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#77 · Upwork Essentials in 2025

youtube ↗Agency Operations

Can you explain how you actually set everything up for a new client, including platform and tool payments?

Sure. When a new client signs a contract and the invoice is paid, the first step is a kickoff call. In that call you thank them, clarify the problem you’ll solve, reiterate the value you’re delivering, and cover timelines, communication channels, account sign‑ups, and any two‑factor‑authentication requirements. You walk them through signing up for every platform you’ll use, making sure all 2FA is set up, and you aim to have every account, email, and password ready by the end of the call—ideally stored in a password manager like 1Password, LastPass or Dashlane. Then you invite the client to your communication hub (Slack, email, WhatsApp, etc.) and establish a cadence for updates, such as a brief status every couple of days. From there you proceed with the automation build. The client pays for everything: the automation platform (Make.com), any niche tools you use (Naden, PandaDo, Instantly, Mailfinder, ClickUp, Slack, Apollo/Amplify, etc.). Because you have affiliate partnerships with most of these services, you include your referral links, which typically give you a 3‑5 % margin, providing a small side‑income that continues even after the project is handed off.

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Related answers

youtube ↗Pricing

Who should pay for software subscriptions (like Apollo, Appify, OpenAI, Make.com) when delivering automation services to clients — the agency or the client? If the agency pays, do they need separate subscriptions per client? If the client pays, how does payment and trust work?

If you're building a system that generates $5,000 a month in value for a client, having them pay a small percentage fee is not a big deal; they care about the upside, not the tiny downside. As the service provider, you might worry about subscription costs, but the AI and automation field attracts technical people who overthink this. Get the client to pay for everything. On a kickoff call, walk them through exactly which platforms they need to sign up for. This builds perceived value because they see the technical setup and appreciate you handling it. You can also use your affiliate links—being a Make.com partner, for example—to earn 3–5% kickback or give clients discounts. If a client stays for a year, you earn recurring affiliate fees; e.g., 40% on a $100/month plan yields $40/month, or $480–$500 per year per client even if they stop working with you. This approach also minimizes your liability since you’re not making monthly payments on their behalf. It’s the best way to handle software costs. If you’d like a kickoff call SOP, I have a document that outlines how to run the call and get clients signed up on the platforms.

subscriptionsoftware costclient paymentautomation
youtube ↗Client Acquisition

How do I find clients in the really early stages of your AI automation agency? I tried Discord and Reddit at no success for three weeks only 50 bucks per automation. 50 bucks per automation. Any advice? And um, how do I even ship them if I got one?

Thanks for the question. Shipping an automation isn't really needed—you don't need to ship it at all because the shipping happens during the building process. You start by talking with somebody who likes what you have to offer, get them on a call, discuss the problems and solutions, do quick math to see how much the problem is costing them, and pitch your solution at a fraction of that cost—usually around 30%. Once they agree, you send a proposal, they sign it and pay you a little money. I like doing a 50/50 upfront and then upon delivery structure for a small intro offer, then transitioning to a retainer fully paid up front at the beginning of each month. After they sign, you need to get them on a kickoff call to walk through expectations, scope, timelines, and confirm the scope again before starting work—this is your point of highest leverage. If there are project problems, deal with them now while you have some of their money and haven't done work yet, rather than at the end when they're holding money out on you. On the kickoff call, you also have them sign up to the necessary platforms (like Make.com or N8N) so they have everything they need upfront and you never have to bug them again for access; the only messages you'll get are positive happy updates. As a Make.com partner and NN verified creator, I get preferential treatment like a thousand free operations via affiliate promo codes, which adds 3‑5% to your margin because they use your affiliate links and trust you as an authority. You have no liability for recurring payments—they take that on. Before the end of the call, you have all the credentials so you never have to bug them again. That's how you actually go about doing the shipping. To find clients in the really early stages of your automation agency, join Maker School.

client acquisitiondiscordredditshipping automation
youtube ↗Agency Operations

How should I deploy automation agents or chatbots for clients—who pays for APIs/platforms, whose email to integrate, and should the client run the automation or do we manage it?

He says clients should pay for APIs and platforms to remove liability and enable affiliate partnerships, which can add 3‑5% to gross margin (e.g., Zapmail 10%, Instantly 40%). This also minimizes handoffs because the client owns their own environment, making transitions easy and avoiding dark‑pattern lock‑ins. For email integration, use a dedicated client‑owned Google Workspace or Outlook account; only handle credentials during a kickoff call when 2FA is required. Finally, recommend containerizing services as a black box: the client pays, you do all the work, they only see input and output (e.g., lead‑gen service where they pay and receive booked meetings). This delivers clear ROI, reduces client stress, and simplifies delivery.

automation deploymentclient onboardingaffiliate revenuehandoff
youtube ↗Pricing

Nick, truly appreciate the value from your videos. I want to know how you'd set up the API keys, password, and payment methods when onboarding clients for a new project. Would you set the tools up yourself from your account, but for them, and then you charge them a monthly return? Do you set it up from their account, use their passwords, etc.? So, the billing and the data goes directly to them. I have the billing and the data and everything go directly through them, and then they just share me their username, password, email, everything that I need in order to access the account. So the account is doiciled on them if that makes sense.

The reason I do this is twofold. First, it makes handoffs really easy. If you're no longer working with someone on this thing, you can say, 'Hey, you have everything you need. Here's the documentation on projects I've already delivered. Good to go. Goodbye. I love you. See you never.' Second, when you get people to sign up to these platforms, you can use your own affiliate link, which adds 3 to 5% to your margins almost immediately. That's how I do it—I don't have them deal with API keys or anything; I handle it all myself.

api keyspayment methodsonboardingaffiliate