How To Build An Automation Business In 30 Days For $396

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How To Build a Thriving Automation Agency In 30 Days for $396
This is the fastest, no-bullshit way to build a real agency in 5 steps.
These steps aren’t glamorous or pretty. But they work.
There’s a big difference things that sound effective, and things that are actually effective. Focus on the latter.
At minimum, this will take an hour or two per day for the next month. But that’s it. You can do this alongside a 9-5 or while going to school.
No ego/pride here. It does cost money—anyone saying you can start a business with no risk is lying. That said, it’s the shortest line path to customer #1.

Learn the agency lifecycle.
Cost: $0.
From the outside in, the agency business model hasn’t changed much since the 1960s. It is very tried and true, and is one of the simplest business models to learn (& hardest to master). You’ll get a massive leg up on everybody else by understanding how agencies flow.
Marketing: you spend money on advertising or outreach to book a sales meeting with your prospect.
Sales: you’ll convince said prospect to want to work with you by sending over a proposal/contract.
Onboarding: after signing, you’ll “kick the project off” by welcoming them, giving them peace of mind & giving/taking everything both parties need for a great project.
Fulfillment: you’ll provide regular updates to the client while completing their project.
Delivery: you deliver the project, oftentimes with room for revisions.
Retention: you’ll routinely & regularly follow up with the client in an attempt to get more work.
What’s the most common bottleneck in the lifecycle?
I’m a fan of the Theory of Constraints. This involves looking for where the constraint is in the agency lifecycle, and then actively allocate resources to solving it.
Logically, as a new agency, you have all the time and energy in the world for onboarding, fulfillment, delivery, and retention… you just don’t have any clients yet. That’s the bottleneck.
That means your constraint is almost always sales and marketing. Solve this first.
From there, other steps eventually become constraints, but you cross that bridge when you get to it (i.e you’ll eventually have to optimize onboarding, fulfillment, delivery, retention, etc—just not yet).
Copy systems that work—then sell them. You can break the rules, but only after you learn them.
Cost: $0. The #1 problem I see with new automation agencies is they rush to innovate their services. If you haven't made even$ 5,000 with your agency, you do not need to innovate. Do what other agencies do, and do it a little better. After you learn the rules—then you can worry about breaking them.
Copy three systems from me or another builder on YouTube. For instance, my proposal generator system, my content repurposing system, and my ClickUp CRM. These are what you’re going to sell.
Create templates, blueprints, etc around these systems. Learn them inside and out. Become an expert in these highly specific domains—it will only take you a few hours. Then, when you get an offer for a related system, you’ll know how to get 80% of the way there. You’ve just 5x’d your leverage.
Don’t rush to innovate. You know much more about this than most of the businesses you’ll be selling to and don’t need to build an eighth Wonder of the World. Sell 1-7 first.
No fancy website. No ICP or market research. Just sell. Your only focus is revenue-generating activities.
Cost: $396. T h er e^{'} s a l o t o f n o i se a tt h es t a r tl in e . I m p ro v in g sys t e m s, e x c i t in g a u t o ma t i o n s, co m pl e x p ro d u c t d es i g n . B u t a l m os t n o n eo f i t ma tt ers . T h eo n l y t hin g t ha t ma tt ers w h e n yo u^{'} res t a r t in g ab u s in ess i ss p e n d in g t im eo n re v e n u e - g e n er a t in g a c t i v i t i es . I t^{'} s n o tt o u c hin gu p yo u r w e b s i t e, ors p e n d in g h o u rscre a t in g min d ma p s ab o u t yo u r mi ss i o nan d yo u r v a l u es, or w a s t in g w ee k sse a rc hin g f or t h er i g h t I CP . I t^{'} s in t er f a c in g w i t h t h e ma r k e t a s m u c ha s p oss ib l e . Wh y ? E v ery t im eyo u in t er f a ce w i t h t h e ma r k e t, yo u a re l e a r nin g w ha tw or k s an d w ha t d oes n^{'} t . Y o u a re f i x in g yo u r (p ro bab l y in v a l i d) o p ini o n s, an d in s t e a d p a tt er n - ma t c hin g w ha t c u s t o m ers w an t . T h ere i sso m u c h w e d o n^{'} t kn o ww e d o n^{'} t kn o w . I n t er f a c in g w i t h t h e ma r k e t so l v es t ha t . I t^{'} sre a l d a t a . W e^{'} ll b e f oc u s in g o n t h ree a ff or d ab l e, hi g h - l e v er a g ere v e n u e - g e n er a t in g a c t i v i t i es . A . C o l d E mai l A so f t h e t im eo f t hi s v i d eo, t h ere i s n o l e a d g e n er a t i o nm e t h o d m ore a ff or d ab l e an d m ore a ccess ib l e . Y o u c an co nn ec tw i t hh u n d re d so f p eo pl e p er d a y . T h e ma t h u s in g co n ser v a t i v e n u mb ers . N o t e t h esec anim p ro v es u b s t an t ia ll y d e p e n d in g o n yo u rco p y . S i g n u p f or 9 mai l b o x es u s in g I n s t an tl y . C os t :$ 15/domain + $5/ mai l b o x +$ 97/mo. Cost: $187. S cr a p e 3, 000 l e a d s u s in gL e a d s R a p i d l y . C os t :$ 3/1000 leads x 3 = $9. O n e mai l b o x = 30 e mai l s / d a y . O n e f o ll o w - u pp erse q u e n ce m e an syo u^{'} ll e mai l 15 n e wp eo pl e / d a y .9 mai l b o x es x 15 l e a d s / d a y = 135 l e a d s / d a y .135 l e a d s / d a y x 24 d a ys = 3, 240 l e a d s / m o n t h . Wi t ha 3 Wi t ha t hi r d o f t h ose b e in g p os i t i v e, t ha t^{'} s 32 b oo k e d a pp o in t m e n t s . P er - a pp o in t m e n t cos t :$ 196/32 = $6.12.5 a pp o in t m e n t s p erc l ose ? A c l ose dd e a lw o u l d cos t yo u$ 30.60. Assuming a customer lifetime value of even $1, 000, i t^{'} s a 33 x RO I o nma r k e t in g . Ho w d oyo u w r i t eco l d e mai l s ? Y o u d o n^{'} t n ee d t o b e a co p y w r i t in gg o d t o mak e t hi s w or k . Y o u j u s t n ee d t o p u t yo u rse l f in yo u r p ros p ec t^{'} ss h oes . Wha tw o u l d yo u res p o n d t o ? W r i t es h or t an d p u n c h y — a v o i df or ma l i t y . U se pl a u s ib l e d e niabi l i t y . B u i l d an o ff er . G i v eso m e t hin g a w a y f or f ree, gu a r an t ee t h e m res u lt s, e t c . R es p o n d t o p os i t i v e in q u i r i es in u n d er f i v e min u t es . B . U pw or k U pw or ki ss t i ll e x t re m e l ys l e pt o n . M y p ro f i l e ha s a l m os t$ 500K in earnings. The marginal cost per closed deal is similar to email, but because of pride/ego many good businesspeople avoid it. This is your opportunity. I’ve had many contracts that have turned into projects worth over $10, 000. T h e ma t h u s in g co n ser v a t i v e n u mb ers . T hi s im p ro v ess u b s t an t ia ll y t h e b e tt eryo u r p ro f i l e g e t s (m ys t a t s a re d o u b l e t hi s) . S e n d 5 c u s t o ma ppl i c a t i o n s p er d a y . C os t :$ 2.00/app, ~5 minutes of your time.
5 applications x 20 days = 100 applications/month.
With a ~20% reply rate, that’s 20 leads.
With a ~1/2 booking rate, that’s 10 appts.
With a ~1/3 contract rate, that’s 3 projects. A closed deal would cost you $66.00. A ss u min g a c u s t o m er l i f e t im e v a l u eo f e v e n$ 1,000, it’s a 15x ROI on marketing.
How do you do well on Upwork?
Doing well on Upwork is just like optimizing a landing page. Except you only have a few areas to focus on. In essence, pretend it’s a game where you have 5-6 controls and you’re trying to max them all.
Frontload your social proof above the fold. Majority of clients never click “more” so anything under there is wasted. The only real difference between you and other profiles is your social proof so this is crucial.
Use an eye-catching profile pic—something bright, catchy.
Apply with a customized video that answers their question and/or gives them something for free.
C. Communities
Communities offer a ridiculous ROI. Especially now, after Hormozi started working with Skool. Millions of people are joining them, and they’re an extremely low cost way of getting eyeballs on your content because they tend to be insular. The math:
Join a bunch of free or low-cost communities that target your market. For instance, videography communities.
Read through each and note the common problem points & issues. Hot tip: vast majority have to do with a) not getting enough leads, b) not closing enough deals, c) client management, d) simple software systems.
