You may want to use an AI tool to help you come to grips with the MCM Startup Terminology List and the implications of these terms for your business. This article contains guidelines for studying wet-cast concrete basics based on our own experience. It follows on from our article, titled Starting a wet-cast concrete business? Read this first.
Signing up
Go to ChatGPT. Don’t just post a question; select the option at the top which says Sign up for free. (Signing up ensures that your questions and answers will be saved, and ChatGPT can respond to your needs contextually over time.)
It’s perfectly possible to sign up for a free account and then later move to a paid plan if you need it (such as the Go plan) . You can also revert to a free plan anytime without losing your old chats.
Study Mode
A message that you post to ChatGPT is called a prompt. When you post prompts (such as questions or instructions), there are several modes which you can select at the bottom of the prompt area. You can also attach documents or pictures to explain what you need ChatGPT to do.
We’ve found that Study Mode is a good way to get started if you want to work through a list of terms. You can also switch to Thinking Mode (or a different mode) in the middle of a conversation when you need creative outputs or decision-making support. Here’s how to enable Study Mode:
Your first prompt
Copy and edit the following prompt with your own details. Post your own version into ChatGPT with Study Mode enabled:
My name is Siphokazi. I’m starting a new business called Queencast to manufacture cast concrete products in Komani. I’m thinking of buying moulds from Marius Cloete Moulds. They gave me this list of terms as a departure point for discussion: https://mariuscloetemoulds.co.za/mcm-startup-terminology-list
Please read the list and talk me through the terms one by one.
My first language is Xhosa. I will type questions in English and sometimes in Xhosa, and I will ask you to explain things to me in Xhosa from time to time.
Long explanations make me lose concentration, so keep your responses to under 500 characters. Ask me for permission first if you think you should give me longer answers.
Tell me from time to time if you think there are any business considerations I should keep in mind based on what I am learning.
Other helpful prompts
If you are not getting enough information from that prompt alone, use these prompts with each term:
- Define this term in the context of wet-cast concrete products.
- How would one explain this to a 14-year-old?
- How would one use it in a sentence?
- Why would this concept be important to me as a manufacturer of wet-cast concrete?
Additional prompts for some terms:
- Can you link me to a picture or video of that?
- Who supplies this service?
- Where can I buy this?
- How much does it cost?
Remember, AI makes mistakes sometimes. If something seems wrong, say so!
Build a Task List
Your personal to-do list will grow from what you learn. You can start on paper, or in ChatGPT, and later move to a Google or Excel spreadsheet, a to-do list in Office, or tasks in a project management app.
We find the following task naming convention useful for sorting tasks:
Item being acted upon (noun) – Action (verb) + more if applicable
Examples:
- Pan mixer versus drum mixers – Decide which type is best
- Production line – Design overall flow
- Mould release oil – Determine requirements
Now check out the MCM Startup Terminology List.