Remote First Podcast

Hamza Baig, known as Hamza Automates, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 9 of the HighLevel Speaker Series on The Remote First Podcast.

Hamza found HighLevel on a random viral TikTok in 2021. Before that he was in a call center making 300 dials a day, which taught him objection handling and how to get a point across fast. He white labeled HighLevel as his own software, went door to door when nobody wanted a CRM, and built one of the first ChatGPT chatbots on HighLevel in 2022. Today he has about 250,000 followers, has helped more than 1,500 businesses and 40,000 students, and won HighLevel's Platinum award in 2024 and Diamond the year after.

He explains why talking to your customer is the new moat, what an AI automation agency actually is, and why businesses don't buy AI, they buy outcomes (plus the rise of "AI fatigue"). He shares his niche method: ticket size, lead flow and how reachable the decision maker is, and why you should play the field before you commit to one niche.

Then the twist: why he says AI is making us dumber, why he feels "kind of like Oppenheimer", and how to keep your own thinking as your edge. Athar shares RepStack's rule, use AI but don't trust the AI, and how roles are being redesigned. Hamza closes with a preview of his HighLevel Summit talk: how he runs a Diamond SaaS with one full-time employee and AI agents.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:27 Intro
0:37 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:05 Finding HighLevel on a viral TikTok
3:28 From 300 dials a day to his own software company
4:52 One of the first AI chatbots on HighLevel
6:19 How HighLevel changed since 2021
7:46 Talk to your customer: the new moat
9:38 What is an AI automation agency?
10:50 Businesses don't buy AI, they buy outcomes
13:40 Which businesses are ready for AI
16:13 How to pick your niche
20:49 Is AI making us dumber?
23:19 Use AI, but don't trust the AI
25:45 New AI roles at RepStack
28:00 Hamza at the Summit: a SaaS run by AI agents

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #GoHighLevel #HamzaAutomates #AIAutomation #AIAgency #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth

Dakota Routh, the team behind Agency Support for HighLevel and White Label Suite, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 7 of the HighLevel Speaker Series on The Remote First Podcast.

Dakota started with a HighLevel SaaS in 2020, did his own client onboarding, and was asked by another agency owner to white label it. A few clients later someone asked for support too, and a team of four or five people taking night shifts turned into 24/7 white label support for HighLevel agencies, now about 70 people across several countries.

He explains where onboarding ends and support begins, the 10 to 14 week onboarding program, how they train clients without breaking the white label, and how Wally, their AI agent, handles 67% of support chats before handing off to a human. On culture: "one team, one dream", an eight-week internship that grows their own talent (30 to 40% of interns get an offer), trusting people first and then verifying, and why you often hire 8 to 10 VAs to find one good one.

His view on AI: it won't replace a good employee, it will enhance one, and it is replacing the lazy ones. Plus the biggest mistake new agency owners make, why in-person events still matter, and a preview of his HighLevel Summit talk: the nine steps to closing any deal.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:21 Intro
0:31 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
1:25 From SaaS founder to HighLevel support
2:28 How onboarding turned into 24/7 support
3:50 Where onboarding ends and support begins
4:53 A 10 to 14 week onboarding program
5:54 Training clients without breaking white label
6:51 Wally, the AI that handles support chats
9:07 When the AI hands off to a human
9:55 One team, one dream
11:40 Growing talent with an eight-week internship
15:00 Trust first, then verify
17:05 AI won't replace good employees
20:07 The biggest mistake new agency owners make
23:08 Why in-person events still matter
25:52 His Summit talk: nine steps to close any deal
27:54 See you at the Summit

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #GoHighLevel #DakotaRouth #AgencySupport #WhiteLabel #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth

Whitney Bonds, YouTuber, top 10 HighLevel affiliate and founder of SiteMaster Pro, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 6 of the LevelUp speaker series on The Remote First Podcast.

Whitney shares how HighLevel found her by accident after one AI video, how she runs a big affiliate business with a small part-time remote team (including her mom, who edits her reels), and why she still reads every video off a teleprompter. She is honest about working with family, and Athar explains how the three RepStack brothers keep a one-hour call every Monday so nothing builds up.

