Cohort 19 of Building a Second Brain starts in - days!

Join Now
Black Friday Bonus: Get the exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Tiago's Second Brain
Available only until Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 12pm ET
Get STarted
Cohort 15 is open for enrollment NOW! Join the new Membership to participate.

Building a Second Brain Cohort

The Fastest Path to Build & Benefit From a Second Brain in Your Life

Leverage the momentum of live cohorts plus a powerful community to keep you accountable and continuously support you on your journey.

Cohort 19 runs from October 2-29.

Is all the interesting information you’re consuming leading to meaningful results in your life … or is it going to waste? 

A Second Brain is already helping thousands of people around the world save their best ideas, organize their knowledge, and lead a more fulfilling life with more ease & less stress.

Join us now!

The Building a Second Brain Promise

When you join Building a Second Brain, we promise that you’ll…

Beat information overload

You’ll reduce stress and anxiety by knowing what to keep and what to ignore. Your best ideas will be preserved forever in a way you can easily find them again.

Organize your digital life

You’ll create a digital environment that promotes flow, clarity, and peace of mind so you can do your best work at any time.

Make consistent progress on your most important projects

You’ll be able to focus your time and energy on the things most meaningful to you, whether that’s your family, a new creative challenge, or your career or business growth.

Here’s how people from every profession and industry are benefiting from Building a Second Brain

Dr. Michele Gill

Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Central Florida

Steven Wilkinson

Founder and Managing Director of Good and Prosper Ltd., Wicklow, Ireland

Building a Second Brain is life-changing. I feel more organized. I know where everything goes. It's cleared up my information hoarding and replaced it with buckets for distilled work.

Barjes R. Angulo

Financial Planner

After taking the BASB course, everything has changed for me. This system is GENIUS and I'm so excited to read the book!

Savera Tasawar

Project Manager

BASB has given me a roadmap of where I want my life to go. It's sparking some creativity in all my endeavors.

Diana Lyn Davidson

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Artist, Writer & Photographer

BASB got me from 0 to a knowledge management system that makes me more effective by the day. This is almost an unfair advantage!

Adam Zielinski

Software Engineer

Visit our Wall of Love for more in-depth reviews of Building a Second Brain.

The cohort is your 4-week sprint to build your Second Brain with live support

Here’s what’s included:

BASB Foundation

Access the complete curriculum the second you hit “buy.” If you want to get started right away, you can dive into the fundamentals of the BASB methodology in about two hours of succinct instructional videos. Includes guided implementation steps and checklists to choose and set up your notetaking app.

4-Week Live Cohort

Build your fully functional Second Brain with the momentum, accountability, and support of our team and like-minded Second Brainers. You could spend years tinkering with your system, probably making every mistake possible. Or use our proven blueprint and create a system for personal knowledge management you can trust and rely on in just 28 days.

Expert Facilitators

Learn from our most experienced Second Brainers who have tested their systems in the real world. Our facilitators use the same notetaking apps as you and love to share what works for them. This is an exclusive opportunity to work with the best experts in personal knowledge management

4x Interactive Live Sessions

Join our facilitators for 90 minutes of step-by-step walkthroughs, live demos, and in-depth Q&As. You’ll also hear multiple examples of how to apply a given technique or tool in small breakout sessions. Through replays, live captions, and searchable transcripts, you’ll have multiple options to engage whenever and wherever it fits your schedule.

Weekly Facilitator Hours

Meet our facilitators individually to get your questions answered about how to apply the BASB techniques in your tools of choice. These sessions will have options for a variety of time zones so you can talk to someone live no matter where you’re located.

4x Office Hours

Get direct coaching from our team to work through any roadblocks that are keeping you stuck. We’ll show you how you can apply the BASB principles to your situation and adapt the system for your specific needs. Take advantage of your access to the collective intelligence of people who have done exactly what you’re trying to do.

