# How to ask

URL: /start/how-to-ask · Id: `page:start/how-to-ask`

> Name the customer, the price and the number, change what exists instead of starting over, and see a preview before anything runs.

Your agent turns each sentence into [Verb](/business/nouns/verb) calls, so a clear sentence means fewer questions. Say who it is for, what it costs and how many, in your own words.

## Say who, what and how much
| Instead of | Say |
| --- | --- |
| "Make a business for landlords" | "Track lease renewals for property managers with under 200 units, $29 a month" |
| "Set up payments" | "Charge $29 a month, with a 14-day free trial" |
| "Get more users" | "Spend $200 to test faster" |
| "Fix the emails" | "Send receipts from the billing address at my domain" |
| "Add Stripe" | "Take a $50 deposit from anyone who wants in first" |

A guide asks at most one question, and only when your sentence leaves out what it needs. Name the number and the agent asks nothing.

## A first sentence for each kind of business
| Kind | First sentence |
| --- | --- |
| [Solo SaaS](/start/templates/solo-saas) | "Lease renewal reminders for property managers, $29 a month" |
| [Autonomous data API](/start/templates/autonomous-data-api) | "Sell renewal dates by county as an API, a cent per call" |
| [Agent-run services firm](/start/templates/agent-run-services) | "Lease renewal outreach for property managers, done for them, $199 a month" |
| [Founder-led marketplace](/start/templates/founder-marketplace) | "A marketplace where landlords book move-out inspectors, 10 percent per job" |
| [Autonomous directory](/start/templates/autonomous-directory) | "A directory of property managers by city, $49 a month to be listed" |
| [Autonomous storefront](/start/templates/autonomous-storefront) | "Sell lockboxes to landlords, shipped from a supplier" |

The agent picks the closest [Startup Template](/business/nouns/startup-template) from the sentence. Name one to choose it yourself.

## Change it, do not start over
Once the business exists, ask for changes to it. "Make the headline shorter" edits what is there, as a [Change](/business/nouns/change) you can revert. So does a new price for new customers.

A new "start a business" sentence creates a second [Startup](/business/nouns/startup), with none of the first one's [Leads](/business/nouns/lead), [Orders](/business/nouns/order) or history. Start over only when the customer changes.

## See it before it runs
Say "show me what you would do first". The agent calls the same Verbs in `try` [Mode](/business/nouns/mode), which returns the result and stores, charges and sends nothing. Say "do it" to run them.

## Mistakes that cost a week
- **Approving every step.** Set one [Limit](/business/nouns/limit) instead, such as "ask me before any agent spends more than $500 a month". Everything under it runs without you.
- **Pasting keys into the chat.** Your agent never needs a Stripe key or a password. The claim link connects Stripe, and [the agent's reading list](/start/docs-for-agents) covers what it reads.
- **Building before anyone asks.** "Find out if anyone wants this" puts up a page that takes signups before you build. [Guides](/start/guides) lists what comes after.