From Prompt to Power Tool: How to Build a Custom GPT (Even If You’re Not Techy)

Lee Aldridge
Feb 4
4 min read

Laptop displaying a smiling chatbot in a cozy setting. Text: "Build a Custom GPT (No Tech Headache Required)." Notebook, pen, and coffee nearby.

If I had a dollar for every time a client told me, "Lee, I just don't get AI," I'd have enough to build a whole Content Library with exact prompts to solve that problem (oh wait, I did).

But here’s the thing: AI isn’t the scary monster it’s been made out to be. Especially not when it comes to building custom GPTs.

In fact, creating your own Custom GPT is one of the smartest brand-building moves you can make in 2026. And I’m here to show you how.

This is not a tech tutorial. It’s a strategic guide for soul-led entrepreneurs who want to:

Save time in content creation
Systematize your brilliance
Stay visible without burning out

So let’s talk about it.

A woman in a red outfit holds a pen, looking thoughtful. She's at a table with a laptop, cup, and notebook. Warm bokeh lights in the background.

First: Why You Should Care About Custom GPTs

We are not in the "AI is coming" era anymore. It's here. And the question isn't if you'll use it, it's how.

And if you’re like most of my audience (women in their second or third act, high-integrity, intuitive, and juggling a dozen priorities), you don't need "more content." You need more clarity, capacity, and control.

That’s what a well-crafted Custom GPT gives you.

Let me break it down.

Imagine a tool that thinks like you do.

It uses your prompts, your process, your tone of voice. It remembers your best practices and replicates them over and over. That’s a Custom GPT. It’s like handing your future self a ready-to-go assistant who already gets it.

Whether you're:

Auditing a website
Outlining a sales page
Drafting your next weekly email

...your GPT can do the heavy lifting.

You stay in your zone of genius. AI handles the friction.

Now let’s look at the real-life perks.

The 7 Reasons Soul-Led Founders Should Build a Custom GPT in 2026

It saves HOURS of copywriting and admin each week.
It reduces decision fatigue by giving you a repeatable structure.
It gets your voice "right" because you train it.
It creates consistency across your brand assets.
It empowers your VA or team to create aligned content without bottlenecks.
It makes you look brilliant in meetings or livestreams when you demo it.
It positions you as a forward-thinking leader, not someone playing catch-up.

Smiling woman with glasses and shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a blue blazer and green sweater. Bright indoor setting. Professional vibe.

Still feel intimidated?

Don’t be.

You’ve already done the hardest part.

Because a Custom GPT is just a series of great prompts, structured into a flow.

And if you’ve worked with me, you already have that flow.

Your Brand Story, your Signature System, your Ideal Client insights — they’re the foundation.

Now, let’s make it practical.

Here’s How You Actually Build One (Without Losing Your Mind)

This is adapted from Andy Crestodina’s brilliant walkthrough. (Follow him! You’re welcome ;-)

I’m simplifying it even more for my people who don’t want to fiddle with a million tech tabs.

STEP 1: Define your GPT’s job

Ask yourself:

What task do I repeat all the time?
What does the GPT need to do?
What will the user (you or your team) input?
What should the GPT output?

Example:

Goal: Audit a client’s homepage
Input: Homepage URL
Output: Clarity score, improvement notes, CTA suggestions

STEP 2: Polish your best prompts

You already have these. You just may not realize it.

Find the questions you ask clients every time. The way you explain what a clear value proposition looks like. The process you take them through.

Then ask ChatGPT to improve those prompts using this prompt:

"Improve this prompt for clarity and results: [insert your prompt]"

Iterate. Get it crisp.

STEP 3: Create the GPT inside ChatGPT

You need a paid plan to build one, but anyone with the link can use it.

Go to the left-side menu, click "Explore GPTs," then click +Create. You can speak or type what it should do.

Paste in your prompts. Tell it the goal, inputs, outputs. That’s it.

STEP 4: Test and tweak

Run a sample. Does it work?If not, go into Configure mode and adjust the instructions. Fix weird behavior. Add or remove features.

STEP 5: Publish and share

Name it. Add a logo if you want. Make it visible to anyone with the link.

Congrats. You now have a mini-you that helps others win.

Smiling woman in glasses and coral blouse typing on a laptop in a bright room. A forest painting hangs on the wall behind her.

How This Looks Inside My Business

One of the most powerful GPTs I use is my Quickstart Brand Story Playbook GPT.

It’s become a game-changer — not just for me, but for my clients.

Here’s how my GPT works:

It helps me draft the first version of a client’s Brand Story.

I segment this GPT into phases beginning with your power positioning, the most critical part.

It pulls from source material like:

The Clarifying Questionnaire
Recorded interviews
Coaching sessions

My GPT is loaded with detailed instructions. For example, it is instructed to use exact soundbites, without rewriting or polishing — to preserve the client’s essence and voice.

This GPT process requires collaboration and guidance. This is the soul of your brand. I manage it to keep your power positioning and brand pure and cohesive.

The GPT gathers and organizes the raw data. Once complete, 80% of the heavy lifting is already done. From there, my GPT and I shape it into the Brand Story and strategy.

What has this done for me? This process has: