Mom, Here Is Everything I Worked On

Friday, October 2

A real estate idea, a big builder list, and an honest talk with myself

I started at 2 in the morning. I had a new idea: real estate wholesaling in Canada. Wholesaling usually means finding a property and passing the deal to a buyer for a fee. I asked Claude how AI could give me an edge that nobody else has. I also said it had to be halal.

We found out something important right away. In Alberta, you need a real estate licence to market other people's property or to take a fee when a deal closes. I do not have a licence. So we changed the idea. I would find good lots for home builders. I would mail letters to the lot owners in the builder's name. The builder would pay me the same fee every month, not a cut of any sale. That way it stays legal, fair and halal.

We also checked which parts were halal. Flat fees and software are fine. Anything with interest loans or borrowed money, I will ask a scholar first. Claude also reminded me to pay zakat on any money I make from a sale.

Edmonton changed its rules in 2024. Now most house lots can hold up to 8 homes. Using the city's free public data, we found more than 10,000 big lots with small old houses on them. These are the kind of lots a builder wants.

At 3:28 in the morning I asked Claude to argue with me. Why were we chasing the biggest builders? That question was a good one. We moved the biggest companies down the call list, because smaller builders are easier to reach.

Then I said, "start with the builder list." I went to bed, and Claude kept working through the night. It used a free government website that shows who built each new home. By morning I had a Google Sheet (an online spreadsheet) with 271 Edmonton builders, sorted by who to call first. There was also a list of 91 Calgary builders and a list of the 100 best lots.

Claude also made 116 one-page "lot packs". Each pack showed one builder 3 good lots near their own recent homes. We checked every lot with the city. About 25 lots already had building plans, so we swapped them out.

Claude also built me a practice partner called "Dave". Dave is an AI voice that plays a grumpy builder, so I could practise cold calls without fear. I also got a "START HERE" page with my script and plan for the day. Claude gave me good advice about my fear: tell the truth about my background. For example: "I'm not a realtor. I come from AI and data."

At 12:33 pm I asked if I could just email the builders. I said yes, and 10 personal emails went out from my Gmail. Sadly, none of them replied, and one email bounced.

Claude also wrote down a long-term dream for this idea. It is only a plan, not a result. First earn fees, then save profit, then buy lots, then own buildings, and one day sell a software company.

I also asked Claude what Alex Hormozi, a business author I look up to, teaches about reaching new customers. We tried LinkedIn too, but it did not work. The links Claude made were wrong and took me to random people in the United Kingdom. Claude could only confirm 2 builders on LinkedIn before its search tool hit its limit. Claude also made me a new LinkedIn banner, and said to change my location from Toronto to Edmonton.

Late that night I was honest with Claude, and with myself. I said I was lost, that I had not made one dollar online, and that I was scared of cold calling. But I also said I would put in my hardest work. We set rules for 30 days: one offer only, reach out to people every day before noon, always say the price out loud, and no quitting before day 30.

Saturday, October 3

A quiet day

I did not work on my business with Claude on Saturday.

The only thing that happened: my card got declined for $64.60. That was the monthly bill for software from my old AI receptionist business. I had no money on the card. It was a reminder that I really was starting from zero.

Sunday, October 4

I let go of two ideas and started a new business the same day

In the afternoon I said the truth: LinkedIn did not work, and I was not sure builders even needed my help. I asked for real, current research from 2025 and 2026, not guesses. The research showed my gut was right. Builders are busy, but finding land is not their big problem. Their real problems are surprise costs, permits and loans. Claude admitted it had oversold the lot idea.

We had one more idea for builders, a "Lot Check" report that warns about hidden costs before they buy a lot. Claude also made me one-page notes on 5 small builders. Each note said who they are and what they build. I said I could not call someone without knowing who they are. In the end we never tested this idea.

