For years I wanted to create book summaries. And I did nothing because I didn’t want to create a carbon copy of what already existed. I knew that applying knowledge had to be a big part of the summary. Many readers are not skilled at applying knowledge, so their notes sit on a shelf gathering dust.
The First Attempt: AOLLA
I launched the Art of Learning Leadership Academy (AOLLA), but it never gained traction. The revenue from subscribers never covered what it cost to maintain the site. It also took a long time to turn my book notes into Bookish Notes. There was something else happening that I couldn’t explain. It just didn’t feel right, but I couldn’t articulate why.
What Was Missing
A big part of a Bookish Note is focused on applying the book’s ideas. However, something was still missing. Based on a theme, I curated the Bookish Notes and turned them into a course. That part was novel. When I explained it, people liked the idea, but they didn’t sign up. I described Bookish Notes as “book summaries on steroids,” but that wasn’t good branding because I needed to move away from the idea of summaries entirely.
The Turning Point
The website came down. Was I disappointed? Yes, because at the time it felt like a failure. However, it was a blessing in disguise. For months, I didn’t think about Bookish Notes or membership sites. And when I stepped back, I saw the problem clearly. I said I wasn’t selling book summaries, but that’s exactly what I was doing.
It was necessary to rethink what I was selling and why.
The Realization
I’m not selling book summaries. I’m selling an ecosystem.
What the Ecosystem Looks Like
Based on a theme, I curate Bookish Notes and turn them into a course. For example, if you want to learn about productivity, you access 10 Bookish Notes on that topic. Each one comes from a different author, so you’re exposed to different ways of thinking and different aspects of productivity.
You end up with a more rounded perspective. And because the course is not centered on a single author, you’re able to develop your own original thinking instead of adopting someone else’s.
Where the Shift Happens
Each Bookish Note helps you take action within 24 hours. But the real question is this. What happens after you’ve gone through all 10?
After engaging with multiple perspectives on a single topic, you’re no longer just learning. You’re making decisions. You’re choosing what applies. You’re deciding what to do next. That’s the shift. That’s why this is not about summaries.
The Rebuild
I’m relaunching the membership site in a couple of months. I’ve renamed it the Institute for Applied Knowledge, and that feels more aligned with the work.
What Changed Behind the Scenes
I created a CustomGPT to turn my book notes into Bookish Notes and several others to help subscribers. But more importantly, I focused on what comes after the notes. The derivatives. The actions. The decisions.
The first time around, I focused on the value subscribers received. This time, I’ve stepped things up several notches.
Subscribers now know what actions to take within 24 hours. I’m also making the Avil’s Musings section more valuable and refining the categories I use to curate Bookish Notes into themes.
The Problem This Solves
People are already drowning in information. What they need is a way to think more effectively and solve real problems. That’s what the new Bookish Notes do.
A Non-Negotiable: Multidisciplinary Thinking
And one more thing. Multidisciplinary thinking is not optional. We need to get out of our silos and see what’s happening in other fields. The problem you’re trying to solve has likely been solved somewhere else. But you won’t find it if you never look beyond your lane.
What This Becomes
These are the upgrades I’ve been making. And I’ve built it in a way that’s not easy to copy.
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