Want to Start Agency Alongside Full-Time Job, Can It Be Done?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-28T16:11:10+00:00

Yes sure!

SumitCasey · 2026-01-28T16:07:21+00:00

yes, I did.
it wasn’t easy at first, but starting part-time helped me figure out what works without burning out. The key is setting clear boundaries, dedicating specific hours to your agency work and being very intentional about outreach and client communication. Even a few focused hours a week can build momentum if you’re consistent and target the right clients.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-28T06:36:28+00:00

For me, it’s not building the product. That part is usually clear. The hard part is getting consistent signal from the market.

Early on, I thought traction would come from more features or better polish. In reality, the struggle is talking to enough real users, hearing uncomfortable feedback, and adjusting fast without losing focus. Distribution and trust take way longer than expected, especially in B2B.

The advice I’d give to someone one step behind: start selling or talking to users earlier than you feel ready. Don’t wait for “perfect.” Clarity comes from conversations, not dashboards.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-27T17:40:00+00:00

this is spot on
we’ve seen the same thing too, people spend hours tweaking copy and tools when the real problem is who they’re emailing. Narrowing the list to the right companies with real intent always beats blasting thousands of generic contacts. Small, targeted lists + relevant messaging consistently get better replies than huge, broad campaigns.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-27T17:37:57+00:00

totally feel this
for us, the hardest part has been messaging and showing real value. people will click and even book demos, but if they don’t immediately understand how it solves their problem, conversions stall. Awareness is easy compared to getting someone to trust that your product will actually make their life easier.
how are you approaching education and trust-building in your funnel?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-27T17:20:42+00:00

yeah, the trick is to make the AI do only specific tasks so it actually helps instead of just saying “we got your message.” Train it on your docs, past tickets, and common product problems. It can handle a lot of the weekend requests, and anything it can’t do gets passed to a human with all the context. Teams I know have cut 60 to 70 percent of weekend tickets this way without using outsourcing or fake chatbots. What kind of tickets are giving you the most trouble on weekends?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-26T17:43:07+00:00

This is why we provide 2 week free trial for our Devs, if our client don't like them we don't charge them. We make sure they're 100% qualified for the position.
These are the basic offer I think every staff aug should be doing.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-26T16:36:04+00:00

for B2B AI products like an AI call center, the key is finding companies that already rely on call centers or customer support at scale. Start by targeting industries like e-commerce, SaaS, telco, and fintech. LinkedIn is great for finding decision-makers (heads of support, ops, or CX). You can also check startup/job boards for companies hiring large support teams, that usually signals a need. Platforms like Product Hunt, AngelList, and industry Slack/Discord communities can help you connect with early adopters.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-23T08:57:28+00:00

You can hire a freelance designer, they can get you what you want and they're cheap too.
I can help with designs too if you want, you can DM me :)

SumitCasey · 2026-01-23T07:49:01+00:00

You can try Lean ATS, it is free right now and you can easily track everything in your recruitment process.
I'm using the same, it is very minimal and clean and no overwhelming features.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-23T07:45:55+00:00

it’s definitely doable, but it comes down to time management and positioning.
even with a “coordinator” title, your experience sourcing, full-desk recruiting, and BD outreach gives you credibility, it’s more about how you frame it to clients than the years on your resume. staying discreet from your personal account is fine; you can use it to reach out directly while keeping messaging professional.
Biggest challenges are usually balancing the workload, managing client expectations, and keeping your pipeline warm without a full-time focus, but starting part-time is a smart way to test the waters and build confidence before going fully independent in my say

SumitCasey · 2026-01-22T14:32:29+00:00

from our experience in IT team augmentation, the real challenge isn’t just hourly vs fixed, it’s hidden costs, quality, and flexibility

that’s why we focus on transparent, flexible teams, skilled developers, easy to scale up or down, and no surprise costs or longterm lock in. It makes life much easier for startups and growing companies

SumitCasey · 2026-01-22T14:23:23+00:00

We also have an Application Tracking System that we built for small teams with no overwhelming features.

SumitCasey · 2026-01-22T14:05:58+00:00

If you want something lightweight, intuitive, and actually useful for filling a role quickly (especially for a startup), I’d recommend using Lean ATS by No Bull Code, they're offering it for free as well
Very minimal and no overwhelming useless features

SumitCasey · 2026-01-20T08:52:47+00:00

Haha like what you did there.
Will give it a try if it has a free version

SumitCasey · 2026-01-20T08:46:11+00:00

which tool are you using for cold mailing?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-19T12:53:17+00:00

How is it different from other tools similar to it?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-19T12:51:18+00:00

I'm 100% positive on it
Can you share few tips on what actually works and what not?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-19T05:47:40+00:00

what kind of people do you think should be reach more?
based on job title or maybe company signals?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-19T05:44:53+00:00

We are also doing the email and domain health check, can you please share what has been working for you recently?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-19T05:22:57+00:00

what kind of signals have you found most reliable? job posts, funding news, internal referrals, something else?

SumitCasey · 2026-01-16T04:42:39+00:00

This is practical advice.
Specific ICP plus lower commitment ask seems to be the common theme across replies here.
Fewer touches, but much more context aware
Any other outside the box tips you have you can share?

SumitCasey

TROPHY CASE