What's the actual cost of running AI agents?

Core AI costs: Claude Pro $20/month. n8n Cloud starts free. Make.com starts free. OpenAI API: $5-50/month depending on volume. Total for a basic agent stack: $50-150/month. Compare that to one part-time hire at $1,500-3,000/month.

What's the realistic time savings for a solo founder?

Documented results from founders using agent stacks: 5-10 hours/week saved on content. 3-5 hours/week on email and communications. 2-4 hours/week on research and reporting. That's 10-20 hours/week — equivalent to a half-time employee for $100/month.

What are the hidden costs and risks?

Risk 1: Setup time (expect 10-20 hours upfront to build your first stack). Risk 2: Quality review (you must check outputs, especially early on). Risk 3: Prompt drift (agents degrade without maintenance). These are manageable but real.

When are AI agents NOT worth it for a small business?

If your work is highly relationship-dependent, deeply creative, or requires in-person presence — AI agents add friction, not value. Also avoid if you're pre-product-market-fit; don't automate a process you're still figuring out.

What's the first agent a small business should build?

Build a content repurposing agent first. It requires zero customer-facing risk, produces immediate value (more posts from less writing), and teaches you how agents work. Enzo Duit's full setup guide is at founderwithagents.com.