You don't have to use a SaaS, you can use a modern "note taking"++ tool like Obsidian (not affiliated, just a huge fan) or Logseq (FOSS). In both cases files are fully local, sync is optional (for Obsidian there's a paid service or you can just use Dropbox/GDrive/Git/etc.), and you get a ton of advanced features like complex search, smart references, etc.
For instance I use Obsidian for meeting notes, and with the help of a plugin I link all previous meeting notes on this topic/customer and can at a glance see the history I have with this subject. Furthermore, I also link the associated Jira ticket and the Jira ticket history matching the labels, again for history purposes. I also use the Excalidraw integration to get diagrams that I can embed in my notes. There's also a Kanban plugin, Map view plugin (e.g. if planning a trip), etc. etc. The sky is the limit!
For instance I use Obsidian for meeting notes, and with the help of a plugin I link all previous meeting notes on this topic/customer and can at a glance see the history I have with this subject. Furthermore, I also link the associated Jira ticket and the Jira ticket history matching the labels, again for history purposes. I also use the Excalidraw integration to get diagrams that I can embed in my notes. There's also a Kanban plugin, Map view plugin (e.g. if planning a trip), etc. etc. The sky is the limit!
Overall, I'd strongly recommend.