How to Start AI Agencies & Services With AI, Step by Step
Built only from the steps described in 20 sourced AI Agencies & Services cases. Each step is attributed to the case it comes from; we do not add steps of our own.
How they started
Solve one client's problem
A skincare brand needed help answering repetitive questions.
From Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075), step 1. $1,000+ by month two, Self-Reported
Start with proven experience
The co-founder had helped another agency grow from $25,000 to $5 million ARR.
From Workflows io (co-founder Fivos Aresti), step 1. $3.3M ARR, Self-Reported
Free mini assessment
15 minutes, one pain point, one tool recommendation.
From Corey Ganim, step 1. $8,000 MRR, Self-Reported
Find an integration gap
Clients frustrated with hyped AI software.
From Chad Vavra (Chat Agency AI), step 1. $10,000 a month, Self-Reported
Start with small proofs of concept
He began with small contracts helping clients understand language AI and test ideas.
From Aptford (Sasha Aptlin), step 1. Nearly $50,000 from two contracts, Independently Documented
Automate your own business
He built AI systems for his Amazon, granite and paint businesses.
From Negodiuk AI Consulting (Dmytro Negodiuk), step 1. $11,000 revenue/mo, Self-Reported
Start from experience
Used 20 years of GTM work to pick the problem.
From Meerkats.ai (Santanu Dasgupta), step 1. $3K+ MRR, Self-Reported
Sell it manually
Started by selling a manual process.
From Samplify (James Layfield), step 1. >$83K/mo, Self-Reported
Run a small studio
Core team of three, specialists per project.
From Garcy Studio (Tom Garcy), step 1. $340K/yr, Self-Reported
Partner with an agency
Cofounder's agency became the test bed.
From Topliner (Arsen Ibragimov), step 1. >$10K/mo, Self-Reported
Pick a profession
Built for consultants.
From Artificial Workflow (Andrew), step 1. $10K/mo, Self-Reported
Accept the shift
Generative AI made the old product outdated.
From Chatfuel Clinic Suite (Fedor Pak), step 1. ~$1M ARR, Self-Reported
Pick an ignored category
They built for trades and mechanics, a market few software founders target.
From Avenue (Tom and his brother), step 1. About A$85K a month, Self-Reported
Start from an agency pain point
He saw clients losing leads in their inboxes.
From DM Champ (Sohaib Ahmad), step 1. About $10K a month, Self-Reported
Start manually
He delivered the service by hand first.
From AI Podcasting (Adithyan Ilangovan), step 1. $14.5K MRR, Self-Reported
Build a voice document
Interview the client and turn their writing into a long training document for Claude.
From Julia McCoy (First Movers AI), step 1. About $250K a month, Self-Reported
Start on Upwork
He began by selling services on Upwork.
From Aryan Mahajan (Zoro), step 1. $100K a month portfolio, Self-Reported
Combine AI and craft
Human filmmaking with AI production.
From Layer8 (Ali, Kevin and James Dubec), step 1. Around $50,000 a month, Self-Reported
Inbox audit
About $1,500, credited against a retainer.
From Simon Bergeron (Lemonbrand.io), step 1. Retainers from about $2,500 a month, Self-Reported
Start with core agents
About 12 agents for core marketing functions.
From Linara Bozieva (Ravenopus), step 1. Retainers of $20,000 to $30,000 a month, Self-Reported
What they did next
Offer free trials for testimonials
Local businesses tried it in exchange for feedback.
From Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075), step 2. $1,000+ by month two, Self-Reported
Create industry templates
Simple templates for real estate and e-commerce.
From Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075), step 3. $1,000+ by month two, Self-Reported
Hire before the first client
Mentioned as a deliberate choice in the interview.
From Workflows io (co-founder Fivos Aresti), step 2. $3.3M ARR, Self-Reported
Make LinkedIn the main channel
LinkedIn became the number one source of business.
From Workflows io (co-founder Fivos Aresti), step 3. $3.3M ARR, Self-Reported
$999 deep assessment
A 45-minute interview produces a "prescription" of three to seven tools.
From Corey Ganim, step 2. $8,000 MRR, Self-Reported
AI analysis with guardrails
Claude analyses the transcript, limited to tools listed in public directories.
