So for pricing how much you would get paid for a project, you would tie it to the value (e.g. charging a tenth of the money the automation would make them annually). But how do you price retainers without making it seem like your just pulling out a random number, while making them realise the retainer is worth it? Also how/when would you ask your client for the retainer after the project is finished? I would also appreciate some advice on what the scope of the retainer would normally be. If someone has experience with these problems or has advice on this, I would really appreciate it if you could help me out eith this. Thanks.

I had some difficulties recently when building a lead qualification automation for my client, and when I asked people for help here, so many people commented and gave me helpful suggestions which genuinely helped. I am now curious what problems people in this community face when building your automations. I will go through the comments and see if I can help in any way. I'm still early on in my journey, and am by no means an expert, but I will give you the best suggestions I can form my experience, and I'm sure if any people who are more experienced see my post, they may give you some suggestions as well. So tell me, what are the biggest problems and setbacks you have faces when building AI automations?👇

If you're building an AI automation agency, your LinkedIn profile is part of your sales process. Before someone replies to your outreach, they'll probably check who you are. Make sure they see: - A clear, professional profile picture - smile and look approachable - A clean banner explaining what you do - All relevant experience, projects and builds - Your website + automation demo in the Featured section - A growing network of relevant connections - Useful posts aimed at your ICP Your content doesn't need to be written 100% manually either. Use AI to improve the hook, wording and structure. As long as the idea, message and experience are genuinely yours, that's what matters. The goal is simple - when someone checks your profile, they should think: “This person actually knows what they’re doing.” It opens so many new doors, and, if your profile is good enough, people will start reaching out to you. If you want to connect with me on LinkedIn or check out my profile, here it is: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sushanth-rkumar/

Hey guys, how's it going :) So I've been thinking about something lately and wanted to get some outside perspective on it. As I mentioned before, I'm doing solo freelancing right now AI services plus website work. But the thing with freelancing is retainers just aren't guaranteed. One month a client needs you, next month they don't. There's no real stability in it, and honestly that unpredictability has been messing with my head a bit. So I started thinking about remote jobs instead. Like actual companies, maybe based in Germany or somewhere similar, where you get a fixed $1000-$2000 a month and work remotely. Sounds way more stable than chasing project after project. But here's my problem. Most companies looking for remote hires want experience. They want someone who's 25, 30 years old with a proper track record. I'm 17. On top of that, I don't even have proper documents to make things official on paper. So realistically, my age and paperwork are working against me before I even get a foot in the door. But I'm still holding onto this because I do have something to show. I have case studies. I have actual client testimonials. I have real proof that I can deliver results even without the "traditional experience" they're looking for. So I'm wondering if there's a way to get in front of the right person who actually cares about skill over age. Has anyone here dealt with something similar? Trying to break into remote work young, without the usual credentials, but with actual proof of skill? Also, I'm looking to connect with people who have the same mindset. Like, if there's anyone here thinking along these same lines, maybe we could apply for jobs together as a small team, or at least support each other through the process. And even while doing that, we could keep our freelance work going on the side so there's no dead period in income. Would love to hear what you guys think, or if anyone's been in a similar spot and found a way through it.

What's the most memorable thing a client's ever said to you? Good or bad, feels like everyone running an agency ends up with at least one story like that.