--- name: coffee-chat description: | Generate a personalized coffee chat playbook for networking conversations. Use when: - User wants to prepare for a coffee chat with someone they met on LinkedIn - Need to gather intelligence on a professional contact before meeting - Creating conversation guides for networking meetings Triggers: "coffee chat", "networking prep", "coffee chat prep", "chat playbook", "meeting prep" This skill: 1. Collects target person's name and LinkedIn URL 2. Researches company and industry 3. Finds founder/employee backgrounds 4. Generates a comprehensive coffee chat playbook with detailed research --- # Coffee Chat Playbook Generator This skill helps you prepare for professional coffee chats by gathering intelligence on the person and generating personalized conversation guides. --- ## Prerequisites Before using this skill, set up the following. Only **Apify CLI** is required for X scraping — everything else is optional. ### 1. Apify CLI (required for X/Twitter scraping) Apify CLI is used to run the tweet scraper actor. **Install:** ```bash npm install -g apify-cli ``` **Authenticate:** ```bash apify login # Paste your Apify API token when prompted # Get your token at: https://console.apify.com/account/integrations ``` **Verify:** ```bash apify info # Should show your username and token ``` > Free tier includes $5/month of compute credits. Scraping 10 tweets costs ~$0.004, well within free limits. --- ### 2. Notion Integration (optional — for saving playbooks to Notion) **Create an integration:** 1. Go to https://www.notion.so/my-integrations 2. Click **"New integration"** 3. Give it a name (e.g. "Coffee Chat Skill") 4. Copy the **Internal Integration Token** **Set the API key:** ```bash export NOTION_API_KEY="secret_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" # Add to your shell profile to persist: echo 'export NOTION_API_KEY="secret_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"' >> ~/.zshrc ``` **Share your Notion page with the integration:** 1. Open the Notion page where you want playbooks saved 2. Click **"..."** → **"Add connections"** → select your integration 3. Copy the page ID from the URL: - URL: `https://notion.so/My-Page-abc123def456...` - Page ID: `abc123def456...` (the part after the last `-`) **Update `NOTION_PAGE_ID`** in the Notion Push section of this skill. --- ### 3. Web Search & Fetch (required for company and background research) This skill relies on web search and web fetch to research the target's company, industry, and background in Steps 2 & 3. Your AI agent needs access to these tools. **If using OpenClaw or Claude Code:** - Web search and WebFetch are built-in — no setup needed **If using another agent framework**, make sure it has access to: - A **search API** (e.g. Brave Search, Serper, Tavily, You.com) for querying company news, funding rounds, founder backgrounds - A **web fetch / scrape tool** for reading pages (company websites, LinkedIn profiles, news articles) > Without these tools the agent will fall back to training knowledge only, which may be outdated. Research quality will drop significantly. --- ### 4. Summary of everything you need | Tool / Variable | Required | Description | |-----------------|----------|-------------| | Web search API | **Yes** (for research) | Built-in on OpenClaw/Claude Code; otherwise configure your agent's search plugin | | Web fetch | **Yes** (for research) | Built-in on OpenClaw/Claude Code; otherwise configure your agent's fetch tool | | `APIFY_API_TOKEN` | For X scraping | Set automatically by `apify login` | | `NOTION_API_KEY` | Optional | Your Notion integration token | --- ## Setup (First Time) Before using this skill, create your profile file at `memory/my-profile.md`: ```markdown # My Profile - **Name**: [Your Name] - **Role**: [Your current role and company] - **Background**: [Brief career background, e.g. Finance → VC → AI] - **Location**: [City, Country] - **LinkedIn**: [Your LinkedIn URL] - **Interests**: [Topics you care about / want to discuss] ``` Also configure integrations (optional): - **Notion**: Set `NOTION_API_KEY` env var and update `NOTION_PAGE_ID` in the Notion Push section below - **Apify**: Set `APIFY_API_TOKEN` env var for LinkedIn scraping (free tier available) --- ## Workflow ### Step 1: Collect Information Ask the user for: 1. **Target person's name** (required) 2. **Target's LinkedIn profile URL** (optional but recommended) 3. **Target's company name** (required for research) 4. **Target's X (Twitter) username** (optional, e.g. `@elonmusk` or just `elonmusk`) — used for scraping recent posts 5. **Context of the meeting** (optional - how you met, goal) Load your profile from `memory/my-profile.md` for comparison. ### Step 2: Research Target's Company For each target, do comprehensive company research: 1. **Web search** for company info: - Funding news - Product/feature launches - Team / founders 2. **X (Twitter) search** for company account: - Recent posts - Product demos - Engagement with community 3. **News search** for recent coverage: - Funding announcements - Product launches - Competitor/industry analysis ### Step 3: Research Target's Background 1. **Find LinkedIn profile** via web search 2. **Scrape LinkedIn posts** (if available via Apify) 3. **Scrape X (Twitter) posts** — if user provided an X username, run: ```bash apify call apidojo/tweet-scraper --input '{ "searchTerms": ["from:USERNAME"], "maxTweets": 10, "sort": "Latest" }' --output-dataset --silent ``` Replace `USERNAME` with the target's X handle (without `@`). - Parse the dataset output and extract: tweet text, date, likes, retweets, replies - If `APIFY_API_TOKEN` is not set or scraping fails, fall back to web search for recent X posts - Skip this step silently if no X username was provided 4. **Gather background info**: - Previous work experience - Education - Notable projects/achievements - Recent posts/topics (from both LinkedIn and X) ### Step 4: Generate Comprehensive Playbook Follow the **Full Playbook Template** below with ALL sections: - Target Profile Summary - Company & Industry Research (detailed) - Founder Deep Dive (for startup targets) - Recent Content & Posts - Profile Comparison - 8 Questions - 4 Talking Points - Communication Tips - Pre-Chat Checklist ### Step 5: Save & Push to Notion (optional) 1. **Save locally**: `memory/coffee-chat-{target-slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` 2. **Push to Notion**: Append to your configured Notion page (if `NOTION_API_KEY` is set) --- ## Full Playbook Template ```markdown # ☕ Coffee Chat Playbook: [Target Company/Name] **Date:** [YYYY-MM-DD] **Status:** Researched --- ## 📋 Target Profile Summary ### Basic Info - **Target**: [Name] (Founder/CEO/PM at [Company]) - **LinkedIn**: [URL] - **Location**: [City, Country] - **Connection**: [How you met] ### Background - [Previous career/experience] - [Notable projects or achievements] - [Education] ### Recent Posts / Topics - [Topic 1 from LinkedIn/X] - [Topic 2] - [Topic 3] --- ## 🏢 Company & Industry Research ### Company Overview - **Company Name**: [Name] - **Founded**: [Year] - **Location**: [HQ location] - **Funding**: [Amount] ([Investors]) - [Date] - **Team**: [Size/distribution if known] - **X/Website**: [Links] ### Product - [Product description] - [Key features] - [Target users] ### Industry Landscape - **Market**: [Brief description of market] - **Competitors**: [List key competitors] - **Trends**: [Industry trends] - **Challenges**: [Key challenges] - **Opportunities**: [Opportunities] ### Investors (if applicable) - **Investor 1**: [Background] - **Investor 2**: [Background] --- ## 👥 Founder Deep Dive (for startups) ### [Founder 1 Name] ([Title]) - **Background**: [e.g., Documentary filmmaker, Ex-Google, etc.] - **Work history**: [Notable companies/clients] - **Notable achievements**: [e.g., Founded X, Award Y] - **Philosophy/Interests**: [From posts] ### [Founder 2 Name] ([Title]) - [Same structure] --- ## 📱 Recent Content & Posts ### LinkedIn Posts - [Post 1: topic and key message] - [Post 2] - [Post 3] ### X (Twitter) Posts — Last 10 > Scraped via apidojo/tweet-scraper. If X username not provided, use web search results. | # | Date | Tweet | Likes | RT | Replies | |---|------|-------|-------|----|---------| | 1 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Full tweet text] | [n] | [n] | [n] | | 2 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Full tweet text] | [n] | [n] | [n] | | 3 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Full tweet text] | [n] | [n] | [n] | | ... | | | | | | **Key themes from X posts:** - [Theme 1: what they talk about most] - [Theme 2: opinions/stances] - [Theme 3: recent interests or announcements] **Engagement pattern**: [High/Medium/Low — what type of content gets most engagement] --- ## 🔍 Profile Comparison (You vs Target) ### Your Profile - **Role**: [Load from memory/my-profile.md] - **Background**: [Load from memory/my-profile.md] - **Location**: [Load from memory/my-profile.md] ### Common Ground - [Common industry or domain] - [Similar career transition experience] - [Shared interests] ### Conversation Starters (Based on Research) 1. "[Based on their product launch] I saw [product] launched - what was the inspiration?" 2. "[Based on their background] As someone who transitioned from [old career] to [new career], what surprised you most?" 3. "[Based on their philosophy] Your focus on [X] resonates with me because..." 4. "[Based on investors] How did you approach raising from [Investor]?" 5. "[Based on team] With your distributed team across [locations], how do you manage collaboration?" --- ## 💬 Questions to Ask (8 total) ### 👤 Personal (3) 1. [Question based on their background - e.g., "What prompted your transition from X to Y?"] 2. [Question based on their location/move - e.g., "What's it like building a US company from [location]?"] 