Just landed a new client to help activate a workflow on n8n. But instead of being a simple job of activating a template he found on n8n… It turned out to be, “hey can we change this and add this?” So in the end, we went from “just activate this workflow” to “I need to build out extra workflows and create new logic for things to work.” Here’s the thing: I know the deal is dead. Because if I don’t 100% satisfy him, I’ll get a 1–4 star rating, and anything besides 5 stars is bad on Upwork. I don’t want to risk my score, so instead of continuing, I dropped the project and handed over the work I already did so he can keep at it. But the lesson I’ve learned is this: it’s so important to have repeat customers and 5-star ratings. If it’s not possible, it’s best to drop out right away. Because one-off customers or constantly getting new customers is not a great place to be. The goal should be to have people return. Which is why when one of my earlier clients came back and said, “hey I have another project,” I knew I did a good job. Because I didn’t need to sell him on working with me, he simply asked for help. So for me, the goal is: how many people can return for a second round or even more after the first project? Because at that point, it’s easy money.

Though I'm still working on landing my 1st automation client, completing a small 2-hour consultation gig was an interesting, unexpected surprise. This client saw one of my "portfolio" videos on Upwork and asked if I'd be open to a 1-hour consultation call. I said yes (obviously) and we scheduled a call for the next day. They were interested in GTM Strategy, Sales and Implementation initiatives for their new product wanted to know how I'd approach it. I asked questions around their current plans to launch, market and sell their offering. They answered, I asked more questions, provided insights, asked more questions, etc. Then, we started coming up on time so I started the "wrap up" and said, "I feel like we've covered a lot of good information so far, but it would be extremely helpful if I could see or gain test' access to the offering. Speaking about something is one thing but actually being able to see how it works would paramount." Their eyes lit up, look at their watch and said, "Do you have time for a demo?". Me: Sure, I had a no-show earlier so I have extra time. And off we went into the demo. Long story short, after another hour of the demo, I was able to categorize my recommendations into "Efforts" and "Systems". I put together a roadmap for them and included a Full Marketing & Sales System (automation workflow). They agreed to share their feedback with me later this week (but may go into next week since it's a holiday this week here in the US) but thought the 2-hour consultation was a cool experience on this journey 😊. I'm still going to continue my "Day #..." efforts until I get a true, 1st client. Just wanted to share this for anyone who may be getting discouraged on their journey......keep going. Even if a "win" doesn't look like a "client", there could be other surprises waiting for you - if you just keep going.

Some lessons I’ve learned this week: - When it comes to automating, a huge chunk of it is about bringing people back to reality about what’s possible and what’s not. - There is always some edge case. Even when a job sounds easy on paper, there’s always a curveball. - The more work I have, the less time I have to get more jobs. - Know your inputs for how to get jobs. If you don’t know these, it will never work.

So I just got my second 5-star rating on Upwork, which I believe will help me get clients even easier moving forward. I also just quoted another person $495. I honestly only quoted that because the task isn’t very sensible in terms of success rate. But he said yes and seems ready to move forward. Before accepting the price, he asked me twice if it was based on the number of workflows or the hours I work. I said no. You want X, and I’ll deliver X for $495. This is the thing with pricing that I’ve come to terms with. I can’t price my work based on hours. Nobody will pay that, and at that point people will want to track your screen at all times. I also can’t price the work based on the number of workflows, because then why not make 100 workflows and get paid more. And the same goes for nodes. If that was the case, I’d just make 200 nodes and get paid more. So what I’ve realized is that pricing my solution based on how much time I save them in a month or how much money I make them is the only approach that makes sense. Once I know that number, I know which package fits. And that’s my simple tier list between $95 and $495.

This week, We helped a Virtual Office client turn chaotic, manual work into a smooth, professional workflow — and honestly, watching the shift happen this fast felt unreal. Just two weeks ago, we signed our first client for this service. Today, we’re already seeing results that remind me why we started building in the first place. Before, every new inquiry meant stress: drafting quotes from scratch, backlogged emails, and clients waiting far too long for a simple proposal. Now? Their entire sales flow runs like a well-oiled machine. Here’s how it looks 👇 1️⃣ Someone sees their ad and gets curious. 2️⃣ Our chatbot greets them instantly, answers questions, and collects details — no waiting. 3️⃣ The system qualifies the lead automatically while the team focuses on the important conversations. 4️⃣ The Quotation Maker reads the inquiry and prepares a clean, branded proposal. 5️⃣ A polished PDF lands in the prospect’s inbox seconds later — making the business look sharp, reliable, and ready. And the best part? “Our clients think we leveled up overnight,” they told us.“Finally… no more staying up late just to finish quotes.” That kind of relief… that’s the real win. Not the tech —the transformation. Because when business owners stop drowning in small tasks, they finally get room to breathe, lead, and grow. Seeing this happen so soon after getting our first client? It feels like the beginning of something big. —💬 If you could automate one workflow in your business today, what would it be?I’d love to hear what slows you down the most right now.