Meet Dave.
He's a painter from Brisbane.

Dave runs Fresh Coat Painting. Sole trader, one apprentice. He was spending his evenings writing quotes in a Word template and chasing invoices by memory. He bought the The Toolkit. Here's what changed.

His AI knows his business

Every time Dave opens Claude, it already knows all of this. He never has to repeat himself.

Name Dave Mitchell
Business Fresh Coat Painting
Location Brisbane northside, QLD
What he does Residential repaints, interior and exterior
His clients Homeowners 35-55, renovators and pre-sale prep
His tone Talks like a normal bloke. Short, casual, no fluff.
His tools Xero, Gmail, Google Calendar
His team Dave + Jayden (apprentice) + Sarah (books)

Dave's rules

The AI follows these automatically. Dave set them once and never thinks about them again.

Watch what happens when Dave says...

Same request. Very different result.

Before (generic AI)
Write me a quote for Sarah's kitchen repaint
Sure! Here's a basic quote for the kitchen repaint:

Quote
Client: Sarah
Service: Kitchen Repaint
Estimated Cost: $800 - $1,200

This includes preparation, painting, and cleanup. Please let me know if you'd like to adjust anything!

Would you like me to add more details to this quote?
vs.
After (Dave's trained AI)
Write me a quote for Sarah's kitchen repaint
Got it. I've pulled Sarah Mitchell's details from last week's email. 14 Gladstone St, Kedron. Kitchen walls are about 35 sqm, ceiling 10 sqm, fair condition. Here's your quote:

Fresh Coat Painting

Dave Mitchell • 0412 555 189 • ABN 41 823 556 901

Quote number QF-2026-047
Client Sarah Mitchell
Property 14 Gladstone St, Kedron QLD 4031
Date 10 April 2026
Scope of work
Kitchen walls (35 sqm @ $15/sqm) $525.00
Kitchen ceiling (10 sqm @ $17/sqm) $170.00
Subtotal (ex GST) $695.00
GST (10%) $69.50
Total (inc GST) $764.50
Inclusions
  • All paint and materials (Dulux Wash & Wear)
  • Surface prep, sanding, and filling of minor cracks
  • Drop sheets and masking throughout
  • 2 coats on all surfaces
  • Final cleanup and touch-ups
  • 2-year workmanship warranty
Exclusions
  • Wallpaper removal
  • Major plaster repairs
  • Moving heavy appliances

Payment: Due on completion, 7-day terms. Valid for 30 days.

Cheers, Dave

Three skills that work on autopilot

Dave tells Claude what he needs in plain English. The skills handle the rest.

📈

Quoting

When Dave uses this: after a site visit or phone enquiry

  • Dave says the client name, rooms, and rough sqm. Gets a complete, formatted quote in 30 seconds.
  • Right prices based on his actual rates. GST calculated. Quote number assigned.
  • Inclusions, exclusions, and payment terms all built in. Same professional format every time.
✉

Follow-up emails

When Dave uses this: a client hasn't responded to a quote in 5+ days

  • Claude knows when the quote was sent. Drafts a casual check-in that sounds like Dave typed it on his phone between jobs.
  • No "just following up" (Dave hates that). No discounts offered. Just a real, short nudge.
  • Lands in Dave's Gmail drafts. He reads it, hits send. Done in 10 seconds.
💰

Invoice chasing

When Dave uses this: an invoice is 14+ days overdue

  • Claude pulls overdue invoices from Xero. Drafts friendly reminders with the right invoice number, amount, and job address.
  • First reminder is light and easy. Second reminder is firmer but still polite. After that, it tells Dave to pick up the phone.
  • Never threatens. Never adds late fees without Dave saying so. Keeps the relationship intact.

His 4-week roadmap

No overwhelm. One thing at a time, one week at a time.

Week 1
Foundation

Install Claude, set up the AI brain, run a few test conversations. Get comfortable.

Week 2
First skill

Build the quoting skill. Test it with 3 real past jobs. Tweak until it feels right.

Week 3
Connect tools

Plug in Xero, Gmail, and Calendar. Claude can now see invoices, emails, and your schedule.

Week 4
Full workflow

One sentence triggers a quote, calendar check, and email. You're fully operational.

The bottom line

4 hrs

saved per week on quoting alone

Zero

forgotten follow-ups since setup

$15/mo

total tool cost to run the system

Week 1

paid for itself after the first quote

Want yours?

We'll build it for your business. Answer a few questions, and our AI builds your personalised kit in 30 seconds.

Start with The Basics ($97) The Toolkit is coming soon. Start with Course 1 today.