Complete these 4 tasks before our next session. Estimated time: 30–45 minutes. No coding experience required.
If you hit an error, take a screenshot and paste it into Claude (any version — web, desktop app, or terminal). It will read the error and tell you exactly how to fix it.
Get Claude Code installed and authenticated. Takes 5–10 minutes.
Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter.
Press Win + R, type cmd, press Enter.
It's a text-based way to talk to your computer. Instead of clicking icons, you type commands. Think of it as texting your computer.
Type this and press Enter:
If you see v18 or higher, you're good. If you see "command not found," go to nodejs.org, click the green "LTS" button, install it, then close and reopen your terminal and try again.
Wait for it to finish (1–2 minutes). If you get a "permission denied" error, use:
It will ask for your computer login password. Characters won't appear as you type — that's normal.
You should see a version number. If you see "command not found," close your terminal, reopen it, and try again.
The first time you launch Claude Code, it will walk you through three things:
y and press Enter to acceptClaude Code is ready! — You're in. Claude is listening.
Claude Code works on your terminal, desktop app, and phone. Each has strengths. Here's when to use what.
No matter which way you access Claude, it's the same AI. The difference is where it runs and what it can do from there.
The most powerful option. Claude can read, write, and run things directly on your computer. This is the "agentic" mode.
A visual window (Mac/Windows). Same power as the terminal but with a friendlier interface. Great for people who prefer not to use the command line.
Access Claude via claude.ai in any browser, or through a remote session on your phone. Good for chatting, reviewing, and quick tasks on the go.
Use the terminal. It's the only way to install Claude Code and build your first agent. Once you're comfortable, you can switch to the desktop app for daily use.
Go to claude.ai/download in your browser and download the app for your platform (Mac or Windows). Once installed, sign in with the same account you used in the terminal. Everything syncs.
Once you've completed this homework and are comfortable with Claude, the desktop app is the most convenient way to use it day-to-day. It has the same features as the terminal, but with a more visual, chat-like interface.
Option A — claude.ai: Open claude.ai in any browser. Log in with your Anthropic account. You can chat with Claude, but it won't have direct access to your computer's files.
Option B — Remote Session: In your terminal, run:
This prints a URL. Open that URL on your phone or any device. Now you're controlling your computer's Claude Code session from your phone — it can still read/write files on your laptop.
Remote sessions only work while your terminal stays open and your computer stays awake.
How the agent comes alive, how you stay in control, and how to change settings. 5 minutes to read.
When you type a request (like "research Nike's brand strategy"), Claude starts working. Depending on your permission mode, it will either:
The agent keeps working until the task is done or you stop it.
Whenever Claude wants to create a file, edit something, or run a command, it shows you what it wants to do and asks Allow? [Y/n/?]
When in doubt, press ? first to get an explanation, then y if it makes sense.
Claude will never keep running after you close the terminal or press Ctrl+C. You are always in control.
From inside Claude Code (terminal):
This re-opens the permission menu. Use arrow keys and Enter to pick a new mode.
From the Claude.ai web app:
Go to claude.ai → Settings → Claude Code. You can adjust permission defaults, review which tools Claude can access, and manage your connected apps (MCPs) from there.
From the Desktop app:
Open the app → click the gear icon (Settings). Same options as the web app — permission modes, connected tools, and preferences.
Week 1: Start with Suggest mode. Approve everything manually.
Week 2: Move to Auto-edit. Claude handles files, you approve commands.
Week 3+: Try Full auto for trusted projects.
The main event. Create an AI agent that researches any brand on command. 20–30 minutes.
In your terminal (outside of Claude Code — type /exit first if you're still in it):
This creates a folder on your Desktop, sets up Git (your safety net for undoing mistakes), and starts Claude Code.
Mac: Type xcode-select --install, click Install, wait 5–10 min.
Windows: Download from git-scm.com, install, reopen terminal.
Before typing anything into Claude, think about what a great brand research report looks like to you. Jot down:
There's no right answer. A social media manager's agent looks different from a content strategist's. Your marketing expertise shapes how the agent thinks.
Type a prompt like this into Claude Code (customize it with YOUR sections):
Claude will start building. It will ask permission for creating files and running commands. Read each prompt and press Enter to approve.
Once Claude finishes building, test it:
The first output won't be perfect. That's the point. Give Claude feedback to improve it:
Each round of feedback permanently improves the skill. After 3 rounds, your agent produces a much better report — automatically, every time.
Just ask for one. Try: "Turn this brand research into a visual HTML dashboard with charts and key metrics." Claude will build it for you — no coding needed. You can ask for any output format: dashboards, slide decks, spreadsheets, websites. If you can describe it, Claude can build it.
Claude writes a commit message describing what you built. Press Enter to approve.
Common issues and how to fix them.
Node.js isn't installed. Go to nodejs.org, click "LTS," install with defaults. Close and reopen your terminal.
Close and reopen your terminal. If still not found, reinstall: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Permission error? Add sudo before the command.
Run claude again. Make sure you copy the entire key (starts with sk-ant-) with no extra spaces. Or try "Claude App" login instead.
Press Ctrl + C to cancel. Try a simpler request. If it keeps freezing, type /exit, wait 10 seconds, type claude to restart.
This is why we use Git! Tell Claude: "Undo the last change" or "Revert to the previous commit." It will roll everything back.
Take a screenshot (Cmd+Shift+4 on Mac, Win+Shift+S on Windows). Paste it into Claude Code or claude.ai. Ask: "I got this error while trying to [what you were doing]. How do I fix it?"
When we meet again, be ready to share:
Everyone's agent will follow a different thought process. When we meet again, we'll compare all of them, find which approach works best, and combine the best pieces into one ultimate brand research agent — built by the whole team.