About The Builder’s Playbook

A guide to building products that work (with and without AI)


Hey — I’m Dominika.

If you’re someone who builds tools, workflows, or products — and wants to do it more intentionally, this is for you! Welcome.


The Builder’s Playbook is a tactical, evolving library for modern product minds.

It’s where I break down:

  • How real builders go from idea → prototype → actual product

  • What makes tools stick (and why most don’t)

  • How to use AI, automations, and agentic workflows with intent — not just to ship faster, but to build smarter

It’s written for solo founders, designers who code, PMs in transition, indie hackers, and technical creatives building things they want to last.

This is about traction, not hype.

Why I started this

I’ve spent the last few years building and shaping digital products across various teams, projects, and as a founder. I kept running into the same problem:

Tons of ideas. Lots of shipping. But not enough structure to make things stick.

Especially now — with AI tools everywhere — it’s easier than ever to launch something. But harder than ever to know what’s worth building, keeping, and evolving.

I wanted a space that answers questions like:

  • What’s the difference between a tool that gets used once vs. daily?

  • How do I move from a side-project to something with traction?

  • How can I use AI, agents, and automation strategically, not just reactively?

This Playbook is that space.


What you’ll find here

Playbooks

Deep dives on how to:

  • Build durable tools you use

  • Simplify your stack without losing power

  • Design better feedback loops

  • Use AI tools to prototype faster and smarter

  • Spot (and avoid) common failure patterns

Real Builder Spotlights

Short, tactical interviews with people building great things:

  • What they built

  • How they use AI and automation

  • What they’d do differently next time

Frameworks, Mental Models, and Experiments

  • How to think like a PM (even if you’re not one)

  • Systems thinking for solo builders

  • Toolkits and templates you can clone or adapt

All with one goal: help you build things that actually work.


🔓 Free vs Paid

Free readers get:

  • Essays on builder thinking and product strategy

  • Featured tools and stacks

  • Access to the evolving Table of Contents + Builder Directory

Paid subscribers get:

  • Full access to all playbooks

  • Deep-dive breakdowns, tool audits, and live-use examples

  • Tactical guides for building with AI, automation, and agentic workflows

  • First access to future workshops and community sessions

Upgrade here


One last thing

This space is for people who:

  • Don’t want to chase every new tool

  • Care about what makes a product work

  • Want to build sharper, cleaner, more intentional software

  • Use AI not to cut corners, but to amplify what matters

If that sounds like you, I’d love to have you here.

Let’s build.

Smart. Clear. On purpose.

— Dominika

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a go-to operating manual for independent, AI-native, cross-functional product builders

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Listening deeply. Building at the edge of tech and humanity. Creating products with purpose, guided by curiosity and care.