Chris to Menno.
For you, Menno · 28 October 2026

About that idea,
Menno.

A few good people to learn from, and a practical way to start something of your own.

Start with these 5 videos ↗

Mate, I kept thinking about our chat over a beer last night.

You've already got the software skills, and you're putting this stuff to use in your own business.

I reckon you've got a good starting point for helping other businesses with a small, specific piece of work.

I'd start with a service you can scope, build and support around your job, then let actual customer conversations tell you what to develop next.

I've pulled together 15 creators and 19 videos, plus some offers and messages you can adapt.

Chris

Where I'd put my energy first

A small workflow project
for an agency or service business.

Client onboarding is my starting pick: it's easy to demonstrate, the output's clear, and you can keep people approving the important steps.

Option A · Workflow services

Connect a few existing tools around 1 repeated task, then charge for a clearly scoped implementation.

Option B · Engineering consulting

Help a small software team improve its development workflow or an existing AI feature, once the employment scope's clear.

My vote's Option A for the first project, because it gives you a concrete example to show and a manageable delivery scope.

Watch these first.

I'd take 1 useful action from each, then come back to the bigger library when you've chosen your offer.

  1. 01
    Dave Ebbelaar

    Find your first projects ↗

    Start here because he speaks your language as an engineer and connects a real skill to a clear client deliverable.

  2. 02
    Liam Ottley · Useful starting point 05:35

    Choose a small first offer ↗

    Use this to turn what you already know into a service a business owner can understand.

  3. 03
    Michele Torti · Useful starting point 00:30

    Make LinkedIn useful ↗

    Take the profile, demonstration content and relevant conversations from this, then apply them to your own offer.

  4. 04
    Cole Medin · Useful starting point 02:39

    Turn a demo into a usable system ↗

    A useful delivery checklist for the part after someone says yes, including testing, deployment and monitoring.

  5. 05
    Nate Herk

    Agree the handover and support ↗

    Work out hosting, ownership, API bills and support before you take on something alongside your day job.

I wouldn't make finishing an 8-hour course a prerequisite to talking to someone.

Use the long build courses as references for the project you actually choose.

What you could actually offer.

These are my suggested experiments, drawn from the material below, rather than promises that a particular offer will sell.

Each starts with a small demonstration and a separate paid implementation.

My starting pick

Turn an accepted proposal into a ready-to-run client project.

For small agency or consultancy

Who to contact
The owner or operations manager at an Adelaide web, design or consulting business with 3-20 people.
What to look for
They already use a form, shared drive and project tool, and someone copies the same details between them.
The free demonstration
Use a fictional client to turn 1 intake form into a folder structure, a project checklist and a welcome-email draft.
The paid project
Connect 1 intake source, 1 project tool and 1 document store, with duplicate protection, an error log and a handover guide.
How to prove it works
Process 10 agreed examples, create each project once and leave every message for a person to approve.
Keep the scope manageable
Start with new-project setup and agree a support window that fits your day job.
How to approach them
Ask agency owners you already know, then approach local firms individually with a relevant demonstration.
Related watch: Dave Ebbelaar ↗

Put a boundary around the first paid project.

I'd quote a fixed pilot after seeing the workflow, with the input, output, integrations and acceptance checks written down.

Price the work around your delivery estimate and the value of the task, then make hosting, usage costs and ongoing support separate line items.

Take on 1 pilot at a time until you know how much support it needs.

Your first clients are probably
closer than you think.

I'd try these routes in this order, starting with people who can explain a real workflow to you.

01

Warm introductions

Ask people you know for an introduction to an agency owner, bookkeeper or service-business manager who still organises a repeated task by hand.

Ask to understand the task before offering a build.

02

Agency partnerships

Approach small web, design, CRM or consulting businesses that already have client relationships.

You can become their specialist for a defined integration project, with ownership and support agreed up front.

03

Targeted LinkedIn conversations

Choose 1 type of buyer, show a relevant example and ask whether the task matters to them.

Use business websites, introductions and normal platform search to understand each business.

04

People already buying help

Look for narrowly matched integration or workflow briefs on a freelance marketplace.

Jono's video gives you an alternative when your own network's light on suitable buyers.

The free-demo idea we discussed

For context, my current setup's SendPilot with LinkedIn Premium, sending 30 invitations a day and offering a free homepage prototype.

