Founders react: real Hermes use

👉 Link to resources: https://thenextnewthing.ai/my-resources

Presented by Zapier: https://zapier.com/

Andrew Warner and Justin Brooke react to the latest AI videos showing how people are installing, using, and making money with Hermes Agent.

They break down what’s practical, what feels overhyped, and where AI agents are already useful for real business workflows. The episode covers Hermes vs. OpenClaw, VPS setup, Docker, Kanban boards, /goal workflows, Zapier MCP, and Justin’s real example of using Hermes to help sell a property.

The big idea: AI agents are moving from demos into actual business infrastructure, but the people showing real use cases are still rare. The setup tutorials are getting better. The next step is proving what these agents can actually do.

SECTION 01 · THE BUILD — Setting up the Hermes agent:
How to set up Hermes agent on a computer → https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bg-IPiql7x8
Why Hermes is better than OpenClaw → https://youtu.be/Bg-IPiql7x8?t=49
What's unique about Hermes → https://youtu.be/12Cffcjha-w?t=182
How to install on computer → https://youtu.be/jEu5mcArSYs?t=17
How to select a provider → https://youtu.be/jEu5mcArSYs?t=139
How to host on VPS → https://youtu.be/gb5TlGw6Uks?t=1013
How to set up Docker → https://youtu.be/gb5TlGw6Uks?t=1393
How to use the Kanban board → https://youtu.be/Bg-IPiql7x8?t=227

SECTION 02 · IN THE WILD — Use cases:
Home Assistant (site) → https://home-assistant.io
Home Assistant → https://youtu.be/QQEgIo4Juxg?t=1440
How to find leads → https://youtu.be/KS09k8k7KfE?t=63
How to get Hermes agent to trade → https://youtu.be/CXMalvS5CG8?t=734
Use Hermes as a YouTube research assistant → https://youtu.be/2WZAcWtwoDI?t=334
How to do lead gen → https://youtu.be/2WZAcWtwoDI?t=195
How to get clients to pay you → https://youtu.be/BI-MNjm1tTQ?t=176

SECTION 03 · WORTH A LOOK — Alternatives:
How to use Paperclip instead → https://youtube.com/watch?v=iRew6HOY0ho
How Justin uses Hermes agent (full video) → https://youtube.com/watch?v=6A_HVTvxqxQ
WATCH THE FULL WALKTHROUGH:
Justin, unedited — the full Hermes agent playbook on video → https://youtube.com/watch?v=6A_HVTvxqxQ

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro: Hermes Agent vs. OpenClaw
02:42 - Why Hermes is winning on execution
03:00 - Hermes memory, training data, and self-improving workflows
04:38 - Presented by Zapier
04:48 - Installing Hermes on a Mac
06:08 - Finding smaller YouTube creators with practical setup tutorials
07:21 - Model providers, OpenRouter, Nous Portal, and cheaper AI models
08:24 - Justin’s model choice: Claude Sonnet and Opus
09:36 - Why Justin runs Hermes on a VPS
10:48 - VPS setup with Hostinger and DigitalOcean
12:18 - Ubuntu, Claude-assisted setup, and SSH access
14:06 - Docker containers and why they matter
15:27 - Fail2Ban and basic server protection
16:03 - Using .env files and 1Password for secrets
18:27 - DigitalOcean CLI and letting Claude handle setup
19:12 - Hermes Kanban board for managing multiple agents
20:06 - Andrew and Justin react to Alex Finn’s positioning
22:03 - How the Kanban workflow creates and assigns tasks
24:09 - Hermes Kanban vs. Paperclip
25:48 - Home Assistant and controlling smart devices with Hermes
27:36 - Hermes use case libraries
28:21 - Inbox summaries, Discord updates, and Zapier MCP permissions
29:24 - Lead gen and YouTube research prompts
30:45 - Selling agent setup as a service
31:21 - Justin’s take on installing Hermes for clients
32:33 - /goal and long-running AI agent missions
34:57 - Justin’s real /goal example for selling property
36:18 - Pricing, comps, marketing plans, and listing copy from Hermes
38:06 - Final thoughts on what’s practical today

👉 Join us: https://thenextnewthing.ai/