# Signing $200,000 of AI Agency Deals in 7 Days Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT6VYWzvTho Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/BT6VYWzvTho Generated: 2025-08-29T14:35:50.621+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Morningside AI signed over $200,000 in new AI agency deals within a single week by focusing on development projects with existing clients and introducing new sales strategies, including the hiring of a BDR and transitioning to HubSpot CRM. **Key Points:** - Morningside AI secured over $200,000 in new deals within seven days, primarily through development projects with an NRL team and a major real estate company. - The NRL team deal started at $10,000 USD for an exploration phase and is projected to grow to $80-90,000 USD for phase one, focusing on AI to help win games. - The real estate company deal, involving contract generation via voice agents, began with a $5,000 USD exploration phase and has since expanded, with a new statement of work at $300,000 USD. - The agency is shifting its strategy to focus on fewer, larger clients, aiming for minimum development contracts of $100,000 USD and consulting engagements that prove ROI. - Morningside AI has implemented new operational changes, including hiring a Business Development Representative (BDR) and adopting HubSpot CRM to manage leads and sales processes. - The team is also testing 'Proof of Concept' (PC) engagements with minimums of $20,000 USD for 2-4 week projects to build relationships and demonstrate value before larger commitments. - The founders emphasize that understanding the technology and connecting business needs with AI solutions, rather than specific tools, is key to closing deals. **Context:** The video follows the co-founders of Morningside AI, Liam and Josh, as they discuss their recent business successes and operational changes. Having recently returned to New Zealand and moved out of their physical office, they are currently operating remotely. The discussion centers on their strategy for securing significant AI development and consulting deals, highlighting the challenges and successes of working with large clients. ## Detailed Analysis Morningside AI achieved over $200,000 in new deals within a week, focusing on development projects with an NRL team and a large US real estate company. The NRL deal, initiated through the head coach, involved an initial $10,000 USD exploration phase for AI to improve game strategy, with phase one projected at $80-90,000 USD. The real estate client, the second largest by sales volume in the US, engaged Morningside AI for contract generation using voice agents, starting with a $5,000 USD exploration and evolving into a $300,000 USD statement of work. The agency is refining its strategy to target fewer, larger clients, setting a minimum of $100,000 USD for development projects and prioritizing those with clear ROI potential within 3-4 months. They are also implementing 'Proof of Concept' (PC) engagements, starting at $20,000 USD for 2-4 weeks, to demonstrate value and build trust before larger commitments. Operationally, Morningside AI has hired a BDR to handle lead vetting and initial calls, transitioning to HubSpot CRM for better lead management, which frees up the founders to focus on higher-level strategy and closing deals. They stress the importance of understanding the client's business problems and the capabilities of AI technology, rather than focusing on specific development tools, to effectively close deals and drive business value. ### Key Deals Signed - NRL team deal valued at $10k USD exploration, growing to $80-90k USD for phase one development; Real estate company deal started at $5k USD exploration, now $300k USD for contract generation via voice agents - Focus on High-Value Projects: Minimum $100k USD for development, prioritizing clear ROI within 3-4 months - New Client Engagement Model: Testing 'Proof of Concept' (PC) engagements ($20k USD minimum for 2-4 weeks) to demonstrate value and build relationships - Operational Enhancements: Hired a BDR to manage lead qualification and initial calls; Migrated to HubSpot CRM for improved lead management - Strategic Shift: Moving from numerous small projects to a focus on fewer, larger, long-term client relationships - Core Sales Philosophy: Emphasizing understanding business problems and AI's potential impact over specific tools to secure deals - Client Acquisition Process: Deals often start with exploration phases to validate functionality and identify use cases, leading to larger development contracts - Agency Structure Changes: Moving away from physical office space to a remote setup; Scaling the team based on secured projects ### Deal