Then the story: a 9 to 5, a second baby on the way, a blog for moms that made $5,000 in its first year and over $200,000 the next. Her rule through all of it: trust the process, not the progress. She also explains how a $30,000 January from one YouTuber got her on camera, how an interview with Andy Audate turned into a coaching relationship, and why a four-year-old video about dog treats still ranks first.

Both Athar and Whitney will be at HighLevel's LevelUp summit in Dallas. Whitney will be on stage talking about YouTube content that lasts for years.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:23 Intro
1:18 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:35 How HighLevel found Whitney by accident
5:05 A small, part-time remote team
6:48 Still reading off a teleprompter
8:00 Working with family: I don't recommend it
9:54 Remote culture runs on flexibility
12:40 Kids, plaques and the YouTube life
13:58 From a 9 to 5 to a blog for moms
17:37 Losing Pinterest and finding YouTube
19:09 Small targets, then scale slowly
20:23 Interviewing Andy Audate, then hiring him as a coach
21:50 AI receptionists and a $997 client
23:25 Why sharing your wins helps others
24:05 Her Summit talk: YouTube content that lasts
25:20 Workshops and final words

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #WhitneyBonds #YouTubeTips #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth

Andy Audate, founder of GHL Engine and Progreda, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 5 of the LevelUp speaker series on The Remote First Podcast.

They talk about how one training webinar brought in 150 job applications, how Andy's team turned 40 recorded onboarding calls into a 10-step checklist that any team member can run, why a small vision loses you your best people, and why "remote first" no longer means anything now that the playing field has leveled. Andy also shares how his remote team sells $20K to $40K deals on their own, how an accountant from a nine-figure company rebuilt his finances from the Philippines, and why he flies out every year to give back with his team.

Both Athar and Andy will be at HighLevel's LevelUp summit in Dallas. Andy will be on stage talking about selling one to many with webinars.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:33 Intro
1:28 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:32 Meet Andy Audate and GHL Engine
3:56 Why webinars, and why live
5:11 150 job applications from one training
8:30 Getting new hires up to speed
10:32 340 buyers and a 10-step onboarding
14:55 Confidence comes from a clipboard
16:11 A vision big enough for your team
19:42 Remote first doesn't mean anything today
21:52 The $120K hire vs. the $40K hire
23:28 What I wish I knew about remote teams
25:36 A nine-figure accountant, hired remotely
29:22 Why we give back in the Philippines
33:33 LevelUp 2026 and final words

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #GHLEngine #RemoteWork #AgencyGrowth

Declan O'Reilly, the GHL Wizard, joins Athar Siddiqui for episode 4 of the LevelUp speaker series on The Remote First Podcast.

Declan started out recording GoHighLevel training videos for his own team. Those videos grew into a 42,000 subscriber YouTube channel, a community of 5,000 affiliates and the number one spot as a GoHighLevel affiliate. They talk about turning a team from mercenary to missionary, why he still shows up live for his students every week, how he keeps every training up to date, and why automation and AI should come last, not first.

Both Athar and Declan will be at HighLevel's Level Up summit in Dallas, October 26 to 29.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:17 Intro
1:12 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
1:53 Meet Declan O'Reilly, the GHL Wizard
2:39 From mercenary to missionary
3:51 One team, one time zone
4:56 Incentives that keep a team driven
6:55 Becoming the #1 HighLevel affiliate
8:28 The one thing: student results
10:32 Who earns the free clients
12:10 Why he still shows up live
15:06 Keeping trainings up to date
18:05 Workshops and the daily cycle
20:04 A community of 5,000 affiliates
21:44 AI vs. humans
24:18 Automation and AI come last
27:00 The robe and final words

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #GoHighLevel #GHLWizard #AIAutomation

Yesenia Nelson, co-founder of 7 Figure Agency and Plumbing HVAC SEO, joins Athar Siddiqui for the second episode of the HighLevel speaker series on The Remote First Podcast.

