💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start
A candid conversation with Kia Ghasem about building an AI automation agency at 25 years old, why most AI solutions fail to deliver ROI, the trap of YouTube-dependent lead generation, and how he's pivoting from content creation back to product and service.
🔗 Connect with Kia Ghasem:
Website: https://kamexa.ai/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kia-ghasem
X: https://x.com/KiaxGhasem
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KiaGhasem
🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:
Website: https://markszymanski.co
Facebook: https://mjs.link/FB
Instagram: https://mjs.link/IG
LinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LI
X: https://mjs.link/X
YouTube: https://mjs.link/YT
About the show:
Fueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world.
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪
Host --- Mark Szymanski
Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven (https://elevatedmultimedia.com)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:28 Welcome and Kia's Background
1:06 How Mark Found Kia on YouTube
2:00 Kia's Origin Story - Computer Science to AI
3:45 Getting Started in the AI Agency Space
5:05 The Hard Truth About Early AI Sales
6:42 Finding Solutions That Actually Bring ROI
8:00 When Will AI Agents Actually Work
9:01 Mark's Journey from WordPress to AI
10:41 Working with Overwhelmed Business Owners
13:00 Systems Thinking vs AI Hype
14:06 Personal Branding and The Ecosystem Breakdown
16:26 Building Unintentionally - YouTube, School, Agency
19:07 Why Kia Chose Agency Over Content Creation
20:00 The YouTube Lead Gen Problem
23:02 DIY, DWY, DFY Ladder Explained
24:18 Moving Toward Product
26:06 The Gap - From Uni to Agency
27:55 The 5AM Epiphany That Started Everything
28:02 Did Entrepreneurship Come Naturally
31:49 Social Media and The Comparison Trap
33:33 Content Consumption Strategy
36:01 Does YouTube Still Power the Agency
39:40 Scaling Without Being the Content Guy
41:40 Self-Awareness in Business
43:44 Problem Solving Over Sales
45:03 Team Structure - Staying Lean
46:52 Niching Into Marketing Agencies
49:01 Dealing with Unqualified Leads
52:02 N8N, Code, and Service Delivery Breakdown
57:58 When to Use No-Code vs Custom Software
1:00:03 The 35-Interview Audit Lesson
1:04:01 Three Interviews Is All You Need
1:07:01 Building Community in the AI Space
1:12:03 Will We Go Back to Anonymous Internet
1:15:53 The Future of Content - Live Streaming
1:17:46 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Kia
A candid conversation with Kia Ghasem about building an AI automation agency at 25 years old, why most AI solutions fail to deliver ROI, the trap of YouTube-dependent lead generation, and how he's pivoting from content creation back to product and service.
🔗 Connect with Kia Ghasem:
Website: https://kamexa.ai/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kia-ghasem
X: https://x.com/KiaxGhasem
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KiaGhasem
🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:
Website: https://markszymanski.co
Facebook: https://mjs.link/FB
Instagram: https://mjs.link/IG
LinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LI
X: https://mjs.link/X
YouTube: https://mjs.link/YT
About the show:
Fueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world.
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪
Host --- Mark Szymanski
Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven (https://elevatedmultimedia.com)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:28 Welcome and Kia's Background
1:06 How Mark Found Kia on YouTube
2:00 Kia's Origin Story - Computer Science to AI
3:45 Getting Started in the AI Agency Space
5:05 The Hard Truth About Early AI Sales
6:42 Finding Solutions That Actually Bring ROI
8:00 When Will AI Agents Actually Work
9:01 Mark's Journey from WordPress to AI
10:41 Working with Overwhelmed Business Owners
13:00 Systems Thinking vs AI Hype
14:06 Personal Branding and The Ecosystem Breakdown
16:26 Building Unintentionally - YouTube, School, Agency
19:07 Why Kia Chose Agency Over Content Creation
20:00 The YouTube Lead Gen Problem
23:02 DIY, DWY, DFY Ladder Explained
24:18 Moving Toward Product
26:06 The Gap - From Uni to Agency
27:55 The 5AM Epiphany That Started Everything
28:02 Did Entrepreneurship Come Naturally
31:49 Social Media and The Comparison Trap
33:33 Content Consumption Strategy
36:01 Does YouTube Still Power the Agency
39:40 Scaling Without Being the Content Guy
41:40 Self-Awareness in Business
43:44 Problem Solving Over Sales
45:03 Team Structure - Staying Lean
46:52 Niching Into Marketing Agencies
49:01 Dealing with Unqualified Leads
52:02 N8N, Code, and Service Delivery Breakdown
57:58 When to Use No-Code vs Custom Software
1:00:03 The 35-Interview Audit Lesson
1:04:01 Three Interviews Is All You Need
1:07:01 Building Community in the AI Space
1:12:03 Will We Go Back to Anonymous Internet
1:15:53 The Future of Content - Live Streaming
1:17:46 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Kia