I watched an Alex Hormozi video and took lessons from it. The biggest one: my problem is not my business, it is volume. Almost nobody had heard my offer yet. Claude made me a 90-day plan as a picture. I asked whether to focus on real estate or AI receptionists. At first Claude said receptionists, because my partner Ryan is already in that business.

Then we did a full check of the receptionist business. It was not good. The website needed a lot of fixing. It even had my name spelled wrong. My main sending tool had been broken since September 12. Some demo phone lines were set up wrong. And one electrician had left me a voicemail on September 18 that I still had not returned.

At 4 pm I told Claude plainly, "I have $0." Claude gave me a $0 plan. Part of it was to stop paying for tools I was not using.

So I asked for something new. Every 18-year-old is selling AI receptionists now. Claude suggested I become the "bid department" for small contractors. Here is how it works. The government must post its jobs publicly. These are called tenders. Applying, which is called bidding, means a lot of hard paperwork. Small companies often do not bid because of it.

I would prepare the paperwork for a flat fee, like a tax preparer does. I would never take a percent of their contract.

I know that on Friday I promised myself "one offer only." Two days later I changed. I changed because the research showed builders did not need my offer. This time I picked one new offer and put all my effort into it.

At 4:25 pm I said, let's start today. We found 433 open Alberta government jobs. Then we found something great. Alberta's government website shows which companies clicked "interested" on each job, with a contact name. Those are warm leads. These people are already trying to win government work.

We picked 53 owners of small local companies. We wrote each one a personal email naming their job and their deadline. We set a simple test: if 2 or more of the 53 ask for help, the idea is worth more work.

We also studied competitors. One company online sells almost the same service. Software tools cost $150 to $350 a month. Human bid writers charge $1,295 to $3,500. So I made my offer different. The client pays only after they see and approve the finished bid. They get their money back if the bid is rejected for something I missed. I help only one company per job. I skip jobs for alcohol, gambling and cannabis.

Before sending, I asked Claude to test my email first. The test landed in my inbox, so I said, "Send them." All 53 emails went out between about 5:58 and 6:33 pm. One bounced. The emails did not have a mailing address in them. Canada's anti-spam law asks for one. That was my choice, and getting a PO box is still on my list.

Claude told me not to let Ryan find out about my side ideas later. By that evening I had talked to Ryan about what I was doing.

At 10:42 pm Claude said to put 100% on bids. These leads are warmer, and the work costs me $0. The receptionist leads would go to Ryan. No replies yet that night, which is normal for a Sunday.

Before bed, Claude gave me a plan for Monday. Wake up at 6:15 for Fajr. Then start calls at 8:00. Prayer and lunch were built into the schedule.

Monday, October 5

The first replies, my first yes, and my first website

At 6:11 am the first reply to my emails came in. I had a feeling someone had replied, and I was right. I called him that morning and we had a long talk.

That morning I also watched a Daniel Priestley documentary about AI and starting a business. I asked Claude what to learn from it. The main lesson: prove people will pay before you build anything.

Reading long text is slow for me. I learn better by listening. So Claude built me a private phone app called "Call Coach". I tap a button and it reads my script out loud. It tells me what to say when people push back. It even says each person's name, so I say it right. It has a call button too.

I also got a good answer for when people ask about my background. I say: "I'm not a 20-year bid writer. I build AI systems. I check every line myself, and you pay only after you see it."

At 2:39 pm a second person replied. He owns a commercial cleaning company in Calgary. I called him twice and he did not answer. Then he called me back, and he gave me a verbal yes to $500 for help with a big hospital cleaning bid. I was so happy. I even told Claude, "this business is actually working." My test from Sunday passed: 2 owners had replied and wanted to talk.

But I made a mistake on that call. I said he would only pay if he wins. That was not my offer. If I wait for a win, I could wait months or get nothing. I decided to fix it the same afternoon. I wrote it kindly in an email. He pays after he sees the finished bid and is happy with it, before he sends it to the government.

