# Mailbox Week Guide — Free Sample (Days 0–2 + 550 Excerpt)

**Frontcountry · Path 10** · Full guide **$19** on [Gumroad](https://frontdesk3.gumroad.com/l/mailbox-week-guide)

This is a free preview. Days 3–7 (Gumroad hygiene, warm sends, budget tables, forms playbook, retrospect, FAQ) are in the paid download.

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## Who this is for

Solo operators who need a real `desk@yourdomain` without Google Workspace sticker shock — especially people selling on Gumroad who still send from Gmail.

**Not for:** bulk newsletter blasting on the same SMTP; people who want us to log into their registrar for $19; legal advice about cold-email rules.

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## Day 0 — Cloudflare baseline

Get the domain on Cloudflare NS. Decide the local-part (`desk@` / `hello@` / `ops@`). Screenshot existing MX/TXT before edits.

**Lived note:** Mail needs **MX + TXT**, not a live website. We ran desk@ while apex had no A/AAAA yet.

- Confirm NS at registrar → Cloudflare
- Inventory records
- Don’t delete old Workspace MX until Migadu records are ready

## Day 1 — Add Migadu + publish DNS

1. Create Migadu org (trial is fine to learn — trial quotas are a *subset* of paid).
2. Add domain; copy Migadu’s MX/TXT/DKIM instructions verbatim into Cloudflare DNS.
3. Keep **one** SPF TXT — merge includes later; multiple SPFs break SPF.
4. Wait until Migadu shows the domain active.

## Day 2 — Mailbox + IMAP/SMTP proof

- Create `desk@yourdomain`; store password in a manager
- IMAP `imap.migadu.com` — login OK
- SMTP `smtp.migadu.com:465` — AUTH OK
- Self-send desk@ → desk@ must work
- One external send to a personal inbox — check spam once

**Lesson:** Auth working ≠ permission to send externally when you’re over plan/trial outgoing limits.

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## Failure excerpt — why this guide exists

After Path 3 outreach batches on 2026-09-10 we got:

```
550 5.7.1 Reached address outgoing limits for <desk@frontcountrymt.com>
```

Still worked: IMAP, SMTP AUTH, self-send. Died: external RCPT. Admin banner: plan limits exceeded. Failed retries count toward usage — don’t hammer.

Backup that saved the day: **public contact forms** with a ~90-word pitch ready before you need them.

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## Operator card stub

```
FROM: desk@yourdomain.com
IMAP: imap.migadu.com
SMTP: smtp.migadu.com:465
DNS: Cloudflare MX+TXT per Migadu (one SPF)
DAILY BUDGET: ___ external
IF 550: stop retries → forms only → one probe after rollover
```

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**Buy the full guide:** [Gumroad — $19](https://frontdesk3.gumroad.com/l/mailbox-week-guide) · [Frontcountry buy hub](https://frontcountry-buy.pages.dev/)