Who this is for

  • VPs / operators who want an "executive assistant" that can actually do work (email, calendar, docs) without needing to become technical
  • A dedicated Mac mini running 24/7 (the simplest, most reliable “home base”)

The 2-minute overview (what you’re setting up)

  • OpenClaw runs a small local “Gateway” on your Mac mini.
  • You chat with your assistant from a channel (usually Telegram / WhatsApp / Slack).
  • The assistant uses Tools (email, calendar, files, web, etc.) and Skills (prebuilt playbooks) to do work.
  • Your goal: a stable, secure, always-on setup that can’t accidentally nuke your data.

What you need before you start (checklist)

  • A Mac mini (recommended: dedicated machine that stays on)
  • Admin access on the Mac (you can install apps)
  • 30 minutes uninterrupted
  • One messaging channel to chat from (Telegram is the fastest to set up)
  • An AI provider account (most people use Claude)

Security principle: start with the minimum tools/permissions. Turn on powerful access (like running terminal commands or writing files) only when you need it.

Part 1 — Prep your Mac mini (do this once)

1) Update macOS

  • Apple menu → System Settings → General → Software Update → Install everything

2) Create a dedicated macOS user (recommended)

Why: keeps OpenClaw isolated from your personal Mac profile.

  • System Settings → Users & Groups → Add User
  • Name it something like openclaw

3) Make sure the Mac mini won’t sleep

  • System Settings → Lock Screen
  • System Settings → Energy (or Battery/Power) settings

4) Install a password manager (if you don’t already)

You will generate tokens/keys. Do not keep these in Notes.

Part 2 — Install OpenClaw (beginner path)

OpenClaw’s docs recommend Node 24 (Node 22 LTS is still supported).[1]

Option A (recommended): Use the official installer script

This is the lowest-friction path and avoids manual dependency setup.[1]

  1. Open Terminal on your Mac mini
  2. Follow the official “Getting Started” install command from OpenClaw docs
  3. Let the wizard complete onboarding (gateway, auth, and basic settings)

Option B: If you already have Node installed

  • Verify:
  • If it’s below the required version, update Node first

Success check: you can run a “gateway status” command and it shows running/healthy.

Part 3 — First-time configuration (the VP-safe baseline)

Your objective here is: working assistant + guardrails.

1) Set a strong Gateway auth token

  • Use a long random token (32+ characters)
  • Store it in your password manager

2) Choose your sandbox mode (recommended defaults)

Start conservative:

  • Sandboxing enabled
  • Scope limited to the agent/session (not shared across everything)
  • Only expand permissions after you’ve tested safely

3) Pick your model/provider

  • For VPs: prioritize reliability over experimentation
  • Use the “best” model for important decisions, and a cheaper one for routine actions

4) Turn on only the Tools you need on Day 1

Day 1 (safe + useful):

  • Web / search
  • Read-only file access to a dedicated folder
  • Calendar read
  • Email read (optional)

Avoid on Day 1 unless you’re technical:

  • Terminal/exec
  • Full-disk file write
  • Anything that can send email/messages automatically without approval

Part 4 — Create your “Executive Ops Folder” (so the agent has a home)

Create a dedicated folder that OpenClaw can access.

Suggested structure:

  • Exec Ops/

VP workflow rule: if it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist. The folder is how the assistant becomes consistent.

Part 5 — Connect a chat channel (recommended: Telegram)

Why Telegram: fastest setup, clean bot experience.

High-level steps:

  1. Create a Telegram bot token (via BotFather)
  2. In OpenClaw, add Telegram as a channel
  3. Pair your account/device
  4. Send a test message: “Summarize my priorities for the week”

Success check:

  • You can message the bot and get a response
  • The response can read from your allowed folder (if you enabled read access)

Part 6 — VP “Day 1” workflows (copy/paste prompts)

1) Weekly executive briefing

Prompt:

  • “Create a 1-page weekly executive briefing. Ask me 5 questions first, then produce the briefing in my Briefings folder.”

2) Meeting prep pack (15 minutes before calls)

Prompt:

  • “For this meeting: [paste invite / context]. Generate:

3) Post-meeting follow-up

Prompt:

  • “Turn these notes into action items with owners + deadlines, and draft a follow-up email for approval.”

4) Executive assistant inbox triage (safe mode)

Prompt:

  • “I’m going to paste 20 email snippets. Categorize them into: reply now / delegate / ignore / schedule / waiting on someone. Do not send anything without approval.”

Part 7 — Hardening (do this before you rely on it)

1) Keep it off the open internet

  • Prefer local-only access.