Playbook

The playbook is your companion during the cohort and includes assignments, setup guides, and summaries to guide you step-by-step through building your Second Brain. It will only take a few minutes to implement each step and you’ll avoid common mistakes and hidden pitfalls. You’ll be able to use your Second Brain to reach your goals faster instead of creating an overcomplicated and over-engineered mess.

Personalized Support on Circle

Become part of the most active community on personal knowledge management where you can learn from each other’s insights and receive instant feedback. If you ever get stuck, just post your question on Circle and you’ll get an answer. Trust that the momentum of hundreds of people trying to achieve the same goal as you at the same time will propel you forward.

A Trial of the BASB Membership

Enjoy access to our full community and additional events even before the cohort starts. This includes a forum to discuss your favorite second brain apps with a growing library of tutorials,
interest spaces to exchange tips and ideas around certain topics (e.g. ADHD, AI, or books), an open chat space to meet and interact with other Second Brainers, and member-led events and offerings.

Money-Back Guarantee

Your satisfaction is our #1 goal, and we want the decision to join Building a Second Brain to be 100% risk-free so you can focus on learning.

Join the first week of the Cohort and if you decide it didn't deliver on its promise for any reason, fill out this form before the second live session (October 11th) to get a refund.

Our learners come from the world’s leading organizations

The world is waiting for you to make the difference that only you can make.

You’ll feel the benefits of Building a Second Brain
from day 1 of the cohort

Here’s what our students experience by the end of each week:

Week 1

You’ll start to feel the pressure of information overwhelm melting away, since you can now confidently ignore 99% of the information out there while saving the 1% that matters.

Week 2

You’ll finally get your digital life organized, knowing where to find the right information right when you need it.

Week 3

You’ll master how to make your notes easily discoverable for your future self, setting the stage for turning the information you capture into concrete outputs. 

Week 4

You’ll start using the information in your life to actively move your goals and priorities forward instead of just hoarding it. 

Here’s how people from every profession and industry are benefiting from Building a Second Brain

Ben Mosior

Systems Consultant

Bronson Chang

Co-Founder at Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha in Honolulu, Hawaii

Take this course to start to feel agency in the world of infinite information and filter failure!

Doug von Kohorn

Managing Partner, Fathom Ventures, New York, NY

BASB is the best online course I've taken so far. It's helping me sort through all my mental, emotional, spiritual blockages.

Danbee Kim

Creative Director, OORI Studio

BASB gave me a noticeable boost in self-confidence and energy towards working on my projects. It’s hard to understate the sense of growth of who I am – of what I’m capable of achieving. It has profoundly altered my outlook on life and what I dare to aspire to.

Filip Rankenberg

Body therapist and trainer, Entrepreneur

As a long-term collector of information that often sat unread and unused, BASB has changed my approach to information and the possibilities are just beginning to unfold. This was life-changing.

Laurie Anderson

Alexander Art, CEO

Visit our Wall of Love for more in-depth reviews of Building a Second Brain.

Try Building a Second Brain risk-free with our Money-Back Guarantee

Your satisfaction is our #1 goal, and we want the decision to join Building a Second Brain to be 100% risk-free so you can focus on learning.

Join the first week of the Cohort and if you decide it didn't deliver on its promise for any reason, fill out this form before the second live session (October 11th) to get a refund.

Get reimbursed
by your employer

Most large organizations, and many smaller ones, will reimburse tuition for professional development.

Click here to download a proposal template.

Join the BASB Cohort

A 4-week sprint to build your Second Brain with the momentum, accountability, and support of our team and like-minded Second Brainers.

