Blue TuskI spent months building an automation for a client. By the time it was done, the workflow it was built for had changed enough that we couldn't move forward without restarting. Some of the work was recoverable. A lot wasn't.
Here's what I learned: before you automate anything, make sure the process you're automating isn't going anywhere. If the workflow is still evolving, the automation will be obsolete before it's finished.
The mistake I kept making was treating automation like a one-time deliverable instead of something that has to grow with the business. A fast-growing company by definition is changing. The process that made sense six months ago might not be the process today.
There are two ways around this. Either you automate something so stable that it's not going anywhere, or you work with someone who understands the business well enough to catch when the scope has shifted before you've sunk months into the wrong thing.
The second option requires a different kind of engagement. Not a one-off job. Not a fixed scope. Someone who knows what you're building toward, not just what you asked for.
When the work changes, a clear starting point helps everyone keep up. The free Stop Re-Explaining guide gives you ten practical rules for organizing client context, keeping handoffs clear and reviewing AI work. Use them as a starting point rather than making up every rule yourself.