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AI & Automation Marketplace

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Overview

The AI & Automation Marketplace lets you discover, test, and purchase proven playbooks built by expert developers. Start with free read-only access to evaluate any playbook, then upgrade to done-for-you execution where a certified Sherpa completes each step for you. Track progress in real time, review deliverables in your dedicated Data Room, and share feedback to help other founders make informed decisions.

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Step-by-Step Guide

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Discovering and Starting with a Freemium Playbook

  1. Browse the Marketplace - Navigate to the Marketplace page and click the “Playbooks” tab. You’ll see 6 featured playbooks with star ratings (like 4.9 stars), pricing models (freemium, one-time, or subscription), and developer badges (Verified for approved developers).
  2. Review Playbook Details - Click any playbook card (for example, “Venture Launch Playbook”). The detail page shows the value proposition, a preview of Days 1-5 (titles visible, content blurred except Day 1), a pricing comparison table (Free vs $4,997 Done-For-You), testimonials, and a “Start Free” button.
  3. Sign Up for Free Access - Click “Start Free” and complete minimal signup with your email and name. You’ll receive an OTP code via email. Verify your email and gain immediate read-only access to all 5 playbook steps with full content visible.
  4. Explore Playbook Content - View all step content in read-only mode. Each step includes an “Upgrade to Done-For-You” button. Free access counts toward the playbook’s trending score but does not generate revenue for developers.

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Purchasing Done-For-You Execution

  1. Initiate Upgrade - While viewing any step, click “Upgrade to Done-For-You.” A modal appears showing “Get this step completed by AI Sherpa expert,” estimated delivery (2 days), price breakdown ($4,997 total divided across 5 steps), and a “Request Execution” button.
  2. Complete Checkout - Click “Request Execution” and complete Stripe checkout. Within 5 seconds, the system creates your execution record (status: IN_PROGRESS), assigns a Sherpa based on certification level, and creates a Data Room with you as owner.
  3. Meet Your Sherpa - You’ll receive an email within 30 seconds: “Meet your Sherpa: [Name], starting Day 1 tomorrow.” Your assigned Sherpa has been matched based on availability (fewer than 5 active executions), expertise (certification level matches playbook requirements), and customer rating (4.5 stars or higher).

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Tracking Execution Progress

  1. Access Your Dashboard - Log in and click “My Executions” in the navigation. Your dashboard displays active executions (1), completed (0), and an execution card showing “Venture Launch - Step 3 of 5 (60%)” with a progress bar, Sherpa avatar and name, and next milestone (“Step 4 starts Dec 3”).
  2. View Detailed Progress - Click the execution card to see a timeline view (Steps 1-2 complete, Step 3 in progress, Steps 4-5 upcoming), current step details, Sherpa notes (“Completed market research, moving to prototype”), and a “View Deliverables” button.
  3. Review Deliverables - Click “View Deliverables” to open your Data Room. Files are organized by step (Step 1/, Step 2/, Step 3/). Step 3 might contain market_research.pdf, competitor_analysis.xlsx, and prototype_mockups.fig, each with upload timestamp and Sherpa annotation.
  4. Receive Progress Updates - When your Sherpa marks Step 3 complete, you’ll receive an email: “Step 3 Complete! Review deliverables.” Your dashboard updates to “Step 4 of 5 (80%)” and Step 4 unlocks with “In Progress” status.
  5. Complete Execution - After all 5 steps are complete, your dashboard shows “Completed - Dec 5, 2025.” A “Write Review” button appears, and you receive an email with a final deliverables summary, a request for review, and a “Download All Artifacts” ZIP link.

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Writing a Verified Review

  1. Start Your Review - Visit the playbook detail page after completion. A banner reads “You completed this playbook! Share your experience” with a prominent “Write Review” button above existing reviews.
  2. Submit Your Feedback - Click “Write Review” to open a modal. Select a star rating (1-5), write a review (minimum 50 characters, maximum 500 characters), and optionally answer “Would you recommend?” (yes/no) and select “Best for:” from ICP dropdown options. Preview how your review will appear.
  3. Publish and Contribute - Submit your 5-star review with a 150-word testimonial. The system creates a review record with verified_purchase: true. Your review appears in the reviews section with a “Verified Purchase” badge. Your profile shows “Completed Venture Launch Playbook.”
  4. Help Other Founders - Your review appears in sort order (most helpful first). Your rating contributes to the playbook average (updating from 4.9 to 4.91), and the total review count increments (47 to 48). Other customers can mark your review as helpful, moving it up in sort order.

