Second Brain Case Study: PARA and Habit Formation in Argentina

I recently interviewed Federico Gonzalez, an Argentinian educator in Buenos Aires, about his experience teaching some of the methods from my Building a Second Brain course to three groups he works with in Argentina. The first group is sixth-year students at Escuela Técnica del Gran Bs As in the La Matanza municipality of Buenos Aires. They…

The Structure of Information Revolutions

In 1962, philosopher Thomas Kuhn published his landmark work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, forever changing our view of the history of science. Kuhn showed that scientific revolutions follow a certain pattern, in which periods of conceptual continuity in normal science were interrupted by periods of revolutionary science. In this article I’ll argue that the…

A Productivity Expert’s Guide to Working with a Virtual Assistant

Over the past five months I’ve worked closely with a virtual assistant (VA). This article summarizes what I’ve learned about the best ways to handle the working relationship, in the form of a guide for anyone who wants to do the same. Hiring a VA can be an absolute game-changer for your productivity, effectiveness, and…

The Enrolling Pitch: How To Structure And Deliver A Pitch That Sells, with Julia Beauchamp

This is a presentation and Q&A with Julia Beauchamp, a public speaking coach I recently worked with for an important speaking gig. Her company, Speak to Inspire, specializes in working with entrepreneurs, experts, and leaders who have mastered their craft, but are looking for ways to more effectively communicate their message in a powerful way…

Interview with Weihaur Lau of Created Living, on Health and Wellbeing for Conscious Leaders

I recently interviewed Weihaur Lau of Created Living, a health and wellness-based coaching program for leaders. Weihaur’s coaching business focuses on helping leaders bring balance and health to their lives. More specifically, he works with a team of coaches and practitioners to help you understand the coping mechanisms you’ve developed to make it through life,…

10 Things I Learned as a VA with Tiago

By Kathryn Tongg 1. Establish the preferred method of communication right away. Everyone has a way they prefer to communicate. Whether this is via phone, text, email or other app such as Slack, determine upfront what your client prefers. This will ensure you’re both on the same page with clear expectations. 2. Be patient in…

Tide Turners: A Workshop on Using Business to Fuel Spiritual Awakening

At the end of July, I participated in a two-day workshop in San Francisco called Tide Turners. This is the story of what I discovered there. I first met Joe Hudson, the creator and leader of the program, at a Consciousness Hacking meetup dedicated to building products that contribute to self-awareness and sustainability. He led…

MESA Part 5: The Future of Work That MESA Envisions

MESA Co. considers their method not just a problem-solving tool, but an entirely new way of working. As their ambitions have grown, they’ve begun looking toward a future in which this way of conducting work is nothing more than common sense.

In this article, I’ll outline a vision for what the future of work might look like if MESA has its way.

The Ecommerce Influence Podcast: Why You Should Stop Organizing And Build A Second Brain

I recently recorded an interview with Austin Brawner and Andrew Foxwell of Ecommerce Influencers, in which we talked about how capturing and saving knowledge can enhance everything from employee onboarding to marketing to gaining perspective on life. Listen below or click here for show notes and a full transcript:

MESA Part 4: The Origins of MESA

The MESA Method is full of firmly held beliefs and sharp distinctions. To understand why they’re so important, you have to understand where they came from. I recently sat down with Bárbara Soalheiro, the founder and CEO of MESA Co., and Lígia Giatti, her number 2, to try and understand the origins of this new way of working.

The 60 Inventions that Shaped Information Technology

This is a summary of my tweetstorm on the history of information technology, drawn from the excellent book Glut: Mastering Information Through The Ages by Alex Wright. I mean “information technology” in the broadest possible sense – the methods and tools we use to manage information in all its forms. 1/ This is a tweetstorm…

Interview with David Nebinski on the Portfolio Career Podcast

Listen to my recent interview on the Portfolio Career podcast, where we talk about my Full-Stack Freelancer Model and the emerging trend of people creating portfolios of multiple income streams, instead of a single monolithic job: Here’s the episode from the podcast website: EPISODE SUMMARY This conversation is with Tiago Forte. Tiago is a thought…