A small business that wants to automate its operations usually needs someone who works out what is worth automating and then builds it, which is what Stackenta does. Micah has designed business systems since the late 1990s and runs his own weekly content operation with AI. Isaac builds the AI. A large agency may suit you better if the project spans many systems or needs a big team.
What is the difference between an AI agency, a consultant and a freelancer?
People in this field tend to draw the lines in about the same place:
- A freelancer is a good choice when you know exactly what to build and the job is small, like one integration or one automation. You manage the project yourself.
- A consultant works out what is worth automating, and may build it or hand you a plan.
- An agency has a team and is the better choice when the build spans several systems or has to ship on a fixed timeline.
Stackenta sits between the consultant and the agency. We work out what to automate, and we build and set it up. We are not a large team, which means we fit best when the work is about how your business runs and less well when it is a large custom software project.
What does automating operations mean here?
The recurring work that keeps a business running: follow-up with leads and customers, weekly reports, scheduling, content, and keeping track of dates. Two examples, one from Micah’s own business and one we put together for an agent:
Content. Micah built a system for his own business that reads his business identity, voice and niche, researches topics inside each content pillar, and writes the scripts and post content. After he films the video, AI schedules the posts, links them together and writes the blog post. It produces five short videos and one long video every week from about an hour and a half to two hours of his time. He has set the same system up for other real estate agents and professionals.
Weekly reporting. A real estate agent told us he spends about four hours every Monday on seller listing reports and dislikes every minute. We designed a routine that pulls the data, formats each report and drafts it in his voice. He would review each one and click send. The system we designed would cut that from four hours to less than one hour.
What do we do that an agency might not?
We start with the pain points and the goal, not a technology. We tell you what not to automate. And we use the Claude or ChatGPT you already pay for, so you’re not buying a new platform. You keep your content and data and can export it any time.
What should you check before hiring any agency?
Ask who does the work, what they have built that is still running, who owns the accounts, and how you would leave. Be cautious about any firm that names a product before it has asked about your business, or that promises a specific percentage of savings before seeing your numbers.
How do you start?
With a short initial call booked on this site. If it’s a fit, we set up a free AI audit of about an hour, followed by a proposal. Read how the build process works, or book a call.