How to Start Automation & Workflows With AI, Step by Step
Built only from the steps described in 7 sourced Automation & Workflows cases. Each step is attributed to the case it comes from; we do not add steps of our own.
How they started
Design the system first
The architecture was mapped before any automation was built.
From Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member), step 1. $8,500 setup + $750/mo, Self-Reported
Learn by building
Personal automation projects with Make.com.
From Justin Lob, step 1. $20,354 a month, Self-Reported
Start with automation projects
Build workflows for paying clients.
From Nick Saraev, step 1. $72,000 a month, Self-Reported
Build an audience first
Years of building in public on X gave him early users for each product.
From Orshot (Rishi Mohan), step 1. About $6.2K MRR, Partially Verified
Learn from failures
Two earlier products did not work out.
From FlowHunt (Yasha Boroumand), step 1. $10k/mo, Self-Reported
Build a solid core product
Postiz first grew slowly as a multi-platform scheduler.
From Postiz (Nevo), step 1. $143K MRR, Self-Reported
Sell pain, not AI
He pitched business problems, not technology.
From Rayhan Mahmood, step 1. Five figures a month, Self-Reported
What they did next
Build in Make
A token issue blocked the QuickBooks connection.
From Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member), step 2. $8,500 setup + $750/mo, Self-Reported
Rebuild in n8n
Because the design existed, only the implementation had to change.
From Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member), step 3. $8,500 setup + $750/mo, Self-Reported
Package as a service
Join a programme and start selling to clients.
From Justin Lob, step 2. $20,354 a month, Self-Reported
Find clients
Cold email with Instantly and Upwork.
From Justin Lob, step 3. $20,354 a month, Self-Reported
Scale the agency
Add clients and team to reach $72,000 a month.
From Nick Saraev, step 2. $72,000 a month, Self-Reported
Learn from mistakes
The video covers what he would change.
From Nick Saraev, step 3. $72,000 a month, Self-Reported
Start with a simple API
Orshot began as a basic image generation API and grew into a full platform.
From Orshot (Rishi Mohan), step 2. About $6.2K MRR, Partially Verified
Win search traffic slowly
Long comparison posts, how-to guides and small free tools bring in buyers.
From Orshot (Rishi Mohan), step 3. About $6.2K MRR, Partially Verified
Build an agent builder
FlowHunt lets users chain AI into workflows.
From FlowHunt (Yasha Boroumand), step 2. $10k/mo, Self-Reported
Dogfood SEO
He used his own tool to scale search content.
From FlowHunt (Yasha Boroumand), step 3. $10k/mo, Self-Reported
Make it agent-ready
He exposed the tools so AI agents can drive the app.
From Postiz (Nevo), step 2. $143K MRR, Self-Reported
Ride and repeat what goes viral
After one article blew up, he paid creators to write more.
From Postiz (Nevo), step 3. $143K MRR, Self-Reported
Land a few good clients
He says about five right clients are enough.
From Rayhan Mahmood, step 2. Five figures a month, Self-Reported
Run a lean stack
Tools cost under $500 a month.
From Rayhan Mahmood, step 3. Five figures a month, Self-Reported
How they grew
Charge setup plus monitoring
$8,500 setup and $750 a month.
From Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member), step 4. $8,500 setup + $750/mo, Self-Reported
Run it lean
Airtable CRM and ClickUp for projects.
From Justin Lob, step 4. $20,354 a month, Self-Reported
Publish your metrics
He keeps growth and revenue numbers public on an open page.
From Orshot (Rishi Mohan), step 4. About $6.2K MRR, Partially Verified
Automation & Workflows: common questions
How much do people make with Automation & Workflows and AI?
Across the 7 of our 7 sourced cases that report a monthly figure, amounts range from $750 to $143,000 a month, with a median of $10,000. These are what each source reports, not typical results.
How much does it cost to start?
Tool subscriptions; specific totals not disclosed in our cases. 1 of 7 cases disclose a startup cost.
How long until the first dollar?
About three weeks for the first documented client project. This comes from what our cases report.
Which AI tools do these cases use most?
Make (5 cases), n8n (4 cases), Claude (2 cases), Upwork (1 case), Canva (1 case). Only tools named in the sources are counted.
How reliable are these income figures?
0 of 7 cases are independently documented, meaning a news outlet says it reviewed records. 6 are self-reported. Every case links its source.
What are the main risks?
Integrations break when a platform changes its API. Self-reported results are hard to check from outside. Agent-run businesses still need human oversight.
How many of these cases say when they made their first dollar?
2 of 7 cases state a time to first revenue. For example: Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member): "Delivery was promised within three weeks"; Justin Lob: "Roughly six to eight months from zero to a working agency". The rest do not say, so treat any single timeline as one example, not a norm.
What went wrong or held these cases back?
7 of 7 cases list limitations or risks drawn from their sources. Examples: Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member): Third-party integrations can fail mid-project; Justin Lob: Long hours outside a full-time job; Nick Saraev: He sells a paid community, so the story is also marketing. 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.