Then I started cold calling. Claude loaded 39 companies into my CRM, each with a short script. My first calls were mostly no. A roofing company said they do bids themselves. Another cleaning company owner got my offer by text, then said no. One construction owner texted that he was in a meeting and would call me later. He has not called back yet.

I also noticed people thought I was the government giving out contracts. So we changed my opening line to: "Just so it's clear, I'm not the government and I don't give out jobs. I put that whole application together for you."

I asked Claude if following up makes me look less respected. The answer: following up is not begging. Act like a doctor, not a salesman. Every message should give something useful. Stop after 3 tries, and no means no.

Claude also corrected itself. Earlier it said every call is worth $50. Then it said that was too hopeful. Each warm lead is worth about $15 to $25 at first. When I asked if this could be a $1 billion business, the answer was: focus on your first $1,000. I also found a competitor myself, a cheap AI bid-writing tool. I learned the difference. They sell software. I sell finished work done by a real person.

In the evening I opened free accounts on the government bid websites, so I could download the documents myself and stop waiting. Claude read all 19 files for the hospital job and made an 11-page checklist. It showed this was one very big contract. Very big companies came to the buyer's meeting for it. It was not a good fit for a small local company.

I also studied a sales video by Jordan Belfort, the "Wolf of Wall Street." He went to prison for lying to customers. So I only took his tips on how to sound clear and calm. Claude warned me never to use pressure or lies. My call script got shorter and clearer.

On Monday I also agreed to a small part-time side job. It is about 5 hours a week and starts October 12. Claude and I went through the agreement line by line, and I asked for changes. Then I signed it that night.

That night we sent 41 more personal emails, only to companies that had clicked "interested" in the last day or two. Claude also built two new tools. One finds companies that clicked "interested" in the last 2 days. The other turns my call recordings into text, so I can review them.

I also asked for a website and said I had no money for one. Claude built a one-page site called Alberta Bid Help on a free address: albertabidhelp.pages.dev. It went live at 9:12 pm. Later that night, Claude found my photo in my navy suit and put it on the site. The site shows my prices, how it works and a money-back promise. There are no fake reviews on it. Before bed I asked to do more: 100 calls a day, all of Alberta, and then the whole country.

Tuesday, October 6

My first bid client said yes, and my first $250 came in

Late Monday night and after midnight, Claude ran two research jobs for me. The first one checked all of Canada. Only Alberta shows who clicked "interested," with their contact details. So Alberta is my best place for now. The second one checked if people really pay for bid help. Some do. But most small companies do not. A realistic first month is $2,500 to $15,000. Claude said clearly that the evidence does not support $100,000 in 30 days.

I still set a very big goal, one I may not reach: $100,000 in 30 days, and $1 million in the bank by the end of 2027. Not for fancy things, but for a calm family life and wealth for future generations. At 12:45 am I said I was not leaving my room until we made $100,000. Claude told me to sleep, eat, pray and take a walk every day, because grinding smart beats grinding tired.

At 1:58 am I said: "All I want is to make money, so I can make my mom proud." That is the truth, Mom. Claude told me to talk to you and tell you what I am building. Claude said the odds of the full $100,000 are about 1 in 10. We made a 30-day plan anyway: 150 calls and about 50 emails a day.

I also noticed a problem. I cannot help 150 companies bid on the same job. That is like one person doing everybody's math test. So Claude suggested a group program, and I said yes. It teaches small companies how to get ready to bid. It costs $1,997, or $997 for the first 10 people. They get their money back if they do not send in a full bid within 30 days.

I was worried. How can I teach something I never did myself? The answer: teach what I found by studying Alberta jobs every day. Do not pretend I won 100 contracts. When I am not sure, say "Let me check and email you." I will run a free workshop on Friday at noon on Google Meet. I went to bed at 2:07 am. While I slept, Claude made a 19-slide workshop presentation with notes for me to read on each slide, plus a free one-page bid checklist on my website.

