AI Business U
Level 1Beginner

How to Set Up Claude Cowork

ClaudeForSolopreneurs.com · Brought to You by AI Business U · Step-by-step with real Claude prompts

Here's how this works and why it changes everything.

Most people are using Claude like it's ChatGPT for business.

They ask a question. Get an answer. Close the tab. Come back tomorrow and start all over again.

But not you — because we're not doing that over here.

We're building you an AI team member that actually knows your business, understands how you work, and can help you get stuff done while you're busy being the CEO.

And once you set Claude up the right way? Everything gets faster. Tasks that used to take an hour take minutes. Claude stops guessing and starts actually helping.

So in this guide, I'm walking you through the three-step setup that makes that happen.

What this guide covers

Think of This as Claude's Onboarding Day

Once you give Claude the right context, it stops guessing and starts working from your actual business. This guide walks you through the three-step setup: telling Claude who you are, teaching it how you work, and connecting your first tool. Walk away with a Claude that already knows your voice, your rules, and what you'd never let it do.

You
Tell Claude who you are and how you work
Claude
Learns your voice, your rules, your tools
Results
Output that sounds like you without rewriting everything
It's free at claude.ai
1
Tell Claude Who You Are
2
Teach Claude How You Work
3
Connect Canva
1

Step 1: Tell Claude Who You Are

Imagine hiring a new team member and never telling them what your business does.

That's basically what happens when you skip setting up your Global Instructions.

These instructions are like Claude's onboarding packet. Every conversation starts with them, whether you're chatting, coding, or using Cowork.

Without them, Claude is meeting you for the first time every single day.

With them? She already knows your business, your audience, your goals, and how you like to work.

What to include in your Global Instructions

  • What you do
  • Who you help
  • Your personality and communication style
  • The tools you use regularly
  • Anything Claude should always do — or never do
Three to eight solid sentences is plenty.
Instead of saying…
"I'm an entrepreneur."
Say something like…
"I help corporate professionals turn their expertise into digital products and additional income streams. My brand voice is encouraging, practical, and sounds like a close friend who also happens to know business."
Try this prompt
Help me write my Global Instructions for Claude. Interview me about my business, my audience, how I communicate, and what matters most to me. Then create instructions I can paste into my settings.
ALREADY HAVE THE CLAUDE SKILLS STARTER PACK?

If you've already installed the Brand DNA Skill and Sound Like Me Skill from the Claude Skills Starter Pack, you can skip the interview entirely. Claude already has everything it needs about your business, your voice, and how you communicate. Just use the prompt below instead.

Don't have it yet? → Get the Claude Skills Starter Pack for $27
TRY THIS PROMPT
Help me write my Global Instructions for Claude. Review my Brand DNA and Sound Like Me Skills to gain information about my business, my audience, how I communicate, and what matters most to me. Then create instructions I can paste into my settings.

Save your Global Instructions

  1. Click your profile icon in the bottom left
  2. Open Settings → Profile
  3. Paste them into the Global Instructions field
  4. Click Save
Try this prompt
What do you know about me and my business?
Use REAL writing samples, not your most polished content. Claude learns your patterns best from authentic writing.
2

Step 2: Teach Claude How You Like to Work

Global Instructions explain who you are.

Cowork Instructions explain how your business operates.

Think of this as giving your new team member rules before handing over the keys to her office.

Because here's the thing — Cowork can actually take action. It can organize files, work with connected apps, and complete tasks for you. So you want clear boundaries.

Your Cowork Instructions should answer:

  • Should Claude always ask before taking action?
  • Can it draft emails but not send them?
  • Should it keep responses short or go deep?
  • What tone should it use when writing on your behalf?
  • What should it absolutely never do?
TRY THIS PROMPT
Next I want to create instructions specifically for Claude Cowork. Interview me and create instructions that answer the following questions: Should Claude always ask before taking action? Can it draft emails but not send them? Should it keep responses short or go deep? What tone should it use when writing on your behalf? What should it absolutely never do?
HAVE THE SKILLS STARTER PACK? TRY THIS INSTEAD
Next, I want to create instructions specifically for Cowork. Use my Brand DNA, Sound Like Me, and Inbox Money Skills to create instructions that answer the following questions: - Should Claude always ask before taking action? - Can it draft emails but not send them? - Should it keep responses short or go deep? - What tone should it use when writing on my behalf? - What should it absolutely never do?

Save your Cowork Instructions

  1. Go to Settings → Cowork
  2. Scroll to Cowork Instructions → Edit
  3. Paste your instructions
  4. Click Save
The more specific you are, the better Claude performs. Concrete rules are the ones Claude can actually follow.
3

Step 3: Connect Canva So Claude Can Actually Help

Now comes the fun part.

Right now Claude knows who you are. She knows how you like to work. Now we're giving her access to your business toolbox.

That's what connectors do. Think of them like handing your new team member her laptop with all the software you use already installed.

Instead of telling Claude what to do in Canva — she can actually help you do it.

We're starting with Canva because most of us live there. Your social media posts, workbooks, lead magnets, presentations, and digital products. It's all in there.

Connect Canva in 4 steps

  1. Open Settings → Connectors
  2. Search for Canva
  3. Click Connect and follow the prompts
  4. Return to Cowork — you're ready
Try this prompt
Create an Instagram graphic in Canva about [your topic] using my brand colors.

Once Canva is working, you can start connecting the rest of your business.

Gmail. Google Calendar. Google Drive. Notion.

Every connector makes Claude more capable and saves you from bouncing between a dozen tabs all day.

Claude should confirm the connection, show you a plan, and wait for your approval before taking action. If it doesn't connect, check that your account is authorized and try reconnecting.
What's Next

Getting Set Up Is Step One.

But you don't have to figure out the rest by yourself.

We host a FREE Claude Cowork Setup Workshop for members of the AI Business U community.

We'll walk through the setup together, answer your questions in real time, and make sure Claude actually knows your business and is ready to work for you. No guessing. No getting stuck.

Whether you're setting up your Global Instructions, writing your Cowork Instructions, or connecting your first tools — we've got you.

View the Calendar and Join Us →
Because once Claude is set up the right way, you're not just using AI. You're building a business that doesn't depend on you doing every single thing yourself.