Hailing from the vibrant city of Bangalore, this 18-year-old prodigy has seamlessly blended the realms of education and technology, crafting tools that not only serve a practical purpose but also inspire others to explore their own potential.

With a passion that spans across aviation, filmmaking, photography, design, tech, electronics, cars, and motorcycles, Nandu embodies the spirit of a Renaissance man in the digital age.

In this exclusive interview, we peel back the layers of Nandu’s journey with Notion, from a curious student to a trailblazing creator whose templates and products have not only garnered acclaim but have also significantly impacted the way students and professionals organize their lives and work.

As someone who balances the rigors of college life with the demands of a thriving business, Nandu offers a rare glimpse into the world of digital creation, sharing insights that are as valuable as they are inspiring.

Join us as we dive into the mind of a creator who’s paving the way for others to follow.

Q: How did you first discover Notion, and what drew you to it?

A: I discovered Notion through one of my favorite YouTuber’s videos and I loved how he was able to keep track of and plan out his workouts. This made me dive deeper into how Notion could help me stay on top of my academics and life in general.

Q: What inspired you to become a creator?

A: During my sophomore year in high school, I developed a Student OS inside Notion to enhance my studying experience. It helped me ace all my final exams. As I was taking a shower one day, I had a light bulb moment that my creation could benefit other students as well. This realization inspired me to become a Notion creator.

Q: What does a typical day in your life look like?

A: I usually start my day at 7:30 am and arrive at the campus by 8:30 am, just before my lectures begin. The lectures wrap up around 3:00 pm, and I get back home by 4 pm. After that, I take a short 15-minute break to grab a cup of coffee and engage on X. At 4:30 pm, I proceed to the gym and return home by 6:30 pm. From 7 pm to 9 pm, I work on my business, have dinner, and then resume work at around 10 pm until 11:30 pm before finally heading to bed. This is a typical day in my life.

Q: Can you walk us through the process of creating one of your flagship products?

A: I’ve built 3 flagship products so far. The first one is ‘Ikigai Finder’ which is still available. When I was learning about the concept of Ikigai, I wanted to find my purpose. But I couldn’t find a tool on the internet that would help me do so. That’s when I realized I could build one inside Notion with just filters, sorts, and linked views. I built it within 24 hours, launched it on PH without any hype, spread the word on Twitter, and got to the #4 best product of the day on PH. This is usually the process I follow: I choose an idea that could be built in 24-48 hours and solves a real problem, launch it on PH, spread the word through Twitter and my Email list, gather testimonials from users, and scale it further.

Q: One of your templates has been acquired, and you even wrote a guide about it. But I would like to ask about the emotional aspect of the process. So, from the moment you decided to list your product until the moment you finally sold it, what were the emotions at the different stages and how did you deal with them?

A: At first, I was curious to see if a Notion template a.k.a digital product could be acquired. Some people said I was crazy enough to even think about it. But I still listed it. I was worried about the vetting process done by Acquire, thinking they might reject it, but guess what? They approved it! This made me more confident to put in the work. As inbound leads started flowing in, my confidence just kept increasing. But when prospects started throwing in low-ball offers, for a moment I thought I should take them. But I rejected all of them until I closed the deal which matched my asking price. I signed an APA for the first time in my life, I felt so proud and happy but at the same time, I felt a bit sad about giving away something I built. To summarize, the emotional cycle was a helluva roller-coaster ride.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring digital creators just starting?

A: Keep building and selling, no matter what. If you can do this for the next 4 months, you’ll learn a lot about yourself and how you can become a better creator. You might also end up realizing that building Notion templates isn’t for you. But at the end of the day, you’ll learn a lot, helping you take better action.

Q: How do you balance the demands of running your business with your personal life?

A: I do not have a system for this. To be honest, I’m not sure even if I manage them well. But I can say, that I always make decisions based on the situation.

Q: What’s your favorite way to relax or destress?

A: Going on a ride on my motorcycle is my favorite way to de-stress. But sometimes even cleaning up my workspace, going to the gym or even a show on Netflix could help me relax.

Q: Are there any upcoming projects or products that you’re particularly excited about?

A: I paused creating Notion templates some months ago, because my design business took off, and as a one-man army, I had to prioritize my clients first. So, no projects related to Notion for the next 6 months. But I’m hoping to do a comeback in Q3.

As we wrap up our conversation with Nandu, it’s clear that he embodies the spirit of a true innovator.

Nandu’s story is a reminder that the path to success is paved with curiosity, learning, and the courage to share one’s creations with the world. His advice to aspiring digital creators—to keep building and selling, no matter what—echoes the ethos of persistence and exploration.