Building a Second Brain
Refreshed brand for online school
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OPPORTUNITY
Building a Second Brain (BASB) is a cohort-based course on the leading edge of personal knowledge management, helping thousands of people to manage information overwhelm, find clarity in their work and personal lives, and supercharge their creative output. While its original branding had appealed to hard-core techies, the company needed to evolve its visual identity to match (and attract more of) its rapidly growing mainstream audience. The branding also needed to show that the program had become a sophisticated and premium (yet fun) experience. SOLUTION After conducting audience research (and taking the 5-week program myself), I solo-designed a comprehensive visual identity system that balanced a digital look with a human, friendly feel. Circuitry reflects the company’s technological underpinnings and remixes flexibly to suggest different meanings across digital and print media. A quirky yet highly legible typeface helps copy to take on a more personable voice. A muted color palette with pops of energetic accents provides both sophistication and playful warmth. |
Original logo
The refreshed logo
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Guidebook
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I produced a brand guidebook detailing the new visual identity system, articulating the design strategy and writing the copy for all mockups. I also produced a library of circuit graphic elements for easy content creation. The brand media kit is here. Or, click to view only the guidebook.
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Click to view guidebook
Digital assets
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Applications
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During the rebranding, the founder was writing a book about the course. I produced diagrams and illustrations that are featured in the book and suggested cover designs to integrate with the new branding. The cover that Atria Books produced (view here) shared similarities with my concepts below.
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Worksheets
Click to view sample of workbook
Print book (interior design and illustrations)
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OPPORTUNITY
Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, contracted me to design and illustrate Tiago Forte’s much-anticipated second book on productivity (the book became a Wall Street Journal bestseller). The manuscript needed diagrams and illustrations to portray concepts about information organization and creativity. SOLUTION I designed all of the book interiors and created more than 50 spot illustrations, patterns, and diagrams. By request of the publisher, I used only two ink colors throughout the book. |
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Samples of illustrations for the book:
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Event brand design
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OPPORTUNITY
In 2024 I was asked to design the brand identity and onsite collateral for the first in-person conference hosted by Forte Labs, the Second Brain Summit. The space itself was large and minimalist, so the client encouraged me to be bolder with designs. SOLUTION I extended the Building a Second Brain identity, adding a little extra drama with electric glow elements. I produced large banners, stickers, badges, and templates for event collaborators to use. I also proposed some interactive moments when possible, like a welcome banner that invited people to share answers, and window vinyls that had conversation prompts (while also providing some privacy for the breakout rooms). This event ultimately gathered 200+ attendees in Los Angeles, with nearly 50% of all attendees coming from outside the U.S. My client reflected on the event and shared photos here. |
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