I’ve Built 47 GPTs. Here’s Why “How To Build Your Own Custom GPT” Still Made Me Rethink Everything.

Let me start with something I do not admit often.

I have built custom GPTs before. Dozens of them. Some for my own content workflows, some for clients, some just to test what the platform could handle. I have read the documentation. I have watched the tutorials. I have figured out JSON the hard way – through trial, error, and more than a few frustrating afternoons.

So when I first heard about “How To Build Your Own Custom GPT“, my reaction was not curiosity. It was indifference.

I told myself I did not need it. I already knew how to build. Why would I sit through a beginner workshop?

But then I noticed something. The people I respected in the AI space were talking about it. Not with hype. With a quieter kind of enthusiasm. The kind that comes from someone who found something genuinely useful, not something they are being paid to promote.

That got my attention.

So I set aside my ego and joined the live workshop. And here is what I did not expect: I learned things. Not just small tips. Structural things that made me realize my approach to building GPTs had been messy and inefficient.

This review is not only for beginners. It is also for people like me — people who think they already know enough.

What The Workshop Actually Covers

The workshop is led by Melody Wigdahl and Sharon Kinnier. It is a live, step-by-step session where you build a custom GPT from scratch. But here is what makes it different from the free content floating around.

The live building component matters more than I expected.

When you build alongside an instructor in real time, you catch your own mistakes immediately. You realize where your assumptions are wrong. I thought I understood knowledge documents. Watching someone else structure them live showed me two habits I had that were making my GPTs less accurate.

Technical concepts are explained without the jargon trap.

JSON and system instructions sound intimidating. Most tutorials either oversimplify to the point of uselessness or dive too deep into developer speak. This workshop found the middle ground. You understand what you need to know without feeling overwhelmed by what you do not.

The GPT Builder GPT is a legitimate shortcut.

They give you a custom GPT that helps you build your own GPT. That sounds meta, but it works. It drafts system instructions, suggests knowledge document structures, and generates starter JSON. For someone building their first GPT, this removes the blank page problem. For someone like me, it exposed inefficiencies in how I was writing my own instructions.

Security and monetization are not afterthoughts.

Most free resources stop at “publish your GPT.” This workshop goes further. It covers how to secure your GPT so it is safe to share or sell. The monetization training — especially in the upsell — gives practical strategies for turning a GPT into an actual asset, not just a personal tool.

What Surprised Me Most

I went in expecting to confirm that I already knew everything. Instead, I found three specific gaps in my own process.

First, my system instructions were too loose. I was leaving too much room for the GPT to interpret. The workshop showed me how to tighten instructions without making them rigid.

Second, my knowledge documents were structured poorly. I was uploading raw information when I should have been organizing it. This alone saved me hours of troubleshooting.

Third, I had no real security setup for the GPTs I built for clients. I was essentially handing over unprotected assets. The security training made me realize I had been taking unnecessary risks.

These were not beginner lessons. They were refinement lessons. And they were worth the price of admission by themselves.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Live instruction allows real-time questions and troubleshooting

• Technical concepts explained in plain language, not developer speak

• The GPT Builder GPT removes friction for first-time builders

• Security and monetization training included — rare in beginner resources

• Works for complete beginners and intermediate builders

• Replays available if you miss the live session

• No coding background required

Cons

• You need a paid OpenAI account to build during the workshop

• The live format requires you to commit to a specific time for the full experience

• Passive learners will not get much value — you have to actually build

• The upsells add cost if you want the full monetization training

These cons are honest limitations. If you are not willing to sit through a few hours and build something, this is not for you. But if you are, the value is clear.

Who This Is For

This workshop makes sense for you if:

• You use ChatGPT regularly but have never built your own GPT

• You have tried to build a GPT before but got stuck on technical details

• You run a business and want custom AI tools for your niche

• You are a freelancer or agency owner who wants to offer GPT building as a service

• You already build GPTs but suspect your process could be cleaner

You should probably skip if:

• You are not willing to spend a few hours building

• You do not have or do not want a paid OpenAI account

• You are looking for passive income without doing any work

• You are completely happy being an AI user and have no desire to create

The Value Question

Let me be direct about pricing.

The front end is $47. That is less than most people spend on a single dinner out. For that, you get a live workshop, replay access, workbook, setup instructions, and the GPT Builder GPT tool.

The upsells add more. The $37 OTO covers security and monetization in depth. The $97 monthly membership is for people who want ongoing training and community.

Here is how I think about the $47 entry point.

If I had this workshop when I first started building GPTs, it would have saved me at least ten to fifteen hours of trial and error. My time is worth more than $3 to $5 per hour. So the math works.

Even as someone with experience, the workshop saved me time by showing me cleaner methods. That alone justified the cost.

This is not about promising income. It is about saving time, reducing confusion, and building confidence. Those are real returns.

Final Verdict

I do not recommend many products. I have tested too many that overpromised and underdelivered. But How To Build Your Own Custom GPT is different.

It is not flashy. It does not promise you will get rich overnight. It simply teaches you how to build something real, step by step, with people who know what they are doing.

For beginners, it is the fastest path from zero to your first working GPT.

For intermediate builders, it is a chance to clean up bad habits and learn better methods.

For everyone, it is a reminder that being an AI user is not the same as being an AI creator. And that distinction matters more every month.

I built my first GPT two years ago. After this workshop, I went back and rebuilt three of them. They work better now. They are more secure now. And I finally feel like I own them, not just that I assembled them.

If that sounds like a shift you want to make, the workshop is called How To Build Your Own Custom GPT. You can find it through the creators Melody Wigdahl and Sharon Kinnier. A quick search will get you there.