3. [Question based on their interests - e.g., "I saw you worked on [project] - what was that experience like?"] ### 💼 Work-Related (3) 4. [Question about their product - e.g., "How is [Company] different from competitors?"] 5. [Question about challenges - e.g., "What's been the biggest challenge building [Company]?"] 6. [Question about team/culture - e.g., "How do you think about team building as a founder?"] ### 🌐 Industry (2) 7. [Question about industry trends - e.g., "Where do you see the industry heading in 2-3 years?"] 8. [Question about advice - e.g., "What advice would you give to someone in my role?"] --- ## 🗣️ Your Talking Points (4) 1. **Your background**: [Load from memory/my-profile.md] 2. **What you admire**: [Something specific from their profile/posts] 3. **Your work**: [Current role and what you're building] 4. **Curiosity**: [Something specific you want to learn from them] --- ## 🧭 Communication Principles & In-Chat Guide ### ☕ The COFFEE Framework (30-min structure) Use this as your session blueprint. Every great coffee chat has a shape. | Time | Phase | What to do | |------|-------|------------| | 0–5 min | **C — Connect** | Start human. Share who you are briefly. Ask about them first. | | 5–10 min | **O — Offer Proof** + **F — Frame** | Optionally show a 60-sec artifact (1-pager, analysis, teardown) that proves you've done homework. Then frame the agenda: *"I have a few questions — happy to go wherever is useful for you too."* | | 10–25 min | **F — Focused Questions** | Ask 2–3 non-Googleable questions. Listen 70%, talk 30%. Follow their thread. | | 25–30 min | **E — End on Time** | Start wrapping at min 25. Don't let it run over. | | Closing | **E — Extend Help** | Before you leave: *"Is there anything I can help with from my end?"* | > **Litmus test for every question:** If the answer is fully on Google or their LinkedIn, don't ask it. Ask things only *they* can answer. --- ### The Golden Rule: 70/30 > **They talk 70%, you talk 30%.** Your job is to draw them out, not to impress them. - Ask open-ended questions, then listen fully before responding - Don't fill silence — let them think - Put your phone away. Be fully present --- ### 🤝 Nonverbal Signals (Don't Overlook These) | Signal | What to do | |--------|-----------| | Eye contact | Maintain natural eye contact — shows you're engaged | | Nodding | Nod slowly to signal you're following and interested | | Smile | Warm, genuine smiles — not forced | | Body posture | Lean slightly forward, open body language, no crossed arms | | Hands | Keep visible, use to emphasize points naturally | | Phone | Face-down or away — checking it kills rapport instantly | --- ### 🎭 Identify Their Networker Persona Read the room in the first 2-3 minutes. Adjust your style accordingly. #### 🔵 Practicalist > Fact-driven, problem-solver, sticks to the point, values time efficiency **Signs**: Gets straight to business, asks direct questions, gives concise answers **Your technique**: - Be clear on your intention upfront ("I'm here to learn about X") - Skip small talk, lead with substance - Give them space to respond — don't ramble - Use data and specifics, not vague observations **Sample opener**: *"I wanted to connect because [specific reason]. I have a few focused questions — hope that works for you."* --- #### 🟡 Conversationalist > Personable, relationship-focused, loves stories, open to tangents **Signs**: Asks personal questions, shares stories, warm and expressive **Your technique**: - Power on small talk — ask about their weekend, their city, their journey - Match their warmth and storytelling style - Pay close attention to body language — they're reading yours too - Let conversations flow naturally, don't over-structure **Sample opener**: *"I loved your post about [X] — it really resonated with me. How did that come about?"* --- #### 🔴 Dominator > Dominates the conversation, tends to be the one asking questions, high-status energy **Signs**: Asks lots of questions, steers topics, rarely pauses for your input **Your technique**: - Listen to their questions — they reveal what they care about - Be more assertive: when there's a natural pause, jump in with your question - Use bridging phrases: *"That's a great point — it makes me curious about..."* - Don't wait to be invited — politely redirect to your agenda **Sample opener**: *"Before I forget — I actually had a specific question I was hoping to get your take on..."* --- ### 💬 Question Bank (70/30 Principle) Design questions to keep them talking. Follow up on their answers before moving to the next question. > **How to use this bank:** > - Pick 2-3 **Core Questions** per section — these are your main agenda > - Use **Follow-Up Questions** only if time allows and the topic naturally opens up > - Use **Transition Phrases** to move between topics without abrupt cuts --- #### 🔓 Warm-Up (first 5 min — build comfort) **Core:** - *"How's your week going? Anything exciting on your plate right now?"