Blog

On the people you know.

Writing from the people who make Kola. Practical posts about keeping in touch, with the research they rest on.

Kola's home screen: the ask box, four suggested questions, today's calendar with Brief and Recap buttons, and recent notes

15 August 2026

How do you build a second brain that lasts?

Six steps, what to capture and what to skip, and how to keep it from going quiet after a month. With the research behind each step.

A Kola timeline of one deal over six months, from the first cold reply to the countersignature, with a three-week silence marked in the middle

14 August 2026

Why does trying to impress people backfire?

Self-promotion reads worse to the listener than to the speaker. Four studies on the gap, and on why questions do the work instead.

A person's page in Kola showing company, position, location, birthday and a note reading: met at an automation trade show, interested in a paid pilot for their Fremont plant

13 August 2026

How do you network without feeling fake?

The bad feeling has been measured, and so has what changes it. Five studies on why networking feels dirty, and what to do instead.

Kola's Notes screen: a folder tree with counts on the left, a list of notes showing the people on each one, and an open note titled Things I keep getting wrong with a person mention inside it

12 August 2026

What is a second brain, and does it work?

What the research supports, the famous claim that did not replicate, and why most second brains go quiet after a few months.

Kola's People table with one row per person, showing name, company, position, strength, last touched, email, phone, location and birthday

11 August 2026

What is the best way to organise professional contacts?

One record per person, the same few fields for everyone, and archive instead of delete. Six rules for a contact list that stays useful.

Kola's People table sorted by the Strength column, showing each person's score out of 100 next to the date they were last in touch

11 August 2026

How do you reconnect with someone professionally?

What to write to a contact you have not spoken to in years. Four studies on why old contacts are worth writing to, and the messages that get a reply.

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Never forget who you know.

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