A supply chain consultant built an AI automation agency to $20,354 a month while still in his day job
Justin Lob kept his stack simple with Make.com, Airtable and cold email, working before 9am, after 5pm and on weekends.
Subject: Justin LobDone-for-you automation projects for business clients
Case Overview & Background
Justin Lob started by using Spotify's API and Make.com to build a music recommendation system for himself, then packaged the same skills as a service. He joined Maker School and grew the agency to $20,354 a month in February 2026 while holding a full-time supply chain consulting job, which he has since left.
How AI Is Used
Step-by-Step Process
Personal automation projects with Make.com.
Join a programme and start selling to clients.
Cold email with Instantly and Upwork.
Airtable CRM and ClickUp for projects.
Customer Acquisition & Distribution
Limitations, Risks & Failure Modes
What may not apply to you, and what could go wrong:
- Long hours outside a full-time job
- The interviewer sells the programme Lob joined
- Revenue type is not stated
- Client work can be lumpy month to month
Key Takeaways
- Simple tools often beat complex agents for real client needs
- A day job can fund the early months
- Outbound sales mattered as much as technical skill
Sources
Frontier Models: $20,354/m, solo, while working a 9-to-5 (summary of the interview)
Note: Summary of the interview with the figure, timeline and tool stack.
YouTube: $20,354/m, solo, while working a 9-to-5 (Nick Saraev)
Note: The original interview video.
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