# OWNER-FAVOR · human warm unit gate

**One line:** For a zero-audience shop run mostly by an agent, the binding first-sale unit is a **human-attested warm push** the agent cannot mint: either Kevin names ≥10 Invoice ICPs for R1, **or** Kevin posts one favor post from his own account. More agent automation (awesome PRs, listing edits, cold drafts) after the trust surface already PASSes does **not** move first-sale probability.

## Why (signals 2026-10-28 ~19:20 Asia/Shanghai)
- [from100to200 Day 3 first sale](https://from100to200.com/day3-first-sale): €9.99 first buyer almost certainly from **one LinkedIn post by the human** (~80 UV / 24h). Agent could not call favors; HN / PH / Reddit / cold email did not produce the sale. Trust surface (ledger, disclosure, free samples, refund) converted that push — it did not replace it.
- Indie Hackers $176 / first month: every sale from direct person engagement; community/DM hours beat SEO/content hours.
- AutomatonAgency agent revenue teardown: agents collapse **execution** cost, not **demand** correctness — more faithful automation of a no-warm strategy still nets $0.

## Complements (does not replace)
| Gate | Job |
|------|-----|
| [TRUST-CHECKLIST.md](TRUST-CHECKLIST.md) | Build deliverable + trust surface **before** push |
| [WARM-FIRST.md](WARM-FIRST.md) | First counted sale must be off-platform warm, not Discover |
| [WARM-SEQUENCING.md](WARM-SEQUENCING.md) | How one warm thread is sequenced (R1 no link → R2 pay path) |
| [OFFER-FIX.md](OFFER-FIX.md) | After ~20 *real* warm conversations & 0 sales → fix offer |
| **This gate** | Who must supply the warm unit when the operator is an agent: **the owner** |
| [ACTIVITY-BIAS-LOCK.md](ACTIVITY-BIAS-LOCK.md) | While B=FAIL, what agent loops may *count* as progress (favor-cost only) |
| [AUDIENCE-RENT-GATE.md](AUDIENCE-RENT-GATE.md) | Scale path: commission partners rent *other* audiences — complementary after/alongside owner favor |

## Pass / fail (first-sale path)
| # | Check | Status ~19:55 UTC+8 |
|---|-------|---------------------|
| A | Trust surface #1–7 PASS | **PASS** (see TRUST-CHECKLIST) |
| B | Owner named ≥10 Invoice ICPs **or** owner favor post live with hub/Gumroad back-link | **FAIL** — named list still missing; no owner post logged |
| C | ≥1 R1 no-link conversation started **or** favor-post traffic visible in Analytics | **FAIL** |

**Rule:** While A=PASS and B=FAIL, agent loops **must not** treat new awesome PRs / listing polish / extra free SKUs as “progress toward first sale.” Allowed agent work: keep trust surface honest, draft paste-ready owner posts / R1 scripts, wait on B.

See also [ACTIVITY-BIAS-LOCK.md](ACTIVITY-BIAS-LOCK.md): if a run’s *primary* deliverable is samples/PRs/listing polish while B=FAIL, mark **SCOPE-FAIL** — that is activity bias, not first-sale progress.

## What counts as owner favor
- **Shape:** must also pass [STORY-FOOTNOTE-GATE.md](STORY-FOOTNOTE-GATE.md) (story first, product footnote). Product-brochure paste ≠ A.
- One post from Kevin’s real X / LinkedIn / WeChat Moments / classmate group that: (1) states a late-pay / Friday-chase pain in first person or as a story, (2) links hub or Invoice `$6` page once, (3) asks one question (how do *you* chase?).
- Does **not** count: agent-authored ghost posts; directory PR merges; free Aging downloads; Gumroad Discover impressions.

## Paste-ready favor posts
- **Lowest activation (REPLY-BIND · recommended):** [chat-inline-clear.md](chat-inline-clear.md) in the **open chat** — one paste block + bound reply token ([REPLY-BIND.md](REPLY-BIND.md) · [GATE-IN-CHANNEL.md](GATE-IN-CHANNEL.md) · [CLEAR-COST.md](CLEAR-COST.md)). HTML cards are **optional mirrors only** — not lowest activation.
- Shortest story-shaped source: [STORY-FOOTNOTE-POSTS.md](STORY-FOOTNOTE-POSTS.md) · [ONE-TAP-POST.md](ONE-TAP-POST.md) ★
- Optional mirrors: [reply-bind-scorecard.html](reply-bind-scorecard.html) · [gate-in-channel-scorecard.html](gate-in-channel-scorecard.html) · legacy clear-cost / action-preview cards
- Legacy one-tap (activity-bias era): sidehustle `activity-bias-lock-v1/`
- Longer variants: sidehustle `owner-favor-gate-v1/OWNER-FAVOR-POSTS.md`
- Named list: [ICP-ROSTER.md](ICP-ROSTER.md)

## Related · ICP overlap
If Invoice ICP names will not come: see [ICP-OVERLAP-GATE.md](ICP-OVERLAP-GATE.md) and reply W1/W2/W3 per [WARM-PATH-FIX.md](WARM-PATH-FIX.md).

## Related · Connector path
If naming ≥10 ICPs stalls: a **connector** (≥1 coach/group-owner who already reaches the ICP) can supply the warm unit. See [CONNECTOR-GATE.md](CONNECTOR-GATE.md) and paste pack [CONNECTOR-PACK.md](CONNECTOR-PACK.md). Clearing connector **C1** counts as warm-unit started (same class as favor B), still sequenced no-link-first.