For you, I'd keep the same clear invitation and change the demonstration to a small workflow example for a specific type of business.

Build 1 reusable demo with sample data, then adapt the explanation when someone shows interest.

I'd make your first test 10 personal approaches and learn from the replies before choosing a daily volume.

LinkedIn's published rules prohibit unauthorised tools that automate invitations or messages, and the policy doesn't give Premium accounts an exemption, so check the approach against LinkedIn's own guidance ↗.

A first message you can make your own

Hi [name], I noticed [specific detail about their business].

I'm speaking with [type of business] owners about how they move a new client from an accepted proposal into their project system.

I've put together a small example that turns an intake form into a project checklist, folders and a welcome draft.

Is that a step you still organise by hand, and would it be useful if I sent you the example?

A gentle follow-up

Hi [name], following up on the onboarding example I mentioned.

I've used sample data so you can see the workflow without sharing client information.

If this is a task you're looking at improving, I'm happy to send the short walkthrough.

A message for an agency owner

Hi [name], I'm a software engineer in Adelaide, and I'm starting a small side practice helping agencies connect the tools they already use.

I've built an example that turns client intake into project setup, folders and a welcome draft.

Do your clients ask for this sort of integration work, and would it be useful to see an example?

When someone says, "Yes, that's useful"

  • Ask them to show you the last time they did the task.
  • Find out how often it happens, who's involved and how long each step takes.
  • Ask what a correct result looks like, including the awkward cases.
  • Agree what data you can use and which person approves the output.
  • Offer a bounded paid pilot with acceptance checks and a handover.

For the first demonstration, use fictional examples or information they've specifically approved.

Once it's running, compare the work against the starting process using actual timings, accuracy and staff feedback.

15 creators worth a look.

I've split these by what you'll get from them: business ideas, practical builds and deeper engineering.

How I chose these

The 19 video links and creators were checked against YouTube metadata, with descriptions, chapter lists and creator articles or code used to check the topics.

This is a researched shortlist, rather than a claim that I've watched every recording from beginning to end.

Some creators sell courses or communities, and the income figures in their titles are their claims rather than evidence of what you'll earn.

The older tutorials can still help with structure, but check current tools, pricing and licences before using them in a client project.

15 creators shown · 0 of 19 videos marked as watched

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Dave Ebbelaar ↗

I'd start with Dave because he connects practical AI engineering with finding clients, scoping projects and handing over useful software.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow his approach of defining a clear deliverable, speaking with people who already know you and separating a feasibility demo from a working product.

I'd adapt his delivery process to your own capacity, because his larger projects and sprint prices aren't a starting target.

How to Find Freelance Data & AI Projects ↗

I'd use this to write down your services, improve your LinkedIn profile and choose the first people to approach.

How I Build and Ship Custom AI Solutions for Clients ↗

I'd use this for discovery questions, acceptance criteria, deployment costs and agreeing what happens after handover.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Jason Liu ↗

I'd put Jason near the top for understanding how a technical specialist turns useful expertise into a consulting offer.

What I'd take from this

I'd copy his discovery questions about what success looks like, then write the proposal around that outcome and a few clearly scoped options.

I'd treat this as an archive of his consulting methods, because he's closed his consulting and training offerings and his example prices aren't a forecast.

Everything I know about AI Consulting ↗

I'd focus on positioning, discovery, useful content and proposal structure before worrying about the prices in his examples.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Liam Ottley ↗

I'd start with Liam for a clear introduction to packaging AI knowledge into consulting and implementation services.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow the small consulting offer: understand 1 business workflow, recommend suitable tools and turn the most useful improvement into a defined implementation project.

I'd use the free material first and treat the client-acquisition video as a menu of options, since the channel also promotes a paid accelerator and doesn't establish that every method will work for you.

The Simplest AI Automation Offer for Beginners (start here) ↗

I'd use the consulting section to shape your first offer, then jump to 21:11 for monetisation and 25:01 for finding clients.

23 Ways to Get Clients for Your AI Agency ↗

I'd compare warm outreach, referrals and LinkedIn, then choose 1 channel you can use consistently alongside delivery.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Michele Torti ↗

I'd use Michele for the practical steps between choosing a niche, making an offer and starting conversations with potential clients.

