What lands in your inbox each Sunday
One short email you can read over a coffee. If I mention a tool, it's one I use, and I'll tell you if a link earns me anything. Here's what I write about:
Getting set up properly
The right AI apps on your computer and phone, set up so they can do real jobs for you on your computer.
Simple tutorials
One job at a time, start to finish, with the prompt to copy. Like getting AI to write and post a Facebook Marketplace listing for you.
The setups I use
The AI I run my business and life on, from my AI personal trainer to the agents that handle my admin, and where they still fall short.
AI on a budget
How to get the cheaper open models, like DeepSeek and GLM, working close to Claude and ChatGPT for a fraction of the price.
Want something to set up today? These three are free:
- The Toolkit: the 64 tools I use, each with a line on how I use it. My top 10 are open to everyone and the rest come with joining.
- The prompt library: prompts that get Claude Code or ChatGPT Codex doing real jobs. Join and you get the 6 level-up prompts too.
- The Notion template for meeting notes, with a short email series showing you how I use it.
Who it's for
Anyone who wants more out of AI than the odd question to ChatGPT. Some readers have never opened it, some use it every day and some are already building things with it. I write it so there's something in each email for all of them.
You don't need to be technical. Everything is explained in plain English, with the steps to copy it if you want to.
Who writes it
I'm Mike McDonnell. I run Glide Marketing, a marketing agency, and a software studio that builds automations and apps for businesses. I use AI agents across both to do jobs I used to do by hand.
The Growth Toolkit is where I share what's worked for me. I also make videos on the same topics on YouTube at @GrowthToolkitHQ. More about me on the about page.
Recent issues
Read a few before you join. Newest first.
- I now do most of my work from my phone (laptop at home)
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- Everyone can tell you used AI
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- Stop repeating yourself to AI (2 settings fix it)
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- Here's how I get AI to perform tasks for me
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- The starting point: let's get you set up properly
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Every issue is on the archive.