Hamza Baig, known as Hamza Automates, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 9 of the HighLevel Speaker Series on The Remote First Podcast.

Hamza found HighLevel on a random viral TikTok in 2021. Before that he was in a call center making 300 dials a day, which taught him objection handling and how to get a point across fast. He white labeled HighLevel as his own software, went door to door when nobody wanted a CRM, and built one of the first ChatGPT chatbots on HighLevel in 2022. Today he has about 250,000 followers, has helped more than 1,500 businesses and 40,000 students, and won HighLevel's Platinum award in 2024 and Diamond the year after.

He explains why talking to your customer is the new moat, what an AI automation agency actually is, and why businesses don't buy AI, they buy outcomes (plus the rise of "AI fatigue"). He shares his niche method: ticket size, lead flow and how reachable the decision maker is, and why you should play the field before you commit to one niche.

Then the twist: why he says AI is making us dumber, why he feels "kind of like Oppenheimer", and how to keep your own thinking as your edge. Athar shares RepStack's rule, use AI but don't trust the AI, and how roles are being redesigned. Hamza closes with a preview of his HighLevel Summit talk: how he runs a Diamond SaaS with one full-time employee and AI agents.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:27 Intro
0:37 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:05 Finding HighLevel on a viral TikTok
3:28 From 300 dials a day to his own software company
4:52 One of the first AI chatbots on HighLevel
6:19 How HighLevel changed since 2021
7:46 Talk to your customer: the new moat
9:38 What is an AI automation agency?
10:50 Businesses don't buy AI, they buy outcomes
13:40 Which businesses are ready for AI
16:13 How to pick your niche
20:49 Is AI making us dumber?
23:19 Use AI, but don't trust the AI
25:45 New AI roles at RepStack
28:00 Hamza at the Summit: a SaaS run by AI agents

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #GoHighLevel #HamzaAutomates #AIAutomation #AIAgency #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth

Dakota Routh, the team behind Agency Support for HighLevel and White Label Suite, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 7 of the HighLevel Speaker Series on The Remote First Podcast.

Dakota started with a HighLevel SaaS in 2020, did his own client onboarding, and was asked by another agency owner to white label it. A few clients later someone asked for support too, and a team of four or five people taking night shifts turned into 24/7 white label support for HighLevel agencies, now about 70 people across several countries.

He explains where onboarding ends and support begins, the 10 to 14 week onboarding program, how they train clients without breaking the white label, and how Wally, their AI agent, handles 67% of support chats before handing off to a human. On culture: "one team, one dream", an eight-week internship that grows their own talent (30 to 40% of interns get an offer), trusting people first and then verifying, and why you often hire 8 to 10 VAs to find one good one.

His view on AI: it won't replace a good employee, it will enhance one, and it is replacing the lazy ones. Plus the biggest mistake new agency owners make, why in-person events still matter, and a preview of his HighLevel Summit talk: the nine steps to closing any deal.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:21 Intro
0:31 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
1:25 From SaaS founder to HighLevel support
2:28 How onboarding turned into 24/7 support
3:50 Where onboarding ends and support begins
4:53 A 10 to 14 week onboarding program
5:54 Training clients without breaking white label
6:51 Wally, the AI that handles support chats
9:07 When the AI hands off to a human
9:55 One team, one dream
11:40 Growing talent with an eight-week internship
15:00 Trust first, then verify
17:05 AI won't replace good employees
20:07 The biggest mistake new agency owners make
23:08 Why in-person events still matter
25:52 His Summit talk: nine steps to close any deal
27:54 See you at the Summit

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #GoHighLevel #DakotaRouth #AgencySupport #WhiteLabel #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth

Whitney Bonds, YouTuber, top 10 HighLevel affiliate and founder of SiteMaster Pro, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 6 of the LevelUp speaker series on The Remote First Podcast.

Whitney shares how HighLevel found her by accident after one AI video, how she runs a big affiliate business with a small part-time remote team (including her mom, who edits her reels), and why she still reads every video off a teleprompter. She is honest about working with family, and Athar explains how the three RepStack brothers keep a one-hour call every Monday so nothing builds up.

Then the story: a 9 to 5, a second baby on the way, a blog for moms that made $5,000 in its first year and over $200,000 the next. Her rule through all of it: trust the process, not the progress. She also explains how a $30,000 January from one YouTuber got her on camera, how an interview with Andy Audate turned into a coaching relationship, and why a four-year-old video about dog treats still ranks first.

Both Athar and Whitney will be at HighLevel's LevelUp summit in Dallas. Whitney will be on stage talking about YouTube content that lasts for years.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:23 Intro
1:18 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:35 How HighLevel found Whitney by accident
5:05 A small, part-time remote team
6:48 Still reading off a teleprompter
8:00 Working with family: I don't recommend it
9:54 Remote culture runs on flexibility
12:40 Kids, plaques and the YouTube life
13:58 From a 9 to 5 to a blog for moms
17:37 Losing Pinterest and finding YouTube
19:09 Small targets, then scale slowly
20:23 Interviewing Andy Audate, then hiring him as a coach
21:50 AI receptionists and a $997 client
23:25 Why sharing your wins helps others
24:05 Her Summit talk: YouTube content that lasts
25:20 Workshops and final words

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #WhitneyBonds #YouTubeTips #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth