The LocalClaw
Playbook

The local business landscape has shifted permanently. The question is no longer “should I use AI?” — it's “how fast can I deploy before my competitor does?”

System Requirements

• Node.js 22 LTS or higher — Check with node -v in your terminal. Download at nodejs.org if needed.
• npm 9 or higher — Comes bundled with Node. Check with npm -v.
• 4GB RAM minimum — 8GB recommended if you plan to run local Nemotron routing.
• Stable internet connection — Required for initial install and cloud AI model calls.
• Administrator / sudo access — Required to install the OpenClaw background daemon.

Accounts & API Keys

• AI Provider API Key — Get one from OpenAI (platform.openai.com) or Anthropic (console.anthropic.com). GPT-4o or Claude 3.5 Sonnet recommended.
• Google Account (recommended) — For Gmail and Google Calendar channel integration.
• WhatsApp Business Number (optional) — Requires a Meta Business account and a dedicated phone number.
• Telegram Account (optional) — Fastest channel to connect. 5 minutes via BotFather.

For 24/7 Deployment (Recommended)

• A VPS or Cloud Server — DigitalOcean Droplet, Hetzner Cloud, or Vultr. $6–$12/month keeps your agent running even when your laptop is off.
• SSH Access to your server — You'll need the IP address and login credentials.
• Domain name (optional) — For a clean webhook URL when connecting WhatsApp and Instagram channels.

Step 1 — Install OpenClaw globally

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Step 2 — Verify the install

openclaw --version
# Expected: openclaw/x.x.x node/v22.x.x linux/x64

Step 3 — Preview the Dashboard

openclaw dashboard
# Opens http://127.0.0.1:18789/ in your browser

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

What the wizard walks you through

• 1

  Choose your AI provider

  Select OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, or Groq. Paste your API key when prompted. Stored locally in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json — never sent anywhere else.

• 2

  Select your model

  Recommended: gpt-4o or claude-3-5-sonnet. For cost-sensitive deployments, gpt-4o-mini handles routine tasks well at a much lower cost per token.

• 3

  Choose channels to connect

  Select the channels you want. You can always add or remove channels later from the dashboard. Telegram is the fastest to connect — 5 minutes via BotFather.

• 4

  Install the background daemon

  The --install-daemon flag installs OpenClaw as a system service. It starts automatically when your server boots — essential for 24/7 operation without manual restarts.

• 5

  Open the Control Dashboard

  OpenClaw opens http://127.0.0.1:18789/ in your browser. You'll see the Gateway status, connected channels, and live session feed. Your engine is running.

Fresh Install (new OpenClaw setup)

# Step 1: Download and install NemoClaw
curl -fsSL https://nvidia.com/nemoclaw.sh | bash

# Step 2: Run interactive onboarding
nemoclaw onboard

# Step 3: Confirm everything is active
nemoclaw status

Migrating an Existing OpenClaw Setup

# Import your existing OpenClaw config automatically
nemoclaw onboard --import-from=openclaw

Enable Local AI Routing (NVIDIA GPU only)

# Route sensitive workloads to on-device Nemotron model
nemoclaw config set router.mode=local-first

# Verify routing mode
nemoclaw config get router.mode

The Starter Business Policy

Save this as ~/.openclaw/openshell.yaml. Customize the file paths and approved domains to match your business setup. This is a safe, restrictive baseline for any local business.

version: "2026-03"
agent_id: "my-business-agent"

capabilities:

  file_system:
    allow:
      - "/home/user/business/contacts/**"   # CRM / customer data
      - "/home/user/business/bookings/**"   # Appointment files
      - "/tmp/agent-workspace"              # Temporary scratch space
    deny:
      - "**/.*"                             # ALL hidden files (.env, .ssh, etc.)
      - "/home/user/.ssh/**"               # SSH keys — explicit block
      - "/etc/passwd"                       # System credential files

  network:
    mode: "allowlist"
    allow_domains:
      - "api.openai.com"
      - "api.anthropic.com"
      - "calendar.googleapis.com"
      - "gmail.googleapis.com"
      - "api.telegram.org"
    deny_all_else: true

  local_routing:
    force_local_on_sensitive: true

logging:
  level: verbose
  destination: "/var/log/openshell/agent.log"

Reload Policy Without Restarting

# Validate your policy file for YAML syntax errors
nemoclaw policy validate

# Apply changes live — no daemon restart needed
nemoclaw policy reload

Telegram — Fastest Setup (5 Minutes)

• 1

  Open Telegram and search for @BotFather

  BotFather is Telegram's official bot creation service. Start a chat with it — it's a verified blue-check account.