  • BASB Foundation self-paced course so you can dive into the fundamentals of the BASB methodology right away
  • 4-week live cohort running from October 2-29
  • Expert facilitators from diverse backgrounds who have tested their Second Brains in the real world
  • 4x interactive live sessions on Wednesdays at 10 am ET for 90 minutes
  • Weekly facilitator hours with options for a variety of time zones
  • 4x office hours on Thursdays at 1:30 pm ET for 60 minutes with direct coaching from our team to work through any roadblocks
  • Playbook with assignments, setup guides, and summaries to guide you step-by-step through the cohort and building your Second Brain
  • Personalized support on Circle to get instant feedback and answers to your questions
  • A trial of the BASB Membership with access to our full community and additional events
  • Money-back guarantee so you can try the first week of the cohort risk-free
  • Lifetime access to the recordings of your cohort's live sessions, the facilitator hours, and office hours as well as the BASB Foundation self-paced course

5,000 Students

Over 5,000 students have taken Building a Second Brain

29 Countries

Students from 29 countries joined our last cohort

Ages 20-80

Students from all age groups have benefited from Building a Second Brain

75% Improvement

Students demonstrated a 75% increase in confidence in their skills in our last cohorts 

Is Building a Second Brain right for you?

Building a Second Brain is for ambitious learners, creators, and thinkers who want to create more meaningful work in the digital age.

Knowledge Workers

Anyone who needs to consume a lot of information, understand it, and use it to produce a result in their jobs. Whether you’re in Tech, Finance, or Management— if your greatest asset is your knowledge, Building a Second Brain is for you.

Creators

As a YouTuber, blogger, podcaster, or someone who needs to give killer presentations at work, a Second Brain will help you capture and organize your ideas, so you always have rich material to pull from.

Students

If you’re working on a thesis or want to make sure every ounce of your learning is captured and secure forever, Building a Second Brain will help you get the most out of your studies and stand out among your peers.

Freelancers & Entrepreneurs

Having trouble managing all the information you need to run your business? Building a Second Brain will help you work on your business and in your business without dropping any balls.

Families

Managing a household can be chaotic and draining. But when you leverage technology the right way and build a Second Brain to offload some of the burden, you can thrive, not just survive, at home.

Life-Long Learners, Productivity & Self-Improvement Enthusiasts

You’re consuming a ton of useful information but struggle to put it into practice. Now you can save all the knowledge you’ve gained, find it when you need it, and take the necessary steps to improve your life.

Most importantly, Building a Second Brain is for…

Anyone who wants to succeed in the digital economy

Our digital lives are expanding exponentially. Your profession and pursuits require you to consume and understand more information than ever, and it’s only going to get more demanding. Building a Second Brain is the answer to information overload and overwhelm. You’ll clear the mental clutter so you can start doing your best work with more clarity, purpose, and ease.

Answers to your Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from the book?

The book contains the full Building a Second Brain material. But think about how often you’ve read a book, were inspired by the possibilities it outlined, yet didn’t take action to put your learnings into practice.

That’s what the Cohort is for!

In the cohort, you’ll build your fully functional Second Brain with the momentum, accountability, and support of our team and like-minded Second Brainers. You could spend years tinkering with your system, probably making every mistake possible. Or use our proven blueprint and create a system for personal knowledge management you can trust and rely on in just 28 days.

What’s the difference between BASB Foundation and the BASB Cohort? 

BASB Foundation is our self-guided option for those seeking an introduction to building their Second Brain. Here’s what’s included:

  • 6 modules with succinct instructional videos so you can absorb the fundamentals of the BASB methodology in the most distilled, easy-to-understand way
  • Pick-your-notes-app quiz & checklist to help you choose & properly set up the right notetaking app for your needs
  • Guided implementation steps so you can put what you learn into practice immediately
  • A resource library of our best, most impactful content to dive deeper into digital notetaking and personal knowledge management
  • 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try Foundation risk free and focus on learning 
  • Access for the lifetime of the course


The BASB Cohort is our 4-week sprint to build your Second Brain with the momentum, accountability, and support of our team and like-minded Second Brainers. Here’s what’s included:

