AI Agents are the new SaaS

In this solo episode I lay out why I believe building agents is the new SaaS: software is shifting from helping you do the work to doing the work with you. I walk through a full playbook — find a niche, pick a workflow with a paycheck attached, shadow the human, spec the agent, build the minimum useful version, sell a pilot like labor, then productize the repeatable parts. I share live market examples like Slang AI for restaurants and Same Day for home services, plus pricing models and a distribution strategy built on workflow teardowns. I close with a 30-day, zero-to-100 plan for launching an agent-first business. This one is for anyone eager to build with AI or simply become more productive.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:38 – Building Agents is the new SaaS

04:11 – Pick a valuable workflow

06:12 – Shadow the Human First

09:34 – Build the Minimum Useful Agent

12:50 – The wrapper makes it SaaS

15:50 – Sell the Pilot Like Labor (and Pricing)

18:37 – Own the workflow

21:45 – The Zero-to-100 Plan in 30 Days

24:14 – Closing Thoughts

Key Points

• Agent SaaS sells work as a service; the product is the job itself, priced like labor.
• Start with a workflow that already carries a paycheck: high frequency, clear finish line, existing software, learnable edge cases, and felt pain.
• Shadow a human across 10–20 real jobs before you write a single prompt — the detail is the product.
• Ship the minimum useful agent — draft-and-approve, triage, coordinator, or bounded action — and earn autonomy over time.
• The wrapper (logs, approvals, evals, analytics) creates trust and turns automation into real SaaS.
• Win distribution with workflow teardowns: show the old way, show the agent way, sell the painkiller.

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