Claude for Builders — Frequently Asked Questions¶

Course Logistics¶

Q: What if I can't attend a live session?
A: Watch the recording within 48 hours and complete the exercise. Post questions in Slack before the next session.

Q: Can I work ahead?
A: Written lessons are available immediately, but live sessions follow the schedule. You can review recordings early, but wait for live instruction before building complex systems.

Q: Are sessions recorded?
A: Yes. All sessions are recorded and posted within 24 hours. You have lifetime access.

Q: What's the refund policy?
A: Maven handles refunds. Check Maven's terms or contact their support.

Q: How do I join the Slack workspace?
A: You'll receive an invitation within 24 hours of enrollment. Check your email for the invite link to join #claude-cohort-[cohort-number].

Q: Can I get 1:1 time with James? A: Yes. Schedule 15 or 30-minute sessions at your convenience through the Calendly link provided in the course materials.

Technical Support¶

Q: What if I get stuck on setup?
A: Post in Slack with screenshots. Attend office hours for real-time troubleshooting. Use your 1:1 for complex issues.

Q: Do I need coding experience?
A: No. This course teaches builders, not developers. You'll work with code, but we provide templates and step-by-step guidance.

Q: What if my machine doesn't meet requirements?
A: Contact James in Slack immediately. We'll find workarounds where possible.

Q: Do all tools need to be configured before Week 1?
A: No. Week 0 provides an overview of required tools. Detailed setup happens during Week 1 live sessions. It's suggested to get started before Week 1 if possible, but not required.

Q: I can't access Google Drive links from my corporate network. What should I do?
A: PDF versions of all slide decks will be provided for students who cannot access Google Drive.

Q: Where can I find the GitHub repository for the course? A: The course repo is at https://github.com/jamesgray-ai/claude-for-builders. You'll be added to a team with access to clone the repo.

Course Content¶

Q: Will this course be updated for new Claude features? A: Yes. Lesson materials are updated monthly and available as resources on Google Drive.

Q: Can I take this course if I took Hands-on Agentic AI for Leaders?
A: Yes. Leaders = AI fundamentals across tools (breadth). Builders = Deep Claude implementation (depth).

Q: What's the difference between this course and other Claude courses?
A: This course goes deep on building with Claude specifically—Skills, Subagents, Claude Code, browser automation. Other courses cover AI fundamentals or multiple tools. This is for builders who want to master the Claude ecosystem.

Q: What if I fall behind during the course?
A: Watch recordings to catch up, complete exercises at your own pace, and attend office hours for support. All materials have lifetime access.

Tools & Setup¶

Q: Do I need Claude Pro or can I use the free tier?
A: You need a paid Claude subscription (Pro minimum, Max recommended for heavy Claude Code usage). The free tier won't provide enough usage limits for course work.

Q: Can I use a different code editor besides Cursor or VS Code?
A: Cursor or VS Code are required. Course instructions assume one of these editors. Other editors may work but won't be officially supported.

Q: What if Claude in Chrome isn't available in my region?
A: Contact James in Slack. We'll discuss alternative approaches for browser automation or work with you to access the extension if possible.

Q: I've never used GitHub. Is that a problem?
A: No problem. Week 1 covers GitHub setup and the basics you need. You don't need prior experience.

Q: Can I use my company's Claude Team account?
A: Yes, Claude Team accounts work well. Make sure you have permission to install tools and access external resources for the course.

Capstone Project¶

Q: What should my capstone project be?
A: Choose something that solves a real problem in your work. It should integrate Skills, Subagents, or automation—demonstrating what you've learned applied to your context.

Q: How much time should I spend on the capstone?
A: Plan for 3-5 hours of focused work during Week 5. You'll build on exercises from previous weeks, so it's more integration than starting from scratch.

Q: Do I have to present my capstone to the cohort?
A: Yes. Presentations are part of the learning experience. You'll demo your system, explain your approach, and get peer feedback.

Q: What if my capstone doesn't work perfectly?
A: Perfect doesn't matter. What matters is demonstrating your process, what you learned, and how you applied course concepts. Working systems are better than perfect systems.

Community & Support¶

Q: What's the LinkedIn Private Group Forum?
A: A LinkedIn Group for course graduates with ongoing monthly live sessions covering advanced topics, Claude updates, and community showcases.

Q: Can I stay in touch with my cohort after the course?
A: Yes. The Slack workspace remains active, and you'll have access to the LinkedIn group to continue learning with other graduates.

Q: What if I need help after the course ends?
A: You have lifetime access to recordings and materials.

Getting Started¶

Q: What should I do right now?
A: Join Slack, introduce yourself, review the "Identify Your AI Builder Stack" lesson, and verify you meet system requirements. Start setting up tools if you want a head start before Week 1.

Q: How can I prepare before the first live session?
A: Review Week 0 materials, join Slack, and start thinking about workflows in your business that you'd like to automate. The more you connect course concepts to real work, the better.

Have a question not answered here? Post in Slack or bring it to office hours!