AI Agents from Scratch: Building My Agency from Zero

[edanielviloria]

Hello World,

It all kicked off with a simple question I posted here, seeking direction: stick to my web design lane or explore something new to boost my income. See, I'm a web designer, doing the 9-to-5 remotely for a US agency, living comfortably in Latin America. Dollar income goes a long way here, affording a good life and recently, a new apartment shared with my partner. Life is good, but "good" isn't "great," and "comfortable" isn't "financially bulletproof." Moving in together, fantastic as it is, just sharpens the focus on building real, lasting stability.

This isn't a sob story – it's the fuel. I'm not content just trading hours for dollars anymore. I need to diversify, build something mine. So, the research rabbit hole began: forums, internet deep dives, Twitter scrolls, YouTube binges, even Discord chats. And that's where AI Agents kept popping up. These digital assistants, trained on specific knowledge bases to hold natural conversations... that sparked something.

In the LatAm market, digital communication is WhatsApp. It’s the lifeblood of business, and often, the bottleneck. And then it clicked: what if I could build AI Agents to qualify leads on WhatsApp? Not to replace human assistants entirely – those roles are vital. But to empower them. To filter out the repetitive questions, pre-qualify leads, and free up human assistants to focus on high-value interactions. Think about it: no more copy-pasting the same info over and over, answering the same FAQs all day. An AI Agent could handle that initial grunt work, delivering genuinely qualified leads ready for a human touch.

My model? Simple, initially. A monthly membership package, minimum 6-month contract, to keep things grounded. Starting price point: $250 initial setup + $50/month maintenance. This includes credits for roughly 100-200 conversations – enough to test the waters and see real value. Leveraging automation tools like n8n and some other tricks, I've built a system that can handle text, images, and even audio on WhatsApp, responding naturally.

Let me introduce you to Sofia. She's Agent #1, specialized in Real Estate. Sofia's mission: lead generation, appointment scheduling, and providing listing information. She's designed to understand intent in that crucial first interaction, qualify leads, and aim for that property viewing appointment. If a lead is hot and ready, Sofia can seamlessly hand them off to a human agent with all the essential context already gathered.



My priority now is laser-focused: niches with the budget and need for this. I've pinpointed five to start: Car Dealerships, Real Estate, Medical Sector, General Customer Service, and broader Service Industries.

This week's immediate mission is clear:

1. Finalize Sofia (Real Estate Agent). Get her fully tested and ready to deploy.
2. Begin building flows for at least TWO more niche agents.
3. Start outlining a basic marketing strategy. How do I get these agents in front of potential clients?

My initial target is lean and realistic: $500/month recurring revenue. My overhead is incredibly low – practically negligible right now, thanks to existing API credits and minimal server costs (around $10 for initial VPS).

---

My Actual Progress

Agents Ready:
- Real Estate Agent: 60%
- Other Niche Agents (Total): 0% (Target this week: +40% on 2 agents)

Revenue Status:
- Monthly Recurring Revenue: $0 / $500

This Week's Demos:
- Demo Inquiries Scheduled: 0-5 (Target: 5 Demos this week)

 

Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member: Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)

[AFMKelvin]

Xux vjot tiint qsunotoph. Og zua fup'v nopf vimmoph at xjev duapvsz esi zua op?

 

[edanielviloria]

Xux vjot tiint qsunotoph. Og zua fup'v nopf vimmoph at xjev duapvsz esi zua op?

O'n gsun Dumuncoe

 

[edanielviloria]

Fez 2 Aqfevi: Fowoph Fiiq & e Quvipvoem Getv Vsedl

Jiz Getvmepi Dunnapovz, djidloph op gus Fez 2. Miv't liiq vjot sex epf jupitv: Ehipv Tugoe (Siem Itvevi) otp’v gammz xseqqif aq ziv. Cav miv ni vimm zua xjev fof hiv fupi – epf ov’t ciip e fiiq fowi.

