FAQ: Getting Started
Common questions about starting with StoryCycle Genie™.
Foundation Questions
Do I need to complete all three foundation steps before creating content?
Yes. The three-step foundation (Brand Story > Audience Stories > Content Playbook) creates your "brand brain" that all other Genies reference. This ensures consistency and quality across all content.
Why it matters: This foundation approach is what separates professional brand development from generic content creation.
How long does the complete three-step setup take?
Typically 45-75 minutes total:
- Brand Story: 30-60 minutes
- Audience Stories: up to 30 minutes
- Content Playbook: 10-15 minutes
Remember: You can pause and return using Chat History.
Perspective: Compare this to 6-12 weeks for traditional agency brand development.
What if I don't have all my brand information ready?
Start with what you have. You can always return via Chat History and add more information later. The system learns and improves with each iteration.
Key principle: Your brand brain evolves as your business evolves.
Can I skip the audience consideration for colleagues/stakeholders?
It depends on your situation:
Skip if: You're a solopreneur or have a small team building the brand narrative strategy with you
Include if: You have a larger team or stakeholders who need to buy into and amplify your brand story
Why it matters: Internal buy-in often determines external success.
Getting Started Process
What information do I need to begin?
Minimum requirements:
- Your brand name
- Your website URL
Helpful additions:
- Word docs about your brand
- PDFs with brand information
- Any existing brand guidelines
- Your understanding of your target audience
Important: The Genie won't ask confusing questions—it works from what you provide.
Which approach should I choose: StoryCyclone or Step-by-Step?
StoryCyclone Automated Approach:
- Best for: Speed and efficiency
- Time: Complete draft in under 5 minutes
- Ideal for: Teams who prefer refining a complete draft
- You still collaborate to refine
Step-by-Step Development:
- Best for: Learning and customization
- Time: More deliberate, element-by-element
- Ideal for: Understanding each framework deeply
- You still get expert guidance
Either way: You end with a comprehensive brand story. Choose based on your learning style and timeline.
How perfect does my brand story need to be before moving on?
Not perfect—just solid. You can always iterate later via Chat History.
Good enough means:
- You recognize your brand in the story
- Key elements feel accurate (90-100%)
- You can communicate it clearly
- Nothing feels fundamentally wrong
Remember: Iteration is built into the process. First complete is better than perfect incomplete.
What if I only have one audience?
That's absolutely fine. Create one comprehensive audience story. You can always add more audiences as your business grows.
Benefit: Deeper focus on your core audience can be more effective than spreading across multiple segments.
Technical Questions
Do I need to know prompt engineering?
No. We've done all the heavy prompt engineering for you. Just talk to the Genie naturally, like you would to a colleague who understands storytelling.
That's the point: Professional capabilities without professional complexity.
What if I make a mistake during setup?
Recovery is easy:
- Tell the Genie to try again
- Ask what happened
- Request specific changes
- Use Chat History to go back
The Genie is forgiving: It's designed for human collaboration, not perfect inputs.
Can I change my brand story later?
Absolutely. Use Chat History to access your Brand Story Genie™ conversation and describe what's changed.
Important: Updates flow through to all connected Genies automatically.
How do I save my work?
Simply tell the Genie: "Save a record in the system" or "Save this work"
Best practice: Save regularly at key milestones, not just at the end.
Planning Questions
Should I involve my team in the foundation phase?
Highly recommended if you have a team:
Benefits:
- Shared understanding
- Buy-in from the start
- Multiple perspectives
- Consistent application
Approach:
- Lead the process yourself first, or
- Collaborate in real-time, or
- Create foundation, then review with team
How much time should I block for getting started?
Recommended approach:
Session 1 (30-60 min): Brand Story Genie™
- Can be done in one sitting
- Or spread across multiple sessions
Session 2 (20-30 min): Audience Story Genie™
- One session per audience
- Can be done on different days
Session 3 (15-20 min): Content Playbook Genie™
- Usually one sitting
- Final synthesis
Total: 2-3 hours spread over days or weeks as needed.
What should I do after completing the foundation?
Immediate next steps:
- Review all three foundation documents in your Assets
- Share with key stakeholders if applicable
- Choose your first content or strategy project
- Start creating with confidence
Your brand brain is complete: Everything else flows from this foundation.
Value Questions
Why is the foundation more important than jumping straight to content?
Foundation provides:
- Context: Every piece references your core story
- Consistency: All content aligns automatically
- Efficiency: Content creates faster with less iteration
- Quality: Output matches your brand naturally
- Intelligence: The system learns your brand deeply
Without foundation: Generic content that requires constant manual adjustment.
With foundation: Brand-intelligent content that feels authentically yours.
How is this different from using generic AI tools?
StoryCycle Genie™:
- Built-in 40 years of storytelling expertise
- 27 Genies communicating in background
- Cognitive Mesh Architecture
- Learns your brand specifically
- No prompt engineering needed
- Professional narrative frameworks
- Systematic brand intelligence
Generic AI:
- General-purpose tool
- No brand memory
- Requires prompt engineering
- Inconsistent quality
- No strategic frameworks
- Manual coordination needed
What if my business changes direction?
The foundation is designed to evolve:
- Update via Chat History
- Changes propagate automatically
- Keep historical versions for reference
- Iterate as often as needed
Your brand brain grows with your business.
Next Steps
Ready to start?
- Begin with Brand Story Genie™
- Review Essential Tips
- Continue to Audience Story Genie™
- Complete with Content Playbook Genie™
More questions?
Your most powerful brand story is waiting to be discovered.
EI + AI = ROI: Your Return on Intelligence starts now.