Build Your AI Second Brain. Or Let Us Build It.

Open-source starter kit for Claude Code + Obsidian. Six essential skills, comprehensive docs, and installation script — free on GitHub. Want it built FOR you? We do that too.

Browse the Open-Source Kit Get It Built For You

Heard about OpenClaw?

That's the demo. This is what you'll use every day.

Computer Use is impressive. Knowledge work is practical. Both use Claude. Both run in your terminal. One impresses for 5 minutes. The other improves your work for 5 years.

Sound Familiar?

You've tried the tools. You've watched the tutorials. Something still isn't clicking.

Your Knowledge Is Scattered

Years of expertise, client notes, and insights spread across apps you don't own. When you need something you wrote six months ago, you can't find it.

AI That Forgets Everything

Every conversation starts from zero. ChatGPT doesn't know your clients, your past decisions, or what you were working on yesterday. You end up re-explaining your own business to a tool that should already know.

Too Many Tools, None Connected

You're paying for a dozen subscriptions that don't talk to each other. Notes in one app, tasks in another, AI in a third. The tools multiply but your workflow stays fragmented.

Systems That Didn't Stick

You built a Notion setup. Or a Roam graph. It worked for two weeks. Then life happened and the system collected dust. The problem wasn't you — the system wasn't built for you.

The Minervia Method

Pointing AI at a folder is just the beginning. Minervia goes further — skills, agents, automation, and persistent context working together as a co-operating system. On your machine, with your files, designed to evolve as AI advances.

Memory

Plain text files stored on your machine. Client notes stay confidential, your thinking stays private. No cloud lock-in, no third-party access. Your data doesn't leave your device unless you send it.

Intelligence

AI that co-operates with you — reading your files, knowing your clients, learning how you work. Not a generic chatbot. A collaborator that gets smarter as AI advances, without rebuilding your system.

Connections

Your tools linked together. Email, calendar, CRM, and files all feeding into one unified system.

Automation

Workflows that run on autopilot. From draft emails to project updates to weekly reports.

What Changes

From scattered tools and stateless AI to a system that knows your work and gets stronger over time.

Before

  • Switching between 6 apps to find something you wrote months ago
  • Feeding the same context into ChatGPT every single conversation
  • Forgetting what you decided, losing the insight that came at 2am
  • Paying for a stack of subscriptions that still don't work together

After

  • An AI collaborator that's already read your files
  • Every client note, project, and idea searchable in seconds
  • A system that gets stronger as AI models improve — no rebuild needed
  • Your files on your machine — no vendor lock-in, client data stays confidential

Real examples from the system

"Summarize my client notes from this week"

Done. With follow-up actions flagged.

"Draft next week's newsletter from my research"

Written in your voice, from your notes.

"What's the status on all active projects?"

Full report, pulled from your vault.

"Reply to this email in my usual tone"

Drafted. Matches your style exactly.

"I feel like after 20 years it might actually be possible to do GTD properly!"

Maya Middlemiss — Founder, Remote Work Europe

Maya tried every productivity system for two decades. In five days of guided implementation, she had a working second brain — built around her actual workflow, not a template. She helped validate the methodology that became the Minervia starter kit.

Learn to Build It Yourself

Pointing AI at a folder is just the beginning. This course teaches you to build the full system — memory, agents, skills, and automation — so your AI actually knows your work.

System DNA

CLAUDE.md, SOUL.md, and vault architecture. Teach your AI who you are, how you work, and what matters. Your notes become its memory.

Agent Orchestration

Delegate complex work to specialized agents. MCP connections, multi-agent workflows, and knowing when to hand off vs. do it yourself.

Skills & Automation

Build repeatable commands for your recurring work. Hooks, CLI tools, and the prompt-delegate-automate loop that compounds over time.

Build Your System

Week-by-week implementation. You leave with a working second brain — not a collection of notes about how one might work someday.

Live sessions. Small cohort. Real implementation.

    Join the waitlist — early access pricing for founding members.

    Your Path to a Second Brain

    Start with the open-source kit. Or skip the setup and get it built for you.

    Free & Open-Source

    DIY Starter Kit

    Everything you need to build your own AI second brain.

