How Non-Coders Can 10x Their Productivity with Cursor AI - Jake Handy | Practical AI

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In today’s episode, I’m joined by Jake Handy (Handy AI) to show you how to use Cursor’s AI coding tool for non-coding work and to increase your productivity. Whether you're managing projects, organizing tasks, or streamlining workflows, we’ll show you how to leverage Cursor’s features to work smarter, not harder. This includes data analysis, document editing, and project management. Jake shares insights on navigating Cursor's interface, creating and managing data, and leveraging AI for productivity. 

You can also listen to the episode on: 

→ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7hC8ip6L5SfltNB6tRZ5uM?si=ef7def59ce1d4ad3

→ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-prompt/id1535985414?i=1000712006976

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What to Expect:

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→ Brief overview of Cursor from a non-technical perspective

→ Show a technical repo for and how it’s typically used from a coding perspective

→ Why use it for non-coding work?

→ Demo (of a non-coding workspace)

→ How to create a workspace on top of an existing directory

→ How to create a workspace from zero

→ How to talk/brainstorm with your agent team

→ How to act/create with your agent team

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The Key Takeaways:

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→ Cursor is designed to help non-technical users leverage AI tools effectively.

→ Understanding the interface of Cursor is crucial for maximizing its potential.

→ AI tools like Cursor can streamline data analysis and document management.

→ Creating a structured directory for files enhances productivity with AI tools.

→ Using AI for generating insights from data can save time and effort.

→ Tagging files in Cursor allows for more efficient data management.

→ The ability to interrupt and modify tasks in Cursor is a valuable feature.

→ AI can analyze data across different file types, not just CSVs.

→ Integrating third-party services with Cursor can enhance its functionality.

→  The learning curve for using Cursor is manageable for non-engineers.

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Timestamps:

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(00:00) What to expect to learn for non-coders

(01:39) The power of using Cursor AI for non-coding work

(05:41) Brief overview of Cursor layout and navigation

(11:05) Set up non-coding workspace from scratch

(13:13) First Agent task: start creating and modifying data 

(24:20) Second Agent task: query and process data

(27:42) Third Agent task: conduct additional research on data

(37:54) MCP intro: Connecting to third-party services

(42:25) Agent task: In-line document editing and analysis 

(47:20) Outro 

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Follow Barry:

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Newsletter: https://beesletter.substack.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrywinata/

X/Twitter: https://x.com/barrywinata

Get Funded: https://metagrove.vc 

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Follow Jake Handy:

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Newsletter: https://handyai.substack.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakehandy/ 

Website: https://jakehandy.com/  

X/Twitter: @jakehandy

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Deals, Discounts, and Affiliates

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A curated list of products I’m using, designed for startups, founders, and operators:

https://beesletter.substack.com/p/deals-discounts-and-affiliates 

(Full Disclaimer: A small part of revenue is derived from affiliate sales and commissions)