#203 · Automation-as-a-Service (AaaS) in 2026
I did give a couple of those companies the work first. Then I used their social proof to help land my own clients—that was the strategic part.
To gain trust, show concrete results: use the format 'I generated X for Y using Z'—for example, $153,821 for a B2B SaaS company via CRO, or $92,000/month for a content writing business via content‑production systems. Collect three or four of these one‑line case studies and post them on your website, Upwork profile, and keep them top of mind. Delivery means building the solution in the client’s own workspace. I avoid lengthy agreements; instead I send a brief proposal that includes minimal legal language and the payment terms, so the client handles the legal side and the proposal, I receive payment, and we move forward—all in one exchange. Finding clients is simple in theory but hard in practice; client acquisition is the toughest part of the business, so focus on the fundamentals rather than looking for shortcuts. If you’re truly starting from scratch, you can bootstrap by building a small result (like a cold‑email system that does X, Y, Z) for yourself and using that as proof.
No, definitely not. Even with NDAs, you can talk in generalities about the work you've done. For example, you can say you work with a business that makes a certain amount of money per month; if it's impressive, that's social proof. People care whether you deliver revenue or savings, not that you built the exact same system before. The simplest way to show that is to share any example of past results. If you were a salesperson applying for an automation project, you don't need to claim you built the specific system; you can say you used to run sales at XYZ Corporation and generated over $2 million in a couple years, showing you know how to generate revenue and achieve desired outcomes. Talking about money works because it's the universal language of business outcomes. Focus on money in your messaging—mention specific revenue figures like generating $45,000 in three days for a client—and you'll be fine.
Yes, you absolutely need some form of social proof. Without it, it's hard to win because anyone can claim they can do something, but few can point to something they've actually delivered. The work you do becomes your biggest differentiator—far more valuable than flowery language in a proposal, which no longer matters now that AI can generate polished text for everyone. You don't have to build a project for a client to get proof. You can create something for your own business or a side project that adds value, then say, 'I built this for myself,' or 'I built this for an IT company.' It's really just about being resourceful. Regarding self‑studying computer science through 'Teach Yourself CS': I don't think it's still relevant, but I like the idea. I was reminded by a friend named Arturo that talking about the fact that you never took a programming degree resonates with people, so I'm going to weave that into my own content.
I’d simply mention the patent. Say something like, “I have a patent that is currently being explored in conjunction with tier‑one banks such as [big name], [big name], [big name].” That alone gives instant credibility. You can also attach any publicly‑available metrics—deposit estimates, assets under management, etc.—to reinforce the claim. Even if the bank isn’t named, the association with a major institution is enough for most people to trust you. Writing a patent that tier‑one banks are actively considering also counts as strong social proof. As for how my standard advice would change, it really wouldn’t. Most of the people I coach don’t have a patent; they’re often young developers with little real‑world AI experience. I usually tell them to spend a few hours learning the basics (JSON, APIs, HTML, HTTPS, etc.) and then start reaching out to clients right away. In your case you already have the patent and the technical background, so you can skip the 5‑10 hours of foundational learning and go straight to client conversations.