  • The BASB Foundation self-paced course so you can dive into the fundamentals of the BASB methodology right away
  • 4-week live cohort running from October 2-29
  • Expert facilitators from diverse backgrounds who have tested their Second Brains in the real world
  • 4x interactive live sessions on Wednesdays at 10 am ET for 90 minutes
  • Weekly facilitator hours with options for a variety of time zones
  • 4x office hours on Thursdays at 1:30 pm ET for 60 minutes with direct coaching from our team to work through any roadblocks
  • Playbook with assignments, setup guides, and summaries to guide you step-by-step through the cohort and building your Second Brain
  • Personalized support on Circle to get instant feedback and answers to your questions
  • A trial of the BASB Membership with access to our full community and additional events
  • Money-back guarantee so you can try the first week of the cohort risk-free
  • Lifetime access to the recordings of your cohort's live sessions, the facilitator hours, and office hours as well as the BASB Foundation self-paced course
What will I have access to and for how long?

As part of your purchase, you'll receive access to Cohort 19 as well as a trial of our BASB Membership. 

The BASB Membership includes...
• Weekly events (we typically hold 2-3 per week when the cohort isn’t in session)
• A monthly Q&A with TiagoAll replays of past events and Q&As
• A forum to discuss your favorite second brain apps and a growing library of tutorials
• Interest spaces to exchange tips and ideas around certain topics e.g. ADHD, AI, or books
• An open chat space to meet and interact with other Second Brainers
• Member-led events and offerings
• Recommended courses to continue your learning journey 

Your trial of the BASB Membership will expire two weeks after your cohort ends. If you'd like to continue your BASB Membership, you'll get the option to do so at $175 per quarter or $499 per year. As an active member, you'll also have access to future cohorts. 

If you decide not to join the BASB Membership at the end of your cohort, you'll lose access to the BASB Membership as well as the playbook of your cohort.

You’ll always keep access to the recordings of your cohort's live sessions, facilitator hours, and office hours as well as the BASB Foundation self-paced course.

What does the schedule for the upcoming cohort look like? 

The upcoming Cohort 19 will run from October 2nd to 29th, 2023.


Here are the key dates:

  • Wed., Oct. 4th at 10 am ET: Live Session 1 
  • Thu., Oct. 5th at 1:30 pm ET: Office Hours 
  • Wed., Oct. 11th at 10 am ET: Live Session 2
  • Thu., Oct. 12th at 1:30 pm ET: Office Hours
  • Wed., Oct. 18th at 10 am ET: Live Session 3 
  • Thu., Oct. 19th at 1:30 pm ET: Office Hours
  • Wed., Oct. 25th at 10 am ET: Live Session 4
  • Thu., Oct. 26th at 1:30 pm ET: Office Hours

The live sessions run for 90 minutes and are led by our facilitators. The office hours run for 60 minutes and are led by our team. The facilitator hours run for 60 minutes and are led by our facilitators. We haven’t completely finalized the schedule for the facilitator hours yet. 

‍All sessions are recorded, including captions, so if you have to miss a session, you can always watch it later.

What’s the cohort schedule for 2024? 

We haven’t finalized cohort dates for the coming year yet. 

How much time do I need to invest to benefit from Building a Second Brain? 

When you’re joining the BASB Cohort, you’ll be part of a more intensive learning experiences delivered live in real time.

Although we make replays of all sessions available, and you can always rewatch them afterward, we strongly recommend that you attend the live sessions to fully benefit from the live learning experience.

Overall, you should plan on spending around 2.5 hours per week for the 4 weeks of the live cohort, including:

  • 1.5 hours per week attending the live session (or watching the replay)
  • 1-2 hours per week implementing what you learn
  • (optional) engage with your peers on Circle, our community platform
What tools are used in Building a Second Brain?

Building a Second Brain is tool-agnostic, meaning our methodology will work in any software you prefer.

Students use Evernote, Notion, Apple Notes, OneNote, Craft, Roam Research, Obsidian, Bear, and Google Keep, among many other notetaking tools.

Are there any prerequisites for this course?

There are no official prerequisites to take Building a Second Brain. However, we do expect you to be reasonably comfortable with using a computer or smartphone.

What’s your refund policy?

