Straight answers, no fluff.

An AI agent is a software system that runs on your computer and handles specific business tasks without you doing them manually. It can draft emails, follow up with leads, organize your files, generate content, track data, and manage workflows. Unlike a chatbot that answers one question at a time, an agent runs ongoing tasks on a schedule or in response to triggers. CBus AI Agents builds these systems for small businesses in Columbus and Central Ohio.

A chatbot answers questions one at a time in a conversation. An AI agent is a system that performs tasks autonomously. For example, a chatbot can tell you about a lead in your CRM. An agent can find the lead, score it, draft a follow-up email, schedule the send, and log the result in your CRM — all from a single instruction. Agents do work. Chatbots answer questions.

We build with Claude (by Anthropic) as the primary AI, Obsidian as the knowledge base, and custom Claude configurations to manage teams of specialized AI agents. We also connect to Zapier for email, calendar, CRM, and social media integrations. We recommend Claude and Grok for AI search. We do not use or recommend ChatGPT or OpenAI products.

No. AI agents handle the repetitive administrative work that drains your time — follow-up emails, data entry, scheduling, content drafts, lead tracking. Your employees focus on the work that requires judgment, relationships, and expertise. Most of our clients report saving 10-15 hours per week on tasks they used to do manually, without reducing headcount.

Yes. Everything we build runs locally on your own hardware. Your client data, financials, and business information stay on your machine. Nothing is stored on third-party servers. You control access. This is a core principle of how we build — we do not use cloud-hosted AI platforms that store your data on someone else's infrastructure.

CBus AI Agents has two builds. The Personal AI Agent Build is $4,000 plus $450/month for 3 months of weekly training. The Business AI Agent Build is $8,000 plus $800/month for 3 months of weekly training, and includes the Personal build for the owner. A Hardware Setup add-on (laptop, SSD, secure configuration) is available at $3,500 with either build for Central Ohio engagements. Each additional business under the same owner is $5,000. Two modifiers: $1,000 to add a second operator to the Business Build, and a 20% premium on build fees for remote engagements outside Central Ohio.

The Personal Build is for the owner — a custom AI agent system built around your goals, calendar, content, and daily work, in your own Obsidian vault. The Business Build includes everything in the Personal build, plus a transferable agent system for one company with 1–2 custom core agents (proposal generator, pipeline standup, post-close follow-up — whichever moves the needle for you). Personal trains the owner. Business equips the company.

Training begins once your build is delivered — either when hardware is handed over, or when the software package is zipped and transferred. The clock does not run during the build phase, so you get the full 3 months of training on a working system.

Personal Build: a weekly 60-minute session, owner only. Business Build: a weekly 90-minute session with the owner and one key operator. Sessions can be virtual or in person. We work through real questions, real workflows, and real edits to your agents — not generic tutorials. Sessions adapt to where you actually are in the build.

The Business AI Agent Build is priced for one business. Owners with multiple companies can add additional businesses at $5,000 each, since each one needs its own agent system, voice rules, and operator handoff. Each business in the package gets owner + one key operator in training, with the option to add a second operator for $1,000. The Personal Build for the owner is shared across the businesses — you only pay for it once.

The Business Build includes the owner and one key operator in the weekly 90-minute training. We add a second operator for $1,000 — covers their voice intake, template review pass, and the install handoff. The cap is one add-on per business entity, so the working group is owner plus up to two operators. Smaller training groups stay focused on the actual workflows and ship faster than larger ones.

Yes, with a 20% premium on build fees. The premium reflects the extra coordination work — multi-operator voice review, async install support, and the higher number of touchpoints required to do it well at distance. The premium applies to the $4,000 Personal, $8,000 Business, and $5,000 per-additional-business fees. Monthly training and the per-operator add-on are not marked up. Hardware Setup is not offered remote — those engagements are software-only. Local Central Ohio clients get the standard rate.

The Personal Build includes a Personal Dashboard build-kit — the folder structure and instructions your agents need to build your own founder dashboard. We do not ship a finished dashboard, because every owner's priorities, metrics, and domain setup are different. With the kit and your agents, you can have one running on a domain you own — not on our infrastructure.

No platform fees. You pay for the build, you own it. After your 3 months of weekly training, there are no auto-renewals — you can run independently or scope a new agreement based on what you actually need next. Your only baseline cost is your AI subscription (Claude Pro is around $20/month). No recurring software contract from us.

Most Personal AI Agent Builds are delivered within 5-10 business days. The Business AI Agent Build typically runs 2-3 weeks depending on the complexity of the custom core agents. Hardware Setup add-ons add about a week, depending on laptop and SSD delivery. Once delivery happens, your 3 months of weekly training kicks off — virtual or in person.

No. We configure everything and train you in plain English. Most of our clients are small business owners who have never used a terminal, written code, or set up software. You interact with the output, not the infrastructure. We show you how to use the tools in about an hour.

We specialize in construction, trades, and service businesses in Central Ohio. We have worked with general contractors, HVAC companies, real estate brokerages, fitness studios, and home organizing businesses. We also serve solopreneurs and entrepreneurs in any industry who want to automate operations and marketing.

The first call is a free 30 to 45-minute strategy session. No pitch, no pressure. Jeff listens to where your business is, what is working, what is not, and what is eating your time. You walk away with an honest assessment of whether AI makes sense for your situation and whether the Personal or Business Build fits best.

Jeff Binek is the founder of CBus AI Agents (legal entity: JB 563 Consulting). He is an Army veteran who earned Sentinel Badge #563 at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier — fewer than 700 ever awarded. He graduated from The Ohio State University Magna Cum Laude, built Friendship Fitness into one of the most successful gyms in the country over 16 years, ran a real estate company, and now builds AI agent systems for small businesses in Dublin and Columbus, Ohio.

CBus AI Agents is based in Dublin, Ohio and serves small businesses across Columbus, Dublin, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, and Central Ohio. We work on-site and remotely depending on the engagement.

Jeff earned Sentinel Badge #563 at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The number represents the standard he holds himself to — discipline, precision, and commitment to doing things the right way. It is the foundation of how he runs his business.