Why I'm building an army of AI agents

Hey there, solopreneur!

I had an insight hit me like a thunderbolt this week (minus the electrocution).

There I was, buried in my expense reports, when a startling reality jumped off the screen:

I'd been spending more on human assistants and software subscriptions than actual product development. Ridiculous. Something had to change.

So I tried an experiment - one that has completely reshaped my thinking about business. I created my first AI agent to handle my email management.

Not only did it work, it outperformed every human assistant I've ever hired.

That's when everything clicked: The one-person billion-dollar company isn't just some wild fantasy anymore - it's inevitable.

And I'm about to show you why this matters more than anyone realizes, plus how you can get started with your own AI agent army today...

The next big wave of AI evolution

Most people are missing the biggest revelation about AI agents: They're not just another tool or another hire - they're both.

In one elegant solution, they're obliterating the distinction between software and human assistance.

Think about it. Traditional software? It just sits there, blindly following pre-set rules like my old Roomba that kept trying to vacuum the same corner for two hours.

Human assistants bring adaptability but need sleep, breaks, and motivation - not to mention they get cranky if you forget their birthday.

AI agents, though? They combine the tireless consistency of software with the adaptability of human decision-making, running 24/7 at a fraction of the cost.

But don't take my word for it. Let me show you exactly what I've built...

My first month of building an AI Army

Remember those startup gurus who insisted "you need a team to build a real business"? Well, they never met my new workforce.

When I started, I had one simple goal: free myself from repetitive tasks. I began with email management, and it worked so well that I expanded quickly.

Here’s my wishlist of what I want my AI agents to do for me in the future (I’ve only built a couple so far):

• Email and communication management: so it categorizes emails, flags urgent ones, and sends Slack notifications when something needs my attention.

• Finance processing: Downloading invoices, extracting key details, and preparing them for my accountant.

• Performance summaries: Creating weekly reports on my investment portfolio, newsletter performance, and social media metrics.

• Workflow optimization: Analyzing my calendar and workouts for efficiency and improvement opportunities.

• Customer service: Handling refund requests, filing insurance claims, and managing customer support tickets.

• Content ideation: Analyzing newsletter feedback and suggesting my top five potential next topics.

Before, these tasks required freelancers, assistants, or hours of my own time. Now, I’ve automated 90% of them, and the cost is less than what I used to pay for one part-time VA.

The most exciting part? I’m starting to use AI agents to help me improve my skills. For example, one agent reviews my public speaking recordings and sends me feedback with actionable tips.

If you bring this to the extremes, that AI agent could be in your ear with voice and give you real-time feedback on your performance.

Why the “One-Person Billion-Dollar Company” is inevitable

This shift is about more than just saving time—it’s reshaping the startup landscape. AI agents have matured beyond simple chatbots, and we’re in the early days of a massive market opportunity.

We’re entering an era where the size of your team matters far less than the strength of your ideas and how quickly you execute them.

1 savage and 1,000 AI agents will eventually run a $1,000,000,000 business.

Why this changes everything

Traditional wisdom about team building, funding requirements, and growth strategies? I now consider most of them obsolete.

What used to require a department can now be handled by a well-crafted agent. What once demanded millions in startup capital might now need just a fraction of that.

Here's what's coming faster than anyone expects:

• MicroSaaS businesses will multiply like wildfire

• Agent-as-a-service will become the new normal

• Launch speed will trump team size every time

• Raw creativity will outweigh traditional execution capabilities

Imagine catching the early SaaS wave, then multiply that opportunity tenfold - that's where we are right now.

Check out this amazing summary by Y Combinator:

The “Idea Guy Era” is here

Something extraordinary is happening: We're witnessing the renaissance of the idea person. In this agent-driven world, the ability to conceive brilliant solutions matters more than ever.

You don't need an army of developers or a war chest of venture capital. What you need is vision, creativity, and the know-how to orchestrate your AI workforce.

Why? Because just think about these converging forces:

• The technology has matured beyond simple chatbots into genuinely useful tools

• No industry giants have claimed this territory - yet

• Companies are scrambling to adopt these solutions

• We've barely scratched the surface of market potential

And you can get started right now. Here’s how…

How to start building your own custom AI agents

Let me share the exact process I used to identify AI agent automation opportunities.