* - *"How did you end up in [city/role]? Was it planned or did it just happen?"* **Follow-up (if they open up):** - *"What do you enjoy most about being based in [city]?"* - *"Was there a specific moment that made you decide to make the move?"* **Transition into background:** *"That's really interesting — I'd love to hear more about your path to where you are now..."* --- #### 🧬 Background & Journey (understand their path) **Core:** - *"What drew you to [industry/role] originally?"* - *"What's been the most unexpected part of your journey so far?"* - *"If you could start all over again, would you change your career path in any way?"* *(UB)* **Follow-up (if time allows):** - *"If you could go back and tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?"* - *"Was there a specific decision that really changed the trajectory of things?"* - *"How long does it typically take for people to rise to more senior levels in this field?"* *(UB)* **Transition into work:** *"It sounds like you've built a really intentional path. I'm curious how that shapes how you think about [Company] today..."* --- #### 🏢 Work & Company (go deeper on what they do) **Core:** - *"What does a great day at work look like for you right now?"* - *"What's the hardest problem [Company] is working through?"* - *"What parts of your job do you find most challenging — and most enjoyable?"* *(UB)* **Follow-up (if they go deep):** - *"How has the team's approach evolved as you've scaled?"* - *"What's something people on the outside misunderstand about what you're building?"* - *"How would you describe the culture — what kind of person thrives here?"* *(UB)* - *"Why do people typically leave this company or field?"* *(UB)* **Transition into industry:** *"Given everything you're seeing up close at [Company], I'd love your take on where the broader space is going..."* --- #### 🌐 Industry & Trends (show intellectual curiosity) **Core:** - *"Where do you think [industry] is heading in the next 2-3 years?"* - *"What's a trend you're watching that most people aren't paying attention to yet?"* - *"What are the biggest challenges facing this industry right now?"* *(MIT)* **Follow-up (if time allows):** - *"Who do you think is doing the most interesting work in this space right now?"* - *"Is there a bet you're making that feels contrarian to the mainstream view?"* - *"Is the field growing — are there good opportunities for newcomers?"* *(UB)* - *"What developments on the horizon could affect opportunities in this space?"* *(UB)* **Transition into closing:** *"This has been really eye-opening — before we wrap up, I wanted to make sure I ask..."* --- #### 🤝 Relationship-Building & Closing (make it mutual) **Core:** - *"Is there anything I can help with from my end — introductions, resources, anything?"* - *"Would it be okay to keep in touch? I'd love to follow your journey."* - *"Are there any questions I should have asked but didn't?"* *(MIT — always ask this)* **Follow-up:** - *"Who else do you think I should be talking to in this space? Would it be okay to use your name?"* *(UB)* - *"What resources — books, podcasts, communities — would you recommend I look into?"* *(MIT)* --- #### ⚡ Persona-Specific Follow-Ups - **Practicalist**: *"How do you measure success on that?"* / *"What's the ROI you're seeing?"* - **Conversationalist**: *"Tell me more about that — how did it feel?"* / *"What was the moment you knew?"* - **Dominator**: *"You mentioned [X] — I've been thinking about that a lot. Can I ask your take on [Y]?"* --- #### 🏛️ Consulting / Finance / High-Prestige Firm (use when target works at MBB, Big 4, investment bank, etc.) These questions are sharper and more direct — suited for time-pressed, high-status professionals who respect preparation. **About their firm & culture:** - *"What surprised you most about [Firm] that you only discovered after joining?"* - *"How would you describe someone who truly excels here — what separates them from the rest?"* - *"What do you see as [Firm]'s biggest opportunity and biggest challenge right now?"* - *"How would you compare [Firm] to others you've worked with or considered?"* **About their career path:** - *"What underrated skill do you think accelerated your growth here?"* - *"What surprised you most moving from individual contributor to managing others?"* - *"Looking back, what do you wish you'd known before entering this field?"* **Situational / behavioral (if they're senior and the vibe allows):** - *"Tell me about a time you had to persuade someone to change their mind when the stakes were high — how did you approach it?"* - *"Describe a moment when you had to make a call with limited information. What did you do?"* - *"What's a professional risk you took that paid off — and one that didn't?"* **About breaking in (if you're exploring the field):** - *"How do most people at your level enter this field — what paths tend to work?"* - *"Considering my background, how well do you think I'd fit into this type of role?"