Getting Started — Your First OpenClaw Business Agent

The complete beginner's guide. Follow these 8 steps and you'll have a personal AI agent running in 30 minutes — one you can message from Telegram, WhatsApp, or Discord, anywhere in the world.

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is a free, open-source personal AI assistant that runs on your own computer and connects to the chat apps you already use — Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, and more. Instead of paying $20/month for a capped AI subscription, you run your own self-hosted "gateway" that gives you an AI available 24/7 from your phone, with full control over your data, costs, and capabilities.

Think of it as: your own private AI employee that lives in your messages and never sleeps.

What You Need

Hardware tip: A Mac Mini M4 ($599) is ideal — it runs 24/7 cheaply, stays quiet, and handles any model you throw at it. But your existing Mac laptop works fine to start.

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

Open Terminal (search "Terminal" in Spotlight with ⌘ Space) and paste this single command:

macOS / Linux:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows (PowerShell — run as Administrator):

iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

What this does: Downloads the OpenClaw CLI, installs it globally via npm, checks for Node.js (installs it if missing), and launches the setup wizard.

Expected output:

✓ Detected macOS arm64
✓ Node 22.x found
✓ Installing openclaw@latest...
✓ OpenClaw installed successfully
→ Launching onboarding wizard...

If you see openclaw: command not found after install, close and reopen Terminal, then try again.

Alternative install via npm (if you already have Node 22+):

npm install -g openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Step 2: Create Your Anthropic API Key

OpenClaw needs an AI "brain." Anthropic's Claude is the recommended starting point.

1. Go to https://platform.claude.com
2. Sign up or log in (Google account works)
3. Click "API Keys" in the left sidebar
4. Click "Create Key" — give it a name like "openclaw-agent"
5. Copy the key immediately — you won't see it again
6. Go to "Plans & Billing" → set a monthly spend limit ($20–50 is safe to start)

API pricing (as of March 2026):

What does this cost in practice?

• Light use (~100 messages/day): ~$5–15/month
• Medium use (~500 messages/day): ~$20–40/month
• Heavy use (agent workflows): ~$50–100/month

[!] Always set a spending cap. Go to Billing → Usage Limits and set a hard limit of $50/month until you understand your usage patterns.

Cheaper Alternative: OpenRouter

OpenRouter is a model aggregator — one API key gives you access to 300+ models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Mistral, and more. It's the smart move for cost optimization.

Why OpenRouter beats going direct:

• Access cheaper models for simple tasks (DeepSeek V3.2: $0.25/$0.38 per MTok — that's 20× cheaper than Sonnet)
• Automatic fallback if one provider goes down
• Pay-as-you-go, no monthly minimums
• Same API format as Anthropic

OpenRouter setup:

1. Go to https://openrouter.ai and sign up
2. Go to Keys → Create Key
3. Add $10–20 in credits to start
4. Use model IDs like anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6 or deepseek/deepseek-v3 in OpenClaw config

Cost comparison (same Sonnet model):

For Anthropic models, prices are similar. The savings come from using cheaper models for simpler tasks.

Recommendation: Start with Anthropic direct (simpler), switch to OpenRouter once you understand your usage.

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw (Onboarding Wizard)

The installer should have already launched the wizard. If not, run:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The wizard will ask you:

1. Model/Auth — choose "Anthropic" and paste your API key when prompted
2. Default model — choose claude-sonnet-4-6 (good balance of cost/quality)
3. Workspace — press Enter to accept the default (~/.openclaw/workspace)
4. Gateway — press Enter to accept the default port (run openclaw dashboard to open the control panel — don't rely on a hardcoded port number)
5. Channels — choose Telegram (we'll set this up in Step 4)
6. Install as daemon — say YES so it starts automatically when your Mac boots

To set your API key via config after setup:

openclaw config set agents.defaults.model.primary "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6"

Or to use OpenRouter instead of Anthropic:

openclaw config set agents.defaults.model.primary "openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6"

Check the gateway is running:

openclaw gateway status

Open the web control panel (no channel needed):

openclaw dashboard

This opens the dashboard URL in your browser — you can already chat with your agent here.

Step 4: Connect to Telegram Recommended

Telegram is the easiest and most powerful channel. Once connected, you can message your agent from your phone from anywhere in the world.

4a. Create a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram on your phone or desktop
2. Search for @BotFather (must be verified with a blue checkmark)
3. Send: /newbot
4. When asked for a name, type something like: My AI Agent
5. When asked for a username, type something like: myagent_yourname_bot (must end in bot)
6. BotFather will give you a token like: 1234567890:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrSTUvwxYZ
7. Copy that token

4b. Add Token to OpenClaw Config

Edit your config file:

nano ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Add or update the Telegram section:

{
  channels: {
    telegram: {
      enabled: true,
      botToken: "1234567890:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrSTUvwxYZ",
      dmPolicy: "pairing"
    }
  }
}

Or use the CLI shortcut:

openclaw config set channels.telegram.enabled true
openclaw config set channels.telegram.botToken "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE"
openclaw config set channels.telegram.dmPolicy "pairing"

4c. Restart Gateway and Approve Your First Message

openclaw gateway status
# If not running:
openclaw gateway start

Now open Telegram, find your bot by its username (@yourbot_name), and send it /start.