What I'd take from this

I'd publish a useful demonstration for 1 type of business, make your LinkedIn profile explain that offer and start personal conversations with people who engage with it.

I'd judge the ideas by the steps you can apply, with the earnings and 30-day language treated as the creator's marketing rather than your expected result.

The LinkedIn Strategy That Made Me $100K with My AI Agency ↗

I'd take the 3-part structure of a clear profile, helpful content and intent-based messages, with the messaging section starting at 10:59.

How I'd Get My First AI Agency Client in 30 Days (Just Copy Me) ↗

I'd use the sequence from niche at 14:00 to offer at 17:53, outreach at 21:16 and delivery at 24:41 as a checklist for your first experiment.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Mark Kashef ↗

I'd use Mark for the connection between practical AI implementation and helping a business learn to use what you've built.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow his build-and-teach approach by packaging a working improvement with a short handover, clear instructions and a way for the client to run it confidently.

I'd use this 2025 roadmap for the business-adoption discussion and check current tool details before choosing a platform.

The AI Roadmap Every Business Owner Needs to Win in 2025 ↗

I'd use this as a starting point for thinking about an adoption roadmap that connects a business need, implementation and practical training.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Build

Nate Herk ↗

I'd use Nate when you've picked a useful workflow and want a practical n8n build to work through.

What I'd take from this

I'd start with a small support or document-processing workflow, then use his handover guide to decide who owns the accounts, what gets tested and how the client takes over.

He promotes a paid community and affiliate tools, so I'd judge each lesson by the working system and delivery detail rather than its headline earnings.

Build & Sell n8n AI Agents (8+ Hour Course, No Code) ↗

I'd keep this as a reference for n8n foundations, APIs, support workflows, invoice processing and agents rather than make finishing the whole course your first milestone.

How to Actually Deliver AI Projects (APIs, Hosting & Handover Explained) ↗

I'd put this near the top of your list because it covers hosting, API ownership, security, testing and the handover that turns a demo into a service.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Build

Nick Saraev ↗

I'd use Nick for the mechanics of connecting business tools and building workflows that have a clear commercial purpose.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow the pattern of a booking triggering a CRM update and a response, then adapt it to a business whose owner can tell you exactly what that saves them.

The course dates from April 2025 and promotes paid training, so I'd check current tool instructions and treat its sales claims as marketing.

N8N FULL COURSE 6 HOURS (Build & Sell AI Automations + Agents) ↗

I'd use the chapters to jump into data handling, JavaScript, hosting or the comparison with Make when your own build needs them.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Engineering

Cole Medin ↗

I think Cole's a particularly useful fit for you because he explains the engineering between an impressive prototype and a dependable application.

What I'd take from this

I'd follow his sequence of defining a useful V1, proving it works, adding the interface and storage, then testing, deploying and measuring it.

This blueprint dates from December 2024, so I'd take the delivery sequence from it and check the current tools separately.

Revealing my COMPLETE AI Agent Blueprint ↗

I'd start here for a short overview of planning, prototyping, optional Python, UI, testing, deployment, monitoring and evaluation.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Build

Ben AI ↗

I'd use Ben to think about packaging a repeatable AI service with an interface a client can actually use.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow the combination of workflow, database and simple client interface for an enquiry review queue or document-processing service.

The example builds LinkedIn content and promotes paid resources, so I'd borrow its structure and validate demand for your own use case.

Build Your First Productized AI System (N8N + Airtable Interfaces) ↗

I'd look at how he plans the system, sets up Airtable and builds the interface before wiring together the n8n workflows.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Jono Catliff ↗

I'd put Jono on your list for concrete client acquisition alongside the build tutorials.

What I'd take from this

I'd test a small number of tailored Upwork proposals against jobs asking for a specific integration or workflow, with a short relevant demonstration.

His $100 starting-budget premise isn't a verified acquisition cost for your business, and his descriptions include affiliate links and paid consulting.

How to Get Your First AI Automation Client With Just $100 ↗

I'd jump to the Upwork section for another route to clients who already know they want automation help.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Business

Greg Isenberg ↗

I'd use Greg for offer ideas, particularly this conversation with Corey Ganim about a small, repeatable AI assessment service.

