← All questions

#37 · What Should I Do First? (Step-By-Step AI Automation Agency)

youtube ↗Client Acquisition

Is it necessary to create a VSSL or YouTube content before getting clients, and what are some tips for starting an agency?

No, you don’t need a VSSL—or any video—before you have clients. I’d wait to make YouTube content until you’ve landed your first few clients; aim for three to five. In the meantime, get a YouTube channel set up just for branding and spend about thirty minutes creating a Google knowledge panel so that when someone searches your name they see legitimate links. Once you have a handful of clients, you can film walkthroughs of the systems you built and use those videos as social proof and easy upsell material when you send invoices or project updates. The priority is acquiring clients first; content comes later as proof and leverage.

youtubepersonal brandingknowledge panel

Related answers

youtube ↗Lead Generation

Should I use content creation to acquire clients for my automation service?

No, if you’re just starting with no money or track record, avoid YouTube. Building an audience there takes months and yields no income while you spend time on appearance instead of prospecting. Instead, begin with cold outbound or a platform like Upwork where clients already have budget and clear needs. Those are the simplest, lowest‑cost ways to get your first clients. Once you’ve landed a few jobs and have some cash flow, you can then invest in content creation to scale.

content creationcold outboundupworkclient acquisition
youtube ↗Agency Operations

Is now the right time to start reaching out to clients as a freelancer to scale into an agency?

Yes, it’s a good time to start reaching out as a freelancer to scale into an agency. Avoid posting identical content on multiple videos (YouTube removes duplicates). Use a guaranteed‑results model: promise a specific outcome, require the client to sign up for Instantly/email enrichment, buy domains and scrapers (their out‑of‑pocket ~$200), then charge your fee (~$2k) upon delivery. Generally run a managed service—handle everything end‑to‑end—to improve result probability.

freelanceragencyoutreach
youtube ↗Lead Generation

I'm wondering about putting out content and starting a community; I'm skilled at automation and thought about teaching it, but I'd like to get clients and earn from them. How should I choose what to focus on, or should I try both—get clients, do social media, build community, and create client projects?

Don't jump into content or branding yet—first land clients and prove you can deliver results. Use a simple accountability habit (like daily updates) to stay consistent, and only then create content that showcases your work.

content creationclient acquisitionsocial media
youtube ↗Client Acquisition

Your content is mostly focused on AI and building AI businesses — what advice would you give to someone who's not in the AI space and just wants to start a successful online business? (For context: I've been freelance video editing for 3 years, making about $1,500/month, and my biggest challenge is consistently getting clients since it's custom project work.)

Everything I talk about is immediately applicable to almost any digital business — the common thread is low startup cost (no capital tied up in machinery, trucks, equipment; just a couple hundred bucks a month in software). My advice works especially well in low-barrier-to-entry, competitive businesses, which freelance video editing definitely is — you could copy-paste everything I say about AI/automation client acquisition directly onto video editing. If getting clients consistently is your challenge, that's not one of several challenges — it's your only challenge. Until you're at $10K/month, don't spend a single unit of time on anything besides client acquisition. Start your day with it, spend at least 50% of your day on it, and only fulfill client projects with whatever time is left over.

non-ai businessfreelancingclient acquisition priorityvideo editing