Originally hailing from the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City and now residing amidst the heartland vibes of Missouri, Min is the true embodiment of this modern-day renaissance. Senior Lab Technician by day, he dives deep into the intricate dance between pathogens and antibiotics. By night, he transforms into a Notion maestro, weaving together templates that simplify life’s complexities, all while drawing inspiration from the lyrical prowess of artists like Banks and Taylor Swift.

Having traversed two vastly different worlds, Min brings a unique blend of East meets West into her work – be it in biotechnology or in the Notion-scape. As he stands on the cusp of 28, straddling the line between youthful ambition and seasoned wisdom, we delve into the life and times of this remarkable individual. Whether he’s reminiscing about that unbeatable ube dessert in Chicago, sharing her investment strategies, or illuminating us about his latest endeavor into the Korean language, every word resonates with passion.

Get ready to be whisked away on a journey that celebrates the power of productivity, the beauty of words, and the magic of bridging two worlds. Presenting, an exclusive tête-à-tête with Min – a man of myriad talents, ever-evolving dreams, and an infectious zest for life!

Q: How did your journey with Notion kick-off?

A: When I was scrolling on Twitter (or 𝕏), I saw Easlo’s Second Brain template. I thought back then it was super cool. The page looks so clean and I like the idea that you can create a system to help you organize your thoughts, tasks, goals and almost everything in your life.

Q: What ignited your passion for template creation?

A: As much as I like and appreciate other creators’ templates, I want to create something that is to my liking. Plus, I want to add to the perspectives as a user. I think, before you can create a template, you start out using them first. There are some that are too complicated, and there are some that for me personally miss some features that I like to see included in a template. So, I decided to become a creator and I try my best to create templates from a consumer point of view rather than a creator. My main mission is to get whoever uses my template to simplify their life as much as possible!

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

A: Mornings start with a vital blood pressure pill, followed by a sun-kissed stroll in my backyard or around the neighborhood. Then I come in and check my emails and Twitter to engage with fellow creators, crafting content, and immersing in Notion projects. Depending on the day, I’m either sculpting templates or penning down insights for my Medium pieces and newsletter, “One Bumbling Idiot.”

In the afternoon, I eat lunch and prepare to go to work. I work as a lab technician for a biotech company. My work hours are from 2-10:30pm.

When I get home from work, I’ll do a quick check on Twitter and post another thing. Lately, I’ve been having a session of Random Late Night Thoughts. It’s really fun to do!

Q: How do you go about creating a new Notion template? What is your process?

A: I take inspiration from real-life problems. We all care about productivity, organization, personal finances, etc. All of my templates revolve around these topics. If I have an idea of what I want to create, I will list the main properties in my notebook and sketch them out then transcribe them into Notion. I learned this very cool trick from Red Gregory (big shout out to Red!) to ask Notion AI to create database properties for certain things. This helps me to compare my ideas with the AI’s help, and I use it to refine my properties. Also, did you know ChatGPT can be your secret weapon when crafting formulas for Notion? I use it to check my formulas or even ask it to write one if I’m not certain about mine.

Again, I try to create these templates as if I’m the customer and include what I want to see in these templates. The hardest thing is to clean up and add aesthetics. In all honesty, this takes me more time to create a structure for my templates. I think my templates belong to the minimalist team rather than the aesthetic team.

Q: Amongst your creations, which template takes the crown?

A: That would be the “Money Management” premium template. I like this template not because people actually pay for it, but because this is my first template where I utilize a lot of relations, formulas, and rollups. I feel like this is the first template I can honestly say I’ve grown somewhat as a Notion creator. Plus, when I launched it on Product Hunt, the positive feedback flowing in gave me a sense of pride and I’m just happy I can help solve one of these daily problems.

Q: To Notion newbies, what’s your golden advice?

A: Dive into tutorials, toy around with basic templates, and gradually evolve. After you feel like you know enough about the basics, try creating one with tutorials and then create one without tutorials. The main thing is to really simplify the Notion template into what really aligns with your goal for that Notion template. Everything else can come later, whether it’s about aesthetics or advanced properties like relations and formulas. The most important thing is to have fun with Notion and don’t be afraid to reach out to the Notion community, everyone is super nice and will help you. I can help with my limited knowledge of Notion if you want to DM me on Twitter!

Q: Can you share a Notion setup that you’re particularly proud of?

A: One of my setups that I’m particularly proud of is my Goal and Task setup. As a human, I do have big dreams, but I also need something to anchor me. So rather than big goals like becoming a millionaire or traveling the world, my goal is limited within a 3-6 month timeline. For example, I would like to write 10 blogs within the next 3 months so I make it a goal. Then I use a task database to add tasks that align with that goal. This helps me organize my thoughts and with a short timeline, I will feel the urge to complete the tasks to achieve my goal.

Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is struggling with productivity or organization?

A: I think the most important thing is to keep everything simple. Declutter your mind, your workspace, your tabs, your sidebar, etc. will create clarity on what you need to get done. Set up priority for tasks. I identify one task per day as a Most Important Task (MIT) to get it done within that day.

Sometimes, trivial things such as cooking, going to work (if you’re a full-time employee like me), and cleaning don’t have to be considered a task. Because they are what we do repeatedly every day. Rather than that, identify what’s really important, set up a clear yet close deadline, and finish it.

For more on these tips, please read my blogs or my newsletter!

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

A: I like to read and listen to music as a way to relax. But, a little over 2 months ago, I started writing, and now I write every week. This is to spread what valuable information I found in my reading whether it’s from a book or on the web. I’m also a Final Fantasy fan, and I love to play video games on weekends. I like to cook as well and always enjoy good food.

Q: Can you share a goal or dream that you’re currently pursuing?

A: Turn my side project with Notion into a full-time thing. As much as I love my current full-time job, I want total control of my time and I want to make my parents stop worrying about how we are going to pay bills. Plus, it will give me more time to interact and give back to the Notion community because I feel like I don’t interact or be helpful enough to the community. I’m considering my short-term goal for the next 3 months to offer my Notion service to Fiverr to see how good I am at dealing directly with clients.

As the sun sets on our enlightening conversation with Min, one thing becomes unequivocally clear: From the vivacious vibes of Ho Chi Minh to the serene landscapes of Missouri, his journey is a testament to the enduring spirit of adaptation, learning, and growth.

As we wrap up, we are left with more than just insights into Min’s world. We are bestowed with a renewed belief in the power of passion, the joy of discovery, and the beauty that arises when one embraces both the familiar and the foreign.