So you’ve decided a Bonsai Pod is right for you. What happens next? What do you need to prepare? How long until you’re up and running?
This guide walks through the entire setup process—from first contact to your first week of operation. No surprises, just clear expectations about what getting started actually looks like.
Before We Start: What You’ll Need
To get the most out of your Bonsai Pod, prepare these ahead of time:
Required
- Discord workspace: Where Sensei will communicate with you. Can be a new server or an existing one (we’ll create dedicated channels).
- SSH client: Terminal on Mac/Linux, or PuTTY/Windows Terminal on Windows. You’ll want occasional direct access.
- Domain name: If you’re hosting a site, have DNS access ready.
Helpful But Not Required
- GitHub account: For version-controlled configurations and deployments
- Existing codebase: If you’re migrating an application
- Basic Linux familiarity: Not required, but helpful for understanding what Sensei is doing
The Setup Process: Four Phases
Phase 1: Discovery Call (30 minutes)
We start with a brief conversation to understand your needs:
- What you’re building: WordPress site? Custom application? Multiple projects?
- Current situation: Starting fresh or migrating from somewhere?
- Technical requirements: Specific software, integrations, or configurations?
- Goals: What does success look like for you?
This call ensures we’re the right fit and helps us configure your Pod appropriately. If we’re not right for your needs, we’ll tell you—no hard sell.
Phase 2: Provisioning (24-48 hours)
Once you’re ready to proceed, we provision your Pod:
Infrastructure setup:
- Dedicated VPS provisioned on reliable infrastructure
- Ubuntu server configured with security hardening
- LEMP stack installed and tuned
- SSL certificates configured for your domain(s)
Sensei installation:
- AI operator installed and configured
- Discord bot connected to your workspace
- Initial monitoring and alerting set up
- Backup schedules configured
Application setup (if applicable):
- WordPress installed (if requested)
- Existing site migrated (if applicable)
- Database imported and configured
- DNS records provided for your domain
You’ll receive updates in Discord as provisioning progresses.
Phase 3: Onboarding (1-2 hours)
Once your Pod is live, we walk you through everything:
You’ll receive:
- SSH credentials and connection instructions
- Discord channel overview and notification settings
- Documentation links for common operations
- pod CLI installation instructions (optional)
We’ll cover:
- How to read Sensei’s status reports
- How to approve/reject proposed actions
- How to ask Sensei questions
- How to trigger deployments
- How to access logs when needed
This is hands-on—we’ll walk through real scenarios so you’re comfortable before we step back.
Phase 4: First Week Operations
Your first week establishes the operational rhythm:
Day 1-2:
- Sensei establishes baseline metrics for your environment
- Initial health report posted to Discord
- You get familiar with the notification cadence
Day 3-5:
- Sensei identifies optimization opportunities
- First proposals generated (likely routine maintenance)
- You practice the approval workflow
Day 6-7:
- Weekly summary report
- Check-in call to address questions
- Adjust settings based on your preferences
By the end of week one, you’ll have a clear understanding of how everything works together.
What the Daily Rhythm Looks Like
Once setup is complete, here’s what ongoing operation typically looks like:
Morning:
- Check Discord #status for overnight summary
- Review any pending approvals in #approvals
- 5 minutes, maybe less
During the day:
- Notifications for anything requiring attention
- Sensei handles routine tasks automatically
- You focus on your actual work
Deployments (when needed):
- Push to your repo or trigger via Discord/CLI
- Sensei handles the deployment process
- Get notified when complete
Monthly:
- Review monthly summary report
- Check-in call to discuss any adjustments
- Sensei proposes infrastructure improvements
Common First-Week Questions
“How do I know Sensei is working?”
Daily status reports in Discord. If you don’t see them, something’s wrong (and we’d already know about it).
“What if I want to SSH in and do something manually?”
Go for it—you have full access. Sensei will notice your changes and incorporate them into its model.
“What if Sensei proposes something I don’t understand?”
Ask! You can reply to any proposal with questions. Sensei explains its reasoning in plain language.
“Can I change how often Sensei notifies me?”
Yes. Notification frequency, channels, and what triggers alerts are all configurable.
“What if something breaks?”
Sensei will likely notice first and alert you. For critical issues, we’re also monitoring and will reach out.
Choosing Your Tier
Not sure which tier is right? Here’s a quick guide:
Lite ($999/month): Best for single-focus projects with weekly operational needs. You handle most decisions; Sensei monitors and maintains.
Pilot ($1,800/month): Best for active projects needing daily attention. Content-focused features, more frequent operator interaction.
Standard ($2,500/month): Best for complex needs or multiple projects. Priority support, more skills per day, strategic guidance.
See the full comparison on our pricing page.
Ready to Start?
The setup process is designed to be straightforward. Within 48-72 hours of your decision, you’ll have a fully operational Pod with an AI operator working for you.
No complex contracts. No lengthy procurement. Just infrastructure that works.
Start your Bonsai Pod journey →
Questions about the process? Check our FAQ or ask during the discovery call.