The 'What-To-Automate' Playbook

Great Friday, Operator.

Here's the confession I promised you on Monday.

The first time I built AI into something personal in my business, the output came out faster and looked the same on paper. But like I explained in this recent video, it felt hollow to me … and I think the people on the other end felt it too.

Truth is, I'd automated the wrong layer, and I had to walk the whole thing back.

That mistake taught me the rule behind everything in today's playbook.

Here's what we'll cover in today's issue:

But before we get into it, here's the scoreboard update for this week.

As you can see from the scoreboard above, in the first 5 days alone, this new brand has generated 31 new subscriptions, 2 new leads, and $1,000 in sales.

All that since Monday. More on exactly HOW it happened in a bit.

Now, let's get into it ...

THE PLAYBOOK

Wednesday's video gave you the map. Today you build the system.

Here's the one rule everything below runs on:

Get that backwards and you automate the very thing your clients pay you for.

So this weekend, in five steps, you're going to find your repeatable middle and turn it into your AI roadmap.

1. Map your business into three layers.

Write down the three layers of what you sell:

Most operators never separate these, so they automate blind.

2. Run the two-column exercise.

Take the delivery layer and brain-dump every task inside it. Then sort each task into one of two columns: "doesn't need my judgment" or "needs my judgment."

Be honest. The first column, the repeatable work, is your entire AI roadmap, and you just built it without spending a dollar.

3. Pick the one task that eats the most hours.

Don't try to automate the whole column right now. Find the single repeatable task that drains the most time, the one you'd pay almost anything to get back.

That's your first build. (think: 80/20 rule)

One coach I know took a four-hour custom deliverable down to forty minutes this way, and her clients felt more cared for, not less.

4. Run the clarity test before you build.

Ask yourself: could I write the steps a smart new assistant could follow?

If yes, you're ready. If it's fuzzy, document it first.

AI amplifies what you already understand, so bolting it onto a vague process just helps you produce confusion faster.

5. Build it for one client, then refine.

Turn that task into a template, a prompt, or a simple automation this weekend.

Run it on your very next client. Keep your judgment and your human touch on the edges where they belong. Then improve it on the next one.

You're not chasing perfect at this stage. You're simply installing something that can give you real leverage. No need to overthink it.

TOOLS I ACTUALLY USE

You don't need a new software stack to run this playbook. Unless you’re brand new to the world of AI, you likely already have what you need to automate the list you just came up with.

You really only need two or three tools you'll actually open and use. Just because I use a certain tool, doesn’t mean there isn’t another tool that could do the same job easier or better. The world are in an ‘AI Arms Race’ so which tools you should use really comes down to personal preference.

That said, here's what I personally reach for consistently …

This is where the two-column "repeatable" tasks get drafted, summarized, templated, and executed. I do nearly all of my building stuff inside of Claude Code CLI. My personal setup is honestly more advanced than most people need, though.

The more user friendly version that I still use and recommend for most of this stuff is Manus. If you don’t consider yourself ‘advanced’ yet, I’d start there before anything else.

Once a task is documented, this is what runs it without you. I use to use n8n and zapier, but at this point, claude code and manus have gotten so good, they have completely replaced those other tools for me. The idea is, you just need something that makes the repeatable steps fire on their own.

If creating an authority asset is part of your delivery model (and it should be), Beehiiv is where I suggest building it. I use it, and teach clients to use it also.

Remember, you don't need all three this weekend.

Start with the AI assistant and the one repeatable task you found in the playbook.

If you go with Manus, just open it up and tell it exactly what you’re trying to automate or create. It’ll ask you questions and get you started on the right path.

Add the others as the system earns its place.

Stacking tools you haven't used yet is just a fancier way to stay busy.

THIS WEEK ON THE CHANNEL

In case you missed it Wednesday, here's the full thinking behind today's playbook:

It makes the case for why the part of your business you're most excited to automate is probably the one you should never touch, and how to tell the difference before a client ever feels it.

Watch it here and subscribe while you're there, because next week we get into building predictable client flow, and you'll want the link the moment it drops.

THE CLIENT SOLUTION

The playbook above gives you leverage in your delivery. But leverage in delivery only matters if clients are actually coming in the door, predictably, without you grinding for them.

