You Don’t Need to Be an Expert to Launch a New Service
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Two weeks ago, one of our existing clients came to us with a problem. It wasn’t something we normally offer. At first, I referred them to a few other providers but none of those options worked out. So I asked myself a question: Could we solve this problem? After a bit of thinking, a bit of research, and a quick sniff test, I realized—yes. We could. So I pitched it. I told them we could help, shared a price, and they said yes. From there, it was a race to go from zero to a fully launched service in just two weeks. And, by god, I think we pulled it off! Here’s how (and why you probably can too). Step 1: Prove the concept firstBefore I committed, I needed to know if we could actually deliver. So I brain dumped everything I thought would go into the service. Then I used ChatGPT to fill in the gaps and stress-test my thinking. The result? A fully mapped out step-by-step blueprint of the service:
Was it perfect? 100% no. But it was enough to know we had a good shot at being able to do this—and improve as we went. Step 2: Build systems, not superheroesNow to figure out who was going to actually execute this work. Most people make the mistake of thinking they need to hire an expert in the space. But if you’ve been following along for a while, you know that’s not my approach. In the Micro-Agency Launchpad course, I talk about this idea a lot: Don’t rely on talent to get good results. Build systems that produce them regardless of who is executing. In other words, I didn’t need a unicorn. I needed a solid system. So I identified a team member who didn’t have direct experience with this service but who I trusted to execute—if I set her up with the right framework. Step 3: Define the scope clearlyWhen you’re delivering something new, vagueness is your enemy. You don’t know what you don’t know. The client doesn’t know what to expect. So I mapped out:
This wasn’t just for them—it was for me. It created a safety net. If they had expectations we weren’t meeting, they had the chance to speak up early instead of being quietly disappointed later on. This proved to be extremely helpful. Step 4: Use modern tools to your advantageHere’s the truth: The barrier to entry for offering new services has never been lower. You don’t need to be a world-class video editor to create high-quality clips—tools like Descript and CapCut make incredibly simple. You don’t need to be a professional designer to make beautiful assets in Canva. You don’t even need deep expertise to draft new processes—AI can help you build them in literally hours. When you combine these tools with a clear process, I believe this is more than enough to confidently step into new territory without being “the expert” on day one. Step 5: Deliver and iterateWe just delivered our first batch of deliverables to the client, and they were really happy. Did they have notes and feedback? Yes. But that’s exactly what we want. From here, we’ll continue to learn and continue to refine our processes. Each time, improving our quality of service. Will we have roadbumps and chaos? Yes. Agency life is never perfectly smooth. But we went from idea to an extra $10,000/month in recurring revenue in two weeks. And in my book, that’s a win. The takeawayMy point here is, most of you are capable of way more than you think. Opportunities to expand your services are everywhere—especially with existing clients. Half of our revenue has come from solving problems clients didn’t even expect us to solve. And you don’t have to be the best in the world to take on those opportunities. You just have to:
The clients who need your help don’t care if you’re the top expert in the field. They care if you can get the job done. Stay open. Stay scrappy. That’s how you grow. — Shane |