcesSourcing
Alexander the Greatleadership0Needs sourcesSourcing
Anything You Wantbusiness14AuthoredPartial corpus
Atomic Habitseffectiveness22AuthoredPartial corpus
Benjamin Franklin: An American Lifeleadership0Needs sourcesSourcing
Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letters, 1977-2024investing34AuthoredPartial corpus
Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neumann and WeWorkbusiness0Needs sourcesSourcing
Deep Workeffectiveness9AuthoredPartial corpus
Elon Muskbusiness0Needs sourcesSourcing
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Futurebusiness21AuthoredPartial corpus
Fooled by Randomnessinvesting16AuthoredPartial corpus
Friendly Ambitious Nerdrelationships17AuthoredPartial corpus
From Third World to First: The Singapore Story 1965-2000leadership43Needs sourcesPartial corpus
Hell Yeah or Noeffectiveness13AuthoredPartial corpus
How to Livephilosophy28AuthoredPartial corpus
It's Time to Buildbusiness5AuthoredPartial corpus
Letters from a Stoic (Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium)philosophy38AuthoredPartial corpus
Life of Alexanderleadership16AuthoredPartial corpus
Meditationsphilosophy12AuthoredPartial corpus
Mindset: The New Psychology of Successeffectiveness11AuthoredPartial corpus
On Anger (De Ira)wellbeing7Needs sourcesPartial corpus
On the Shortness of Life (De Brevitate Vitae)effectiveness6Needs sourcesPartial corpus
One Man's View of the Worldleadership0Needs sourcesSourcing
Paul Graham: Selected Essaysbusiness6AuthoredPartial corpus
Pendleton Ward: Selected Public Interviewscreativity3Needs sourcesPartial corpus
Poor Charlie's Almanackinvesting22AuthoredPartial corpus
Principleseffectiveness29AuthoredPartial corpus
Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Orderleadership7AuthoredPartial corpus
Reason Is Fun: Selected Essaysphilosophy11AuthoredPartial corpus
Siddharthaphilosophy12AuthoredPartial corpus
Skin in the Gamephilosophy21AuthoredPartial corpus
Steve Jobsbusiness28AuthoredPartial corpus
Tao Te Chingphilosophy17AuthoredPartial corpus
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklineffectiveness20AuthoredPartial corpus
The Beginning of Infinityphilosophy18AuthoredPartial corpus
The Bible: Wisdom & Teachingphilosophy40AuthoredPartial corpus
The Black Swanphilosophy30AuthoredPartial corpus
The Book of Elonbusiness8Needs sourcesPartial corpus
The Campaigns of Alexander (Anabasis Alexandri)leadership8Needs sourcesPartial corpus
The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusionbusiness0Needs sourcesSourcing
The Fabric of Realityphilosophy14AuthoredPartial corpus
The Nvidia Waybusiness17AuthoredPartial corpus
The Pathless Patheffectiveness11AuthoredPartial corpus
The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yewleadership0Needs sourcesSourcing
The Techno-Optimist Manifestophilosophy7AuthoredPartial corpus
The Technological Republicunclassified0Needs sourcesSourcing
The War of Artcreativity24AuthoredPartial corpus
Think and Grow Richeffectiveness15AuthoredPartial corpus
Thinking in Betsphilosophy7AuthoredPartial corpus
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.business36AuthoredPartial corpus
Tools of Titanseffectiveness25AuthoredPartial corpus
Tribe of Mentorseffectiveness14AuthoredPartial corpus
Useful Not Truephilosophy13AuthoredPartial corpus
Why Software Is Eating the Worldbusiness6AuthoredPartial corpus
Your Music and Peoplebusiness7Needs sourcesPartial corpus
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Futurebusiness17AuthoredPartial corpus
Zombies in Western Culture: A Twenty-First Century Crisisphilosophy7Needs sourcesPartial corpus
David Senra conversationsunclassified45Needs sourcesPartial corpus
Founders Podcastbusiness209AuthoredPartial corpus
Invest Like the Bestinvesting28AuthoredPartial corpus
Starter Storybusiness28AuthoredPartial corpus
Y Combinatorbusiness35AuthoredPartial corpus

The process for every guide

Each gate produces a reviewable artifact. Missing evidence keeps that gate open; an impressive persona prompt cannot substitute for it.

  1. Step 1

    Outcome and demand

    Name the decisions this guide should improve and confirm that real users want that help.

    Evidence to proceed: A specific decision, intended audience, and request to build the guide.

  2. Step 2

    Identity and boundary

    Choose person, channel, or book; set the canonical slug, scope, safety rules, and non-impersonation language.

    Evidence to proceed: Canonical name and slug, scope, identity disclosure, and explicit limits.

  3. Step 3

    Rights and source map

    Verify official, licensed, public-domain, or user-owned sources. Optional X sources need account identity and permitted-use evidence. Book requests move to Bookbox for this gate.

    Evidence to proceed: A source manifest with provenance, edition, access rights, and allowed uses. A source link alone does not pass this gate.

  4. Step 4

    Corpus and citations

    Ingest raw material privately, write original syntheses, and make every durable claim traceable to a source.

    Evidence to proceed: Private source files where permitted, original synthesis notes, and a claim-to-source map. No raw transcripts or copyrighted chapters in the public app.

  5. Step 5

    One-page distillation

    Create the canonical distillation.md: worldview, operating principles, questions, tensions, and limits.

    Evidence to proceed: One page of principles, decision questions, contradictions, limits, and citations. Every principle must trace to the source map.

  6. Step 6

    Skills and tools

    Turn the guide's methods into reusable workflows; attach MCP tools only when they improve the actual job.

    Evidence to proceed: At least one runnable workflow with inputs, steps, an example, expected output, and a stopping rule. No invented methods attributed to the person.

  7. Step 7

    Evaluation

    Test citation accuracy, source boundaries, difficult advice, refusals, and useful voice without claiming to be the person.

    Evidence to proceed: Recorded checks for useful advice, correct citations, out-of-scope questions, false premises, impersonation, and unsupported claims. A build passing is not an answer-quality evaluation.

  8. Step 8

    Runtime and launch

    Wire chat, install, or MCP access; add auth, entitlement, profile, analytics, freshness checks, and production verification.

    Evidence to proceed: An enabled profile and chat with auth, a verified local portrait (both people for duos), source/license credits, a passing image build check, tested fallback/error handling, and a launch receipt. Voice additionally needs microphone, interruption, latency, and real audio checks.

Portrait gate: every person or duo needs a verified local image, source and license, a reviewed chat crop, and a passing image build check before launch. Duo portraits must show both people.

X posts are optional sources. Verify the author and permitted uses, preserve dates and citations, and review the surrounding context before adding them to a guide’s evidence.