Most marketers are approaching AI agents completely backwards. They're trying to build custom solutions before mastering the basics. It's like trying to run a marathon without learning to walk. Nicholas Holland from HubSpot dropped this reality check on me. He's their Head of AI, and his perspective surprised me. "Going down the path of trying to build a custom agent, you have signed up for a much bigger task than what you know of." Think about it. That custom AI agent you're building? Someone has to maintain it. Update it. Fix it when it breaks. For years. It's not just tech debt. It's hiring an employee you can't fire. Here's what actually works: **Start stupidly simple.** Have ChatGPT write email responses. Get comfortable with basic prompts before you try to automate your entire marketing stack. **Master the fundamentals first.** Learn to write better prompts. Figure out how to feed data properly. Build basic workflows. **Use out-of-the-box solutions.** Especially if you've never built agentic systems. The lowest effort for highest output wins. The goal isn't to impress anyone with your custom AI architecture. It's to get results. Nicholas put it perfectly: "We're not really in love with AI itself. We're in love with how to help SMBs apply AI to help them grow." That's the mindset shift most marketers miss. Stop chasing the shiny custom solution. Start with what works today. Baby steps beat moonshots. What's your take - are marketers overcomplicating AI adoption? Or am I being too conservative here? If you'd like to hear my conversation with Nicholas Holland on the MarTech Podcast, let me know in the comments and I'll share a link.