What I'd take from this

I'd explore a structured interview, a short recommendations report and a review conversation that leads naturally into a separately priced implementation.

I'd treat the earnings and conversion figures as the guest's claims, and judge the assessment by whether its recommendations are useful to a real customer.

The $1,000/hour Solo AI business (Full Course) ↗

I'd jump to 35:52 for customer acquisition ideas, including local meetups, coworking office hours and agency partnerships.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Engineering

How I AI / Claire Vo ↗

I'd follow Claire for practical demonstrations of how people use AI in real work, with this Hamel Husain episode offering a useful consulting angle.

What I'd take from this

I'd consider a focused quality review for a business that already has an AI assistant, using real conversations to identify and prioritise improvements.

I'd keep the client involved in judging good answers, because this work depends on understanding their customers and product.

Evals, error analysis, and better prompts: A systematic approach to improving your AI products ↗

I'd study the property-management example and its sequence of reviewing conversations, grouping issues and writing targeted checks.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Engineering

AI Engineer ↗

I'd use this conference channel to learn the engineering behind dependable AI products and strengthen the work you can eventually sell.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow this talk's method of testing document retrieval and grouping user conversations to decide which improvements deserve attention.

I'd save this for delivery skills after choosing an offer, because it's technical material rather than a guide to landing your first customer.

How to look at your data - Jeff Huber (Chroma) + Jason Liu (567) ↗

I'd start at 07:10 for conversation analysis and continue to 14:10 for prioritising improvements by usage and performance.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Engineering

Peter Yang ↗

I'd use Peter's interviews for approachable demonstrations of product work, especially this explanation of testing AI with Hamel Husain.

What I'd take from this

I'd learn the simple spreadsheet approach before choosing an evaluation platform, then turn observed issues into checks the client can understand.

I'd treat this as delivery training rather than customer acquisition advice, and you can learn from the free recording without buying the promoted course.

AI Evaluations Clearly Explained in 50 Minutes (Real Example) | Hamel Husain ↗

I'd jump to 01:25 for real conversation review, 09:50 for spreadsheet criteria and 36:00 for continuing quality checks.

Watch on YouTube ↗
Engineering

IndyDevDan ↗

I'd follow Dan for advanced coding workflows that combine agents with ordinary code, tests and review steps.

What I'd take from this

I'd borrow a small part of his workflow for your own delivery process, then consider a repository setup service once you've proved it works consistently.

I'd keep this behind the business videos in your queue, because it's advanced engineering with a course funnel and little direct customer acquisition guidance.

My Super Simple Software Factory (For Agentic Engineers) ↗

I'd focus on explicit stages, repeatable checks and the companion repository rather than trying to adopt the whole system at once.

A plan for the evenings.

I'd try a 6-8 hour weekly budget if that fits alongside your job and existing business.

For example, 2 hours on Tuesday, 2 on Thursday and a 2-4 hour weekend block, with the first customer conversations arranged at a time you can genuinely offer.

These are targets for a small experiment, rather than a promise of a client in 4 weeks.

Your choices and ticks stay in this browser.

Week 1

Choose a useful starting point

Aim for 1 clear offer and 5 useful conversations.

Week 2

Build something you can show

Aim for 1 reusable demonstration.

Week 3

Put it in front of buyers

Aim for 10 relevant, personal approaches.

Week 4

Offer a paid pilot

Aim for 1 decision on a bounded project.

0 of 16 steps ticked.

Give it a clear space
alongside the day job.

I've kept the offer examples outside freight, logistics, customs and supply-chain software, given WiseTech's business ↗.

I'm not an employment lawyer, so I can't tell you what your contract allows.

From what I know, I'd get an Adelaide employment lawyer to check the outside-work, IP, confidentiality and conflict provisions before taking a client, and get any approval your contract requires.

Working in another industry is a useful starting point for the discussion, rather than confirmation that a project's clear.

Keep your own equipment, accounts, repositories, data and working time separate, and keep employer code, internal methods and customer relationships with your employer.

IP Australia's guidance on agreements, ownership and employee obligations ↗

My suggestion for tonight: watch Dave's first-project video, choose 1 of the offers above and write down 5 people who could tell you how that task works.

Send me the offer you like and I'll give you an honest opinion.

Chris