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External Developer Path (Optional)

  1. Register as Developer - If you’re a consultant wanting to monetize expertise, click “Become a Developer” in the footer. The landing page explains revenue share (60/40 to 85/15 based on execution volume), Creator’s Playbook free training, 48-hour approval process, and success stories ($15K in 6 months).
  2. Apply and Complete Training - Click “Apply Now” and complete the registration form with organization name, type (individual/agency), contact email, portfolio URL, and sample work description. You’ll receive an email: “Application received - Complete Creator’s Playbook to get approved.”
  3. Submit for Approval - After email verification, you’re auto-enrolled in “Playbook Creator’s Playbook” with free access. Phase 1-3 unlocks immediately (Phase 4-8 locked until approval). Complete PRD, Service Blueprint, and Component Specs (Phase 1-3), then click “Submit for Review” and upload your 3 artifacts (Word/PDF/JSON accepted).
  4. Gain Platform Access - An admin reviews your Phase 1-3 work. Upon approval, your developer account activates (platformApproved: true), Phase 4-8 unlocks, and you can submit playbooks via the API. You’ll receive a welcome email with developer docs, JSON Schema, and validation CLI instructions.

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Developer Revenue and Payouts (Optional)

  1. Monitor Earnings - As an approved developer, click “Revenue” in the developer portal. Your dashboard shows total lifetime earnings (3,247),currentmonth(3,247), current month (823), current tier badge (Tier 2 - 65/35 split), and progress to next tier (152/200 executions - 48 more to Tier 3 with 70/30 split).
  2. Track Revenue by Playbook - Expand “By Playbook” to see a table with playbook name, total executions, gross revenue, your share (65%), and amount. Sort by revenue (highest first). When a customer purchases done-for-you execution, your dashboard updates within 5 minutes showing the new execution in “Recent Activity” and your projected next payout increases (450to450 to 1,447).
  3. Receive Monthly Payouts - On December 1st (payout date), Stripe Connect initiates a transfer to your account. A payout_history record is created, your dashboard shows “Payout Processing: $823 (Nov 2025),” and you receive an email with an itemized statement PDF attached.
  4. Advance Tiers - When you cross a tier threshold (152 to 201 executions), your dashboard displays a confetti animation and “You’ve reached Tier 3! Your split is now 70/30.” Future revenue calculates at 70%, the system logs the upgrade, and you receive an email: “Congrats! Your earnings per execution increased by 7.7%.”

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Common Questions

What’s the difference between free access and done-for-you execution? Free access gives you read-only viewing of all playbook steps so you can evaluate the content before committing. You can read every step, understand the process, and decide if it fits your needs. Done-for-you execution means a certified Sherpa completes each step for you, delivers tangible artifacts (research documents, prototypes, specifications) to your Data Room, and guides you through the entire process. Free access is for learning; done-for-you is for building. How quickly will my Sherpa start working on my execution? Most executions start within 24 hours. Your Sherpa is assigned based on availability (fewer than 5 active projects), expertise match (certification level meets or exceeds playbook requirements), and customer rating (4.5 stars or higher). If no Sherpa is immediately available, the system queues your execution and displays your queue position with an estimated start date based on average completion time of in-progress executions. You’ll receive an email when your Sherpa is assigned. Can I get a refund if the done-for-you execution doesn’t meet expectations? Yes, with a prorated policy. If you request a refund before Step 1 starts, you receive 100% back. After execution begins, your refund is (100% - (completedSteps / totalSteps × 100))%. For example, after Step 1 of 5 completes (20% done), you’d receive an 80% refund (4,000of4,000 of 5,000). If you have concerns about deliverable quality, you can dispute the execution within 7 days of step completion. Disputes freeze escrow payment and trigger admin review within 24 hours, with outcomes including full refund, partial refund, or no refund. What happens to my deliverables after execution completes? All deliverables remain in your Data Room with permanent access. When execution completes, the system generates a “Download All Artifacts” ZIP containing all files organized by step. You can download this ZIP at any time. After 90 days, files archive to cold storage for cost efficiency, but you can request retrieval (available within 24 hours). Retrieved files remain accessible for 7 days before re-archival. You retain ownership and can generate time-limited share links (24-hour expiry) for external stakeholders like investors. How do developer tiers affect my experience as a customer? Developer tiers don’t change playbook pricing or your experience. Tiers determine revenue split between the developer and Fiftyknots based on the developer’s 90-day rolling execution count. Tier 1 developers (0-50 executions) receive 60% of revenue, while Tier 5 developers (1,000+ executions) receive 85%. This system rewards successful developers who consistently deliver quality, but your cost and service level remain the same regardless of developer tier. All developers must meet the same quality standards and SLA commitments.

