# Sébastien Dubois I'm a Knowledge Management Expert, [Author](https://www.dsebastien.net/books), [Coach](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/pkm-coaching), [Instructor](https://www.dsebastien.net/courses/), [YouTuber](https://www.youtube.com/@dsebastien), Entrepreneur, Founder and Tinkerer. I will free you from mental overwhelm with systems that actually work ⚡ In numbers: 1,000+ Obsidian Starter Kit users, 450+ Knowii Community members, 100+ coaching clients, ~20K public notes, and several books, the latest being [[The Obsidian Search Handbook]]. I'm the founder of [[DeveloPassion]], a company helping me fulfill my life's mission, and supporting my lifestyle. I work half-time on that business. Next to that, I also work half-time as an IT Solution Architect, System Engineer and Project Manager for a large financial organization in Belgium. I love writing, and sharing ideas I'm passionate about: - AI - Best Practices - Concepts - Frameworks - Methods - Mental Models - Processes - Systems - Techniques - Tools - Workflows - AI Agents - AI Assistants - AI Ghostwriting - Knowledge Work - Professional excellence - Modern work practices - Digital effectiveness - Work methods - Work optimization - Information Management - Reducing information overload - Digital decluttering - Digital organization - Data management - Information architecture - File management - Knowledge Management (KM) - Best practices - Concepts - Frameworks - Methods - Mental Models - Principles - Processes - Systems - Techniques - Tools - Knowledge organization - Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) - Note-taking strategies - Structuring ideas - Personal knowledge organization - Tools for Thought - Building knowledge bases - The value of analog - The value of transitioning notes from analog to digital - Going from analog to digital - Knowledge Graphs - Connected thinking - Idea linking - Network building - Knowledge visualization - Obsidian - Usage tips - Best practices - System design - Templates and workflows - Content Creation - Content organization - Knowledge sharing - Digital publishing - Creativity - Personal Organization - Systems development - Habit formation - Routine building - Life management - Journaling - Daily notes - Weekly notes - Monthly notes - Yearly notes - Reflection practices - Personal documentation - Progress tracking - Note-taking - Writing - Techniques - Processes - Tool Selection and Usage - Digital tools - Software choices - System integration - AI integration - Digital workflows - Workflow optimization - Productivity - Zen productivity - Habits and Routines - Personal systems - Task management - Time management - Reducing cognitive load - Work effectiveness - Time leverage - Output quality - Hidden opportunities - Practical wisdom - Proven results - Simple execution - Strategic thinking - Personal Development - Self-improvement - Continuous improvement - Mindfulness - Intentional living - Life design - Goal setting - Mental Health - Decision-Making - Personal agency - Serendipity - Mental Clarity - Cognitive management - Focus improvement - Mental space - Clarity of thought - Professional Development - Career design - Professional growth - Skill building - Career guidance - Mental Models and Thinking - Decision making - Problem solving - Critical thinking - Systems thinking - Systems Thinking - Systems design - Systems development - Process design - Method optimization - Practice refinement - Design Thinking - Learning - Lifelong learning - Meta-learning - Learning methods - Educational approaches - Knowledge frameworks - Skill acquisition - Skill development - Knowledge retention - Reading [Subscribe to my newsletter](https://dsebastien.net/newsletter) if you're interested in any of those topics. There are additional topics that I have put aside for now, but am still passionate about: - Software Architecture - Software Development - IT Infrastructure - IT Security I actually wrote multiple books about IT and Software Development. ## Current Projects In 2025, I regrouped all my isolated communities, audiences, customers and offerings under a single umbrella: the [[Knowii Community]]. Knowii is a community of practice where top-tier professionals meet and grow together — and it's now at the very center of my business. Instead of separate products, I offer paid members a real transformation: unlimited access to my entire ecosystem of courses, tools, templates and content. Alongside Knowii, I'm building [[Knowii Voice AI]] (a privacy-focused voice-to-text app) and sharing what I've