Breakdown - NRL Team (AI for game strategy) - Initial Exploration: $10,000 USD - Phase One Projection: $80,000 - $90,000 USD - Real Estate Company (AI for contract generation via voice) - Initial Exploration: $5,000 USD - New Statement of Work: $300,000 USD - Minimum Project Value: Development projects start at $100,000 USD; PC engagements start at $20,000 USD for 2-4 weeks - Sales Process: Exploration phases test functionality and identify use cases; Consulting engagements identify AI opportunities; Development projects implement solutions - Operational Updates: Hire of a BDR; Transition to HubSpot CRM - Strategic Focus: Fewer, larger clients; Demonstrating proven value and ROI - Key Success Factor: Understanding client business needs and AI's strategic application ### Client Acquisition Strategy - Morningside AI secures deals by focusing on client needs and demonstrating AI's value through phased approaches, starting with exploration and potentially leading to larger development contracts. - Deal Value & Growth: The agency signed over $200,000 in deals within a week, with an NRL team ($10k initial, $80-90k projected) and a real estate firm ($5k initial, $300k SOW) being key clients. - Operational Improvements: Key changes include hiring a BDR for lead management and adopting HubSpot CRM, streamlining the sales pipeline and freeing up founder time. - New Service Offering: Introduction of 'Proof of Concept' (PC) engagements ($20k minimum) as a shorter-term, value-demonstrating service for clients hesitant about larger commitments. - Agency Strategy Evolution: A shift towards fewer, high-value clients and longer-term relationships, with a minimum threshold of $100k for development projects. - Importance of Business Acumen: The founders highlight that understanding business problems and the strategic application of AI is more critical for closing deals than technical tool proficiency. - Client Engagement Model: The agency uses exploration phases to test functionality and identify use cases, which can expand into multiple contracts and further opportunities, as seen with the real estate client. - Office Situation: Morningside AI is currently operating remotely after moving out of their previous office space, with plans to find a new, custom-designed warehouse location. ### Client Acquisition - Signed $200,000+ in deals within 7 days, focusing on development projects for an NRL team and a large real estate company. - NRL Deal Details: Initial $10k exploration, projected to grow to $80-90k for phase one AI development to improve game strategy. - Real Estate Deal Details: Started with $5k exploration for AI contract generation via voice, now a $300k statement of work. - Strategic Shift: Minimum $100k for development projects; focusing on fewer, larger clients and demonstrating ROI. - Operational Changes: Hired a BDR; adopted HubSpot CRM; testing 'Proof of Concept' (PC) engagements ($20k minimum) for value demonstration. - Sales Philosophy: Understanding business problems and AI's strategic application is key to closing deals, not just technical tool knowledge. - Agency Operations: Currently remote after vacating office; seeking a new custom warehouse space. ### New Deals Signed - Morningside AI secured over $200,000 in new AI agency deals within a single week, primarily through development projects with an NRL team and a major US real estate company. - NRL Client Engagement: The deal with an NRL team, initiated by the head coach, began with a $10,000 USD exploration phase and is projected to grow to $80-90,000 USD for phase one AI development focused on enhancing game strategy. - Real Estate Client Engagement: A deal with the second-largest US real estate company by volume, involving AI for contract generation via voice agents, started with a $5,000 USD exploration and has since expanded to a $300,000 USD statement of work. - Evolving Agency Strategy: The agency is shifting to focus on fewer, higher-value clients, setting a minimum of $100,000 USD for development projects and prioritizing those with demonstrable ROI within 3-4 months. - Operational Improvements: Morningside AI has hired a Business Development Representative (BDR) to manage lead qualification and initial client calls, and has transitioned to HubSpot CRM for enhanced lead management. - Introduction of PC Engagements: The agency is testing 'Proof of Concept' (PC) engagements with a $20,000 USD minimum for 2-4 week projects to build client relationships and prove ROI before larger commitments. - Core Sales Insight: The founders emphasize that understanding clients' business problems and the strategic application of AI technology, rather than technical tool proficiency, is crucial for closing deals.