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Troubleshooting

My playbook search returns no results even though I see featured playbooks. Your search filters may be too restrictive. Clear all filters (category, difficulty, pricing model, developer type) by clicking the reset button, then try your search again. Search operates on playbook name, description, and tags. If you’re still getting no results, try broader search terms or browse by category instead of searching. Only playbooks with status: LIVE appear in search - drafts and pending review submissions are hidden from public marketplace. The “Upgrade to Done-For-You” button shows “Payment processing” but nothing happens. This indicates a Stripe webhook delivery issue. The system retries failed webhooks 3 times with exponential backoff (1 minute, 5 minutes, 30 minutes). If all retries fail, a manual reconciliation job runs daily to resolve pending payments. You’ll receive an email within 24 hours confirming your execution status. If urgent, contact support - admins can manually create the execution record and assign your Sherpa. Your payment won’t be charged twice due to Stripe idempotency keys preventing duplicate charges. My Sherpa marked a step complete but I don’t see deliverables in the Data Room. Check that you’re looking in the correct step folder (Step 1/, Step 2/, etc.). If the folder is empty, the Sherpa may have uploaded files during work but deleted them before marking complete (unusual but possible). Review the Data Room audit trail to see all file operations with timestamps. If files were deleted, contact your Sherpa via the execution detail page messaging. If the Sherpa claims files were uploaded, the admin can review audit logs to resolve the discrepancy and may initiate a dispute on your behalf if deliverables are genuinely missing. I completed a playbook but can’t write a review. Verify that your execution status shows COMPLETED (not IN_PROGRESS or DISPUTED). Only completed executions with verified_purchase: true allow reviews. If you disputed the execution and it’s still in DISPUTED status, you cannot review until the dispute resolves. If the execution shows REFUNDED, you also cannot review (refunded purchases aren’t eligible for verified reviews). Check your execution dashboard status first - if it shows COMPLETED but the review button doesn’t appear, try refreshing the playbook detail page or clearing your browser cache. Data Room - Every done-for-you execution creates a dedicated Data Room where your Sherpa uploads deliverables organized by step. You can upload files, download everything as a ZIP, view file version history, and generate time-limited share links for investors. The Data Room includes virus scanning, access control (you’re owner, Sherpa is editor, admins are viewers), and audit trails showing all file operations. After 90 days of execution completion, files archive to cold storage but remain retrievable within 24 hours. Sherpa Journey - When you purchase done-for-you execution, the system assigns a Sherpa and creates a sherpa_journey linking your execution to their workflow. Sherpas track time allocation for revenue sharing, update execution status (mark steps complete, add notes, upload deliverables, request feedback), and follow SLAs from the playbook registry. If your Sherpa becomes unavailable mid-execution, an admin can reassign with handoff notes to ensure continuity. You’ll be notified of any Sherpa changes. Developer Analytics - If you become a developer, access your analytics dashboard to view overview metrics (total lifetime earnings, current month revenue, current tier), playbook performance (execution count, gross revenue, your share by playbook), revenue trends over time, and payout history. Track your progress toward the next tier (execution count and split percentage increase), monitor draft playbooks awaiting approval, and verify Stripe Connect status. Monthly payout statements include itemized breakdowns with execution date, playbook name, gross revenue, platform fee, and net payout.