learned about using AI in knowledge work. In October 2026, I published [[The Obsidian Search Handbook]], a book about finding any note in your Obsidian vault when you need it. For what I'm focused on **right now**, see my [Now page](https://www.dsebastien.net/now). For everything I've built, see [Projects](https://www.dsebastien.net/projects/). ## My Story ### Life & Family I live in Binche, Belgium, a city with almost a thousand years of traditions. I have 3 kids, but manage to live a quiet life, free from the frenzy many seem to face with far fewer responsibilities. I don't feel overwhelmed, and I'm (almost) always calm, "zen", even though my life is BUSY. I married the most wonderful woman on earth in September 2026 (if you know her, you know it's true) ❤️ ### Childhood I was born in 1983, a few years before the World Wide Web was invented. I spent my childhood riding my bike, playing in parks, watching TV, playing video games, etc. Around 8, I became addicted to computers, and never stopped. The Web came a few years later, and it hooked me just as much. I played competitive online games for many years: MMOs, FPS such as Counter-Strike, Quake 3, Overwatch, and many others. As a teenager, I was super shy and introverted. I was not at ease with people, and preferred to write and build websites. I've been writing code for 30+ years, so I know a thing or two about that. And I've been writing for almost as long. Writing and IT are my two main passions in life. I consider myself kind and generous. I love learning and sharing what I learn. I've explored many areas in my life, some much more deeply than others, but always with the same intensity. Those include: writing, programming, electronics, photography, board games, music theory, guitar, piano, personal development, productivity, personal organization, ... Given my high level of curiosity and drive to learn, I'm a generalist, not a specialist. Although, when I dive into a new topic I find interesting/valuable, I tend to rapidly develop a deep level of expertise. ### Career I've been working for [~20 years in the IT industry](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiend). Since day one (and actually long before that), I have always been passionate about Software Development, Software Architecture, IT security, Code Quality, the Open Web, Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), IT Infrastructure, ... Professionally, I wore different hats over time: Software Developer, Technical Lead, Software Architect, Solution Architect, Infrastructure Architect, Infrastructure Manager, System Engineer, Team Leader, IT Security Expert, DevSecOps Architect, ... At work, I also created and lead an AI working group, helping colleagues learn about AI and adopt new tools. ### Recent years - **2019**: I wrote [Learn TypeScript by Building Web Applications](https://www.amazon.com/Learn-TypeScript-Building-Applications-understanding/dp/1789615860?tag=dsebastien00-20), a book about [TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org) and modern Web development. The startup I was working on failed miserably. I then started [[Dev Concepts]], a collection of 12 e-books about IT and software development. I published the first two, then put the project on hold to keep my business alive. - **2020**: I pivoted my business. I stopped consulting and focused entirely on Knowledge Management. My market research became the [[Personal Knowledge Management Library (PKM Library)]]. I wrote hundreds of [articles](https://dsebastien.net/blog) and newsletters, and DeveloPassion became a media business. - **2022**: I released the [[Obsidian Starter Kit]], a 1:1 copy of my own [[Obsidian]] system, now used by 1,000+ people. The [[Obsidian Starter Course]] followed. - **2023**: I created the [[Knowledge Worker Kit]], one of my most important projects. - **2024**: I started sharing my notes publicly at https://notes.dsebastien.net, built my first Obsidian plugins, and wrote the [[Knowledge Management for Beginners]] course (released in early 2025). - **2025**: I put the [[Knowii Community]] at the center of my business, started live events ([[Knowii Community Events]]), and launched the [[AI Ghostwriter Guide]] and [[Knowii Voice AI]]. - **2026**: I launched [Knowledge Forge](https://store.dsebastien.net), my new store, and released the [[Obsidian Starter Kit]] v5, with built-in AI support (hundreds of AI skills, AI agents, agent memory). I built a dozen new [Obsidian plugins](https://community.obsidian.md/users/dsebastien), and published [[The Obsidian Search