Post in a community every day. When you create your post, solve a problem the community members are struggling with. Give away that value for free in exchange for your reputation.
DM everyone who reacts or responds to your post. Offer to help them further.
If you create 20 posts per month, and each post has an average of even 5 engagements, that’s 100 DMs.
If you book 10% of those DMs, that’s 10 meetings.
Assuming you close 20%, that’s two deals. The only thing you pay for with is time.
How do you do well with communities?
Communities are less rigid than other methods. A lot of it is just building relationships and seeing where serendipity takes you. But there are some things you can do to improve the % chance of a conversion.
Don’t just create top-level posts—spend twenty minutes per day responding to comments, reading through other threads, and engaging with people.
Give everything away in your post. I.e, gatekeep nothing.
When DMing, keep it light. Offer to show them or talk to them more about your solution on a call, but don’t push the sale.
When you’re on the call, ask them if they know anyone who’d be interested in your services. This sidesteps the issue of hard pitching, and if they’re considering it themselves they’ll opt in.
Go above and beyond as often as possible.
Cost: $0.
This is particularly important in your first few weeks. Why? Because it helps you get referrals, which are substantially easier to both acquire and manage than cold leads.
What most service providers think is that going above and beyond is silly, because it dilutes the ROI on their contract. I.e if they spend a couple of extra hours to make the same amount of money, they think they’re “losing” that time.
In reality, that time significantly improves the likelihood of a referral or repeat job. And the moment you get one of these, you’ve just acquired a client for free, which is about the most valuable thing a person can do in the agency space.
What are some examples of going above and beyond? Deliver every project with a custom video; write team documentation (for free). Add additional features you didn’t talk about during the scope. Leave positive reviews on your client’s pages without them asking.
Stay consistent.
Cost: $0. T os u ccee d in t h e a g e n cys p a ce d oes n o t re q u i re ha r d w or k . I t re q u i resco n s i s t e n tw or k . L e t^{'} ss a yyo u w an t e d t o b u i l d m u sc l e a tt h e g y m . Y o u ha v e tw oo pt i o n s : W or k o u t f or f i f t ee nh o u rs in o n e d a y, or W or k o u t f or anh o u re v eryo t h er d a y Whi c h o n e d oyo u t hink w o u l d b u i l d m ore m u sc l e ? O b v i o u s l y t h e l a tt er — so m e t hin g s, l ik e m u sc l e d e v e l o p m e n t, j u s tt ak e t im e, an d in or d er t oe x t r a c tt h e ma x im u mb e n e f i t, yo u n ee d t o g i v eyo u r b o d y t h e t im e t o d o t hin g s l ik ere p ai r m u sc l e f ib erse t c . B u s in ess i se x a c tl y t h es am e . T h e ma r k e t j u s tt ak es t im e . A ll yo u n ee d t o d o i s b e ini t . T os h o w u p, co n s i s t e n tl y, f or l o n g e n o ug h . I f yo u p er f or m t h ere v e n u e g e n er a t in g a c t i v i t i es I o u tl in e in t h e f i rs t s t e p, an d yo u s p re a d t h e m o u t o v er t h eco u rseo f t h e m o n t h, yo u^{'} ll b u i l d a r i d i c u l o u s am o u n t o f m o m e n t u m . I f yo u d o t h e ma ll in o n e d a y, yo u ma yseeso m eres u lt s, b u t yo u w o n^{'} t s u s t ain t h e m . B o n u s : m y t h o ug h t so nhi r in g (o pt i o na l) H i r in g f oryo u r a g e n cy i sco m pl e t e l yo pt i o na l . Des p i t eco mm o n l y h e l d b e l i e f s t o t h eco n t r a ry, yo u c an sc a l e t o v erys i ze ab l e n u mb ers d o in g t h e v a s t maj or i t yo f yo u r w or k yo u rse l f or w i t h o n eo t h er p erso n . E x am pl es : M yse l f ($ 72K/mo)
Brett at DesignJoy ( $145K/mo) Nick & Alex at Baked Design (~$ 70K/mo)
If you do hire, I recommend doing it last. Focus on increasing your leverage as much as possible using systems instead of people, since the need and expertise that human staff members can provide (relative to, say, an AI model) is decreasing rapidly.
Closing thoughts
Learn the agency lifecycle; copy systems; spend 90% of your time interfacing with the market; when you do get work, go above and beyond; stay consistent.
Good luck! ❤️
Gamma

