Yesterday, something incredible happened.

The Agent J community crossed 500 members—500 people learning AI automation, building workflows, and transforming how they work.

When I started this journey 6 months ago as a non-technical product manager with zero automation knowledge, I never imagined I'd be here:

But here's the truth: I did it the hard way.

And if I could start over, I'd do it completely differently.

Six months ago, I was drowning in corporate meetings, manual work, and burnout.

Every DM response, every lead follow-up, every content idea—it all required MY time and MY energy.

I knew AI and automation were the future, but I had no idea where to start.

So I made a decision that seemed bold at the time: I quit my stable corporate job to go all-in on learning AI automation.

No backup plan. No safety net. Just pure commitment to figuring it out.

Looking back? I wouldn't recommend it.

The financial stress was real. The imposter syndrome was crushing. The uncertainty kept me up at night.

I got lucky that things worked out. But most people who take that leap don't.

Once I committed, I went deep—really deep.

Within 6 months, I transformed my entire life:

Scaled My LinkedIn Presence From 1,000 to 20,000+ followers using automated content systems, engagement workflows, and systematic posting strategies.

Built a Lead Generation Machine 15,000+ leads captured and nurtured through automated sequences. No more manual DMs. No more burnout.

Productized My Systems Into SaaS

Closed Real Revenue $60K+ from consulting, SaaS subscriptions, and productized services—all managed by automated workflows.

Built Agent J Community Now at 500+ members learning AI automation, building their own systems, and transforming their businesses.

And I did it all solo. No co-founder. No full-time team. Just me and my army of 100+ AI agents.

Here's what people don't understand: I'm not working harder. I'm working smarter.

I run everything with over 100 AI automation workflows that work 24/7/365:

While I'm sleeping, my AI agents are:

This is how a solo founder competes with teams of 10+.

I'm not superhuman. I'm just automated.

Here's the honest truth about my journey:

The risk I took was unnecessary.

Yes, I got results. Yes, it worked out. But it didn't have to be that hard.

If I could go back and do it all over again, here's exactly what I'd do differently:

This approach would've gotten me to the same place—but with less stress, less risk, and more security.

AI keeps coming up at work, but you still don't get it?

That's exactly why 1M+ professionals working at Google, Meta, and OpenAI read Superhuman AI daily.

Here's what you get:

Join 1M+ pros

The Agent J community isn't about quitting your job and going all-in like I did.

It's about learning valuable skills that give you leverage, options, and freedom.

Real members. Real results:

Guilherme Samora solved a complex CRM automation issue using LLMs: "It worked!! Thanks @John Peslar, I appreciate the tip! Weekly calls are in my calendar!"

He was stuck on a customer interview automation workflow. After one weekly call, he debugged it and got it working.

Andrew Mungall after just two weekly calls: "I've been to two sessions over the past couple of weeks, and even with just those two calls, I've picked up some really valuable insights. If you're serious about getting into AI automation, this is a great opportunity to learn stuff that'll save you time and money, plus help you build your skills way faster than going at it alone."

"It's also a perfect chance to ask about any issues you're running into with your workflows and get answers right there on the call."

"One thing I really appreciate is that @John Peslar started from scratch just like many of us—he built his expertise step by step, so he gets where we're coming from."

Andrew isn't trying to quit his job. He's learning AI automation on the side to increase his value and build leverage.

That's the right approach.

Here's what I see constantly:

People consume endless content about automation but never actually build anything.

They watch tutorials. They save posts. They bookmark resources.

But they never open n8n. They never build a workflow. They never ship something.

You can't learn automation by reading about it.

You have to get your hands dirty. Build workflows. Break things. Debug. Iterate.

That's the only way to develop real skills.

To celebrate hitting 500 members in Agent J, I'm giving away the playbook I wish I had when I started:

This is my personal roadmap—the exact path I took from zero to $60K in 6 months.

But more importantly, it's the path I would take TODAY if I had to start over with a full-time job and limited time.

Inside this 14-page playbook, you'll learn:

→ How to become an AI automation freelancer (even with zero technical background and a full-time job)
→ The step-by-step process for developing a profitable niche (don't try to serve everyone—specialize and charge premium rates)
→ Exactly how to land your first 3-5 clients (without quitting your job or spending money on ads)
→ How to productize your workflows into recurring revenue (turn one-time projects into monthly retainers)
→ The automation frameworks that actually generate income (not toy projects—real business solutions)
→ Why you DON'T need to start an agency (freelancing as a solo operator is more profitable and less stressful)
→ Real examples and templates you can copy (don't start from scratch—use proven frameworks)

This is the guide that would've changed everything for me.

It would've saved me:

If you're currently working a corporate job and want to learn AI automation on the side, this playbook is for you.

If you're burned out and looking for a path to more freedom and leverage, this playbook is for you.

If you're non-technical but fascinated by automation, this playbook is for you.

Download "How to Sell AI Workflows (Without Starting an Agency)" →

Agent J isn't a passive content library. It's where we BUILD together.

Here's what you get when you join:

And it's completely free to join.

No upsells. No hidden fees. No bait-and-switch.

Just real value, real builders, and real community.

Join Agent J at skool.com/agent-j →

If I had to start over today with a full-time job, here's exactly what I'd do:

Month 1: Learn the Basics

Month 2: Pick a Niche

Month 3: Land First Client

Month 4-6: Scale to $5K/Month

Month 7-9: Build Recurring Revenue

Month 10-12: Make the Transition Decision

This is the path I would take. This is the path I recommend.

You don't need to take the risk I took.

You can build this on the side, de-risk the transition, and create real leverage in your life.

Here's what I wish someone had told me before I started:

You don't need to quit your job to learn automation (I did—it was unnecessarily risky)

You don't need to be technical (I wasn't when I started—I learned as I built)

You don't need a team (automation IS your team when designed correctly)

You don't need months of preparation (start building this weekend and ship something)

You just need to start.

The biggest mistake isn't starting wrong. It's not starting at all.

Here's what to do right now:

Step 1: Download the playbook at this link

Step 2: Join Agent J at skool.com/agent-j

Step 3: Attend next week's live call (check the community for schedule)

Step 4: Build your first workflow this weekend

Step 5: Share your progress on LinkedIn (build in public = attract opportunities)

You have the playbook. You have the community. You have everything you need.

The only question is: will you take action?

The opportunity in AI automation is massive right now. The demand is exploding. The tools are accessible. The barrier to entry is lower than ever.

But most people will consume this content, feel inspired for 24 hours, and then do nothing.

Don't be most people.

Download the playbook. Join the community. Start building.

Let's automate your future together—the smart way, the safe way, the profitable way.

I'll see you in Agent J.

—John

P.S. - The weekly calls are where the real transformation happens. Last week we built a CRM automation that books meetings on autopilot. This week we're diving into advanced prompt engineering for AI agents. Join us at skool.com/agent-j and bring your questions.