Don’t Start an “AI Automation Agency” Do This Instead

When I first saw people on YouTube talking about “AI automation agencies,” I’ll admit — it sounded exciting. Build chatbots for local businesses, set up voice agents, automate everything, charge $3–5K/month. Easy, right?

Wrong.

What I learned (and what most beginners find out the hard way) is that nobody wants to buy “AI automations.” Business owners don’t wake up thinking, “I need an AI workflow.” They want customers, leads, and revenue. The second you lead with “AI,” you’ve already lost them.

Even if you manage to land a client, it quickly turns into a nightmare — hours lost fighting with broken APIs, outdated CRMs, Zapier chaos, and random tech that doesn’t connect. You’re doing IT consulting, not business building. And after all that, the fancy AI tools rarely deliver results. Voice agents don’t convert. Chatbots don’t sell. The only people making money are the ones selling you the AI tools.

So I stopped trying to “sell AI” and started doing something far simpler: I sell services businesses already understand — funnels, ad campaigns, email sequences, and sales content — and I use AI behind the scenes to do 90% of the work.

That shift changed everything. Suddenly, the offers were clear, the clients understood what they were buying, and fulfillment became fast and profitable. I could charge $3–5K/month retainers, keep 70–80% margins, and work under 30 hours a week.

I call it the AI-Assisted Agency model. You’re not selling AI; you’re using it as leverage. The client gets real, measurable results. You get paid well for work that no longer takes all your time.

If you’re thinking of starting an “AI automation agency,” don’t. It’s the wrong game. Build an AI-assisted agency instead. That’s how you actually make money with AI right now.