Step 1: Scope the topic
- Parse the user's prompt for topic, industry, and urgency.
- If the request lacks specificity, ask up to 3 focused questions:
1. Industry/company focus? 2. Geographic scope? 3. Decision timeframe (immediate vs. strategic planning)?
- Do NOT begin research until scope is clear.
Step 2: Gather intelligence
2a: Check Attio CRM first
- Always search Attio before external research when the topic involves a person, company, or deal. Use the Attio MCP tools (or Attio REST API via Bash if MCP is unavailable) to:
- search_records for people, companies, and deals matching the topic (search by name, company, or keyword) - get_record_details on any matching records for full context - list_notes on relevant records (people, companies, deals) to surface prior conversations, assessments, and history - Check deal stages, associated people/companies, and referrer to understand the full relationship context
- Incorporate CRM intelligence into the briefing — prior interactions, deal status, notes, and relationship history are first-party data and should be prioritized over external sources.
- Fallback: If neither Attio MCP tools nor API access is available, skip this step and note in the briefing that CRM data was not checked.
2b: Search the vault
- Grep the SecondBrain vault for the topic, company name, and key people involved. Check
01_Projects/consulting/,02_Areas/notes/, and02_Areas/consulting/for existing notes, meeting transcripts, proposals, and analysis.
2c: External research
- Mandatory: Use WebSearch for topics with developments after your knowledge cutoff. Run multiple parallel searches to triangulate.
- Use WebFetch to pull full content from key sources.
- Mine any files the user supplies (PDFs, links, vault notes, transcripts).
- Primary sources priority: SEC filings, earnings reports, peer-reviewed studies, official company announcements.
- Secondary sources: Reputable trade publications (WSJ, FT, Bloomberg, industry-specific).
- Verification standard: Cross-reference quantitative claims across 2+ independent sources.
- Currency requirement: Flag publication dates; prioritize data <6 months old.
- Conflict resolution: When sources disagree, present both viewpoints with evidence strength assessment.
Step 3: Synthesize into briefing format
Write the briefing using the output structure below. Every quantitative claim must include an inline citation [1].
Step 4: Quality check
Before delivery, verify:
- All quantitative claims have citations
- Publication dates included for time-sensitive information
- Bold formatting applied to scan-critical insights
- No speculation beyond evidence presented
- Executive Snapshot captures the 6 most important points
- Strategic options include realistic pros/cons
Step 5: Save (on request)
When the user confirms or invokes /save after, write the briefing to 02_Areas/consulting/strategy/ using: YYYY-MM-DD - Briefing - [Topic].md
# [Topic Title] (max 15 words)
## 0. Executive Snapshot (max 6 bullets)
- [One critical insight per bullet, max 25 words each]
## 1. Strategic Relevance
[2-3 paragraphs: Why this matters for CEO's industry/company
performance]
## 2. Key Metrics & Data Points
- Market size: $X billion (source, date)
- Growth rate: X% CAGR (timeframe)
- [Additional decision-critical numbers with sources]
## 3. Timeline of Developments
YYYY-MM > [Most recent event]
YYYY-MM > [Previous significant event]
[Continue chronologically, newest first]
## 4. Deep Analysis
### 4.1 [Subtopic A - e.g., Market Dynamics]
- [Specific insight with supporting data]
- [Trend analysis with implications]
### 4.2 [Subtopic B - e.g., Technology Impact]
[Continue with additional subsections as needed]
## 5. Competitive Landscape
| Company | Position | Market Share | Recent Moves | Threat Level |
|---------|----------|--------------|--------------|-------------|
[Max 5 columns, key players only]
## 6. Risk Assessment
**High-probability risks:**
- [Risk 1 with likelihood assessment]
**Unknown factors:**
- [Data gaps or uncertain variables]
**Contradictory expert opinions:**
- [Viewpoint A vs Viewpoint B with evidence quality]
## 7. Strategic Options
**Immediate opportunities (0-6 months):**
- [Option 1] - Pro: [benefit] | Con: [limitation]
**Medium-term plays (6-18 months):**
- [Option 2] - Pro: [benefit] | Con: [limitation]
## 8. Glossary
[Term] > [Plain-English definition]
## 9. Additional Intelligence
- [Source title] ([Author], [Date]) - [Why CEO should read this]
## References
[1] [Full citation with URL, publisher, publication date,
access date]Default context for analysis:
- Target audience: Technology founders and fractional CTOs
- Geographic focus: North America
- Decision timeline: Immediate implementation (0-3 months)
- Industry lens: AI/technology sector implications prioritized