Luck Lab 🪬

A psychologist found lucky people see things unlucky people miss. We built a tool that tests which one you are.

Luck Lab is a research platform that maps your "luck profile" across six trainable mechanisms — based on Richard Wiseman's 10-year empirical study and 12 wisdom traditions that independently arrived at the same conclusion: luck is not random. It's a trainable disposition.

An AI oracle named Tyche (Greek goddess of fortune) reads your quiz answers, finds contradictions you didn't see, and writes you a personalised Reading that people describe as "surprisingly specific."

Try it: Take the Reading — 3 minutes, free, no account.

The product

Three tiers, each answering a different question:

Tier	Price	What it answers
The Reading	Free	Who am I? — archetype + one tradition tease
Archetype Primer	€9	Show me more. — full six-lever scores, tradition essay with real primary source, 7-day practice
Tyche's Reading	€29	What's my plan? — personalised 30-day Reading, addressed by name, three tradition deep-dives, daily ritual, + 90-day Return (auto-recalibrated follow-up), + lifetime Synchronicity Journal, + one Gift Reading to send a friend

Free companion: The Luck Convergence Index — a 12,400-word research essay (36 citations) delivered by email.

Plus 7 long-form research essays (~29,000 words total) unlocking weekly at /research/*.

Stack

Next.js 16 (App Router, React 19, Turbopack)
TypeScript (strict, Zod validation at API boundaries)
Tailwind CSS v4 (inline theme, custom design tokens)
OpenAI — gpt-4o-mini for free tier, gpt-4o for paid Reading
Stripe Checkout (hosted — no PCI scope) + webhook for abandoned-cart recovery
Resend — email delivery, scheduled drip funnel
Plausible — privacy-first analytics (optional)
Vercel — hosting, Cron, edge OG images
No database yet — Stripe session metadata serves as persistence for MVP. Supabase schema prepared in /supabase/schema.sql for when we add Journal + Return + Gift persistence.

Quickstart

cd /Users/mikel/kairos
npm install
cp .env.example .env.local     # fill in real keys
npm run dev                     # http://localhost:3000

Without keys the app still runs — Tyche returns deterministic fallback copy and checkout explains what's missing.

With keys configured:

Tyche narrates Readings with specific reference to the user's inputs + personal context
Stripe Checkout collects the payment and redirects to /reading/full?session_id=…
Full AI Reading is generated on that page load (~20–40s)
Resend fires a 5-step welcome drip on email capture
Stripe webhook triggers €5-off recovery on abandoned checkouts
Vercel Cron posts weekly social drafts + monthly stats + seasonal campaigns