• 2

  Send /newbot

  BotFather asks for a display name (e.g. “Maya from Mike's Barbershop”) and a username ending in bot (e.g. @mikesbarbershop_bot).

• 3

  Copy the bot token

  BotFather gives you a token like 7845123456:AAFxxx.... This is your channel key — treat it like a password.

• 4

  Add token to OpenClaw

  Run openclaw channels add telegram and paste the token when prompted. Or add it directly in the dashboard under Channels → Telegram.

• 5

  Send a test message

  Open your bot in Telegram and say “Hello”. You should get an agent response within 2–3 seconds.

WhatsApp — Meta Business API

• 1

  Create a Meta Business account

  Go to business.facebook.com and set up a free Business Account if you don't have one. Takes 3 minutes.

• 2

  Set up WhatsApp Business API

  In Meta Business Suite → WhatsApp → Get Started. Register a dedicated phone number for your business agent.

• 3

  Copy your credentials

  From the Meta Developer portal, copy your Phone Number ID, Business Account ID, and System User Access Token.

• 4

  Connect via OpenClaw

  Run openclaw channels add whatsapp and paste your credentials. OpenClaw registers the webhook with Meta automatically.

The Complete SOUL.md Template

# IDENTITY
Name: Maya
Business: Mike's Barbershop — Atlanta, GA
Role: Customer Service Agent & Booking Assistant
Tone: Friendly, warm, professional. Never robotic. Like a real person.
Language: English. Simple, clear sentences. No jargon.

# WHAT YOU KNOW
Services:
  - Haircut:             $35 · 45 minutes
  - Beard Trim:          $20 · 20 minutes
  - Haircut + Beard:     $50 · 60 minutes
  - Kids Cut (under 12): $25 · 30 minutes

Hours:   Monday–Saturday 9am–7pm · Sunday CLOSED
Address: 123 Main Street, Atlanta, GA 30301
Phone:   (404) 555-0192
Parking: Free street parking on Main Street

# HOW TO HANDLE REQUESTS
Booking request:
  Ask: which service? Preferred date and time?
  Check Google Calendar for open slots.
  Propose 2-3 options if requested slot is taken.
  Confirm: date, time, service, address, barber (if specified).
  Send reminder 24h before via same channel.

Pricing questions:
  Answer directly from the services list above.
  Never say "I'm not sure" — always give a clear answer.

Complaints:
  Acknowledge. Apologize genuinely. Offer a solution (discount or redo).
  Escalate to Mike if the customer is very upset or requests a refund.

New leads (first contact):
  Greet warmly. Ask what brings them in.
  Offer to book right away. Do not make them ask twice.

# CONVERSATION STYLE
Opening:  "Hey! Welcome to Mike's Barbershop. How can I help you today?"
Closing:  "See you soon at Mike's! 💈"
Keep responses: Short and conversational. 1-3 sentences per message.

# WHAT YOU NEVER DO
- Never promise a specific barber unless Mike confirms availability.
- Never discuss competitor pricing or badmouth other shops.
- Never share customer data, booking details, or contact info.
- Never make promises about wait times you can't verify.

Register and Deploy Your Agent

# Register the agent with OpenClaw
openclaw agents add --soul ./SOUL.md --name "maya"

# Assign it to your connected channels
openclaw agents assign maya --channels telegram,gmail

# Test it interactively in the terminal before going live
openclaw chat --agent maya

# Check agent status
openclaw agents list

Viewing Live Logs

# Watch the OpenShell audit log in real time
tail -f /var/log/openshell/agent.log

# View OpenClaw session logs (last 100 entries)
openclaw logs --tail 100

# Filter by specific channel
openclaw logs --channel telegram --tail 50
openclaw logs --channel gmail --tail 50

# Check overall health
nemoclaw status
openclaw agents list

#!/bin/bash
# Watch for DENY events and send a Telegram alert
tail -f /var/log/openshell/agent.log | grep --line-buffered "DENY" | while read line; do
  curl -s -X POST "https://api.telegram.org/bot${BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage" \
    -d chat_id="${YOUR_CHAT_ID}" \
    -d text="OpenShell DENY: ${line}"
done