They talk about running two multi-million dollar businesses with her husband Josh, moving a whole company from an office to fully remote, hiring people who are obsessed with what they do, what agency owners really worry about when hiring overseas, and why AI is empowering teams rather than replacing them.

Both Athar and Yesenia will be at HighLevel's Level Up summit in Dallas, October 26 to 29.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:25 Intro
1:19 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:13 Meet Yesenia Nelson
3:42 Working with family
7:48 From office to remote
11:21 Culture across the globe
15:34 Trust and tracking remote teams
17:29 Hire people who are obsessed
21:05 What agency owners worry about
23:20 Growth paths for global teams
24:59 Why in-person events matter
26:50 English, drive and A players
28:51 AI vs. humans
33:32 AI has to tie to profit
34:28 Level Up Dallas
36:05 Final words

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #7FigureAgency #DigitalMarketingAgency #RemoteWork

Chris Dillon wrote HighLevel's official WhatsApp course, has spoken for HighLevel in India and the Philippines, and is back on stage at Level Up in Dallas (October 26-29). On The Remote First Podcast, Athar Siddiqui sits down with Chris to talk about what 20 years as a football referee taught him about people, why automation should support humans rather than replace them, the detail most people miss in Alex Hormozi's speed-to-lead story, and why you should sell the outcome, not the software.

The Remote First Podcast is RepStack's LevelUp Speaker Series: conversations with the people speaking at Level Up about culture, building teams, client relationships and honest sales.

Chapters
0:00 Highlights
0:24 Intro
1:20 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
2:41 Chris Dillon, HighLevel & WhatsApp
4:58 A lifelong QPR fan
7:51 What refereeing taught Chris about people
10:47 Leads are real people
12:32 You're one conversation away
14:26 Business is person to person
16:11 Automation should support humans
17:21 The London Underground lesson
19:54 Be detached from the outcome
23:15 The 5 or 10 minute train
23:47 The flaw in the speed-to-lead story
26:28 Chris's book: No One Gives a Sh*t About Your Business
29:03 What hospitals get right
31:29 Open the floodgates
32:55 Airport toilets & honest feedback
34:58 Desire paths
36:29 GaryVee's wine shop
37:48 Where attention lives: WhatsApp
39:34 Sell the outcome, not HighLevel
40:47 Believe in your product
41:51 Chris's Level Up Dallas talk
44:22 Networking without the sales pitch
46:44 Three days of sales pitches
48:28 Ethical sales & the 5 W's
51:56 Final words

ABOUT THE GUEST
Chris Dillon: author of HighLevel's official WhatsApp course, of Marketing Autopilots, and author of "No One Gives a Sh*t About Your Business".

ABOUT REPSTACK
RepStack (Inc. 5000, 2025 and 2026) builds remote teams for agencies. https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirstPodcast #RepStack #HighLevel #GoHighLevel #WhatsAppMarketing #LevelUp2026 #AtharSiddiqui #ChrisDillon #SalesTips #AgencyGrowth

Lisa Catto, CEO of The Business Catalyst and known as the Queen of Automations, joins Athar Siddiqui for the HighLevel Speaker Series on The Remote First Podcast.

Lisa's first tech business in the mid 1990s put brands inside computer games: Coca-Cola over the Olympic stadium, Adidas stripes in FIFA and Gran Turismo, and a role-playing game for Unilever's Peperami. She retired to the south of France in her mid-30s, came back in 2011, trained on Infusionsoft and moved to HighLevel in 2022.

She walks through her ideal customer journey: three phases (prospecting, conversion, fulfilment), nine steps and 54 checkpoints, and why "prescription without diagnosis is malpractice". Her advice: start simple, build in Lego blocks, and fix the broken sales process before you push new leads into it.

On team and culture: a team of seven, a daily 9 a.m. drop-in so she is never the bottleneck, two hours of training every Monday, and a hiring process built on Geoff Smart's book "Who" that tests how people think, not which software they know. Athar shares why the number one reason new hires leave RepStack in the first 90 days is overwhelm, and how clarity fixes it.

Both Lisa and Athar will be at the HighLevel Summit in Dallas, October 26 to 29.

