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Discover a new untapped trend every week. We analyse where attention's shifting, why it matters, and how you can capitalise early. This is where we predict the future.

This week, we’re diving into one of the fastest-moving opportunities in tech: AI Automations as a Service.

Forget building a startup.

You can sell done-for-you AI workflows to real businesses today with zero code, minimal setup, and margins north of 90%.

In this breakdown, you’ll learn:

  • How to turn ChatGPT, Claude, and Make into cashflow machines

  • The exact automations businesses are paying £500–£5K/month for

  • A plug-and-play roadmap to land your first client in under 14 days

Let’s get into it.

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⭐️ Examples

Justin Welsh – Solopreneur Ops at Scale
Justin automates his one-person business with AI-powered workflows for lead gen, email replies, and scheduling — then sells the systems as templates and SOPs.

Dan Gibbs – From £10K to £80K/mo with an AI Automation Agency
Dan scaled his agency from around £10K/month to over £80K/month in under a year by pivoting into AI-based automations, offering high-ticket automation packages, and using cold email outreach to drive client acquisition.

Andy Walters – Emerge Haus (South Africa)
Andy launched Emerge Haus, a consultancy focused on building AI automation systems for small businesses. He scaled it to over $130K/month.

What to Copy

  • Productize Repetitive AI Workflows: Package automations that save time or drive revenue (lead gen, follow-ups, onboarding, etc.).

  • Serve a Clear Niche: Focus on a specific audience (creators, coaches, real estate agents, Shopify store owners) with clear pain points.

  • Build Before You Sell: Test your automation stack on your own business (or a free client) before turning it into a paid offer.

  • Prioritize ROI Over Novelty: Don’t get caught up in “cool” use cases — focus on outcomes businesses care about: more leads, lower costs, faster workflows.

  • High-ticket workflows: Package complete automation systems—CRM pipelines, virtual assistants, onboarding bots—that clients can plug in with minimal fuss.

  • Clear business outcome focus: Deliver measurable results like booked meetings, decreased manual hours, or improved lead-to-client conversion rates.

  • Cross-industry reach: Automate backend processes across ops, sales, and client services without reinventing the wheel each time.

🧰 Tools

  • ChatGPT / Claude / Gemini – Core LLMs for content, support, and logic tasks

  • Make/N8N/Zapier – No-code visual automation builder with powerful API + webhook support

  • LangChain / LlamaIndex – For devs building complex, memory-enabled workflows

  • Whimsical / FigJam – Map automation flows for client onboarding and planning

  • Tally / Typeform – Collect structured inputs to trigger automations

  • Notion / Airtable – Use as backends for managing workflows and structured data

  • Pipedrive / HubSpot – Automate client sales pipelines and email sequences

  • Slack / Discord – Build AI-powered internal bots for ops or support tasks

  • ElevenLabs – Add voice functionality to AI workflows

  • Google Apps Script – Automate Sheets, Docs, and Gmail workflows for clients

  • Trello / ClickUp / Asana – Trigger task updates and reporting automations

💡 Niches

  • Coaches & course creators (lead gen, onboarding, content workflows)

  • Real estate agents (appointment scheduling, CRM follow-ups)

  • Ecommerce brands (customer support, abandoned cart recovery)

  • Marketing agencies (proposal generation, client reporting)

  • SaaS startups (demo booking, onboarding sequences)

  • Accountants & bookkeepers (document collection, reminder emails)

  • Law firms (intake forms, document summarization)

  • HR teams (candidate screening, interview scheduling)

  • Local service businesses (inquiries, quotes, booking flows)

  • Virtual assistants (augmenting services with AI workflows)

  • Medical clinics (appointment automation, form intakes)

  • Solopreneurs & creators (content systems, audience engagement)

  • B2B consultants (client onboarding, follow-up sequences)

  • D2C brands (post-purchase automation, support triage)

  • Recruiters (resume parsing, outreach workflows)

  • LinkedIn ghostwriters (DM outreach, content pipelines)

  • Agency owners (client ops, reporting, sales follow-up)

  • Financial advisors (lead management, report generation)

  • Coworking spaces (inquiries, member onboarding)

