i stopped using upwork and fiverr in 2025 and i think you should as well. i watermarked my upwork and fiverr potfolio with my full name and hashtag #hiredirect. when customers see my profile, my proposal, my portfolio they can find me directly and save money by hiring me direct. i found freelance platforms to be overpriced and unworthy of high commissions.

Is n8n dead? This was a HIGHLY requested topic, and the biggest question I've been getting lately, especially as Claude Code has started surpassing n8n in search interest and YouTube views. In this video I share my honest thoughts on what's happening with n8n, whether you should still learn it as a beginner, and how I'm personally thinking about these two tools.

Please share the experience you have in testing various compensation and business models in the AI automation space. Below is the poll, if your approach is not listed share your business model in the comments.

I’m giving away 2 free n8n Cloud Starter Plans (1 year, $240 value each) to 2 lucky members! How to enter: 💬 Drop your favorite meme about AI or Nate Herk in the comments below. 🕒 I’ll pick my 2 favorite memes and announce the winners on Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. CT. Let’s see who’s got the funniest take, time to get creative! Cheers, Nate

Hey guys, Michael here My agency stoneclad is hiring Elite AI automation engineers I know that most of these hiring posts sound the same: “We’re growing. We need help. DM us.” This isn’t that. At Stonecladwe’re building a world-class AI agency—designed for scale, excellence, and solving real problems with AI. We’re not looking for beginners or people “dabbling” in automation. We’re looking for battle-tested automators who have already been in the trenches and know how to deliver serious results. Who You Are: - You’ve already built advanced automations. - You think in systems, not just tasks. - You get excited about finding leverage points inside businesses. - You can take ownership—no handholding required. Who We’re Not Looking For: - People who “just started learning” AI tools last month. - Folks who only know how to connect ChatGPT to Slack and call it an automation. - Anyone afraid of high expectations. What You’ll Get: - Generous pay. We believe top talent should be paid like top talent. - A chance to build on a team that’s serious about becoming the gold standard in the AI agency space. - Collaboration with other high-performers—iron sharpens iron. - Freedom to think, create, and push boundaries. What We Expect: - Excellence in execution. - Problem-solvers who go beyond templates and “cookie cutter” workflows. - People who care about building something bigger than themselves. If you’ve been waiting for the chance to work with a forward-thinking team, where both the pay and expectations are high, this is it. 👉 Drop a comment or DM me directly if you’re ready to step into a role where your skills actually matter. Let me know your expertise, and we'll chat about what you're capable of. Cheers -Michael p.s. If you don't meet the requirements above then please don't waste your time or mine.