A private founder assistant for Ken and Parable
Begin with memory. Grow into leverage.
A practical pilot to help Parable capture studio context, project memory, creative reflections, and operational signals in one private AI assistant that grows through use.
The assistant does not replace your reflection. It preserves and compounds it.
The core principle“The one thing which you cannot outsource is your personal understanding.”Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs, speaking at AI Engineer Singapore, 16 May 2026
The idea
A second brain that starts simple, then learns the studio.
How it works
Capture what matters
Ken drops files into Drive, sends WhatsApp voice notes, and speaks to the assistant after meetings.
Structure the memory
The assistant files project facts, client context, decisions, creative principles, and action items.
Connect the tools
Are.na, Google Drive, Xero, Zoom, email, calendar, CRM, and future systems can be connected step by step.
Compound over time
The useful asset is not a single tool. It is the growing body of Parable context that can move with Ken.
Reflective capture
Not every meeting needs to be recorded. The important part is what Ken notices.
Formal calls can be captured through Zoom or Fireflies and turned into useful briefs. For informal conversations, Ken can send a short voice reflection: what mattered, what felt off, what was decided, who owns what, and what should be remembered. The assistant turns that into structured memory.
What I need from you
The pilot works best when we seed it with real Parable context.
Are.na and project materials
Access to the Are.na account/archive so the assistant can know Parable's projects directly, plus key briefs, proposals, decks, references, and finished case studies.
Dedicated Mac Mini
A Mac Mini that can stay on, host the assistant and Obsidian vault, and allow agreed remote support access.
Workflows and templates
Proposal templates, invoice workflows, Xero read-only access, meeting rhythms, team roles, and handoff patterns.
Voice notes and principles
A few reflections on how Ken thinks about creative quality, client fit, Parable Weave, and studio direction.
Subscriptions and access
Claude/API billing with spend limits, Xero read-only access, Google Drive, calendar/email access, Zoom or Fireflies, and CRM access if relevant.
What it can support
Not just memory. A practical operating layer around Ken.
The pilot begins carefully, then expands into the areas Ken actually finds useful. Sensitive actions stay approval-led: the assistant can draft, brief, flag, and prepare before it is trusted to execute.
Strategic alignment
Daily or weekly studio synthesis, misalignment flags, Parable Weave research, and founder-level sounding board support.
BD and client follow-up
Pipeline reminders, proposal/scope drafting, client email drafts, payment follow-ups, and items that need Ken's attention.
Finance support
Xero read-only visibility from day one, invoice/payment summaries, billing schedules, and draft invoice preparation before approval.
People and coordination
Onboarding checklists, appraisal reminders, 1:1 scheduling prompts, workload signals, meeting notes, and cross-team action tracking.
Pilot shape
Private assistant setup
Install and configure the assistant on a dedicated Mac Mini or private environment, with remote support access agreed upfront.
WhatsApp, base memory, model/API setup, and secure operating boundaries.
Studio memory foundation
Build the Obsidian brain structure and ingest the public website, Are.na archive, core projects, and initial internal materials.
Projects, clients, people, creative principles, meeting reflections, and weekly briefs.
Useful workflows
Add practical workflows around the memory: Xero read-only finance summaries, draft invoices, follow-up reminders, project status briefs, Zoom/Fireflies meeting briefs, and email/calendar drafting support.
Approval gates for anything sensitive, external-facing, financial, or HR-related.
Expectations
This is a living pilot, not a finished magic box.
It will improve through use, correction, and repeated exposure to Parable's real work.
The system may change and evolve as AI tools evolve. The setup is designed so it can be updated as better capabilities arrive.
It should begin with memory and reflection before deeper automation touches finance, HR, or clients.
The studio memory remains portable. This may not be the forever system, but nothing is wasted when better tools appear.
The first step is not automation. It is context.
Start building the brain now, so future tools have something real to work with.
The value compounds when Ken's reflections, projects, principles, and workflows have somewhere durable to live.
Shape the pilot
What would you actually want this assistant to help with first?
This does not need to become everything at once. Select the areas that feel useful, add comments, and I will shape the pilot around the highest-value starting point.