Free Guide
The AI setup guide nobody wrote.
The DIY map. So you don't live the months I did.
- Why your AI forgets everything (and the one-time fix)
- The 3 things that will trip you up before you even start
- What a proper AI COO foundation actually looks like
- The hardware decision that changed everything for me
- The security risk most people running AI don't know exists
- The shape of a proper AI environment — what runs where, why
Free Guide
Inside the guide
What you'll know after reading it
Why AI forgets
Every new conversation, your AI starts fresh. Here's the fix that costs nothing to implement and changes everything.
Security basics
Your business data is valuable. Here's exactly what to configure to make sure it stays yours — and doesn't train someone else's model.
The hardware question
Do you need a dedicated machine? The answer might surprise you. I run 8 businesses on one Mac Mini. Here's how I set it up.
Workspace structure
The exact file structure I use so your AI knows where everything lives — and never loses anything.
The 3 rookie mistakes
I made all three before I knew better. This section alone will save you weeks of troubleshooting.
Your first 24 hours
A step-by-step walkthrough of your first day with a properly configured AI setup. What to do, in order, no detours.
Elfina Luk
Founder · Ellestra Studio
From Elfina
I was frustrated with every option out there. So I built my own.
I spent months going in circles before I figured out a foundation that actually worked. Then I ran it across all my businesses — at the same time, with one AI team.
This guide is the foundation. The DIY version of how I set it up the first time.
running on this
business every session
skipped
Be clear before you read it
What this guide is. What it isn't.
What it is
- The DIY foundation map for the AI COO system
- What each piece is, what order, why it matters
- Memory · security · hardware · workspace setup
- The thing I wish I'd had on day one
What it isn't
- An operator — those come separately
- A done-for-you setup
- A walkthrough — that's the workshop or Start Here Guide
- A quick fix — it's a foundation, you build on it
Get the free guide.
The months of going in circles I went through, so you don't have to.