# agent-business-canvas

Walks an AI agent product through seven dimensions of its business model and returns a structured canvas. Built for founders and investors.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 336
- Author: harperreed
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/harperreed/dotfiles/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills-archive/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-15
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/agent-business-canvas

## What it does

The skill takes an agent product apart along seven dimensions: context economics, pricing architecture, model routing, cost trajectory, memory and switching cost, unit economics, and distribution versus optimization. Each one starts with a blunt position, then asks what your situation actually looks like and pushes back with data.

It opens by asking whether you are building the product or judging someone else's, since that sets the lens for everything after. Then it pulls current market data with whatever research tools are available and folds those findings into each dimension rather than parking them in a separate section. The run ends with a synthesis and a verdict.

General SaaS pricing is out of scope, and so are non-agentic AI products such as chatbots or copilots that keep no state. Pure architecture review belongs elsewhere too. The canvas will not start until you answer both opening questions, so have a short product description ready: what the agent does, who uses it, and how it is priced today.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill agent-business-canvas -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/agent-business-canvas/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill agent-business-canvas -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill agent-business-canvas -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install harperreed/dotfiles agent-business-canvas
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill agent-business-canvas -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/harperreed/dotfiles --path .claude/skills-archive/agent-business-canvas
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill agent-business-canvas -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/harperreed/dotfiles/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills-archive/agent-business-canvas/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- split compute cost per session from cost per message
- test whether flat pricing survives your heaviest users
- justify running more than one model in production
- vet an agent company before writing a check
- project margin a year out as compute prices fall

## Example prompts
- Run agent-business-canvas on my agent product, I'm the founder
- Pressure-test the unit economics of my agent: we charge per message and power users blow the budget
- Evaluate this agent company with the investor lens and flag the red flags

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From the same set: [harperreed/dotfiles](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/harperreed/dotfiles.md) — 8 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md