* *(UB)* - *"What would you recommend I do in the next 6 months to be a stronger candidate?"* - *"Are there specific companies or teams within the industry you'd suggest I look at?"* > **Tone note for consulting/finance targets:** Be crisp. Lead with your agenda. They appreciate directness and hate meandering. Show you've done the homework — reference their work, their firm's recent deals or reports, their public writing. --- ### 🔍 Finding Common Ground (TLDR) Before the chat, scan their LinkedIn/X for: - **Shared experiences**: same industry, career pivot, city, university - **Shared interests**: topics they post about repeatedly - **Shared values**: how they talk about their work and people Use these to open genuine threads — not forced flattery. One real connection beats five generic questions. --- ### ✨ Value-Added Mindset Go in with a giving mentality, not just a taking one: - Bring a relevant article, resource, or intro to offer - Share a genuine observation about their work: *"I noticed [X] — have you considered [Y]?"* - Follow up within 24hrs: summarize 1-2 things you learned and mention what you'll do next --- ## ⚠️ Communication Tips - **Tone**: Warm, curious, show genuine interest in their journey - **Attitude**: Be authentic, appreciate their unique background - **Address**: First names - **Time Zone**: [Check time zone difference if remote] --- ## ✅ Pre-Chat Checklist - [ ] Review company website and product - [ ] Check recent LinkedIn/X posts - [ ] Prepare 30-sec self introduction - [ ] Set up calendar invite (consider time zones) - [ ] Have questions ready - [ ] Have pen and paper for notes ``` --- ## Notion Push (Optional) Requires `NOTION_API_KEY` environment variable and your target page ID. ```bash # Set your Notion page ID here NOTION_PAGE_ID="YOUR_NOTION_PAGE_ID" NOTION_KEY="${NOTION_API_KEY}" curl -s -X PATCH "https://api.notion.com/v1/blocks/${NOTION_PAGE_ID}/children" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2022-06-28" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "children": [ {"object": "block", "type": "heading_1", "heading_1": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "☕ Coffee Chat Playbook: [Target]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "📋 Target Profile Summary"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[Basic info, background, recent topics]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "🏢 Company & Industry Research"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[Funding, location, team, product, industry landscape]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "👥 Founder Deep Dive"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[Background, work history, achievements, philosophy]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "📱 Recent Content & Posts"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[LinkedIn posts + X activity]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "🔍 You vs Target"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[Common ground and conversation starters]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "💬 Questions (8)"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[8 questions: 3 personal, 3 work, 2 industry]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "🗣️ Talking Points (4)"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[4 talking points]"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "divider", "divider": {}}, {"object": "block", "type": "heading_2", "heading_2": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "⚠️ Tips & ✅ Checklist"}}]}}, {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "[Communication tips and pre-chat checklist]"}}]}} ] }' ``` --- ## Quality Standards 1. **Always include Company & Industry Research** - funding, product, competitors, trends 2. **Always include Founder Deep Dive** - for startup targets, research each founder's background 3. **Always include Recent Content** - LinkedIn posts + X activity 4. **Always compare profiles** - find common ground between you and the target 5. **Generate exactly 8 questions** - 3 personal, 3 work, 2 industry 6. **Generate exactly 4 talking points** - show you've done homework 7. **Save locally** - always save to `memory/coffee-chat-{target-slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md` 8. **Push to Notion** - if `NOTION_API_KEY` is configured 9. **Make questions specific** - based on their background, posts, company news --- ## Known Limitations ### LinkedIn Scraping - LinkedIn company scrapers often return wrong data - LinkedIn profile scrapers may fail on free Apify tier - **Workaround**: Use web search for company/founder info, check X for recent posts ### Profile Cache - Located at: `memory/my-profile.md` - If missing, ask the user to provide their background before proceeding ### Notion - Requires `NOTION_API_KEY` environment variable - Set your page ID in the Notion Push section above - Notion API version: `2022-06-28`