GoHighLevel setup, done right the first time
Whether you run an agency or a single business, I set up GoHighLevel so it works from day one: billing, email deliverability, texting compliance, pipelines and the automations that do the follow-up for you.
- 150+ sub-accounts set up since 2021
- SaaS setups for agencies that grew past 200 clients
- Tested and documented
- 5.0 on Google · 13 reviews
A GoHighLevel setup configures your account so it works from day one: pipelines, calendars, forms, automations, email deliverability, A2P 10DLC registration for texting and, for agencies, white-label and SaaS mode. A full business setup usually takes about a month including testing and training. An agency setup depends on how many plans and snapshots you need.
Two kinds of setup
Agency setup
For agencies that run client accounts or want to resell GoHighLevel under their own brand.
- Agency settings and white-label: your domain, your branding, user roles and permissions
- SaaS mode: Stripe connected, plans built in the SaaS Configurator, a snapshot attached to each plan, rebilling for texts, email, AI and WhatsApp, and a new sub-account created automatically every time a client pays
- Snapshots: a tested template account you can deploy to every new client
- Your agency’s own sub-account: products, payment processor, the funnel that sells your service, automated onboarding and your contacts imported
- A dedicated email sending domain for the agency
Business setup
For one company, or one client sub-account.
- A pipeline that matches how you actually sell
- Lead capture: forms, surveys, calendars and chat, all landing in one place
- Speed-to-lead automations: instant replies, follow-up sequences and reminders
- Email deliverability: a dedicated sending subdomain, SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and list validation before any bulk send
- SMS compliance: A2P 10DLC brand and campaign registration
- Products, payments and invoices
- Contacts imported with clean data and the fields you’ll need to segment
- Dashboards your team will look at
- Training and a plan to get the team using it, one habit at a time
The mistakes I avoid
Most broken accounts I inherit made the same few mistakes at setup. I build around them:
- Sending email from your main domain or the shared default. HighLevel itself recommends sending from a dedicated subdomain, so a bad campaign can’t hurt your main domain’s reputation.
- Bulk emailing a list nobody validated. One send to old, unverified addresses can put you in spam for weeks.
- Rushing the A2P 10DLC registration. Carriers, not HighLevel, approve or reject it, and every rejection costs days without texting. The website and the message samples have to match what you submit.
- Publishing workflows before testing them, or leaving old ones live to collide with the new ones.
- Designing a pipeline the sales team never asked for. If it doesn’t match how they sell, they won’t update it.
- Importing contacts without the fields you’ll need later. You can’t segment by data you never collected.
What SaaS mode actually does
SaaS mode comes with the Agency Pro plan and lets you sell GoHighLevel as your own software. A client picks a plan, pays through Stripe, and a sub-account is created with your snapshot already loaded. You can also rebill usage like texts, email and WhatsApp with your own markup. Stripe is currently the only payment provider SaaS mode supports.
The catch is that everything has to be ready before your first sale: the plans, the snapshot and the onboarding automations. I’ve set this up for an agency that grew past 200 clients on it and earned HighLevel’s SaaSPRENEUR Award.
Timeline
A full setup for one business usually takes about a month, including testing and training. Agency setups depend on how many plans and snapshots you need. You get the exact timeline with the quote.
| Project | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| Audit of an existing account | A few days |
| A2P 10DLC registration | Submitted in the first days; approval depends on the carriers |
| Full setup for one business | About a month, with testing and training |
| Agency setup with SaaS mode | Depends on the number of plans and snapshots |
Price: setups start at US$1,500, with a fixed quote before I start. The GoHighLevel subscription is paid separately, directly to HighLevel. There’s a longer breakdown of what a GoHighLevel expert costs.
Integrations I connect
- Payments. Stripe and the other processors GoHighLevel supports.
- Lead ads. Google and Meta, straight into the pipeline.
- Calendars. Google Calendar and Outlook, tied to each person’s availability.
- Google Business Profile. Reviews and messages in the same inbox.
- Your website forms. Whatever the site runs on.
- WhatsApp through the official API. Never an unofficial connection.
- Zapier and n8n. For everything that has no native integration.
Moving from another tool?
I’ve moved accounts into GoHighLevel from Salesforce, Kajabi, Klaviyo, systeme.io, FranConnect and other GoHighLevel accounts. Your contacts, pipelines and automations come with you, and the old tool stays on until the new one is tested.