In the morning we found 145 new companies that had clicked "interested," and I sent 40 more emails. That made 134 emails in total for this business. We also set up a daily routine. Each morning it finds companies that clicked "interested" in the last day or two. It loads them into my CRM and writes their emails.

That morning, a warm email reply came from Nick, a vice president at a Calgary staffing company. He said no to that one job. But he said he was interested in my service for other jobs. I promised to email him matching government jobs for free for 30 days.

Then I started calling. By about 11 in the morning I had made 39 calls and had 19 real conversations. Claude typed out and reviewed 44 of my recorded calls from Monday and Tuesday, so I could learn what I said well and what I said wrong. For example: always say "Mowlid from Alberta Bid Help," say the real price promise, and never claim more experience than I have. Also, say "I", not "me and my team", because I work alone for now.

Two of the people I called were actually competitors. One is a very experienced bid writer, and his prices are many times higher than mine. That told me my price is very low. I also learned not to tell competitors where my leads come from.

Several people got interested. Saman, who runs a building company near Edmonton, said "That sounds good" but wanted to see a sample first. So we made a 7-page sample bid and put it on my website. Linda, the CEO of a company that wants to bid on a government training job, is taking my offer to her directors. Others asked for callbacks.

Abdul, who runs a construction company in northern Alberta, wanted to do his bid himself. I offered him $250, plus $250 more if he wins. No answer yet. Claude built free checklists for 5 companies that day. Around 1 pm my calling system ran out of credit, so I switched to my own cell phone.

That morning I had called Rob, who works at a small Edmonton company that builds dust-control systems. These are machines that pull dust out of the air at a work site. He is bidding on a government job that closes in mid-October. When I told him my offer, he said "Perfect" and "I love it."

Around 2:45 pm I called Rob back from my cell, like we planned. He asked if the price could go lower, because the job is small. We agreed on $250 when the bid is done and he is happy, plus a $250 bonus if he wins. The extra $250 is a fixed bonus, not a part of his contract. He told me he likes how I do business. That is my first bid client. It is a verbal yes, and nothing is paid yet. I emailed him his checklist at 3:04 pm, and I am helping him get everything ready on time.

Tuesday morning I emailed the cleaning company owner the 11-page checklist. I told him honestly not to bid on the hospital job. In the afternoon he still wanted to try. So at 4 pm I emailed him that I would start once he sent a $250 deposit. A few minutes later he told me more about his company. I saw clearly it was not a good fit for his company right now.

Claude also checked every public website and found no smaller cleaning jobs open in Alberta that fit. I decided to take back my request. I did not want to take his money for a bid I did not believe in.

Instead, I offered to help him in a different way. I would be his salesperson on commission and find new cleaning clients for him in Calgary. It was my idea to ask for a $250 start fee, because calls and lead lists cost money. He said yes at 6:31 pm. I signed a one-page agreement and sent it to him. He has not signed his copy yet.

In the evening he sent me the $250 start fee by e-Transfer. Mom, that is my first money from all this work. It came from the sales deal, not from bid writing yet. After this, he will pay me a commission for each new client I bring.

He also gave me an email address at his company, so I can email the businesses I call as part of his team. Every booked walkthrough goes straight to him.

To end the day, Claude added 180 Calgary businesses to my CRM. These are offices, property managers, clinics and car dealerships. I will call them for the cleaning company. Each one has a short script.

Claude wrote a Facebook post and made a flyer and a cover picture for Friday's workshop. I joined a big Edmonton small business Facebook group, about 21,000 members, and started setting up a Facebook event. Claude also made a report in my Google Sheet. The honest money line: $0 collected from bids so far, and $2,250 to $5,000 possible if people say yes.

From now on, new bid clients pay $500 flat. That was my decision, because I have to charge the real price. I first offered it to a painting and snow removal company, with their checklist and the sample bid. I also asked how my partner Ryan can help me, because I have university classes from 1:55 to 3:15. At 7:47 pm I asked for this summary for you.