Chapters
0:00 Highlight: fix the broken sales process first
0:28 Intro
0:38 Welcome to the Remote First Podcast
1:34 Putting brands inside 90s video games
3:17 Retiring in her mid-30s, then automation
4:25 Digital marketing before the internet
5:58 The Lara Croft pitch Adidas turned down
7:31 What The Business Catalyst does
8:24 Be a specialist, not a generalist
9:52 The ideal customer journey: 54 checkpoints
13:33 Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice
15:14 Don't scale chaos, scale clarity
16:50 Corporate brands vs small business: know the outcome
17:43 Snapshots, Lego blocks and documentation
18:50 Start simple: fix the broken sales process first
20:05 Why new hires quit in the first 90 days
21:06 Hiring for how people think, not skills
22:34 The "Who" hiring method and AI in applications
24:34 Daily drop-ins: culture is a routine
26:24 Training the team so she can step back
28:13 An autonomous team with clear rules
29:02 American vs British clients
31:10 Thanks, and see you in Dallas

Hire pre-vetted remote talent: https://repstack.co

#RemoteFirst #RepStack #HighLevel #LisaCatto #Automation #CustomerJourney #AgencyGrowth

In this episode of The Remote-First Podcast, Yawar sits down with Salahuddin, a high-performing media buyer at RepStack, to talk about his journey from Pakistan to the UAE, his decision to return home for family, and how he found RepStack through Instagram.

Salahuddin opens up about the reality of remote work, from adjusting to night shifts and working with US clients to navigating performance expectations, time tracking, AI adoption, and professional growth. He also shares what makes remote work different from traditional office environments, why integrity matters more than ever, and how working with the right client can completely change your career trajectory.

This episode is a grounded, honest look at what it really takes to succeed in a remote-first environment. It is not about shortcuts. It is about professionalism, consistency, adaptability, and being honest with yourself, your CV, your interviews, and your work.
In this episode, we discuss:
 Finding RepStack Remote
 Meet Salahuddin
 Early Life and Education
 Digital Ads Spark
 Agency Career Path
 UAE Move and Return
 Adjusting to Remote Nights
 Work Setup and Culture
 US Client Work Differences
 Professionalism and Integrity
 Transparency and No Toxicity
 Hiring and Learning Mindset
 Learning GHL Fast
 Time Tracking Debate
 Remote Work Lifestyle
 Home Boundaries
 Media Buyer Toolstack
 AI In The Workflow
 Remote Work Myths
 Five Year Vision
 RepStack Growth Stories
 Integrity And Shoutouts
 Advice For New Hires
 Closing Thoughts
00:00 Finding RepStack Remote
01:08 Meet Salahuddin
01:21 Early Life and Education
02:52 Digital Ads Spark
03:15 Agency Career Path
03:48 UAE Move and Return
06:39 Adjusting to Remote Nights
07:56 Work Setup and Culture
09:43 US Client Work Differences
10:10 Professionalism and Integrity
11:55 Transparency and No Toxicity
13:21 Hiring and Learning Mindset
14:42 Learning GHL Fast
15:36 Time Tracking Debate
17:56 Remote Work Lifestyle

“Be honest to yourself. Be honest to your CV. Be honest when you are interviewed.”

🔗 Connect with RepStack:
📍 www.linkedin.com/company/repstackco
📍   / repstackco 
📍 www.facebook.com/repstackco
📍 www.tiktok.com/@repstackco

Discover how to build, scale, and sustain a multi-million dollar remote business in today’s digital-first world. In this episode, we dive deep into the strategies, mindset, and systems behind building a $50M remote business.
Our guest shares real insights on scaling operations, leading global teams, and navigating the challenges of remote entrepreneurship. From early struggles to massive growth, this conversation breaks down what it truly takes to succeed at a high level.
🚀 What You’ll Learn:
How to build and scale a remote business from scratch
Key systems behind a $50M operation
Hiring and managing global teams effectively
The mindset required for long-term success
Mistakes to avoid when scaling fast
🔗 Connect with RepStack:
📍   / repstackco 
📍   / repstackco 
📍   / repstackco 
📍   / repstackco