From Courses to “Companion AI”: How Coaches and Experts Can Monetize Their Frameworks with Smart, Role-Based AI Tools

If you sell coaching, courses, or expertise online, you’ve probably felt the shift.

People still want transformation.
They still want outcomes.
But they don’t want to consume their way there.

In this episode of the Prompt to Product podcast, Javier Velazquez talks with Melissa Ricker — a funnel strategist and nuclear engineer (yep, that combo is real) — about what’s changing in digital learning and how AI can help experts serve more people without diluting their brand or turning into “generic ChatGPT advice.”

The episode is packed with practical takeaways for coaches, course creators, and agency owners building expert tools on FormWise.

Because the opportunity isn’t “add AI.”
The opportunity is: turn your IP into an asset that delivers outcomes faster.

Let’s unpack it.

The Shift in Digital Learning: The Age of “Just Watch the Course” Is Over

Melissa’s first point is the one that stings (because it’s true):

Modern buyers don’t want to sit through hours of modules.

They want:

• faster implementation
• immediate clarity
• fewer decisions
• direct next steps

Courses aren’t dead — but the consumption model is changing.

A course used to be the product.
Now, the course is often supporting material.

The real product is speed-to-result.

And that’s where AI tools become unfairly powerful: they can compress “searching, interpreting, deciding” into a guided experience.

This is exactly why SmartForms work so well for experts. They turn a framework into a one-question-at-a-time flow that produces a deliverable. No scrolling through 30 lessons hoping you found the right one.

AI as a “Brain Download” (Not a Generic Chatbot)

Melissa draws a line between raw, general AI and trained AI.

Raw ChatGPT has two classic problems in expert contexts:

• It’s overly agreeable (it will “yes-and” a bad strategy)
• It can hallucinate or drift away from your methodology

So instead of asking generic AI to pretend it’s you, she advocates what she calls a “brain download”:

Train the AI on the expert’s actual IP:

• proprietary frameworks
• client delivery steps
• language, tone, boundaries
• decision logic and sequencing

That way the tool doesn’t just generate ideas — it gives answers the way you would.

On FormWise, this is where two features become the backbone of expert-grade tools:

• Brand Voice: so outputs consistently sound like your brand (not a generic robot)
• Data Upload: so the tool can reference your PDFs, docs, URLs, and internal assets as context

When you combine those with a well-structured SmartForm or a properly instructed CoPilot, you’re no longer selling “AI.”

You’re selling access to your brain.

The Lightbulb Method: Stop Treating Every User Like They’re at the Same Stage

One of the most tactical frameworks Melissa shares is the Lightbulb Method.

The basic idea: every customer is at a different point in their journey.

Some are:

• unaware (they don’t know what’s wrong)
• problem-aware (they feel pain but don’t have language for it)
• solution-aware (they know what they need, not how to do it)
• ready (they just need the next step and accountability)

A one-size-fits-all training or chatbot fails because it throws the same advice at everyone.

The Lightbulb Method is about diagnosis + guided progression.

This translates beautifully into a SmartForm design pattern:

A Lightbulb SmartForm structure (steal this)

Step 1: Identify stage

• “What have you tried so far?”
• “What’s your biggest block right now?”

Step 2: Route to the right path

• beginner path: explain + simplify
• intermediate path: customize + choose
• advanced path: optimize + scale

Step 3: Deliver the right output

• action plan
• scripts/templates
• checklist + next milestone

This is how you build tools that feel like a real strategist is guiding the user — not a generic assistant dumping tips.

AI Coach vs. AI Consultant: Pick a Role (Don’t Blend Them)

Melissa also makes an important distinction that most builders ignore:

The AI Coach

• Empathy-driven
• Accountability-oriented
• Focused on mindset, consistency, follow-through
• Asks reflective questions

The AI Consultant

• Direct, results-driven
• Tactical recommendations
• Focused on implementation and decisions
• Gives clear next steps and frameworks

This matters because the “personality” of the tool changes the perceived value.

If you’re building for execution (marketing campaigns, funnels, content systems), an AI Consultant is usually the right fit.

If you’re building for behavior change (health, leadership, habits), an AI Coach becomes a retention engine.

On FormWise, this maps cleanly to tool choice:

• CoPilots are perfect for an AI Coach experience (ongoing chat + support)
• SmartForms are perfect for an AI Consultant experience (inputs → deliverable)

And you can bundle both into a Toolset when you want the “plan + support” combo.

Acquisition + Engagement: Use AI Tools to Lower Lead Costs and Boost Webinar Results

This episode isn’t just about serving clients — it’s also about getting them.

Melissa talks about using AI-powered experiences like intelligent quizzes to:

• lower lead costs
• increase engagement
• improve webinar show-up and participation

Why it works: quizzes create a micro-win.

Instead of “download this PDF,” the prospect gets something personalized:

• a score
• a diagnosis
• a recommended path
• a tailored next step

In FormWise terms, this is an easy win:

• Build a SmartForm that behaves like a “diagnostic quiz”
• Deliver a personalized assessment + action plan
• Use it as a lead magnet or webinar warm-up tool
• Pipe the results into your CRM (SmartForms support outbound webhooks)

The best part? You’re not just collecting an email.
You’re collecting context — the exact pain points you can sell into.

Monetizing Expertise Through Companion AI Assets

Here’s the monetization unlock Melissa emphasizes:

Experts can take static products (books, courses, templates) and turn them into recurring revenue by offering companion AI tools trained on that content.

A book becomes:

• “the knowledge”

A companion AI becomes:

• “the implementation layer”

That’s how you create a membership-style offer without churning yourself to death.

Examples of Companion AI offers

• “Course + AI implementation assistant”
• “Book + daily accountability CoPilot”
• “Template library + on-demand strategist”
• “Program alumni toolset (members-only)”

And if you’re using FormWise Toolsets, you can gate access with Login Mode (accounts, Stripe, credits), which is exactly what you need for tiered subscriptions and retention-based monetization.

Docs if you want to build this model: https://manual.formwise.ai/formwise/core-features/login-mode-and-monetization

Positioning: AI as an Assistant, Not a Replacement

Melissa is clear on this: AI shouldn’t be marketed as “replacing” the expert.

It should be positioned as:

• an assistant
• an employee
• a support layer
• an implementation buddy

That positioning does two things:

1. It reduces fear (“I’m not being replaced”)
2. It increases adoption (“This helps me get results faster”)

For agencies selling tools to businesses, the same logic applies:

Don’t pitch “AI takes over your business.”
Pitch “AI handles the repetitive stuff so your team can focus.”

CTA: Turn Your Framework Into a Companion AI This Week

If you’re a coach, course creator, or expert with a real framework, here’s the move:

1. Choose one transformation you repeat constantly
2. Turn the steps into a guided SmartForm (Lightbulb-style routing if needed)
3. Build a CoPilot for ongoing support (Coach or Consultant role)
4. Bundle them into a Toolset
5. Gate it for recurring revenue with Login Mode

Start building your companion AI here: https://app.formwise.ai/

And if you want examples from other builders (and feedback on your first tool), join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/181507861300697/

You don’t need a bigger audience.
You need a better asset. Ship it.

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