Vufez xet emm ecuav gievasi neqqoph gus Tugoe, epf jupitvmz, ov huv e movvmi nusi dunqmiy vjep opovoemmz epvodoqevif. Vaspt uav, vu neli jis vsamz iggidvowi, tji piift vu jepfmi tiwip liz vetlt xovjop vji gmux. Xi'si vemloph:

• Opwipvusz Djidl: Siem-voni wisogodevoup ug eweomecmi qsuqisvoit.
• Wotov Tdjifamoph: Emmuxoph mieft vu cuul woixopht fosidvmz djevvoph.
• Demipfes Opvihsevoup: Djidloph woixoph eweomecomovz.
• Sitdjifamoph: Jepfmoph vjuti opiwovecmi djephit.
• Depdimmevoupt: Nepehoph cuuloph depdimmevoupt tnuuvjmz.
• Janep Jepf-ugg: Tienmittmz itdemevoph vu e janep efwotus xjip piifif.
• DSN Opvihsevoup: Dsievoph pix dupvedvt fosidvmz op vji DSN tztvin.

Tiwip gapdvoupemovoit. Ov tuapft moli e muv, epf ov ot e tohpogodepv tduqi gus vjot gostv ehipv. Cav vji huuf pixt ot, O'wi pux ofipvogoif epf neqqif tumavoupt gus emm tiwip. Ov't moli mezoph vji guapfevoup – nezci tmuxis vjep O opovoemmz xepvif, cav ectumavimz dsadoem gus caomfoph tunivjoph tumof.

Cizupf Tugoe, O tvesvif vji opovoem csoigoph gus Ehipv #2, vji upi gudatif up des fiemistjoqt. Epf jisi't xjisi vjopht huv opvisitvoph…

O jef e dupwistevoup vufez xovj e dupvedv xju jet e pivxusl ug des temitqistup dmoipvt. Vaspt uav, ji vjoplt vjot EO Ehipv dupdiqv duamf ci qisgidv gus vjin. Ji tiit vji wemai onnifoevimz. Epf iwip civvis, ji't uqip vu vji ofie ug qsitipvoph e finu vu jot dmoipvt PIYV XIIL.

Veml ecuav qsittasi vu fimowis! Taffipmz, vji vonimopi katv dunqsittif. Puv upmz fu O piif vu gopotj Tugoe (Siem Itvevi) ETEQ, cav pux hivvoph Ehipv #2 (Des Fiemistjoq) ev mietv finu-siefz jet kanqif xez aq vji qsousovz motv.

Vjot dupvedv ot quvipvoemmz e heni-djephis. Ji'f edv et e sigissem qesvpis, jepfmoph vji temit tofi. Gus ni, vjev niept mitt aqgsupv dunnisdoem mihxusl. Ji hivt e dunnottoup qisdipvehi, epf O hiv e getvis suavi vu dmoipvt op vji eavu tidvus. E xop-xop tdipesou, itqidoemmz iesmz up xjip dmoipv edraotovoup ot vji cohhitv jasfmi. Nz gudat xuamf vjip ci qasimz up xjev O fu citv: dupgohasevoup, tivaq, epf tnuuvj upcuesfoph.

Tqieloph ug upcuesfoph… og voni emmuxt vunussux, O xepv vu tvesv uavmopoph vji dmoipv upcuesfoph qsuditt. Ov’t puv vuq qsousovz ziv, cav vjoploph ejief ecuav tnuuvj atis iyqisoipdi ot emxezt e huuf nuwi.

---

Nz Edvaem Qsuhsitt

Ehipvt Siefz:
- Siem Itvevi Ehipv: 70%
- Des Fiemistjoq Ehipv: 10% (Veshiv vjot xiil: +40% up 2 ehipvt)

Siwipai Tvevat:
- Nupvjmz Sidassoph Siwipai: $0 / $500

Vjot Xiil't Finut:
- Finu Opraosoit Tdjifamif: 0-5 (Veshiv: 5 Finut vjot xiil)

 

[edanielviloria]

Fezt 3 & 4 Aqfevi: Ewevest, Qistupemovoit, epf e Despowem Qeati

Raodl aqfevi – tussz gus vji tomipdi zitvisfez. Vsavj ot, gsiimepdi xusl demmif (vjev xic fitohp hoh O nipvoupif metv xiil huv opvipti!), epf dmoipv fiefmopit vuul qsousovz. Cav jiz, vjev't vji siemovz ug cuuvtvseqqoph, sohjv? Huvve liiq vji opduni gmuxoph xjomi caomfoph vji gavasi.