From Corey Ganim, step 3. $8,000 MRR, Self-Reported
Show, not pitch
Demonstrate automating a slow manual process.
From Chad Vavra (Chat Agency AI), step 2. $10,000 a month, Self-Reported
Grow in public
Building in public brought inbound interest.
From Chad Vavra (Chat Agency AI), step 3. $10,000 a month, Self-Reported
Move up to custom builds
As clients asked for more than chatbots, he built custom AI software tied to their revenue.
From Aptford (Sasha Aptlin), step 2. Nearly $50,000 from two contracts, Independently Documented
Use the client's own data
Projects are tuned on documents, recordings and other company data.
From Aptford (Sasha Aptlin), step 3. Nearly $50,000 from two contracts, Independently Documented
Write vertical guides
He published 33 articles such as AI for property management.
From Negodiuk AI Consulting (Dmytro Negodiuk), step 2. $11,000 revenue/mo, Self-Reported
Sell the same systems
Readers emailed him asking for the same builds.
From Negodiuk AI Consulting (Dmytro Negodiuk), step 3. $11,000 revenue/mo, Self-Reported
Launch the platform
Offered it as software or as an outcome-based service.
From Meerkats.ai (Santanu Dasgupta), step 2. $3K+ MRR, Self-Reported
Fund operations
Agency services and university venture funding kept the lights on.
From Meerkats.ai (Santanu Dasgupta), step 3. $3K+ MRR, Self-Reported
Automate with AI
Replaced the manual work with an AI product.
From Samplify (James Layfield), step 2. >$83K/mo, Self-Reported
Scale to enterprise
Built it into a 7-figure ARR business.
From Samplify (James Layfield), step 3. >$83K/mo, Self-Reported
Automate operations
AI handles back-office and project tasks.
From Garcy Studio (Tom Garcy), step 2. $340K/yr, Self-Reported
Keep revenue
Held revenue while halving workload.
From Garcy Studio (Tom Garcy), step 3. $340K/yr, Self-Reported
Iterate on real work
Used agency projects for feedback.
From Topliner (Arsen Ibragimov), step 2. >$10K/mo, Self-Reported
Sell to the industry
Used the agency's network for distribution.
From Topliner (Arsen Ibragimov), step 3. >$10K/mo, Self-Reported
Ship an MVP
An AI agent dashboard.
From Artificial Workflow (Andrew), step 2. $10K/mo, Self-Reported
Grow with SEO
Blogs targeting AI keywords.
From Artificial Workflow (Andrew), step 3. $10K/mo, Self-Reported
Interview customers
Hundreds of interviews with real businesses.
From Chatfuel Clinic Suite (Fedor Pak), step 2. ~$1M ARR, Self-Reported
Pick a vertical
Focused on clinics and wellness practices.
From Chatfuel Clinic Suite (Fedor Pak), step 3. ~$1M ARR, Self-Reported
Sell in person
They went door to door to show the product.
From Avenue (Tom and his brother), step 2. About A$85K a month, Self-Reported
Show the product the right way
Switching to iPads made it clear the widget lives on a website.
From Avenue (Tom and his brother), step 3. About A$85K a month, Self-Reported
Prove it on old leads
The first clinic uploaded under 200 old leads and the AI followed up on WhatsApp.
From DM Champ (Sohaib Ahmad), step 2. About $10K a month, Self-Reported
Fix pricing early
An AppSumo deal brought 300 customers but 40 percent refunded.
From DM Champ (Sohaib Ahmad), step 3. About $10K a month, Self-Reported
Automate later
He added AI and tooling once demand was proven.
From AI Podcasting (Adithyan Ilangovan), step 2. $14.5K MRR, Self-Reported
Keep the niche narrow
He focused on podcasting, where his video background helps.
From AI Podcasting (Adithyan Ilangovan), step 3. $14.5K MRR, Self-Reported
Clone face and voice
Create avatar and voice clones with HeyGen and ElevenLabs.
From Julia McCoy (First Movers AI), step 2. About $250K a month, Self-Reported
Sell in tiers
A $250 a month membership, a capped mastermind, and consulting from $7,500 a month.
