Hi! I’m Theo, and I teach people how to build personal knowledge management systems that actually help them get work done - not systems that become the work.

Back in 2022 I was procrastinating around revising for my A-levels, the exams in the UK that you study for and sit between 16-18, before going to university.

Nothing really stuck as a great note-taking system at the time, but I knew that I had to get things sorted out before my degree, so I went deep into the topic of PKM, reading books like Building a Second Brain, How to Take Smart Notes and more.

Eventually I built a philosophy and system that worked for me - a simple combination of the PARA Method and Zettelkasten. And then, in my first year of undergraduate study, I started writing about it…

From university essays to a business

What began as Medium articles about Obsidian and note-taking turned into a growing audience of people who wanted the same thing I did - a system that was simple enough to fade into the background so they could focus on real output.

In September 2023, I launched the PARAZETTEL vault as a product. It was the first thing I ever sold online, and it changed the trajectory of my life. Over the following two years, whilst finishing my degree, I built out courses, a community on Skool, workshops and a newsletter — all centred on teaching PKM in a way that’s practical, human and honest.

I graduated in the summer of 2025 with my BSc and, instead of looking for a traditional job, decided to go all-in on the business. I booked a flight to Thailand and tried building the business remotely, from the other side of the world to where I grew up.

This was harder than I expected, and I’ve moved back to the UK for the time being, but right now I’m focusing on PARAZETTEL more than ever, and looking to head somewhere I can sustainably live for the upcoming 2026 autumn and winter.

What I believe

I believe that most people overcomplicate their note-taking. The system is a means to do work, not the work itself. I’ve watched people spend weeks tweaking folder structures, installing plugins and copying other people’s setups — and produce nothing at the end of it.

Everything I teach comes back to simplicity, sustainability and output. If a tool or a method doesn’t directly help you create, learn or make progress on something that matters to you, it’s not worth your time.

What PARAZETTEL is today

PARAZETTEL is the name for everything I’ve built around this philosophy:

  • This website - first and foremost, the bulk of my teaching about note-taking and PKM can be found here, completely for free.
  • The Obsidian Vault and course bundle - When you’r ready you can access the whole PARAZETTEL for Obsidian template, as well as video course, teaching you the system I’ve used for notes for 4 years, through an entire degree and starting this business.
  • The Book— Minimal Note-Taking: A Guide to Simplicity in a Distracted World - currently in the works, scheduled for end-of-Q2 publish!

I also write articles and a newsletter, and I’m building out a YouTube channel covering Obsidian, PKM and productivity.

Get in touch

The best way to reach me is through email, at theo@parazettel.com.