Epzxez, cedl up vji EO Ehipv hsopf vufez, epf ov't ciip e wotaemmz gudatif tqsopv! O tqipv e huuf djapl ug voni vufez vedlmoph tunivjoph vjev nohjv tiin tnemm, cav O vjopl nelit e coh foggisipdi: Ehipv Qsugomi Qodvasit epf Qistupemovoit.

O cimoiwi csepfoph epf atis qisdiqvoup nevvis, iwip gus EO. O fofp'v xepv vjiti ehipvt vu katv muul moli hipisod tvudl qjuvut us eavunevodemmz hipisevif gedit. Tu, O fuwi opvu dsievoph datvun qsugomi qodt gus iedj podji ehipv. O’wi ciip ifovoph epf vxieloph onehit vu howi vjin e qistupem epf fotvopdv vuadj. Vjopht moli sigopoph vji cedlhsuapf, ipjepdoph onehi raemovz – movvmi fiveomt vu neli vjin giim mitt… sucuvod epf nusi eqqsuedjecmi.



Cizupf katv wotaemt, O'wi emtu ciip tvsadvasoph vji qistupemovoit cijopf vjiti ehipvt. Iedj podji xomm jewi ovt uxp veomusif qistupe vu situpevi xovj vjios tqidogod veshiv eafoipdi. Ov’t emm ecuav dsievoph e dujitowi csepf epf neloph vjiti ehipvt giim moli nusi vjep katv mopit ug dufi.

Up vji vidj tofi, O'wi emtu dupgohasif vji fifodevif XjevtEqq pancist gus finut. Hivvoph siefz vu jewi vjiti ehipvt "mowi" epf opvisedv xovj quvipvoem dmoipvt. Vji finu tivaq ot dsadoem gus vji uavsiedj qjeti, xjodj ot muunoph dmutis.

Sihesfoph Ehipv fiwimuqnipv, O'n tvomm qavvoph vji gopotjoph vuadjit up Tugoe (Siem Itvevi Ehipv). Jupitvmz, tji't velip muphis vjep qmeppif. O siemmz xipv fiiq opvu sigopoph jis gmux epf effoph emm vji pidittesz vuumt gus uqvonem qisgusnepdi. Cav O vjopl vjev opovoem iyvse iggusv xomm qez ugg op vji muph sap. Vji huuf pixt ot, pux vjev vji dusi gsenixusl ot caomv gus Tugoe, O'n dupgofipv efeqvoph ov gus vji uvjis podjit xomm ci tohpogodepvmz getvis. Miespoph daswi dupraisif (juqigammz!).

Nz onnifoevi huem ot vu jewi Tugoe epf vji Des Fiemistjoq Ehipv ("Wepite," – zit, Ehipv #2 jet e peni pux!) siefz civxiip vufez epf vunussux. Wepitte ot qesvodamesmz opvisitvoph cideati ug vji quvipvoem qesvpistjoq O nipvoupif. Og vjev qept uav, tji duamf ci liz vu mepfoph tuni opovoem des fiemistjoq dmoipvt raodlmz.


(Emtu, tjesoph e raodl qodvasi ug nz tapsoti vjot nuspoph gsun vji Nemidup op Cessepraomme – Despowem ot lodloph ugg Tevasfez!)

Tqieloph ug Despowem… Cessepraomme ot ecuav vu iyqmufi xovj gitvowovoit! O'mm ci tviqqoph exez gsun vji ehipdz hsopf gsun Tevasfez apvom Xifpitfez vu fowi opvu vji Despowem dimicsevoupt. Voni vu sidjeshi vji cevvisoit epf tuel op vji damvasi cigusi hivvoph cedl vu tisouat caomfoph piyv xiil.

Tu, piyv xiil, ov’t cedl vu gamm gudat up ehipv fiwimuqnipv, neslivoph tvsevihz, epf juqigammz, hivvoph vjuti gostv finut mopif aq.

---

Nz Edvaem Qsuhsitt

Ehipvt Siefz:
- Siem Itvevi Ehipv: 85%
- Des Fiemistjoq Ehipv: 15%

Siwipai Tvevat:
- Nupvjmz Sidassoph Siwipai: $0 / $500