Your satisfaction is our #1 goal, and we want the decision to join Building a Second Brain to be 100% risk-free so you can focus on learning.

Join the first week of the Cohort and if you decide it didn't deliver on its promise for any reason, fill out this form before the second live session (October 11th) to get a refund.

With that being said, we want you to feel fully confident in your decision to join Building a Second Brain. If you have any question whatsoever, email support@fortelabs.com for a private chat with our team. 

Do you offer discounts or scholarships?

We don’t offer discounts or scholarship. Instead, we support Purchasing Power Parity Pricing. Based on your location, you might qualify for a reduced price for BASB Foundation and the BASB Cohort.

If you do, you’ll automatically see a banner with a discount code on this page.  Make sure to disable any VPN since this will block the banner from showing. 

Please use this checkout page where you can enter the discount code.

What kind of payment plans do you offer?

We’re happy to offer you “buy now, pay later” options through Klarna and Afterpay/Clearpay, which enable you to pay for our courses in interest-free installments.

On our checkout pages, you’ll find these options under “Payment Methods.”

Currently, “buy now, pay later” is available in the United States only.

Didn’t see the answer to your question? Check our Help Center for more FAQs. 

A final word from Tiago

Imagine what it would be like if you knew with total certainty that every great idea you encountered was reliably saved forever.

That you could wave goodbye to information overload because you have a way to filter out the junk while saving only the best stuff.

You could move forward decisively on your goals without wondering whether you had all the right information. You could execute your projects and create new things without wondering whether this was really the best you could do.

If you're paid to think for a living, you cannot afford not to invest in the most valuable asset you own – your ideas.

You can’t afford to burden your biological brain with trivial details that only gunk up your wheels as you go about your workday and go after your goals.

It’s time to build a Second Brain and fully unlock the potential you know you are capable of.

Don't spend 10 years figuring out how to make your knowledge work for you like I did. Don't resign yourself to watching your ideas pile up and never doing anything with them. Don't reach the end of your career wondering if you were actually capable of more.

Join me on this incredible journey, and find out what it's really like to have the full power of a Second Brain at your fingertips.

See you inside!

Tiago

Alysson Costa

Senior Lecturer and Mathematician, Melbourne, Australia

Harirai Khalsa

Writer, Musician, and Entrepreneur, in Santa Fe, New Mexico

BASB has already impacted my life in more ways than I could have imagined. Now, I feel like an authority and I am not worried about expressing myself. 

Jenn Reid

Imagine being able to recall all the really interesting things you’ve ever read, seen and done. How good would that be? I wish I had done it years ago.

Jimmy Conway

Organizational Improvement Consultant

This course completely re-organized the way I consume content. It changed what I pay attention to and why.

Yuri Burchenya

Co-founder at GetFoundXL

As a long-term collector of information that often sat unread and unused, BASB has changed my approach to information and the possibilities are just beginning to unfold. This was life-changing.

Kiva Slade

Analytics and Operations Consultant

Join the BASB Cohort

A 4-week sprint to build your Second Brain with the momentum, accountability, and support of our team and like-minded Second Brainers.

  • BASB Foundation self-paced course so you can dive into the fundamentals of the BASB methodology right away
  • 4-week live cohort running from October 2-29
  • Expert facilitators from diverse backgrounds who have tested their Second Brains in the real world
  • 4x interactive live sessions on Wednesdays at 10 am ET for 90 minutes
  • Weekly facilitator hours with options for a variety of time zones
  • 4x office hours on Thursdays at 1:30 pm ET for 60 minutes with direct coaching from our team to work through any roadblocks
  • Playbook with assignments, setup guides, and summaries to guide you step-by-step through the cohort and building your Second Brain
  • Personalized support on Circle to get instant feedback and answers to your questions
  • A trial of the BASB Membership with access to our full community and additional events
  • Money-back guarantee so you can try the first week of the cohort risk-free
  • Lifetime access to the recordings of your cohort's live sessions, the facilitator hours, and office hours as well as the BASB Foundation self-paced course