I sat down with Devin Kearns, co-founder & CEO of Custom AI Studio, to break down what it actually takes to build an AI agency with real enterprise value, not just another lifestyle business. We get into why most AI work being sold today won't survive 2027, why the mid-market is the prime opportunity (not SMBs or enterprises), the 11 ways AI experts are actually making money right now, how to position with frameworks instead of being just another vendor, and the five things Devin wishes he knew sooner. If you're building, running, or thinking about starting an AI agency, this is the strategic conversation I wish I'd had two years ago.

So I'm sure you guys have heard the term "AI slop", and everyone sorta defines it differently. Maybe you think it's those TikToks of AI-generated fruits going on dates. Maybe it's infographics with misspelled words. Maybe it's something else entirely. But I want to talk about it in the context of communication. Internal, external, content you put out into the world. I write my LinkedIn posts with AI. My agent knows my business, how I write, how I speak. That's just how I work now. And there's nothing wrong with that. I think everyone should be using AI to write if it makes them more efficient. But this isn't a binary yes or no. It's a spectrum. Sometimes AI can draft and send automatically. Most of the time, I want it to just draft. Then I review. If someone sends me an email with em dashes everywhere, I don't actually care at all that they used AI. The fact that I can clearly tell it's AI-generated isn't the problem. What I do start asking is: → Did they proofread this? → Is this completely accurate? And subconsciously, I might start losing trust. Not just in the email but in the person who sent it. Our job here has changed from writer to reviewer. This quote has really stuck with me: "You can outsource your thinking, but you can never outsource your understanding." When your name is attached to the content, you take credit if it lands, as you should. But that also means you need to take accountability if it's incorrect. Taste and reviewing are becoming more important than ever. AI is super intelligent and powerful, but I don't want to see a world where we trust AI so much, that we stop reviewing things, and then the human on the other end of the content starts losing trust in us. That's why even though I write with AI, and people know that, I still try my best to disguise it and make it sound as "Nate" as possible. Check out the LinkedIn post I just wrote about this HERE

I’ve been thinking a lot about where AI automation is heading. For me, the goal is not just to “use AI tools.” The real goal is to build an operating system around my work and businesses. My current direction: Claude Code = main builder; Codex = coding support / second opinion; MCP = connecting tools and workflows; Skills = reusable business processes; Subagents = specialist operators for finance, marketing, admin, sales, and reporting. I’m currently building this around a few real businesses and projects: Mora Capital — funding readiness, deal packaging, credit memos; Hafro — content, WhatsApp sales, customer support, operations; AptTick — learner-to-income workflows; 24 Comms — creator campaign OS; Personal OS — tasks, learning, execution, accountability. My biggest realisation so far: AI automation is not about replacing effort. It's about removing repetitive friction so you can focus on judgment, strategy, and execution. Curious to learn from others here: For those building AIOS-style systems, are you starting with personal workflows first or client/business workflows first?

Question Target: Beginners & Experts -- I'm very curious to hear about it from both perspectives -- Hey there fellow dreamers! I'm struggling with the following mindset: - Fear of Overwhelm from merging projects and learnings when starting slow - Want the perfect start, setting up an AIOS from the beginning - Codex + Claude Code should work together (installed & subscribed) - Keeping up with the latest AI development as a beginner is HARD - Establish Best Practices from the get-go - Not wanting to FIX project structure on my machine all the time - Wasting Tokens + Context (daily/weekly) So have you been dealing with this too? If so, how did you manage to deal with it? I'd love to hear about your experiences, get some guidance, maybe even actual help setting everything up. Take care everyone, Enjoy building ✨

Most people trying to start an AI business jump straight to pitching retainers or projects and end up frozen. The move is to sell one-on-one hours helping business owners set up their AI Operating System. This video walks through that offer, why it works in 2026, and a 7-step plan to land your first clients.