🏆 Key Success Factors

  • Focus on boring, high-impact automations (lead gen, follow-ups, onboarding)

  • Pick a niche where workflows are repetitive and time-consuming

  • Build once, deploy repeatedly — productize your automation stack

  • Start with no-code tools (N8N, Make, Zapier) to move fast and validate

  • Show ROI clearly — more leads, less manual work, faster response times

  • Offer white-glove setup + optional monthly retainer for updates

  • Use screen recordings or mini audits to demonstrate automation value

  • Build trust fast — show behind-the-scenes demos and client results

🎬 How to Start

1. Startup Capital Needed

  • Make/N8N (Core plan): £9–£15/month

  • ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro: £20/month

  • Tally / Notion / Airtable (free to start)

  • Loom or Tango for walkthroughs: Free–£10/month

  • Domain + landing page (via Carrd or Framer): £10–£30

    Total: £30–£75/month

2. MVP = 1 Niche, 1 Automation Stack

  • Pick a clear use case (e.g. lead gen for realtors)

  • Build 1 end-to-end workflow using Make + ChatGPT

  • Test it manually on yourself or a friend’s business

3. First Sales Tactics

  • Offer free audits via DMs or cold email (record a Loom walkthrough)

  • Join niche communities (e.g. Reddit, Slack, Facebook) and post value-led automation tips

  • Scrape job boards or LinkedIn for businesses hiring for roles you can automate

  • Use cold outreach (email or Loom) to pitch a free “proof of concept”

  • Share simple before/after case studies and mini demos

4. Revenue Benchmarks

  • £1,000/month = 2–3 setup projects at £300–£500 each

  • £5,000/month = Add retainers for maintenance and new automations

  • £10,000+/month = Productize + upsell multi-workflow systems or team access

5. When to Productize

  • After 3+ client wins with repeatable use cases

  • Turn manual workflows into templates and SOPs

  • Launch a sales page with 1–2 pre-built automation offers

  • Consider monthly service tiers with guaranteed results

🛠 How to Build

1. Build Reusable Automation Templates

  • Start with N8N or Make.com templates you can duplicate across clients

  • Focus on common tasks: lead capture → CRM → email → task creation

  • Add AI logic using ChatGPT webhooks or Claude for decision steps

2. Create a Simple Onboarding Flow

  • Use Tally or Typeform to collect client details (industry, tools, workflows)

  • Map their current process in Whimsical or FigJam

  • Scope automation in 1–2 days, then deliver within a week

3. Use a Project Tracker

  • Notion, Airtable, or Trello to manage builds and timelines

  • Create a client dashboard showing status, automation logic, and ROI metrics

4. Record & Document Everything

  • Use Loom or Tango to document setup and handoff

  • Package documentation so clients can understand, maintain, or upsell later

5. Add Support & Maintenance Option

  • Offer monthly check-ins, automation tuning, and expansion

  • Bundle in new workflow builds or feature improvements

🚀 How to Grow

  • Cold Email with Loom Audits – Record personalised videos showing how a prospect’s workflow could be automated. Offer a free audit or quick win to get in the door.

  • Niche Community Value Drops – Share breakdowns, before/afters, and “1-click” automation tips in Slack groups, Reddit, or Facebook communities.

  • LinkedIn Content + Case Studies – Post short videos or carousel breakdowns of recent builds with clear ROI outcomes (e.g. "Saved 7 hours/week + doubled reply rate").

  • DM Strategy – Message 20–30 niche businesses per day with specific pitches tied to one pain point (e.g. “Want to automate client onboarding with AI?”).

  • Partnerships with Agencies – Offer white-labeled AI automations to service providers (e.g. web design, marketing) who can bundle it into their offer.

  • Turn Clients into Promoters – Include a referral bonus or discounted add-on for every intro they send your way.

  • Build a Simple Lead Magnet – Create a 1-page “AI Workflow Cheatsheet” or free audit form to capture leads via LinkedIn or a landing page.

  • Newsletter and/or YouTube – Teach one automation per week. Builds trust, showcases your skill, and becomes a marketing flywheel.

👀 Things Worth Checking Out

🔥 Cool Stuff

(Bookmark these)

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