In your terminal, you'll see a pairing request. Approve it:

openclaw pairing list telegram
openclaw pairing approve telegram <CODE>

The pairing code expires after 1 hour, so do this promptly.

After pairing: Your bot will only respond to approved users. This is a security feature — nobody can hijack your agent by guessing your bot name.

Step 5: Install Your First Skills

Skills are add-on capabilities for your agent — like apps for a smartphone. They're installed from ClawHub, the free skill registry.

Install the ClawHub CLI:

npm i -g clawhub

Search for skills:

clawhub search "web search"
clawhub search "email"
clawhub search "weather"

Install your first essential skills:

# Check the weather from anywhere
clawhub install weather

# Summarize articles, PDFs, YouTube videos
clawhub install summarize

# Manage GitHub repos and issues
clawhub install github

# Get the latest news and web info
clawhub install xurl

List what you've installed:

clawhub list

Update all installed skills:

clawhub update --all

How skills work: After installing, restart your agent session (or just send /reset to your bot). Skills inject instructions into your agent's context, teaching it new behaviors and workflows.

Read a skill before installing it:

cat ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/weather/SKILL.md

Always know what you're installing.

Step 6: Talk to Your Agent

Send your bot a message on Telegram. Try these to get started:

What can you do?

What's the weather in Chicago?

Summarize this article: [paste a URL]

Help me write a cold email to a restaurant owner offering my AI services

Search the web for "openclaw business use cases"

What's my agent's current configuration?

Power user commands (send these to your bot):

• /status — see gateway health
• /model — switch between AI models
• /reset — start a fresh conversation
• /help — see all available commands

Step 7: Set Up Safety [!] Important!

Do this before you give your agent access to anything sensitive.

Based on best practices from the OpenClaw community:

7a. Use a Dedicated Account for Agent Access

• Create a new Google account (e.g., yourname.agent@gmail.com) for anything your agent can access
• Give it access to a secondary calendar, not your main one
• Use a forwarding rule from your main email to the agent email if you want email processing
• Never give your agent your main Apple ID or primary bank login

7b. Set API Spending Limits (CRITICAL)

On Anthropic:

1. Go to platform.claude.com → Billing → Usage Limits
2. Set a hard monthly cap (start with $50)
3. Set up email alerts at 50% and 80% of your budget

On OpenRouter:

1. Go to openrouter.ai → Settings → Limits
2. Set a monthly credit limit
3. Enable email notifications

7c. Use Haiku for Cheap Tasks

Don't run every request through Sonnet or Opus. Configure routing:

openclaw config set agents.defaults.model.primary "anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5"

Then switch to Sonnet only when needed by telling your agent:

/model sonnet

This can cut your costs by 5–10× for simple tasks.

7d. Restrict Gateway Access

Your gateway config should have:

{
  channels: {
    telegram: {
      dmPolicy: "pairing",       // Only approved users can talk to your agent
      allowFrom: ["YOUR_ID"]     // Add your Telegram numeric user ID here
    }
  }
}

To find your Telegram user ID:

openclaw logs --follow

Then send a message to your bot and look for from.id in the logs.

7e. Safety Checklist

• API spending limit set (Anthropic/OpenRouter)
• Telegram pairing mode enabled (not "open")
• Agent using a dedicated email account (not your main)
• No access to real financial accounts in first 30 days
• Agent workspace backed up (copy ~/.openclaw/workspace)
• Run openclaw doctor weekly to catch config issues

Step 8: Your First Business Workflow

Here's the proven framework for turning your agent into revenue:

The Framework (Based on Community Best Practices)

1. Pick ONE boring workflow in ONE industry

Don't try to build everything. Pick something small and painful:

• A dentist's office manually booking appointments via email
• A real estate agent copy-pasting listings into social media
• A law firm manually billing time from handwritten notes
• A plumber answering the same 10 questions by phone all day

2. Map the workflow tip-to-tail

Write out every step the human currently does. Be specific:

1. Customer emails with question
2. Staff reads email (5 min)
3. Staff looks up answer in FAQ doc (3 min)
4. Staff writes reply (5 min)
5. Staff sends email (1 min)
= 14 minutes per inquiry × 20 per day = 4.5 hours/day

3. Build or find the skill for it

clawhub search "email reply"
clawhub search "customer service"

Or describe what you want to your agent:

I want to build a skill that auto-drafts email replies for a plumbing company using 
their FAQ document. How would I structure this?

4. Test for a full week with real data

Don't skip this. Run the workflow manually with your agent assisting, measure:

• Time saved per task
• Error rate
• Customer satisfaction (if visible)

5. Offer it to 3 businesses for free

Post on Upwork, local Facebook groups, or cold email:

"I'm testing an AI tool that handles [specific task] for [industry]. I'm offering it free for one month to 3 businesses in exchange for feedback. Takes 2 hours to set up. Interested?"

