Building My First Custom GPT: How I Created Katya’s Konscience for No-BS Advice
- katyamking
- Mar 11
- 6 min read
Introduction from Lori Ryan:
I’m grateful to have Katya King (Lorignite intern), learning out loud by my side. Recently, I introduced her to Custom GPTs, and she took that spark of curiosity and ran with it. What she created on her own is seriously impressive.
Through my AI trainings, I’ve realized that most people don’t even know these exist, let alone that if you have a paid OpenAI subscription, you can build one yourself. So, if you’re wondering what’s possible, Katya’s experience is a great example of how you can make AI work your way.
By: Katya King
What if you didn’t have to think about the perfect way to phrase a prompt every time you use ChatGPT? What if it already knew what you needed, how you like your answers, what details matter most, and the tone that works best for you? That’s the power of a custom GPT. Instead of starting from scratch every time, you can create one that’s built for you, ready to give the kind of answers you actually want. That’s exactly what I set out to do, and here’s what I learned along the way.
Creating a custom GPT can be confusing, with multiple ways to approach it, making it hard to know where to start. ChatGPT offers two main methods: using the 'Create' feature for a guided conversation, talking you through each step or the 'Configure' option, where you enter the details yourself. There are even custom GPTs to help you build custom GPTs. Here's a look under the hood.
How Katya's Konscience Was Born
When I set out to make my own, I wanted something that truly fit my personality and the way I want to receive advice. That’s how Katya’s Konscience was born, a no-BS, straight-to-the-point advisor for handling tough decisions in relationships, friendships, professional development, and mental blocks.
Why You Might Need a Custom GPT
If you find yourself asking ChatGPT the same thing over and over again, constantly retyping instructions, tweaking responses, or struggling to get consistent answers—a custom GPT could save you a ton of time and frustration.
With a custom GPT, you can:
✔️ Get consistency. No more hoping ChatGPT remembers how you like things. Your custom GPT is set up to respond the same way, every time.
✔️ Skip the re-explaining. Instead of typing out the same background info or instructions every time, your GPT is already primed with what it needs to know.
✔️ Make it shareable. If you’ve created a great system for answering certain questions, whether for work, a hobby, or just personal use, you can share your custom GPT with others who might need it too.
Think of it like setting up an assistant who gets it right from the start. No memory required—just clear instructions that ensure you get exactly what you need, every time.
Brainstorming My Custom GPT: How I Found the Perfect Idea
Sometimes the hardest part of starting a project can be deciding what exactly you want to do. I started by asking ChatGPT for custom GPT ideas for a 20-year-old woman. It gave me a bunch of creative options which helped me to realize: I ask ChatGPT for advice on so many aspects of my life. Whether it’s friendships, relationships, decision-making, or even professional challenges, or mental support. Sometimes, there are problems I’d rather keep to myself and not discuss with anyone so I will go to ChatGPT.
I didn’t want a chatbot that would just tell me what I wanted to hear (something ChatGPT tends to do). I needed something that would keep me in check, be brutally honest when necessary, and still provide emotionally supportive guidance. Basically, I wanted a mix of logic and empathy with absolutely no sugar coating.
How I Built Katya’s Konscience
Instead of using another custom GPT to help, I went straight to ChatGPT- 4.0 to help me generate all the inputs I needed to make this. The process looked like this:
Defining the Personality & Purpose
Started by telling ChatGPT-4.0 everything I wanted out of this GPT
I made sure it would give direct advice but still be emotionally aware.
It needed to help with decision-making, red flags, boundaries, and tough conversations.
I didn’t want it to sugarcoat things, but I also didn’t want it to be harsh just for the sake of it.
Customizing Instructions in the Configure Settings
I asked ChatGPT-4.0 to give me the instructions based off everything I told it and then I copied and pasted them into the configure setting
I told it exactly how I wanted responses: clear, logical, and to the point.
I gave it examples of how I make decisions so it could learn my style.
Testing & Adjusting Responses
The first few tries weren’t perfect, but I fine-tuned it to make sure it really fit my needs.
The Visuals: A Trial-and-Error Process
After configuring my GPT, I wanted a bold, aesthetic visual to go with it. Since I’ve been obsessed with red, black, and cherries lately, I knew that had to be the color scheme. I also wanted it to represent feminine strength, knowledge, and a little bit of rebellion.
Using DALL·E, I tried generating different images, but it took several attempts to get the right vibe. My first images looked too techy or didn’t capture the balance of intelligence and empowerment I was going for. After refining my prompts, I finally landed on one that was vision board inspired and had cute cherries, a glowing brain, and a powerful aesthetic.
When My GPT Almost Betrayed Me
During testing, I ran into an issue: at one point, Katya’s Konscience told me to throw my friend under the bus to protect myself. Not exactly the person I’m trying to be. This really shows the importance of using your intuition when using AI.
I had to go back into the settings and adjust the instructions so it would humble me when necessary but also keep me grounded in reality. I specifically told it to be honest without feeding my delusions because I don’t want to make bad decisions just because I think I’m in the right. I want my GPT to challenge me, not just agree with me.
Real-Life Use: How Katya’s Konscience Helped Me
One of my first real tests was asking about imposter syndrome. I wanted to know if I really deserved the opportunities I’ve gotten or if I was just lucky.
Katya’s Konscience gave me the reassurance I needed, but in a realistic way. It reminded me that even the most successful people struggle with imposter syndrome and that doubting myself doesn’t mean I don’t deserve what I have. It helped me reframe my mindset without just giving me empty affirmations.
Ready for some no-BS advice? Try out Katya’s Konscience, your brutally honest, big-sister AI, right now and see if you can handle the truth!
Key Takeaways From My Experience
Creating Katya’s Konscience was a process of trial, error, and a lot of tweaking, but now I have a custom GPT that truly fits my decision-making style. This is really something that takes practice since there are so many ways to make them. If you’re thinking about building your own, start with how you naturally use ChatGPT and customize from there. Whether it’s for advice, creativity, or professional guidance, the best custom GPT is the one that works for you.
If you’re thinking about building your own but don’t know where to begin, you’re not alone! That’s why we’re hosting a Build Your Own GPT workshop on March 19th at ModernWell. It’s the perfect way to learn hands-on, get guidance, and walk away with your own personalized AI.
Or maybe a one-on-one consultation is more your speed. Click below to set up time with Lori.
Comments