Everything that moves, and everything that gets rebuilt, is on the CRM migration page, and the step-by-step is in the CRM migration checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need A2P 10DLC registration?
If you text people in the US from a regular 10-digit number, yes. That includes appointment reminders, not just marketing.
Can you move my contacts from another CRM?
Yes. I map the fields, clean the data and test with a sample before importing everything. See the CRM migration page.
What’s the difference between Unlimited and Agency Pro?
Unlimited gives you unlimited sub-accounts and the white-label layer. Agency Pro adds SaaS mode: plans, automatic sub-account creation and rebilling with markup.
Do you train my team?
Yes. A setup isn’t done until the people who’ll use it know how.
Can I start with an audit of what I already have?
Yes. Many projects start with a cleanup of an existing account.
Do you set up AI agents and voice in GoHighLevel?
Yes. Conversation AI on chat and WhatsApp is part of many of my setups.
What if my A2P registration was already rejected?
That’s common. I review why it was rejected, fix the business details, website and opt-in language, and resubmit.
Do you work on US hours?
Yes. I’m in Brazil, 1 to 2 hours ahead of US Eastern Time.
What clients say
Working with Lucas on my website was a really great experience. He’s a fantastic listener—patient, thoughtful, and was genuinely committed to understanding what I wanted to convey. I came in with ideas and pieces of my story, and Lucas brought the structure and creativity needed to pull it all together. His insights and suggestions helped turn my vision into a website that truly reflects who I am and what I do. I’m so grateful for his partnership and highly recommend him to anyone looking to bring clarity and impact to their online presence.
Jackie VickBusiness Guide · Jackie Vick Growth PartnersWe've partnered with Lucas on numerous development projects, and it's not an overstatement to say he's become an invaluable extension of our team. Lucas consistently delivers top-notch work, combining exceptional coding skills with a keen eye for design. What truly sets Lucas apart is his problem-solving ability. We've thrown some complex challenges his way, and he always comes through with elegant, effective solutions. His technical expertise is matched only by his dedication to understanding our needs and exceeding our expectations. We have complete confidence in Lucas's ability to tackle any project we throw at him. We wholeheartedly recommend Lucas to anyone seeking a highly skilled, reliable, and results-oriented developer.
Tony JuaysOwner · First IgniteWorking with Lucas completely shifted how I see the value of a website. Lucas not only built a digital presence that better reflects my credibility, but also helped me uncover and communicate key success metrics I had overlooked. I walked away with far more confidence in my positioning.
David LeavittCEO and Managing Director · CxO Advisory, LLCLucas is exceptional at helping me elevate my digital presence. He listens carefully, clarifies expectations, and communicates with both clarity and empathy. His design skills go beyond aesthetics, they’re strategic, helping me stand out with authority and attract the right clients. I highly recommend him to any business who wants to stop blending in and start leading with confidence.
Breandan FilbertManaging Partner · SalezworksLucas Nobre has been an exceptional asset to my projects and my clients projects. His punctuality and reliability in delivering work on time have been impeccable. Lucas always brings fresh, creative ideas that elevate our web pages far beyond the ordinary. His attention to detail is AMAZING, and his expertise in SEO has significantly improved our web visibility. Thanks to Lucas, my digital presence has never been better. Highly recommend his services if you're looking to take your project to the next level!
Natalia NogueiraFounder & Strategic Consultant · Natália Nogueira Tech100% recommended. It was an absolute pleasure to work with someone like Lucas. His work ethic and implementation in web development were truly appreciated. He created a website using GHL, and even when we faced some challenges, Lucas always provided the best he could.
Kevin CardosoOwner · Kevin Cardoso ProFantastic! Lucas is the best.
Tim YoungOwner and attorney · Jones Act Law
Lucas Nobre
I'm Lucas Nobre, a freelance marketing and CRM specialist based in Fortaleza, Brazil. I started as a software developer at HP, which is why I test everything before it goes live.
Since 2021 I've built 150+ GoHighLevel sub-accounts and 100+ websites across 20+ industries, for clients in the US and 6+ other countries. Certified by CXL and the Interaction Design Foundation. My client work is under NDA, so names stay private.
Get it set up once, properly.
Tell me if it’s an agency or a business account and what you need it to do. I’ll reply with the scope and timeline.
Email me