AI Summary

Summary of Video Transcript

Overview

Nick shares how to build a thriving automation agency in 30 days for under $396.

He explains the agency lifecycle, copying systems that work, daily revenue-generating activities, and delivering high-quality projects.

Agency Lifecycle

Agencies function in six steps: Marketing, Sales, Onboarding, Fulfillment, Delivery, and Retention.

The lifecycle hasn’t changed much over the years, with the main difference being the shift to digital communication.

Understanding the lifecycle is crucial for starting an agency.

Bottlenecks and Theory of Constraints

For new agencies, the bottleneck is usually marketing and sales.

Once sales and marketing are solved, focus can shift to optimizing other steps.

Copying Systems That Work

Instead of building from scratch, copy existing systems that are proven to work.

Nick provides free blueprints on his Gumroad page for others to use and sell.

Revenue Generating Activities

Focus on activities that interface with the market, such as talking to customers, emailing, DMing, recording videos, and getting on calls.

Learning what works and what doesn’t is achieved by interfacing with the market.

Cold Email

Cold email is a powerful and affordable lead generation method.

Nick recommends using nine mailboxes and three domains, scraping leads, and following a conservative math model for replies and booked appointments.

Tips for effective cold emailing include writing short and punchy emails, using plausible deniability, building offers, and responding quickly to inquiries.

Upwork

Upwork can be a lucrative platform for finding work.

Sending customized applications and recording videos to solve client problems can increase the chance of getting hired.

Nick shares tips for optimizing Upwork profiles and proposals.

Communities

Joining and engaging in communities can lead to acquiring clients at a low cost.

Create posts that solve community problems and DM those who engage with your content.

Going Above and Beyond

Delivering more than expected can lead to referrals, repeat business, and positive reviews.

Examples include providing custom videos, adding extra features, and leaving positive reviews for clients.

Consistency

Consistent work, rather than bursts of hard work, leads to success.

Consistency allows the market to reward your efforts over time.

Hiring

Hiring for an agency is optional; one can scale significantly without a large team.

Focus on client management skills and leverage systems before considering hiring.

Final Thoughts

Nick emphasizes the importance of leveraging systems and a small team for future success.

He invites questions and content ideas from viewers and encourages subscribing and liking the video.

Detailed Instructions and Tips (when present)

Cold Email Setup:

Sign up for nine mailboxes using Instantly.

Purchase three domains.

Scrape leads using Leads Rapidly.

Use AI customization for better reply rates.

Respond to all positive inquiries within five minutes.

Upwork Strategy:

Send five custom applications per day.

Record a video solving the client’s problem.

Optimize your Upwork profile with keywords and social proof.

Ensure quick response times by staying online for messages.

Community Engagement:

Join free or low-cost communities targeting your market.

Read through community posts and identify common problems.

Create daily posts offering solutions.

DM those who engage with your posts to offer further help.

Going Above and Beyond:

Deliver every project with a custom video.

Add additional features not discussed during the scope.

Leave positive reviews on clients’ Google My Business pages without being asked.

Consistency:

Engage in revenue-generating activities daily.

Allow time for the market to respond and reward your efforts.

Hiring:

Consider hiring only after mastering client management skills and optimizing your business with systems.

(Note: No specific URLs or CLI commands were provided in the transcript.)

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