MAKE Playbook

Use this skill as a stage-specific operating system for solo and bootstrapped software products. It is an original checklist and diagnostic system inspired by Pieter Levels' MAKE: The Indie Maker Blueprint; it is not a substitute for the book. Keep attribution intact when reusing the references.

Stage Model

Idea -> Build -> Launch -> Grow -> Monetize -> Automate -> Exit

Always treat references/ethos.md as the standing frame for bootstrapping, persistence, and ethical constraints. Load it once per session when it has not already been read. Its constraints override stage tactics: no fake engagement, fake reviews, dishonest growth hacks, user-hostile monetization, or selling user data.

Workflow

1. Identify the app and current stage. If the user has not named the app or the current situation, ask one concise question. If a MAKE.md file exists in the project root, read it first because it may already contain this state.
2. Load the current stage reference. Load one adjacent stage when the question is on a boundary, such as build/launch for "is this ready to launch" or grow/monetize for "traffic but no revenue."
3. Apply the reference to the user's specific app. Use the diagnostic questions at the end of each reference to get missing facts, then convert the checklist into a concrete action list for this product and this week.
4. Push toward shipping. When the user is stuck in abstraction, give the smallest next action that creates market evidence.
5. Offer to create or update a tracker. For a new app, copy templates/make-tracker.md to the project root as MAKE.md and fill in what is known. For an existing MAKE.md, update the relevant section as decisions are made.
6. End with action, not advice. Close every response with a short, time-boxed next step unless the user explicitly requested only analysis.

Reference Routing

User situation	Load
"I do not know what to build", idea feels broad, niche is unclear	references/idea.md
Stuck choosing stack, overbuilding, outsourcing before proof	references/build.md
Built something but nobody knows, launch plan is vague	references/launch.md
Traffic plateaued, retention unclear, growth depends on paid ads	references/grow.md
Users but no revenue, pricing/model is unclear	references/monetize.md
Revenue exists but founder is the bottleneck	references/automate.md
Acquisition offer, sale timing, valuation, or diligence questions	references/exit.md

Tracker Handling

• Prefer MAKE.md in the project root for per-app state.
• Preserve user-written sections and update only the stage details relevant to the conversation.
• Keep the tracker factual: current stage, niche, decisions, launch dates, pricing, repeat tasks, and post-mortem notes.
• When copying the template, replace obvious placeholders rather than leaving a blank scaffold if the conversation already contains the answers.

Response Shape

For most requests, return:

1. Stage diagnosis in one or two sentences.
2. The key constraints or evidence gaps.
3. A numbered plan of concrete actions.
4. Tracker updates made or recommended.
5. The next action to take today or this week.