tool-selection-stack

# Tool Selection & Stack Builder ## Overview Choosing GTM tools is the most expensive decision most teams make — not because tools are expensive, but because the wrong stack wastes months of productivity. This skill builds stage-appropriate tool stacks with cost breakdowns and clear rationale for every choice. **Automation strategy:** Load `references/gtm-automation-expert-playbook.md` (Jen Igartua) for maturity assessment before adding tools. Clay = enrichment; n8n = orchestration; Cargo category = persistent routing at scale — see playbook decision matrix. ## Authoritative Foundations - **Jen Igartua (Go Nimbly) — Must-have basics / performance boosters / delighters stack layering** — Must-have basics / performance boosters / delighters stack layering - **Jesse Ouellette Lean Stack** — Named methodology governing recommendations in this skill's process. - **Eric Nowoslawski Agency Stack** — Cold email infra at scale — 2 inboxes/domain, backup inboxes, Creative Ideas testing. - **HubSpot Academy — CRM Automation** — Lifecycle stages, object model, and workflow enrollment patterns. ## When to Use - "What tools do I need for cold email?" - "Build my GTM stack" - "Compare [Tool A] vs [Tool B]" - "What should I buy at $X MRR?" - "Audit my current tool stack" - "Optimize our tool spend" ## Step-by-Step Process ### Phase 1: Stage Assessment Determine the user's stage: Solo Founder (<$10K MRR), Small Team ($10-50K MRR), Growth ($50K-2M ARR), Scale ($2-10M ARR), Enterprise ($1...