It starts with what I call the Task Logging Method - deceptively simple, yet surprisingly powerful.

1. For one week straight, document everything that crosses your desk. Don't just list tasks - note your emotional reactions.

   • Which tasks make you groan "this again?"

   • Which ones drain your energy?

     Track time spent, but more importantly, track your resistance to each task.

2. Then comes the Analysis Phase, where three crucial factors collide:

   • Your level of task aversion (rate it 1-5)

   • Time investment required

   • How cleanly the task follows consistent rules

   The tasks scoring highest across these dimensions? That's your automation sweet spot.

Start small—pick one or two tasks—and expand from there.

The Tools I Use

Disclaimer: I am not a technical person. I’m more of an Idea Guy.

But after some hours of testing and tweaking, I've settled on a core toolkit that just works (even for someone as technically dumb as me lol):

Lindy.ai (no affiliation) handles most of my straightforward automation needs with surprising elegance. Lindy also has great starter resources and templates for beginners.

When things get more complex, CrewAI steps in to manage intricate workflows. And for inevitable debugging sessions? Claude has become my go-to problem solver.

If you want to go full-on nerdy, I’m hearing good things about n8n and Flowise.

I also use Zapier for some miscellaneous automations to help plug in some gaps.

But here's the critical thing: Don't wait for perfect. Start messy. Start small. Just start.

The CEO on Vacation

My ultimate vision with my AI agent army is simple: to feel like a CEO on vacation.

Here’s what that (hopefully) looks like:

AI agents handle 90% of my business operations, from communications to customer service. They only flag the most critical decisions for my review, leaving me free to focus on the big-picture ideas.

I want to be working on the fun, creative aspects of my business. Not the boring, repetitive aspects.

This isn’t just a fantasy—it’s already happening. AI agents are enabling a new kind of business model, where a single person can build and scale what used to require an entire team.

This isn't science fiction. It's not even future tech. It's happening right now, and you can be part of it.

Think about that. Really think about it.

When was the last time technology offered this level of transformation for the solo entrepreneur?

We're not just talking about better tools - we're talking about a fundamental shift in what one person can achieve.

The future isn't some distant dream. It's already here, running in the background of my business. And soon, it could be running in yours.

Look, I won't sugarcoat it - we're still in the early days of AI agents. The technology isn't perfect. Sometimes it stumbles. Sometimes it surprises. But that's exactly why this moment matters so much.

Just this week, as I was tinkering with my sauna's new ventilation system (because apparently, I can't help but try to upgrade everything), it hit me:

The real magic isn't in waiting for perfect solutions - it's in taking action while others hesitate. Whether it's modifying a sauna, posting stuff on Twitter, reimagining what's possible with AI, the principle remains the same: just do things.

If you just do things, you might even get recognized by your idols, like I did this week as Marc Andreessen shared my shitpost about the EU to millions:

Not because I'm special, but because I was willing to point out what I saw happening while others stayed quiet. The same opportunity exists with AI agents right now - the space is wide open for those willing to speak up and build.

So here's my challenge to you:

Start now. Not next quarter. Not when the tech is "mature." Now. Because while others are waiting for the perfect moment, you could be building something extraordinary.

Imo, AI agents right now is like ChatGPT in November 2022.

Ole's Bookmarks

Want to dive deeper into AI agents? Here's some content I bookmarked recently that helped get me up to speed:

• Lindy.ai's Getting Started Guide: A masterclass in practical agent implementation, perfect for beginners. Like AI Agents 101.

• Greg Isenberg's “Fire your team and hire AI employees?” video: Changed how I think about AI agent automation possibilities

• CrewAI Introduction: A great, practical roadmap to more advanced AI agent workflows.

• Cool graphic of the best AI agent startups right now:

Oh yeah, and to end on a more personal note:

I just found out I’m going to be a dad.

Beyond happy and excited for what’s to come in 2025 :)

See you next week 🫡 

Ole

P.S. I read all replies, please let me know what you think about this edition.