Product Development
I received one of the products I’ve been working on with a manufacturer yesterday. I’m happy with the design, although it still needs a few adjustments. I’m also not entirely sure how effective the product will be until I get a chance to test it. Regardless, I’m happy with the progress I’m making and the fact that I’m finally getting some of these products developed.
Last night, I was going back and forth with another manufacturer after they sent me a technical drawing for one of the other products I’m trying to develop. Unfortunately, some of the dimensions were incorrect, so one of the things on my to-do list today is to get those measurements corrected.
Part of me just wants to ship them the original product so they can examine it, take the measurements themselves and recreate it. This particular product is relatively simple, so I’m not sure whether going through the trouble of shipping it overseas would be worth it. However, after dealing with the development process for the product I just received, I’m starting to think that sending manufacturers physical samples might actually be the better approach.
Looking back, I probably would have saved myself a lot of time if I had simply shipped the original product to the manufacturer from the beginning. They could have examined it, taken the necessary measurements and produced a sample without all the back-and-forth communication. Instead, I’ve had to explain the dimensions, review drawings, request changes and wait for samples to arrive before discovering what else needs to be adjusted.
For more complicated products, I think I’m going to start asking manufacturers whether I can send them a physical sample from the beginning. It would make the process easier for everyone and potentially save me money. If I have to pay for a sample, discover that something is wrong, request another version and pay for international shipping again, those expenses can add up pretty quickly. I might as well spend the money to get everything right the first time.
Apopka Property
As for the Apopka rental property, I forgot to follow up with the roofer yesterday. The materials were supposed to be delivered to the house, but I never confirmed whether they actually arrived. I’m going to contact him today to find out what’s going on.
I also have several other follow-ups with contractors on my to-do list. I need to get those taken care of because I don’t want these projects dragging on any longer than necessary.
Experimenting With AI Automation
On the business side, I spent some more time experimenting with Claude Cowork yesterday, and I was able to automate eight eBay listings using pictures I already had on my phone. I was actually pretty surprised by how well it worked. The process was relatively quick, and although I’m still getting used to the software, I can already see how useful it could become.
What made the experience interesting was that I didn’t even have to sit in front of my computer the entire time. I had Claude Cowork running on my laptop and changed the settings so the computer wouldn’t go to sleep. While I was eating, Claude continued working on the listings, and I was able to monitor its progress directly from my phone. Whenever it needed something or ran into an issue, I could quickly give it instructions without having to go back to my office.
That was pretty cool. I was essentially getting eBay work done while doing something else, and I could supervise the process from my phone. Considering how much I’ve struggled with finding enough time to list inventory consistently, having a tool that can take care of some of that work could be extremely valuable.
I’m also using Muse on my phone to help me stay organized. I’ve experimented with giving it different tasks, but I haven’t been particularly impressed with its ability to handle complex assignments or research. Where it really shines is as a personal assistant, almost like having a secretary.
It helps me manage my calendar, sends me reminders and keeps track of my to-do lists. Throughout the day, I can simply ask it to pull up my tasks and tell me what else I need to get done. I really enjoy using it for that because I have so many things going on that it’s easy to forget something or lose track of what I was supposed to be working on.
I don’t plan on relying on Muse for complicated tasks. I’ll leave those to Claude Cowork and use Muse primarily to manage my schedule and keep me organized.
Getting More Done With Less Time
Even though I got home pretty late yesterday and didn’t feel particularly productive, I actually managed to make some progress. I worked with manufacturers, reviewed product designs and got eight eBay listings completed with the help of AI.
What’s interesting is that I’m starting to feel like I have some actual help with my workload. Between Muse keeping me organized and Claude Cowork handling tasks on my computer, I’m finding ways to get things done without having to personally sit there and do every single step.
I’m still experimenting with these tools and figuring out what they’re good at, but I’m impressed with what I’ve been able to accomplish so far. If I can get them working reliably, they could help me manage the business much more efficiently, especially on days when I have very little time available.