Claude Project: Build Your Permanent AI Business Assistant

What This Builds

Instead of re-explaining your business to Claude every time you open a new conversation, you build a permanent AI business assistant that already knows everything about you: your carrier name, MC number, preferred lanes, blacklisted brokers, minimum rates, truck details, and how you like to communicate. Every conversation starts from that foundation. You open Claude, ask for a detention letter, and get one — no setup, no context-setting. Just results.

This is the equivalent of having a part-time office assistant who knows your business inside out, available 24/7 for $20/month.

Prerequisites

• Comfortable using Claude for basic chatting (Level 3 experience)
• A Claude Pro subscription ($20/month at claude.ai)
• 60-90 minutes to build and test your setup
• Your complete business details assembled (see Part 1 below)

The Concept

A Claude Project is like setting up a new employee on their first day: you give them a briefing document with everything they need to know about your business. After that briefing, every time you start a conversation in that Project, they already have that knowledge. No re-introductions needed.

Think of it like this: instead of calling a general temp agency every time you need something typed, you hired your own admin who learned your business once and now handles everything without explanation.

Build It Step by Step

Part 1: Gather Your Business Profile

Before opening Claude, write out all of this information. The more complete, the better your assistant will perform.

Business Identity:

• Your full name
• Company name (DBA or LLC)
• MC Number
• USDOT Number
• Home base city and state
• Phone number
• Email address

Equipment:

• Truck year, make, model (e.g., "2021 Kenworth T680")
• Engine (e.g., "Paccar MX-13")
• Trailer type and size (e.g., "53-foot dry van")
• Approximate max payload (e.g., 44,000 lbs)

Business Preferences:

• Preferred lanes (e.g., "Texas to Midwest, Southeast to Northeast")
• States you avoid (e.g., "New York City, California metro areas")
• Minimum rate per mile (e.g., "$2.10/mile")
• Load types you haul and don't haul
• Brokers you blacklist (names and why)
• Top 5 brokers you prefer to work with
• Your payment terms (net 30, factoring company if used)
• Your detention rate ($/hour after free hours)

Your Voice:

• How you like written communications: "professional but direct" or "firm but not aggressive"
• Any phrases you always use or avoid

Part 2: Create Your Claude Project

1. Log into Claude Pro at claude.ai
2. In the left sidebar, look for "Projects" and click the + button to create a new project
3. Name it: "Owner-Operator Business Assistant — [Your Company Name]"
4. You'll see a Project Instructions field — this is where your business profile goes

Part 3: Write Your Project Instructions

Paste this template into the Project Instructions field, filled in with your real details:

You are my dedicated business assistant for [Company Name], a CDL-A owner-operator trucking business.

## My Business Profile

**Company:** [Company Name]
**Owner:** [Your Name]
**MC Number:** [MC#]
**USDOT:** [DOT#]
**Home Base:** [City, State]
**Phone:** [Phone]
**Email:** [Email]
**Equipment:** [Year/Make/Model], [Engine], [Trailer type and size]
**Max Payload:** [lbs]

## My Operating Preferences

**Preferred lanes:** [List lanes]
**Avoid:** [States/cities to avoid]
**Minimum rate:** $[X.XX]/mile
**Detention rate:** $[rate]/hour after 2 free hours
**Load types:** Haul: [list]. Won't haul: [list]

**Preferred brokers:** [List names]
**Blacklisted brokers:** [List names and brief reason]
**Factoring company (if any):** [Name], [contact]

## My Communication Style

When writing emails or letters on my behalf, be [professional/firm/direct]. I am assertive with brokers but maintain professional relationships. Use complete sentences and proper business format.

## What I Need Help With

My primary use cases:
1. Detention pay request letters to brokers
2. Rate negotiation talking points before broker calls
3. Short-pay dispute emails
4. Invoice drafting and formatting
5. Compliance question answering (HOS, DOT, FMCSA)
6. Evaluating and ranking loads from the board
7. Truck maintenance research
8. Financial analysis (cost per mile, break-even rates)

When I ask for a letter or email, draft it immediately using my company details. When I evaluate loads, rank them against my preferences. When I ask compliance questions, give me the plain-English answer first, then details.

Part 4: Test Your Assistant

Click "New Conversation" within your Project (not a regular new chat). You should now be in a conversation where Claude already knows your business. Test it:

1. Ask: "Write me a detention pay request — I waited 3 hours at a PepsiCo DC in Louisville"
2. Ask: "Here are 5 loads from DAT right now — rank them: [paste 5 real loads]"
3. Ask: "What's my break-even rate per mile if diesel goes to $4.25?"

What you should see: Responses that use your company name, MC number, and preferences without you explaining anything.

Troubleshooting: If Claude asks for your company details, you may have opened a regular conversation instead of one inside your Project. Check the top of the screen — your Project name should appear.

Part 5: Test and Refine

After using it for a week, update the Project Instructions with anything it keeps getting wrong or things you want it to know better. Common refinements:

• "Add my broker contact list" (their direct phone numbers for when you're negotiating)
• "I've changed my minimum rate to $X.XX"
• "Add my truck payment details for cost-per-mile calculations"

Real Example: The Full Workflow

Setup: You've built your Project with all your details, including that you haul dry van in the Southeast and Midwest, minimum $2.10/mile, and you blacklist Coyote Logistics.

Input (Monday morning, empty in Memphis):

Output: Claude responds:

Time saved: 45 minutes of mental filtering reduced to 30 seconds.

What to Do When It Breaks

• Claude asks for your company details → You're in a regular chat, not your Project. Open your Project from the sidebar.
• Claude gives wrong broker ranking → Update your Project Instructions with the correct preference. Say exactly what went wrong.
• Claude's compliance answer seems off → Always verify safety-critical compliance with FMCSA directly or a transportation attorney.
• The Project Instructions section is hidden → Look for a "Project settings" gear icon or edit button in your Project.

Variations

• Simpler version: If you can't justify $20/month yet, use the free tier with a saved conversation where you paste your business profile at the start each week. Less convenient, but free.
• Extended version: Add a "Competitor Research" section to your Project Instructions: "Help me research new brokers I haven't worked with. Ask me to describe the broker and evaluate if they're worth trying."

What to Do Next

• This week: Build your Project, test it with 3 real scenarios
• This month: Add your full broker contact list and load history notes
• Advanced: Connect your Google Sheets rate tracker — export weekly summaries and paste into Claude for analysis: "Here's my last 20 loads — what patterns do you see in my most and least profitable loads?"

Advanced guide for CDL-A truck driver professionals. Claude Pro subscription required ($20/month). This technique uses Claude's persistent memory features.