2h • Wins 🌟
Client paid their agency $31k over 4 months for "workflow optimization." I recreated everything from scratch in 67 minutes. Runs 4x faster.
Client paid their agency $31k over 4 months for "workflow optimization." I recreated everything from scratch in 67 minutes. Runs 4x faster.
Sometimes starting over beats fixing broken things.
THE PROBLEM
Client: "Our workflows are getting slower"
Agency: "You need our optimization package"
Client: "What's that involve?"
Agency: "Performance audit, code refactoring, architecture improvements"
Cost: $31,000
Timeline: 4 months
Month 1: Audit phase
Month 2: Planning phase
Month 3: Implementation
Month 4: Testing and rollout
Client paid.
THE RESULTS
After 4 months and $31k:
- Workflows 12% faster
- Three new bugs introduced
- Monthly maintenance required
- Additional $2k/month ongoing support
Client called me: "This doesn't feel right"
THE ANALYSIS
Me: "Show me the workflows"
Client shares access.
I review their system.
What I see:
- 9 workflows
- Overly complex routing
- Redundant steps everywhere
- Built like spaghetti code
Me: "Your agency optimized this?"
Client: "That's what they said"
Me: "They polished a mess"
THE SOLUTION
Me: "Let me rebuild these from scratch"
Client: "How long?"
Me: "Give me an hour"
Client: "For the estimate?"
Me: "For the rebuild"
THE REBUILD
1:00 PM - Open Skada.ai
Workflow 1: Lead processing
- Agency version: 24 nodes, 8 seconds
- My version: Generated in 4 minutes, runs in 1.8 seconds
Workflow 2: Order fulfillment
- Agency version: 31 nodes, 12 seconds
- My version: Generated in 6 minutes, runs in 2.4 seconds
Workflow 3-9: Same pattern
2:07 PM - Done
All 9 workflows rebuilt.
All tested.
All deployed.
THE PERFORMANCE
Agency's "optimized" workflows:
- Average execution: 9.2 seconds
- Error rate: 3.1%
- Maintenance: Weekly updates needed
My rebuilt workflows:
- Average execution: 2.1 seconds
- Error rate: 0.1%
- Maintenance: None needed
4.4x faster.
Built in 67 minutes.
THE COMPARISON
Agency approach:
- Analyzed existing complexity
- Added patches and fixes
- "Optimized" inefficient structure
- Charged $31,000
- Took 4 months
- Result: Slightly less broken
My approach:
- Ignored existing mess
- Started fresh
- Generated clean workflows
- Charged $4,500
- Took 67 minutes
- Result: Actually fast
THE CLIENT'S REACTION
Client: "Why didn't the agency just rebuild them?"
Me: "Can't bill 4 months for a 1-hour job"
Client: "They knew this was possible?"
Me: "They knew their method took 4 months"
CLIENT'S TEST
Ran both systems side by side for a week.
Old "optimized" system:
- Processed 2,847 transactions
- 88 errors
- 6 hours total processing time
New rebuilt system:
- Processed 2,847 transactions
- 3 errors
- 1.4 hours total processing time
Client deleted the old system.
THE AGENCY'S CALL
Agency: "We need to schedule monthly optimization"
Client: "Workflows are already optimized"
Agency: "Our package includes ongoing improvements"
Client: "Someone rebuilt them. They're 4x faster now"
Agency: "Impossible to be that much faster"
Client: "Want to see the metrics?"
Agency stopped calling.
WHAT I LEARNED
Most "optimization" is:
- Fixing poorly built workflows
- Adding complexity to complexity
- Justifying ongoing retainers
Real optimization:
- Build it right the first time
- Clean architecture from the start
- No patches needed
THE BUSINESS MODEL
Found 8 more clients with "optimized" workflows.
Average stats:
- Paid $18,000+ for optimization
- Workflows still slow
- Still paying monthly maintenance
My offer:
"I'll rebuild everything. You'll get 3-5x speed improvement. Takes about an hour."
All 8 said yes.
Current rebuild count: 71 workflows
Total time: 9 hours 23 minutes
Average speed improvement: 4.1x
Client savings: $147,000 in avoided optimization costs
THE QUESTION
Client asks: "Why don't more people just rebuild?"
Answer: "Because most people can't rebuild in an hour"
When rebuilding takes weeks, optimization makes sense.
When rebuilding takes minutes, optimization is waste.
MY GUARANTEE NOW
"If I can't make it 3x faster in under 2 hours, you pay nothing"
Haven't had to refund yet.
Who else thinks "optimization" has become code for "we built it wrong the first time"?
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Client paid their agency $31k over 4 months for "workflow optimization." I recreated everything from scratch in 67 minutes. Runs 4x faster.
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