Build an AI Agent (From Scratch) — Custom Automation for Developer-Owners

Stop paying hundreds per month for pre-built AI tools—learn to build custom agents that solve your exact business problems for a fraction of the cost.

What It Does for Your Business

This comprehensive guide teaches you how to architect, build, and deploy AI agents from the ground up without relying on expensive third-party platforms. Whether you're automating customer service, lead qualification, inventory management, or internal workflows, you'll gain the technical knowledge to create agents tailored to your small business's unique needs. No more shoehorning your processes into generic software—you'll build exactly what your business requires.

The book walks you through real-world implementation using practical code examples and proven architectural patterns. You'll learn how to add memory so agents remember customer history, implement planning systems so agents break down complex tasks, and coordinate multiple agents working together. For small business owners with technical founders or developer employees, this means turning a $50 book investment into hundreds of dollars in monthly SaaS savings.

Key Features

• Tools and Function Calling — Enable your AI agents to integrate with your existing business software, CRM, payment systems, and databases in ways pre-built tools can't match
• Memory Systems — Build agents that learn customer preferences, remember past interactions, and maintain conversation context across sessions for better personalization
• Planning and Reasoning — Create agents that break down multi-step business processes, make decisions autonomously, and handle complex workflows without constant human intervention
• Multi-Agent Coordination — Design systems where multiple specialized agents collaborate—one handles sales inquiries, another manages support, another processes orders—working together seamlessly
• Practical Code Examples — Real implementation patterns you can deploy immediately in your small business instead of learning abstract theory
• Deployment Guidance — Instructions for getting your custom agents into production on your own infrastructure or cloud service

Best For

E-commerce businesses automating order processing and customer inquiry responses; digital agencies building custom solutions for clients; SaaS startups needing intelligent customer support; professional services firms (accountants, consultants, agencies) automating intake and follow-up; and small businesses with technical co-founders who want to eliminate recurring SaaS subscriptions. Any small business spending $100+ monthly on multiple AI tools should evaluate whether a custom agent could consolidate these costs.

Pricing

One-time book purchase starting at approximately $45-65 USD depending on format (paperback, ebook, or video bundle available through Manning Publications).

Business ROI

A small business typically pays $50-500 monthly across multiple AI tools (ChatGPT subscriptions, automation platforms, customer service bots). After investing 20-30 hours to build your first custom agent following this guide, you can eliminate 2-3 monthly subscriptions immediately, saving $60-150 monthly or $720-1,800 annually. For businesses needing 3-5 specialized agents, the annual savings exceed $3,000. The time your team saves automating repetitive tasks—customer onboarding, lead qualification, order confirmations—translates to 5-10 billable hours recovered weekly for revenue-generating work.