Build a San Diego Startup Company Map with Claude and Google Sheets
San Diego County is enormous, and its startup scene is growing rapidly. I wanted a better way to see where companies are located, especially because many of them host networking events and there was no central map or repository. I told Claude what I wanted: an alphabetical directory with an industry selector and a way for people to add their own companies. I also asked it to keep the project as simple as possible, use as few tokens as possible, and wait for my approval before taking any action. Claude helped me design the map, create the Google Form for submissions, set up the Google Sheets workflow for hosting and approving companies, and use Netlify to host the main file. It also guided me through linking the map to a page on my own website: https://sdaimap.michelabood.com/. Claude warned me about the legal issues involved in scraping a list wholesale from other sites, so the map is designed to be populated by people submitting their own companies. I just published it, and 10 companies have already been listed, with more on the way. I have also received great comments on LinkedIn. Now I can see at a glance how far I need to go to find a specific company. I also had Claude create a step-by-step guide, which I am happy to share if people want it. Step-by-step: 1. I described the map I wanted to Claude, including an alphabetical directory, an industry selector, and a way for people to add their own companies. 2. I asked Claude to keep the project as simple as possible, use as few tokens as possible, and wait for my approval before taking any action. 3. I used Claude to design the map and create the Google Form for company submissions. 4. I used Google Sheets to host and approve the submitted companies. 5. I followed Claude's guidance to host the main file on Netlify. 6. I linked the map to a page on my own website: https://sdaimap.michelabood.com/. 7. I avoided scraping a wholesale list from other sites because of the legal issues Claude identified. 8. I published the map and began collecting company listings from people directly.
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