From Julia McCoy (First Movers AI), step 3. About $250K a month, Self-Reported
Productize
He turned services into productized offers.
From Aryan Mahajan (Zoro), step 2. $100K a month portfolio, Self-Reported
Build funnels
He built funnels to sell them.
From Aryan Mahajan (Zoro), step 3. $100K a month portfolio, Self-Reported
Win partnerships
Growth through partners and referrals.
From Layer8 (Ali, Kevin and James Dubec), step 2. Around $50,000 a month, Self-Reported
Show standout work
Portfolio pieces bring clients.
From Layer8 (Ali, Kevin and James Dubec), step 3. Around $50,000 a month, Self-Reported
Find repeated work
Agents classify emails and map recurring tasks.
From Simon Bergeron (Lemonbrand.io), step 2. Retainers from about $2,500 a month, Self-Reported
Automate one at a time
Retainer from about $2,500 a month, 90-day minimum.
From Simon Bergeron (Lemonbrand.io), step 3. Retainers from about $2,500 a month, Self-Reported
Add specialists
Grew to 30+ agents across five departments.
From Linara Bozieva (Ravenopus), step 2. Retainers of $20,000 to $30,000 a month, Self-Reported
Review everything
She edits and signs off before work ships.
From Linara Bozieva (Ravenopus), step 3. Retainers of $20,000 to $30,000 a month, Self-Reported
How they grew
Add a retainer
$50 a month for ongoing updates.
From Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075), step 4. $1,000+ by month two, Self-Reported
Concierge retainer
$1,200 to $2,000 a month for ongoing help.
From Corey Ganim, step 4. $8,000 MRR, Self-Reported
Manage expectations
He says a main challenge is explaining what the models can and cannot do.
From Aptford (Sasha Aptlin), step 4. Nearly $50,000 from two contracts, Independently Documented
AI Agencies & Services: common questions
How much do people make with AI Agencies & Services and AI?
Across the 17 of our 20 sourced cases that report a monthly figure, amounts range from $2,500 to $275,000 a month, with a median of $14,500. These are what each source reports, not typical results.
How much does it cost to start?
Low in our cases: software subscriptions such as a $20/month AI plan. 2 of 20 cases disclose a startup cost.
How long until the first dollar?
First paid client within weeks in the documented cases. This comes from what our cases report.
Which AI tools do these cases use most?
Claude (6 cases), ChatGPT (4 cases), Make (2 cases), ElevenLabs (2 cases), Botpress (1 case). Only tools named in the sources are counted.
How reliable are these income figures?
1 of 20 cases are independently documented, meaning a news outlet says it reviewed records. 19 are self-reported. Every case links its source.
What are the main risks?
Income depends on continuous sales and client retention. Some industries, such as law firms, raise privacy objections. Client systems and third-party integrations can break.
How many of these cases say when they made their first dollar?
5 of 20 cases state a time to first revenue. For example: Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075): "First paid project ($300) shortly after a free test build"; Corey Ganim: "First client came from a lunch with a friend who offered to pay"; Negodiuk AI Consulting (Dmytro Negodiuk): "First inbound client came from a blog post". The rest do not say, so treat any single timeline as one example, not a norm.
What went wrong or held these cases back?
20 of 20 cases list limitations or risks drawn from their sources. Examples: Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075): Law firms raised privacy concerns; Workflows io (co-founder Fivos Aresti): A team of 21 means high payroll; profit is not disclosed; Corey Ganim: Relies on the founder's sales background and network. Each case page lists them in full.
Do I have to report this income to the IRS if I never get a 1099-K?
Yes. The IRS says that whether or not you receive a Form 1099-K, you must report all income from selling goods or services on your tax return. Payment apps and online marketplaces must send a 1099-K when payments for goods or services total over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, but they may send one for lower amounts. Source: IRS, "Understanding your Form 1099-K" (irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k), checked 2026-10-20. General information, not tax advice.
Do I owe self-employment tax on side hustle income in the US?
According to the IRS, you must pay self-employment tax and file Schedule SE if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. The rate is 15.3% (12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare), and you may need to pay estimated taxes quarterly. Source: IRS, "Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)" (irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes), checked 2026-10-20. General information, not tax advice.