This is the manual setup path. If you have a Notion plan with AI features, there's a faster way: open AI Setup Instructions in Documentation, start a Notion AI chat, and say "help me get started." The AI will walk you through everything conversationally. This guide covers the same ground for people who prefer to read and do it themselves.

Get Your System Running

Follow these 9 phases in order. Each builds on the last. Budget 90 minutes to 2 hours for the full setup, or spread it across a few sessions.

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Progress Tracker:

• [ ] Phase 0: Quick Profile (2 min)
• [ ] Phase 1: Documentation & Context (15-20 min)
• [ ] Phase 2: Stride Planning (20-30 min)
• [ ] Phase 3: My Notion AI Configuration (10 min)
• [ ] Phase 4: Connect External Tools (10 min)
• [ ] Phase 5: Hub Setup (10-15 min)
• [ ] Phase 6: People Database (10 min)
• [ ] Phase 7: Meeting Notes (5 min)
• [ ] Phase 8: First Daily Plan (10 min) </aside>

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Notion AI plan recommended. This template is built around context engineering, working with Notion AI as your operating partner. You'll get the most out of it with a Notion plan that includes full AI features. If you don't have one yet, you can get 3 months free here: [affiliate link]. Already have Notion AI? Keep going.

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Phase 0: Quick Profile (~2 min)

Why: Understanding your starting point helps you focus on what matters and skip what doesn't.

Before you begin, note down:

1. Your Notion experience level: New (never used it) / Intermediate (used it casually) / Power User (heavy daily use)
2. Your business type: Solo Consultant, Agency, Coach/Course Creator, Creator/Personal Brand, SaaS/Product, or Other
3. Your top priority right now: Task management, Client management, Content creation, Documentation, Planning/goals, or All of it
4. Solo or team? Solopreneur, Small team (2-5), Growing team (5+)
5. Clean start or migration? Starting fresh in this template, or bringing existing Notion data across

Keep these answers handy. They'll help you decide which features to activate and which to ignore for now.

✓ Done when: You know your profile and can reference it as you work through the remaining phases.

Phase 1: Documentation & Context (~15-20 min)

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This is the most important phase. Your documentation is the foundation that makes every other feature work. AI planning, task management, and personalisation all depend on the context you provide here.

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