Starting a HighLevel agency without guessing your way through setup
The first weeks in HighLevel are mostly decisions: which plan, which subaccount structure, what to build before your first client sees anything. Nexus Hub exists so you can make those decisions with people who have already made them.
What this usually looks like
- You are not sure which plan, structure or subaccount setup you actually need
- Domain, email and A2P registration keep stalling your launch
- You have a trial ticking and no clear order of work
- You are copying tutorials without knowing which apply to your agency
Bring these to the community or a live call
How should I structure subaccounts for my first few clients?
Start with one subaccount per client and keep your own agency account separate from client work. Build the pattern you want to repeat in a single account first, then save it as a snapshot instead of hand-building each new client.
What do I need in place before onboarding a paying client?
At minimum: a verified sending domain, email and SMS sending set up, A2P registration submitted, a calendar that books correctly, and one lead-to-appointment workflow you have tested end to end with your own phone and inbox.
Which snapshot should I start from, and what should I strip out?
Start from the simplest snapshot that matches the service you actually sell, then strip anything you cannot explain or support: unused pipelines, demo funnels, placeholder custom values and workflows you have not tested. A smaller build you understand beats a large one you inherited.
What is the shortest path to a working lead-to-appointment system?
One form or funnel, one pipeline, one calendar, and one follow-up workflow that responds immediately and reminds before the appointment. Get that live and measured before you add nurture sequences, AI replies or reporting layers.
Resources that apply here
SOP Prompts for HighLevel Agencies
Prompt pack for documenting repeatable agency processes and creating practical SOPs for delivery, onboarding, support, and internal operations.
Open in the libraryThe Agency VA Playbook
Prompt pack for identifying delegable work, defining virtual-assistant responsibilities, improving onboarding, and managing remote support effectively.
Open in the libraryWhite-label the LeadConnector API docs — walkthrough deck + build guide
A two-part set in one download. Start with the walkthrough deck for the shape of the build — how one Cloudflare Worker reverse-proxies the LeadConnector API documentation onto your own subdomain and re-skins it in flight — then work through the build guide: fill in four values, deploy the Worker, point DNS, inject your branding and keep the theme stable when the vendor ships changes.
Open in the libraryThe Claude Cowork guide series — beginner, intermediate & advanced
A three-book series on delegating real work to an AI agent. Book 1 takes you from “what is this?” to your first delegated task. Book 2 covers connectors, Skills, Projects and multi-app workflows so recurring work becomes reliable. Book 3 is the reference volume — authoring Skills and plugins, multi-agent systems, governance, security and QA for a team-wide rollout. Download the whole bundle or grab a single book.
Open in the libraryKey Metrics Manager
Notion template designed to help businesses track and manage key performance indicators across sales, marketing, finance, and operations.
Open in the libraryProject Progress Dashboard
Notion template designed to help businesses track projects, organize tasks, and monitor progress for timely and efficient completion.
Open in the libraryArticles on this problem
How to Build and Manage a Custom Template Library in HighLevel
Learn how to convert proven funnels, workflows, and email campaigns into reusable agency templates to accelerate client onboarding and eliminate manual setup errors.
TutorialsHow to Duplicate Assets Efficiently Using the HighLevel Template Library
Learn how to standardize client onboarding and eliminate manual design rebuilding by leveraging template cloning features in your HighLevel agency dashboard.
ComplianceManaging unsubscribe links and opt-out rules in LC email
Learn how to configure default and manual opt-out tags in LC Email to ensure strict legal compliance and maintain high deliverability standards across agency client sub-accounts.
TutorialsConsolidating email marketing performance reporting across sub-accounts
A central email statistics dashboard eliminates manual data collection across workflows, bulk actions, and broadcast campaigns for faster, clearer reporting.
Platform changes that affect this
Workflow Publish & Validation Gate
Workflows now block publication if any configuration errors exist, preventing broken automations from accidentally going live. All system errors are now merged into a single sidebar that lets you jump directly to the issue or use AI to resolve it. You can also save your draft progress even when errors are present, allowing you to finish building later. This update ensures safer client automations and eliminates guesswork when troubleshooting setup issues.
Discover Marketplace Apps with Ask AI
Ask AI can now search the App Marketplace using natural language to recommend relevant tools directly within a chat. Instead of searching manually, users can simply describe the business capability or integration they need, and the AI will suggest matching apps. Agency owners retain full control over this feature and can easily toggle sub-account access on or off through their Marketplace settings.
Your Sub-Account's Customizations Are Now Protected When You Apply a Snapshot
Applying a snapshot to a sub-account during SaaS enablement now detects potential conflicts with existing customizations. If the snapshot would overwrite assets like funnels or websites, a warning prompt lets you choose whether to keep your current work or accept the snapshot version. Bulk SaaS enablement automatically protects your existing assets by default. This update prevents accidental data loss and gives you complete control when updating sub-account setups.
Agency Workflow Settings: Default Builder for Workflows
Agency owners can now set a default workflow builder, choosing between Standard or Advanced, globally from a new Agency Settings page. Applying this setting updates all existing sub-accounts at once and automatically enforces the choice for any newly created sub-accounts. This saves significant administrative time by removing the need to manually configure workflow builder preferences inside every individual sub-account.
Tools members use for this
HighLevel
Core platform
The all-in-one CRM, funnel and automation platform that everything else in this directory plugs into.
The Snapshot Marketplace
Client onboarding
A large library of industry snapshots with funnels, websites and follow-up automations you can load into client sub-accounts.
Josh's Onboarding Videos
Client onboarding
Unbranded HighLevel onboarding and training videos you can drop into client portals.
Leadsie
Client onboarding
Collects client access to Meta, Google and other ad accounts through a single link.
How the live calls help with this
Bring your account to a live call and walk through setup on screen. New members most often use the Monday and Wednesday sessions to get their structure, domain and first workflow reviewed before they launch.
5 calls every week · Mon 11 AM CT & 4 PM CT · Wed 11 AM CT · Fri 11 AM CT & 4 PM CT
Get implementation help inside Nexus Hub
One membership, $49/month. Live calls, the full resource library and a community of HighLevel agency owners working on the same problems.
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How this was researched, tested, and corrected: Nexus Hub editorial standards. Spotted an error? Report it and we will check it.