The $1,000/hour Solo AI business (Full Course)

In this episode I sit down with Corey Ganim to unpack what he calls the simplest way to earn money with AI in 2026: a $999 AI Tools Assessment for small business owners. Corey lays out his entire four-phase system, from a probing discovery call through an AI-assisted analysis in Claude, a stupid-simple client report, and a review call that turns roughly half of clients into implementation buyers. We walk through his full upsell menu, seven client-acquisition methods that run on zero capital and zero audience, and his AI Concierge retainer that earns him about $1,000 an hour. Anyone listening leaves with a copy-and-paste playbook they can adapt to their own city or industry.

Checkout Corey’s AI Audit Template: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/ai_audit

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro and the episode promise

03:48 – The full playbook preview

06:39 – Phase 1: the discovery call

08:27 – Phase 2: AI Analysis

12:11 – Phase 3: The Report

22:24 – Tool and Model Selection

23:39 – Phase 4: The Review Call

26:15 – The Upsell Services

35:52 – Finding Customers

49:16 – The AI Concierge retainer

58:46 – Final Thoughts

Key Points

• The core offer is a $999, 45-minute AI Tools Assessment that prescribes 3–7 off-the-shelf tools, backed by a full-refund guarantee tied to finding at least five reclaimed hours per week.
• Fulfillment runs in four phases: discovery call, AI analysis in Claude, a templatized report, and a review call that converts about half of clients into implementation work.
• The report stays deliberately simple, with an executive summary, an effort-versus-impact matrix, quick wins, a four-day quick-start plan, and a clear ROI slide.
• The upsell menu spans process redesign, automation builds, knowledge systems, custom workflows, and full implementation, with lifetime value reaching $3K–$10K or more.
• Seven client-acquisition methods run on zero capital and zero audience, from local meetups and door knocking to agency partnerships and office hours.
• The AI Concierge retainer ($1,200–$2,000/month for two calls) creates recurring revenue at roughly a $1,000 hourly rate.

The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com

LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/

The Vibe Marketer - Resources for people into vibe marketing/marketing with AI: https://www.thevibemarketer.com/

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FIND COREY ON SOCIAL

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