#1174 Custom GPTs: Great Idea, Messy Middle, Clear Fix | Len Ward

Building custom GPTs for real work, not just party tricks is tricky. That's why I invited Len Ward to sit in my guest chair.  He's a former Wall Street pro turned agency builder, now leading Comexis, and he has the scars to prove what works and what does not. We covered where these tools shine, where they trip you up, and how to keep them sounding like you, not a committee of the internet.

Key points

• The idea Build a focused GPT that acts like a virtual team member. Feed it your processes, products, locations, and goals so it can help with tasks like onboarding, strategy, and client communication.

• What can go wrong Trusting outputs without review, letting the model drift from your voice over time, and uploading sensitive info or leaving training on so your data fuels everyone else’s bot.

• What we would do differently Lock down privacy settings, create prompt playbooks, retrain with fresh voice samples on a set schedule, and keep humans in the loop for approval.

What went wrong

I learned the hard way that voice drifts. I had the GPT read my work, it started strong, then wandered off into generic advice land. Len called out why. If we keep feeding broad material and never course correct, the model forgets our tone. Another stumble is data carelessness. Uploading client details or financials, even as examples, can create risk. One more trap is blind faith. These tools are fast, not flawless. They still need a final pass from human eyes.

Actionable takeaways for women running the show

1. Scope the job Name one clear role for each GPT, such as Onboarding Coordinator or Content Draft Assistant. Narrow focus leads to better answers.

2. Set privacy controls In settings, turn off training on your data. Do not upload personal or financial info. If you must, scrub names and use your own codes.

3. Build a prompt playbook Ask the GPT to write the top ten prompts it responds to best. Save them and start sessions with those prompts to keep work on track.

4. Refresh the voice Every few weeks, feed three to five recent posts, emails, or show notes and say, learn this voice again. Then ask for a short style checklist it must follow.

5. Require a human check Before anything goes public, the content owner signs off. Think of GPT as the fast assistant, you are the editor in chief.

6. Collect and centralize content Keep a clean library in Drive or Dropbox. Use clear folders for articles, FAQs, product sheets, and case studies. These become your training set.

7. Answer real questions Watch chatbot logs or support tickets. Turn every repeated question into a page, a post, or a short video. If your site does not solve a problem as fast as ChatGPT, visitors leave.

8. Forget silver bullets Old school SEO tricks are not the ticket. Strong brands with deep, helpful content win more often in AI answers. Keep writing, keep linking, keep it useful.

Why this matters now

We are shifting from search and retrieve to solve my problem. Custom GPTs, used wisely, can speed that shift inside your business, from onboarding to content to customer care. Used carelessly, they dilute your voice and increase risk. The good news is the fix is simple habits, not magic.

About Len Ward

Len Ward is a former Wall Street institutional equities professional, agency builder, and now Managing Partner of Commexis—an AI consulting firm helping businesses replace outdated marketing with intelligent systems that think. With over two decades of experience spanning finance, e-commerce, and digital marketing,

Len brings a rare perspective on disruption cycles. He believes traditional agencies are finished and that AI is the operating system for the next decade of business. Known for his straight talk and contrarian edge, Len makes AI real, actionable, and impossible to ignore.

Visit our website for a free consultation on AI.  https://www.Commexis.com