Handbook]]. For everything else, see my [Projects](https://www.dsebastien.net/projects/) page. ## Top Skills My top skills include: - Expressing, sharing and teaching ideas clearly - Learning FAST - Identifying first principles - Finding and learning from domain experts - Connecting the dots across different domains - Capturing, Organizing and Managing Information and Knowledge at scale - IT and software development (including all the sub-fields) - Entrepreneurship ## Strengths Here are the qualities I rely on most: - I have a stable mind and (almost) infinite patience. It takes a lot to make me lose my temper - I have a lot of empathy. I care about others, how they feel and how they think - I'm generous. I want to do good in the world - I'm optimistic - I'm a great listener (don't ask my wife, that doesn't count 😂) - I have clarity (purpose, intent & ideas) - I'm VERY organized (again, don't ask my wife, false positive) - I'm a bridge builder. I can help people from different domains understand each other - I'm open-minded - I'm grounded in practical reality; I'm not a theorist ## Useful Links - News: https://dsebastien.net/news - Newsletter: https://dsebastien.net/newsletter - Community: https://dsebastien.net/community - Books, Courses, Products & Services: https://store.dsebastien.net - Where I share my ideas: [[My communications plan]] - [Coaching](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/pkm-coaching) for those who want to take the fast lane - Learn more about my [projects](https://www.dsebastien.net/projects/), [courses](https://www.dsebastien.net/courses), and [books](https://www.dsebastien.net/books) - Discover the [stuff I use](https://www.dsebastien.net/2022-01-27-my-current-indie-hacking-toolkit) - More: [LinkTree](https://linktr.ee/dsebastien) Given how passionate I am about Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), I often publish [articles on this topic](https://www.dsebastien.net/tag/personal-knowledge-management/), but I have also launched various initiatives, courses, and products, such as: - The [[Knowii Community]], a community focused on AI & Knowledge Management - [[The Obsidian Search Handbook]], a book about finding your notes in Obsidian - The [Obsidian Starter Kit](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/obsidian-starter-kit), a solid starting point and scalable system for Obsidian - The [Obsidian Starter Course](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/obsidian-starter-course), a deep-dive into Obsidian and PKM - The [Knowledge Worker Kit](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/knowledge-worker-kit), a guide and private community for Knowledge Workers and Lifelong learners - The [Knowledge Management for Beginners course](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/knowledge-management-for-beginners), a course focused on Knowledge Management and Personal Knowledge Management - The [Personal Knowledge Management Library](https://store.dsebastien.net/product/pkm-library), a collection of resources about PKM - The [[Knowii Voice AI]] app - The [PKM Journal](https://pkmjournal.com/), an online publication dedicated to PKM - [A Subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/PersonalKnowledgeMgmt) - [PKM Daily](https://twitter.com/PkmDaily), a Twitter account to share regular news about PKM - ... ## Where to find me You can find me on: - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@dsebastien) - [Substack](https://substack.com/@developassion) - [X (Twitter)](https://x.com/dsebastien) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/dsebastien.net) - [TikTok](https://tiktok.com/@DeveloPassion) - [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@sebastienduboisbe) - [Medium](http://dsebastien.medium.com) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiend) - [Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=dSebastien) - [GitHub](https://github.com/dsebastien) - [GitLab](https://gitlab.com/dsebastien) - [Obsidian Community](https://community.obsidian.md/users/dsebastien) - Product Hunt - https://www.producthunt.com/@developassion - https://www.producthunt.com/@dsebastien - [DEV.to](https://dev.to/dsebastien) - [StackOverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/users/226630/dsebastien) - [Hashnode](https://dsebastien.hashnode.dev/) - [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/lechtitseb/) - ... ## Quotes See here: [[My quotes]] ## Articles See here: [[My articles]] ## Newsletters See here: [[My newsletters]] ## Books See here: https://dsebastien.net/books