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Build your own small internal tool with Claude, like a Pantone-to-embroidery-thread color converter for your print shop
Justin Fishaw, co-founder of SMPLFD Printing & Clothing Co., a Detroit streetwear store and screen-printing shop with 10 employees, on LinkedIn
He used Claude to build a custom Pantone-to-Madeira thread conversion tool for the shop's sales, art and production teams himself, at his desk, without hiring a developer.
Claude $17/mo billed annually ($20 monthly) · He says the build used about $70 in usage credits (his figure).
Medium · or we set it up for $197
Claude
The problem
His sales, art and production teams needed to match Pantone colors to Madeira embroidery thread colors. Not long ago, he says, a tool like that meant finding a developer, scoping, building and testing it: probably weeks of work and thousands of dollars.
What happened
"In under three hours" for "about $70 in usage credits," he wrote. He also says AI "barely touches most of what our team does today." No figures on time saved per order. Owner-told.
Quoted in the source: Justin Fishaw, co-founder, SMPLFD Printing & Clothing Co.. Source: Justin Fishaw on LinkedIn: a Pantone-to-Madeira thread conversion tool built with Claude (2026-09-18) · Added 2026-10-30.
How to set it up yourself
- What SMPLFD used: Claude, to build a small color-conversion tool for its own sales, art and production teams.
- Pick one lookup your team does by hand every week (color matches, size charts, price breaks) and gather the reference data you already trust, such as a supplier's conversion chart.
- Describe the tool to Claude with the prompt below: who uses it, what they type in, what they should get back, and the reference data.
- Test it against 20 matches you already know are right before anyone relies on it, and fix any wrong answers in the data, not by hand.
- Show it to the people who'll use it and ask what's missing; keep the first version small.
Copy-paste prompt
I run {BUSINESS} and my {TEAM} needs a simple tool that takes {INPUT, e.g. a Pantone color code} and returns {OUTPUT, e.g. the closest Madeira thread number and name}. Here is the reference data we trust: {PASTE CHART}. Build it as a single web page that works offline, with a search box and a clear result. Use only the data I gave you; if there's no exact match, show the closest two and say so. Then give me 10 test cases to check it with.We set up one AI automation in your tools, live within 48 hours of getting access, for $197. No call needed. Founding price for our first 10 customers (regular $297).
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Tools used
Claude
AI assistant for writing, long documents, analysis and coding help.
From $17/mo billed annually ($20 monthly) (checked 2026-10-30)
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Checked prices: Claude: from $17/mo billed annually ($20 monthly) (verified 2026-10-30)
Rather not do it yourself?
The $197 Quick-Win: we set up one AI automation that saves you hours each week, in accounts you own, live within 48 hours of getting access. No call needed. Refund if it isn't live in 48 hours or isn't doing its job in the first 14 days. Founding price for our first 10 customers (regular $297). Terms.
See the $197 Quick-WinNeed more than one automation or ongoing care? Bigger setups: $149/mo with setup included (6-month minimum), or $497 pay-once. Satisfaction guarantee: we'll fix it until it works. Pay-once setups: or we refund your setup fee. $149/mo plan: cancel in the first 30 days and we refund your first month. We reply within 1 business day.
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