    • 6 essential skills (log-to-daily, weekly-review, think-first, etc.)
    • Comprehensive setup guide (~10,000 words)
    • Installation script for automated setup
    • Your First Conversation walkthrough
    • Week 1 progressive learning guide
    • Issue templates for support

    Free on GitHub

    Get the Starter Kit
    Most Popular

    Done-With-You Implementation

    We build your complete second brain together — customized for your work.

    • Discovery session to map your workflow
    • Full system design for your business
    • Obsidian vault setup and structure
    • Custom AI configuration and agents
    • Integrations and automations (email, calendar, etc.)
    • Hands-on training sessions
    • 2 weeks of follow-up support

    From €1,500

    Book Discovery Call

    Custom Systems

    Fully custom second brain built around your exact needs.

    • Everything in Done-With-You
    • Advanced agent development
    • Custom MCP server integration
    • Workflow automation pipelines
    • Priority support and ongoing optimization
    • Monthly retainer available

    From €3,500

    Book Discovery Call

    How It Works

    From first conversation to a running system. Four clear steps.

    1

    Discovery Call

    We talk about your work, your tools, your frustrations. We learn how you think and what you need.

    2

    System Design

    We map your workflows and design a Minervia architecture tailored to your business.

    3

    Build & Configure

    We build your vault, configure your AI, connect your tools, and set up your automations.

    4

    Handoff & Training

    You learn how to use your new system. We make sure you're confident before we step back.

    The People Behind the System

    Built by people who use it every day to run their own business.

    Jim Christian

    Jim Christian

    Creator & Systems Architect

    I built my own second brain — Cerebro — to run my newsletter, consulting practice, and creative work. Minervia is that system distilled into an open-source starter kit. The free repo gives you the foundation, and if you want help building it out, I'm available for that too.

    Maya Middlemiss

    Maya Middlemiss

    First User & Remote Work Expert

    Founder of Remote Work Europe and a 10+ year advocate for distributed work. Maya was Client #0 for Minervia — after 20 years of productivity systems that never stuck, she had a working second brain in 5 days. Her feedback shaped what went into the starter kit and proved the methodology works.

    "Most people don't need another app. They need someone to build the bridge between all the apps they already have — using files they actually own."

    Read Jim's newsletter Signal Over Noise on AI and productivity, and Maya's Remote Work Europe on distributed work and freelancer life.

    Questions You Might Have

    Do I need to be technical?
    No. We handle all the technical setup. You'll learn to use the system through natural conversation, not code. If you can type a message, you can use your second brain.
    What tools do I need?
    The core system uses Obsidian (free) and Claude Code (subscription). During our discovery call, we'll identify which additional integrations make sense for your workflow. All your notes are stored as plain text files on your own machine. You own everything. If you ever stop using the system, your files stay exactly where they are.
    How long does the setup take?
    The Build package typically takes 2-3 weeks from discovery call to a fully configured system. The Audit is a single 90-minute session with your roadmap delivered within 48 hours.
    What if I'm not sure this is right for me?
    That's exactly what the free discovery call is for. No commitment, no pressure. We'll talk about your work and tell you honestly whether this would help. Sometimes the answer is "not yet" and that's fine.
    I already use AI with my Obsidian vault. Why do I need this?
    If you've pointed Claude Code at your vault and had it read your notes, you've experienced the first layer. Minervia adds the other four: custom skills that automate recurring tasks, agents that handle complex multi-step work, integrations that connect your vault to email, calendar, and other tools, and automation that runs workflows without you asking. The difference between reading a vault and operating from one is significant — and that's what we build.
    Is this just for content creators?
    Not at all. The system works for anyone who manages knowledge as part of their work: consultants, freelancers, researchers, coaches, writers, agency owners. If you think for a living, this is built for you.
    Do I own my data?
    Yes. Everything lives in plain text files on your machine. Client notes, project data, your entire knowledge base — stored as markdown files in a folder you control. No cloud lock-in, no third-party access. If you handle sensitive client work, nothing leaves your device unless you choose to send it.

    Ready to Build Your Second Brain?

    Let's talk about your work and figure out the right system for you.

    Book a Free Discovery Call

    30 minutes. No commitment. No pitch deck.