Stop building “another dashboard.” Build a decision loop.
Prototype vs Product Iceberg
I entered the Half Baked × Bolt.new Founder Hackathon to build something I wish I had in every startup I’ve worked with: a simple place where decisions don’t disappear.
The hackathon is a short sprint designed to take a builder from idea to validation fast (it ran Nov 19–30 and included cash prizes across multiple categories). Luma+1
Before: the weekly fog
Most teams don’t have an “execution” problem. They have a decision backlog.
Priorities scattered across Slack, docs, and tabs
Meeting notes that never become owners + next steps
Risks raised, then forgotten
“What are we doing this week?” asked every week
That mess doesn’t just slow shipping. It makes teams second-guess each other.
After: Chief Suite (my hackathon build)
Chief Suite is my attempt to fix the smallest useful thing: the weekly loop where strategy turns into commitments.
What it aims to be (current build):
A single cockpit for priorities, decisions, owners, and follow-ups (NEEDS EVIDENCE: confirm your shipped feature set)
A place to turn notes into clear actions (NEEDS EVIDENCE)
A lightweight rhythm you can run every week without becoming a full-time admin (NEEDS EVIDENCE)
Who it’s for
Founders who are tired of rebuilding context every Monday
Product/ops leads who run weekly reviews and need clean accountability
Small teams that want alignment without adding process debt
Bridge: how I built it (and why Bolt mattered)
In a hackathon, that matters because speed isn’t just “typing faster.” It’s:
getting to a working version quickly
testing flow and wording
trimming features until the core loop is obvious
The Chief Suite loop (the core mechanic)
If Chief Suite works, it will do one thing well: force clarity.
Weekly loop checklist
What are the top 3 priorities?
What decision is blocking each one?
Who owns the next step?
What evidence changes our mind next week?
Chief Suite Command Center
A tiny decision tree: should you use it?
If you’re a solo builder with no meetings → maybe later
If you have recurring “what’s happening?” meetings → yes, try it
If you have priorities but no owners → yes, try it
If you already have a crisp weekly review rhythm → use it only if it reduces effort
What I want next (help me pressure-test it)
If you’re running a startup team and you’re willing to try Chief Suite for a week, I’m looking for:
3–5 teams to run the loop and report what broke
blunt feedback on what’s confusing
the “one screen” you’d keep and the three you’d delete
Why I’m proud of this entry.
Hackathons are a forcing function. This one was built to help founders go from idea to validation in days, not months.
Chief Suite is my bet that the next wave of “founder tools” won’t win by adding features. They’ll win by reducing decisions lost to chaos.
Book a Strategy Sprint to put your ideas in motion
FAQs
What is the Half Baked × Bolt.new hackathon?
A short founder hackathon run by Half Baked and Bolt, designed to help builders go from idea to validation fast (the referenced event ran Nov 19–30 with cash prizes).
What is Chief Suite?
My hackathon project: a lightweight cockpit meant to keep weekly priorities, decisions, owners, and follow-ups in one place.
What did you build it with?
Bolt, an AI-powered builder for web apps that supports prompt-to-app iteration and code editing in-browser.
How can I try Chief Suite or give feedback?
Send me your weekly workflow (agenda, artifacts, and where decisions get lost). I’ll map it to a simple pilot. (reach out via the contact or email me directly)