Architecture

src/
├── app/
│   ├── page.tsx                        # landing (5 sections + pricing rail)
│   ├── reading/page.tsx                # the quiz — intake + 10 inputs (client)
│   ├── reading/preview/page.tsx        # free result + unlock CTAs (client)
│   ├── reading/primer/page.tsx         # €9 Primer page (server, Stripe-gated)
│   ├── reading/full/page.tsx           # €29 full Reading (server, Stripe-gated)
│   ├── research/page.tsx               # article index (publish-date gated)
│   ├── research/[slug]/page.tsx        # article page (SSG, JSON-LD, OG)
│   ├── research/[slug]/opengraph-image.tsx   # per-article OG image
│   ├── convergence-index/page.tsx      # the 12,400-word lead magnet (readable + print-to-PDF)
│   ├── about/page.tsx                  # builder-mystic positioning
│   ├── privacy/page.tsx                # GDPR-compliant privacy policy
│   ├── terms/page.tsx                  # ToS (EU digital-goods consent, 90-day Return)
│   ├── opengraph-image.tsx             # root OG image (dynamic, edge)
│   ├── sitemap.ts                      # auto-includes published articles
│   ├── robots.ts                       # allows AI crawlers
│   ├── not-found.tsx                   # on-brand 404
│   ├── error.tsx                       # error boundary
│   └── api/
│       ├── tyche/read/route.ts         # free preview (gpt-4o-mini) + rate-limited
│       ├── checkout/route.ts           # Stripe Checkout Session (tier: primer | full)
│       ├── subscribe/route.ts          # email capture + 5-step Resend drip
│       ├── stripe/webhook/route.ts     # abandoned-cart recovery with €5-off promo codes
│       └── cron/
│           ├── weekly-social/route.ts  # drafts X + LinkedIn posts (Wed 09:00)
│           ├── weekly-digest/route.ts  # emails subscribers the new essay (Fri 10:00)
│           ├── seasonal/route.ts       # solstices/equinoxes/NY campaigns
│           └── monthly-stats/route.ts  # Stripe revenue report (1st of month)
├── components/
│   ├── Nav.tsx · Footer.tsx            # layout chrome
│   ├── TycheSigil.tsx                  # brand mark (SVG, iconographic)
│   ├── EmailCapture.tsx                # Convergence Index opt-in form
│   └── DownloadPdfButton.tsx           # print-to-PDF via @media print
└── lib/
    ├── traditions.ts                   # the 12 traditions + 6 mechanisms (data)
    ├── diagnostic.ts                   # 10 questions, scoring, archetype assignment, birth context
    ├── tyche-prompt.ts                 # Tyche's character + 3 prompt templates (teaser/primer/full)
    ├── articles.ts                     # markdown loader + publish-date gating
    ├── answer-codec.ts                 # compact encode for Stripe metadata
    ├── email-templates.ts              # 6 styled HTML email templates
    ├── rate-limit.ts                   # in-memory IP bucket limiter
    ├── cron-auth.ts                    # CRON_SECRET verifier
    ├── jsonld.ts                       # Schema.org helpers (Org/Article/Product/FAQ)
    ├── analytics.ts                    # Plausible track() helper, 9 conversion events
    └── supabase.ts                     # client stubs (enable when schema is applied)

content/
├── luck-convergence-index.md           # 12,400-word lead magnet, 36 citations
└── articles/                            # 7 blog articles, ~29,000 words, YAML frontmatter
    ├── how-to-be-luckier.md             [pillar, 4,064w]
    ├── jung-synchronicity.md            [2,801w]
    ├── luck-factor-wiseman.md           [3,498w]
    ├── wu-wei.md                        [2,872w]
    ├── am-i-lucky.md                    [1,789w — quiz driver]
    ├── kairos-meaning.md                [2,806w]
    └── amor-fati.md                     [2,977w]

supabase/
└── schema.sql                           # subscribers, readings, journal_entries, gift_codes (when ready)

docs/
└── PDF-SERVER.md                        # server-side PDF sketch (Puppeteer on Vercel) for later

MARKETING.md                             # 8,000-word go-to-market plan with templates
LEARN.md                                 # pedagogical walkthrough of every pattern in the repo

Data flow — free Reading to paid purchase

user → /reading                       → 10 inputs + name (required) + optional birthdate/question
                                       → POST /api/tyche/read (gpt-4o-mini)
                                       → free teaser JSON {archetype, tradition-tease, unlock-prompt}
     → /reading/preview               → renders teaser + LOCKED visual for scores
                                       → "Unlock €9" or "Unlock €29"
                                       → POST /api/checkout {tier}
                                       → Stripe hosted checkout
Stripe → pays → redirect              → /reading/primer?session_id=X
                                   OR → /reading/full?session_id=X
                                       → server verifies session.payment_status === 'paid'
                                       → decodes answers + personal context from metadata
                                       → calls OpenAI (gpt-4o-mini for Primer, gpt-4o for Full)
                                       → renders the typeset Reading
                                       → "Download as PDF" → @media print → save PDF

Why this works without a database

Diagnostic answers compact to ~60 bytes and fit comfortably in Stripe's 500-char metadata limit. Personal context fits in another ~120 bytes. We fetch the session back from Stripe on the return URL and regenerate the Reading. This trades a little OpenAI cost (~€0.10 per Reading) for zero infrastructure.

Graduation path: the Supabase schema in /supabase/schema.sql adds persistence, journal, 90-day Return automation, and Gift Reading redemption when we want them.

