Prompting for Originality: How Devin McNulty Is AI-Enabling His Workshop Business

In this episode, Devin McNulty, founder of Funmentum Labs and creator of Funware, shares how he’s turning fun into a serious engine for creative work. After 15 years of running workshops for Fortune 500s, Devin built an AI-powered facilitation tool that helps hybrid teams generate better ideas—without needing a pro in the room.

We explore how he treats AI like a co-facilitator, not a thought partner, and what it means to “pre-train” AI the way you'd brief a human. Devin also unpacks how to turn creative intuition into scalable software—and why levity, timing, and rough ideas can unlock big breakthroughs. A smart listen for anyone building tools, workshops, or teams that need to think more boldly.

Key Takeaways:

• Fun Is a Strategic Tool—Not a Distraction – Devin challenges the assumption that “fun” and “serious work” are at odds. His facilitation method uses play to unlock alignment, compress timelines, and spark better ideas—especially in rooms that normally resist creative approaches.
• AI Can Facilitate, Not Just Assist – Most teams use AI as a solo tool or sidekick. Devin flips the script—designing AI to act like a group facilitator. Funware injects prompts, rephrases challenges, and even drops well-timed bad ideas to shift group dynamics and drive progress.
• Pre-training Your AI Is Like Prepping a Human Teammate – One of Devin’s biggest insights: treat your AI agents like collaborators. Build them with clear intent, layer in prompting strategy, and fine-tune them for the moment they’ll be used—just like you’d brief a co-facilitator before a workshop.
• Productizing Yourself Is the New Playbook – Devin’s journey is a case study in AI-first entrepreneurship—turning deep craft into software. His advice? Start with your workflow, atomize it into repeatable components, and build tools that deliver value with the push of a button.

Website: Funmentum™ Labs
LinkedIn: Devin McNulty | LinkedIn

00:00 Intro to Funmentum Labs & Funware
00:38 Why Fun Is a Powerful Work Strategy
01:41 Overcoming Skepticism in Serious Workplaces
02:27 Techniques to Engage Resistant Teams
06:32 Can AI Be Funny? Humor in Corporate Settings
08:03 How Funware Uses AI to Drive Group Creativity
11:43 Automating Workshops with AI-Powered Prompts
14:04 Devin’s Path from Facilitator to AI Builder
16:21 Advanced Prompting Techniques in Funware
28:34 Creative Prompting: Logos, Personas & Play
30:04 Exercises to Push Beyond Obvious Ideas
31:35 How AI Unlocks Group Innovation
36:55 Pre-Training AI for Better Collaboration
43:35 Using AI as Muse, Challenger & Focuser
48:46 Final Thoughts

📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of Prompting for Originality: How Devin McNulty Is AI-Enabling His Workshop Business |

For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:

Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelin
Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley

Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.