Brennan Davis is a productivity enthusiast and sketching extraordinaire behind The Productivity Sketchbook. He simplifies productivity with Sketchnotes, helping you create effective systems that are simple and enjoyable. Read about his journey to embrace productivity and creativity in perfect harmony, using visual thinking and sketchnoting.
Here’s his interview with us, where he shares his creative inspiration and insights.
The Visualizers newsletter is brought to you by YVisuals. Create your own insightful visuals, powered by AI. Check it out now.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your business. How did you get started, and what inspired you to use visuals to help grow your business?
I've been obsessed with the topic of productivity for almost 2 decades. I've taken a lot of notes about it over the years, and shared what I was learning with people at work. I became known as "the productivity guy" around the office, and was encouraged by my coworkers, friends, and family to start a website around the topic. That website has gone through several iterations over the years, but currently it can be found at creadevlabs.com.
I've also enjoyed sketching and doodling since I was a kid. I discovered Sketchnoting around the time I was putting together my first Bullet Journal about 7 years ago. I thought it'd be cool to make all the posts on my website as Sketchnotes, but worried far too much about how it would be received. It was only this year I finally gave myself permission to really lean into this idea.
Each issue of my newsletter, The Productivity Sketchbook, is a Sketchnote around how to build your own, simple productivity tools using handwriting and drawing. I feel it's been well received, and I've been getting positive feedback around it.
My goal is to help people build their own perfect productivity system, and do so in a simple and fun way.
There are so many productivity apps out there, and you can lose hours configuring and tweaking them to be "perfect" causing you to not actually get anything done. The complexity of these apps is often too much for most people, so I'd like to help others make tools that are simple and easy to use.
How do you use visuals to communicate your ideas or products to your audience?
Each issue of my newsletter is about teaching ways to build your own productivity tools using Sketchnoting.
Social media platforms where you share your content.
Twitter, Youtube, Newsletter
Can you share some specific examples of how using visuals has helped you attract new customers or clients, or helped you stand out from competitors?
My newsletter stands out because no one else does them. This difference attracts new subscribers.
I also cater to those who don't/ like to draw by showing how to use visual productivity in apps like Obsidian with its Canvas feature. Importing and connecting images in this way has helped spread my ideas to a wider audience already using Obsidian.
What tools or software do you use to create and edit your visuals?
I use the app GoodNotes for Sketchnoting.
Are there any tips you have for someone who is just starting out and doesn't have a lot of design experience?
Start simple. Use basic shapes like squares and circles with text inside them. Stick figures work well for representing people, so don't hesitate to use them.
The most important thing is to make sure your visual notes are clear and understandable to you.
How do you measure the success of your visual content? Do you track metrics like engagement, clicks, or conversions, and how do you use that data to inform future visual content?
I do track engagements, clicks, likes, and so forth. The most useful metrics, though, are comments.
I love when people leave specific feedback as it helps me know what content people are liking, and then I can make more of it.
Do you have any advice for other creators/ solopreneurs who are just starting out and want to use visuals to help grow their business?
Don't be afraid of what people will think of your rough sketches. I've found that some of my roughest work has resonated the most.
I believe now, more than ever, people are interested in other people's journeys, and prefer to see the raw and unpolished side.
People feel empowered when they realize they don't have to make things perfect.
What are some common mistakes to avoid, or tips for creating visually engaging content on a budget?
You don't need fancy drawing software or high-end art supplies.
You can grab any pen and paper you have lying around and start drawing. People like to see what you can create with the simplest of materials.
Once again, it makes you more relatable and helps people realize they can make visual content as well.
Finally, where can we go to learn more about you and your business, and see some examples of your visual content in action?
You can find me and my work here:
Twitter - Say hi to me!
Newsletter - If you haven’t already, subscribe!
YouTube - My latest addition
Check out my website - CreaDev Labs.