How I Use Claude Code & Cursor (Ship 10X Faster)
The Startup Ideas Podcast
What listeners will learn from Chris
Chris outlines the episode goals: his AI coding workflow, tools used, and tips to level up AI-assisted development.
On this episode I sit down with indie app builder and designer Chris ****Raroque to walk through his real AI coding workflow. Chris explains how he ships a portfolio of productivity apps doing thousands in MRR by pairing Claude Code and Cursor instead of picking just one tool. He live-demos “vibe coding” an iOS animation, then compares how Claude Code and Cursor’s plan mode tackle the same task. The episode closes with concrete tips on plan mode, MCP servers, AI code review, dictation, and deep research so solo devs can build bigger apps than they could alone.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
03:04 – Which Tools & Models to Use
09:16 – Thoughts on the Vibe Coding Mobile App Landscape
11:14 – Live demo: prompting Claude Code to build an iOS “AI searching” animation
18:07 – Live demo: prompting Cursor with same task
21:02 – Chris’s Best Tips for Vibe Coders
Key Points
You don’t have to pick one IDE copilot: Chris actively switches between Claude Code and Cursor because they have different strengths.
For very complex bug-hunting, he prefers Cursor with plan mode; for big-picture app architecture, he leans on Claude Code with Opus.
Non-developers should start on higher-level “vibe coding” platforms like Create Anything for mobile apps before graduating to Claude/Cursor.
Plan mode plus detailed, spoken prompts dramatically improves code quality, especially for UI and animation work.
MCP servers and AI code review bots let solo developers safely set up infra, enforce security, and catch bugs they’d otherwise miss.
Claude’s deep research is a powerful way to choose the right patterns and libraries before handing implementation back to Claude Code or Cursor.
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
The Vibe Marketer - Resources for people into vibe marketing/marketing with AI: thevibemarketer.com
Startup Empire - get your free builders toolkit to build cashflowing business - https://startup-ideas-pod.link/startup-empire-toolkit
Become a member - https://startup-ideas-pod.link/startup-empire
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND CHRIS ON SOCIAL
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raroque
X/Twitter: https://x.com/raroque
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.raroque/
The AI-powered Podcast Player