6. Once proven, charge

Once you have:

• Documented time savings (e.g., "saves 4.5 hours/day")
• Happy beta users
• Repeatable setup process

Price it at $500–1,500/month depending on value delivered. A business saving $5,000/month in labor will happily pay $1,000/month for the solution.

Essential Skills to Install

These are the most useful skills for beginners — all verified to exist in the ClawHub registry:

# Weather forecasts and current conditions
clawhub install weather

# Summarize URLs, PDFs, YouTube videos, and long documents
clawhub install summarize

# GitHub repo management, issues, PRs — great for tech clients
clawhub install github

# Web browsing and URL content extraction
clawhub install xurl

# Email management via IMAP/SMTP
clawhub install himalaya

# iMessage sending/reading (macOS only)
clawhub install imsg

# Generate images via OpenAI
clawhub install openai-image-gen

# Speech-to-text transcription via Whisper API
clawhub install openai-whisper-api

# Make and receive phone calls
clawhub install voice-call

Power user skills:

# Spawn coding agents (Codex, Claude Code) for dev work
clawhub install coding-agent

# GitHub Issues → automated PR workflow
clawhub install gh-issues

# Security hardening and health checks
clawhub install healthcheck

# Create and publish your own skills
clawhub install skill-creator

After installing, restart your session:

/reset

Then ask your agent:

What skills do you have installed?

How Much Does This Cost?

Realistic budget to get started: $20–40/month all-in (API costs only if you already have a Mac).

Cost optimization tips:

• Use claude-haiku-4-5 for simple tasks (5× cheaper than Sonnet)
• Set up model fallbacks in config — Haiku for routing, Sonnet for complex work
• web_fetch is free; web_search needs a Brave API key for more than basic usage
• Review your spending weekly for the first month at platform.claude.com

Common Mistakes (Don't Do These)

[x] Mistake 1: Giving your agent access to your real email

Your main email contains passwords, bank statements, and 2FA codes. Create a new Gmail account specifically for agent access. If your agent ever gets prompted to forward something, you don't want it touching your real inbox.

[x] Mistake 2: Not setting API spending limits

Without limits, a runaway agent loop or accidentally public bot can rack up hundreds in API costs overnight. Set a $50 hard cap before anything else.

[x] Mistake 3: Using Opus for everything

Claude Opus 4.6 is brilliant but expensive. For simple tasks like "what's the weather?" or "draft a quick reply," use Haiku — it's 25× cheaper and nearly as good for routine work.

[x] Mistake 4: Installing skills without reading them

Every skill modifies how your agent behaves. Run cat ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/SKILLNAME/SKILL.md before installing anything. A malicious skill (rare but possible) could instruct your agent to exfiltrate data.

[x] Mistake 5: Using dmPolicy: "open" on your Telegram bot

If your bot is set to "open," anyone who finds your bot can use your AI (and your API credits). Always use "pairing" or "allowlist".

[x] Mistake 6: Trying to build everything at once

Pick one workflow. Build it well. Prove the value. Then expand. The agents who win are the ones who solve one problem perfectly, not ten problems halfway.

Troubleshooting

"openclaw: command not found"

# Check if npm global bin is in your PATH
npm prefix -g
# Add to ~/.zshrc:
export PATH="$(npm prefix -g)/bin:$PATH"
source ~/.zshrc

Bot not responding in Telegram

openclaw gateway status      # is it running?
openclaw logs --follow       # watch live logs
openclaw channels status     # check Telegram connection

Config validation error at startup

openclaw doctor              # diagnose issues
openclaw doctor --fix        # auto-fix common problems

High API costs

# Switch to Haiku for daily use
openclaw config set agents.defaults.model.primary "anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5"

Next Steps

Once you have your agent running, level up with these playbooks:

• Sales Playbook → How to sell OpenClaw services on Upwork and to local businesses (Read the playbook →)
• TikTok Content Playbook → Auto-generate and schedule TikTok content with your agent (Read the playbook →)
• Meta Ads Playbook → Research, write, and monitor Facebook/Instagram ad campaigns with AI (Read the playbook →)
• Customer Service Playbook → Build a 24/7 email responder for any business (Available now)
• Real Estate Playbook → Automate listing syndication, lead follow-up, and market reports (Available now)

Verified Links

Quick Reference Card

Save this — you'll use it constantly:

# Start/stop/check gateway
openclaw gateway start
openclaw gateway stop
openclaw gateway status

# Open browser control panel
openclaw dashboard

# View live logs (great for debugging)
openclaw logs --follow

# Fix config problems
openclaw doctor
openclaw doctor --fix

# Skills
clawhub search "something"
clawhub install skill-name
clawhub update --all
clawhub list

# Config shortcuts
openclaw config get agents.defaults.model.primary
openclaw config set channels.telegram.enabled true

# Pairing
openclaw pairing list telegram
openclaw pairing approve telegram <CODE>

Last updated: March 2026 | Based on OpenClaw docs at docs.openclaw.ai

This guide is part of the Maxxer Academy series. Share it, but don't sell it.