That's a system too, and I break down the whole thing in this short free video.

Watch it free and you'll see the exact 3-step asset that turns attention into booked clients on repeat, without ads, without DMs, and without another discovery call that wears you out.

You'll also get the "Attention Into Sales" Blueprint sent straight to your inbox the moment you confirm that you want it.

TODAY’S SPONSOR

Part of building in public means being honest about how this newsletter actually makes money, and sponsorships are one of those ways. They're also one of the exact revenue streams we teach our own clients to build, so it's only right that I use them myself and show you how it works.

I run Scalable Clients on Beehiiv, and one of the reasons is that they connect newsletters like this one with sponsors who pay to put their offer in front of you. Every time you read or click one of these, it helps fund the free work I send you each week.

Here's my promise: I'll only ever run a sponsor I genuinely believe is relevant and helpful to you as you grow and scale your client business. If it can't earn its place, it doesn't go in. With that said, here's today's sponsor.

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THE OPERATOR’S LOG

This is the part nobody shows you, so I will.

Five days ago I launched this newsletter and a blank YouTube channel, both from zero. And the first real revenue is already on the board: a $1,000 deposit on what's shaping up to be a $9,000 one-on-one coaching engagement.

Here's the part I want you to catch, because it's the whole point of this week.

That money didn't come from a funnel. It didn't come from a clever automation or a blast to a brand-new list. It came from one person who booked a call to talk about making their newsletter better, and we had a real conversation.

The sale happened in the relationship layer. The exact layer Wednesday's video told you to guard with your life.

AI didn't make that sale. A conversation did.

It's also not luck, it's the rule. You automate the repeatable middle so you have the time and the energy left for the conversations that actually close. The leverage funds the relationship. The relationship is where the money is.

Starting next week, I’ll be breaking down each week on camera, the real numbers and the honest read on them… But I don’t have the capacity to make that video for week 1, so for now I’ll just give you the written version of what I did …

On Monday, I published my first newsletter issue. I also know that the fastest way to make big money in a client based business, is to sell something expensive… So, I mapped out my brand new 1-1 coaching offer. To be fair, this was pretty easy for me to do, because I’ve ran a 1-1 coaching program for many years so I already had a good idea of what works and what doesn’t.

Tuesday is when I booked the first call with someone that wanted to talk about how I could help them make their newsletter better. We scheduled for Wednesday.

Wednesday, I did 2 things:

1- I had the zoom meeting with the person that booked. I helped them for over an hour and just poured into them, giving as much value as I possibly could in the time we had available. At the end of the call, I made a simple invite to work with me on a 1-1 basis for the next 6 months. It was a pretty easy yes, and I processed the $1,000 deposit to get that ball rolling. (the remaining $8k balance is expected to come in soon, so hopefully you’ll see that on next week’s report)

2- I made a simple post on facebook letting people know that I had launched this new newsletter. I posted the link to subscribe in the comments. So far, that’s where these initial subscribers are coming in from. Next week, I’ll be turning on my cold outreach ‘growth machine’ so we should also see the newsletter subscriber numbers start to really pick up.

Thursday I actually didn’t do anything on this brand. I had other business stuff that needed my attention. But one of the people that subscribed to the newsletter on Wednesday did reach out and ask me about one of my other services, so that’s where the 2nd lead came from. I’ll let ya know if it turns into anything more.

And today, you’re getting this email.

That’s my week in a nutshell.

Not bad for the first 5 days if you ask me :-)

YOUR MOVE

Open a blank doc and run the two-column exercise on just your delivery layer. Brain-dump the tasks, sort each one into "doesn't need my judgment" or "needs my judgment." Don't build anything yet. Just find your first repeatable task.

Hit reply and tell me: what's the first repeatable task you're going to hand to AI this weekend?

I read every reply, and your answer shapes what I create next.

Thanks for reading today.

BEFORE I SIGN OFF …

#1: Get predictable clients
→ the free Blueprint

#2: Install the system
→ watch the full Masterclass

#3: Build your authority asset
→ the Strategic Newsletter OS

#4: Work with me directly
→ book a time with me here

Enjoy your weekend. I’ll be spending mine with my hottest homie pictured below.

Talk soon,
Justin “taking the weekend off” Glover