Deploying to Vercel

vercel --prod

Production deploy was made April 15 2026 from the main branch — see top of file for URL. Custom domain is the next step: buy kairos.lab (or similar), add to Vercel → Project → Settings → Domains.

Required env vars for a fully live production:

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-proj-…
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_…
STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET=whsec_…
RESEND_API_KEY=re_…
RESEND_AUDIENCE_ID=aud_…              # for weekly-digest cron
EMAIL_FROM="Tyche · Luck Lab <tyche@kairos.lab>"
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://kairos.lab
NEXT_PUBLIC_PLAUSIBLE_DOMAIN=kairos.lab
CRON_SECRET=<long-random-string>
ADMIN_EMAIL=you@wherever.com

Optional (enables Journal/Return/Gift when ready):

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=…
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=…
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=…

Stripe webhook setup

In Stripe Dashboard → Developers → Webhooks, add endpoint https://<your-domain>/api/stripe/webhook, select event checkout.session.expired, copy the signing secret into STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET.

Brand

Platform: Luck Lab
AI character: Tyche (Greek goddess of fortune)
Palette: midnight #0a0a0d · antique gold #c9a961 · scholar purple #a78bfa
Fonts: Fraunces (display serif), Geist (sans), Geist Mono (accents)
Voice: calm-scholarly-warm, British English, no woo, no flattery

See /about for the positioning statement — honest mysticism, built carefully.

What's shipped (April 15 2026)

Roadmap

Custom domain (lucklab.app)
Claude Sonnet AI + two-pass pipeline
Premium share cards (6 archetype backgrounds)
Convergence Index PDF (typeset, 22 pages)
Supabase → Reading persistence + Journal + 90-day Return
Server-side PDF rendering (Puppeteer on Vercel)
Affiliate program (Stripe promo codes)
Video Reveal cards (Remotion)

Docs

docs/
├── strategy/
│   ├── LAUNCH.md              — 14-day launch script
│   ├── LAUNCH-POSTS.md        — copy-paste ready posts (X, Reddit, LinkedIn, HN)
│   ├── MARKETING.md           — full go-to-market plan (launch → year 1)
│   ├── PLAYBOOK.md            — reusable blueprint for AI digital products
│   ├── SPRINT-10K.md          — $10K month-1 revenue plan
│   └── TODAY.md               — today's action items
├── PDF-SERVER.md              — server-side PDF rendering sketch
├── SHARE-CARDS-ROADMAP.md     — 4-phase share card upgrade plan
├── exemplar-yielder-full.md   — hand-written 12/10 Reading for prompt calibration
├── convergence-index.typ      — Typst template for PDF generation
└── convergence-template.typ   — Typst cover page template

LEARN.md                       — pedagogical walkthrough (737 lines, 14 sections)
supabase/schema.sql            — DB schema for next phase

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 96 Commits
content		content
docs		docs
public		public
scripts		scripts
src		src
supabase		supabase
.env.example		.env.example
.gitignore		.gitignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
CLAUDE.md		CLAUDE.md
LEARN.md		LEARN.md
MARKETING_PLAN_apr26-may03.md		MARKETING_PLAN_apr26-may03.md
README.md		README.md
ROADMAP.md		ROADMAP.md
eslint.config.mjs		eslint.config.mjs
next.config.ts		next.config.ts
package-lock.json		package-lock.json
package.json		package.json
postcss.config.mjs		postcss.config.mjs
remotion.config.ts		remotion.config.ts
tsconfig.json		tsconfig.json
vercel.json		vercel.json

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Luck Lab 🪬

The product

Stack

Quickstart

Architecture

Data flow — free Reading to paid purchase

Why this works without a database

Deploying to Vercel

Stripe webhook setup

Brand

What's shipped (April 15 2026)

Roadmap

Docs

Tags

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Repository files navigation

Luck Lab 🪬

The product

Stack

Quickstart

Architecture

Data flow — free Reading to paid purchase

Why this works without a database

Deploying to Vercel

Stripe webhook setup

Brand

What's shipped (April 15 2026)

Roadmap

Docs

Tags

About

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