diff --git a/examples/custom_asset_lifecycles.rs b/examples/custom_asset_lifecycles.rs
index 86e49ff..5a9e790 100644
--- a/examples/custom_asset_lifecycles.rs
+++ b/examples/custom_asset_lifecycles.rs
@@ -6,4 +6,176 @@
 //! As this example demonstrates, you can bypass the [`ManifestPlugin`](leafwing_manifest::plugin::ManifestPlugin) entirely, and load your assets however you like,
 //! calling the publicly exposed methods yourself to replicate the work it does.
 
-fn main() {}
+use bevy::{asset::LoadState, prelude::*};
+use leafwing_manifest::manifest::Manifest;
+use manifest_definition::{ItemManifest, RawItemManifest};
+
+/// The core data structures and [`Manifest`] implementation is stolen directly from raw.rs:
+/// it's not the focus of this example!
+mod manifest_definition {
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+    use bevy::{prelude::*, utils::HashMap};
+    use leafwing_manifest::{
+        identifier::Id,
+        manifest::{Manifest, ManifestFormat},
+    };
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+    #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // Properties are for demonstration purposes only.
+    pub struct Item {
+        name: String,
+        description: String,
+        value: i32,
+        weight: f32,
+        max_stack: u8,
+        sprite: Handle<Image>,
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Clone)]
+    pub struct RawItem {
+        name: String,
+        description: String,
+        value: i32,
+        weight: f32,
+        max_stack: u8,
+        sprite: PathBuf,
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Debug, Resource, PartialEq)]
+    pub struct ItemManifest {
+        items: HashMap<Id<Item>, Item>,
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Debug, Asset, TypePath, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Clone)]
+    pub struct RawItemManifest {
+        items: Vec<RawItem>,
+    }
+
+    impl Manifest for ItemManifest {
+        type Item = Item;
+        type RawItem = RawItem;
+        type RawManifest = RawItemManifest;
+        type ConversionError = std::convert::Infallible;
+
+        const FORMAT: ManifestFormat = ManifestFormat::Ron;
+
+        fn get(&self, id: Id<Item>) -> Option<&Self::Item> {
+            self.items.get(&id)
+        }
+
+        fn from_raw_manifest(
+            raw_manifest: Self::RawManifest,
+            world: &mut World,
+        ) -> Result<Self, Self::ConversionError> {
+            let asset_server = world.resource::<AssetServer>();
+
+            let items: HashMap<_, _> = raw_manifest
+                .items
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(|raw_item| {
+                    let sprite_handle = asset_server.load(raw_item.sprite);
+
+                    let item = Item {
+                        name: raw_item.name,
+                        description: raw_item.description,
+                        value: raw_item.value,
+                        weight: raw_item.weight,
+                        max_stack: raw_item.max_stack,
+                        sprite: sprite_handle,
+                    };
+
+                    let id = Id::from_name(&item.name);
+
+                    (id, item)
+                })
+                .collect();
+
+            Ok(ItemManifest { items })
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    App::new()
+        .add_plugins(DefaultPlugins)
+        .add_systems(PreUpdate, manage_manifests)
+        .run();
+}
+
+// The same basic workflow applies:
+// 1. Start loading the raw manifest
+// 2. Wait for the raw manifest to load
+// 3. Convert it into a usable form
+// 4. Store it as a resource
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Default)]
+enum ManifestProgress {
+    #[default]
+    NotLoaded,
+    Loading,
+    Loaded,
+    Processed,
+}
+
+/// Handles the entire lifecycle of the manifest.
+///
+/// This is a tiny simple systems for simplicity: the core steps can be arranged however you'd like.
+/// See the source code of the [`plugin`](leafwing_manifest::plugin) module for further inspiration.
+fn manage_manifests(
+    mut progress: Local<ManifestProgress>,
+    mut manifest_handle: Local<Option<Handle<RawItemManifest>>>,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    asset_server: Res<AssetServer>,
+    raw_manifest_assets: Res<Assets<RawItemManifest>>,
+) {
+    match *progress {
+        // Step 1: Start loading the raw manifest.
+        ManifestProgress::NotLoaded => {
+            // Load the raw manifest from disk
+            let handle = asset_server.load("raw_items.ron");
+            *manifest_handle = Some(handle);
+            *progress = ManifestProgress::Loading;
+        }
+        // Step 2: Wait for the raw manifest to load.
+        ManifestProgress::Loading => {
+            // The handle is always created in the previous step, so this is safe.
+            let handle = manifest_handle.as_ref().unwrap();
+            // Check if the asset is loaded
+            let load_state = asset_server.get_load_state(handle).unwrap();
+            match load_state {
+                // We're safely loaded: timie to move on to the next step.
+                LoadState::Loaded => {
+                    *progress = ManifestProgress::Loaded;
+                }
+                // We're still waiting for the asset to load
+                LoadState::NotLoaded | LoadState::Loading => (),
+                // Something went wrong: panic!
+                LoadState::Failed => {
+                    panic!("Failed to load manifest");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        // Step 3: Process the raw manifest into a usable form.
+        // Step 4: Store the usable form as a resource.
+        ManifestProgress::Loaded => {
+            let raw_manifest = raw_manifest_assets
+                .get(manifest_handle.as_ref().unwrap())
+                .unwrap()
+                // This process can be done without cloning, but it involves more sophisticated machinery.
+                .clone();
+
+            // We're deferring the actual work with commands to avoid blocking the whole world
+            // every time this system runs.
+            commands.add(|mut world: &mut World| {
+                let item_manifest =
+                    ItemManifest::from_raw_manifest(raw_manifest, &mut world).unwrap();
+
+                world.insert_resource(item_manifest);
+            });
+            *progress = ManifestProgress::Processed;
+        }
+        // All done: no more work to do!
+        ManifestProgress::Processed => (),
+    }
+}