Tom Ruwitch

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He Paid HOW Much? For a NOTEBOOK?!?

By Tom Ruwitch

On this day in 1994, Bill Gates paid $30,800,000 for a notebook. Granted, this wasn’t just any notebook. This was Leonardo daVinci’s “Codex Leicester.” But still. $30 million!?!? Nice work if you can spend it, Mr. Gates. You had some big ideas in your day. You implemented, and you cashed in. And then you bought…

RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.11.10

By Tom Ruwitch

Recommended Listening šŸŽ™ļøĀ Rick Rubin: The Spiritual Secret to Limitless Creativity Rick Rubin is one of my musical heroes. He’s a producer who has collaborated with greats across multiple genres — Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run D.M.C., Tom Petty, The Beastie Boys, The Avett Brothers, Adele, etc. etc. etc. And he’s a scholar —…

Before You ask AI to Write For You, Do This…

By Tom Ruwitch

James wants to write some emails to attract prospects and inspire them to hire him. But he’s stuck. So he turned to Reddit where he asked how to conquer writer’s block. “I’ve spent too much time time staring at blank pages in the past,” James wrote. One guy suggested he “go for a walk.” Another…

Bad-Day Dolphe’s Incredible Comeback

By Tom Ruwitch

Next time you’re having a bad day and feeling frustrated or stuck, think of Adolphe Sax and take heart. Bad-Day Dolphe had more than his share of rough ones. One day he fell from a third-storey window and hit his head on a stone. Another day, he accidentally drank a bowl of acidic water. The…

The Non-cringey Way to Do Funnels

By Tom Ruwitch

I met yesterday with a business owner (let’s call him “Bill”) who hates the idea of “funnels.” The very word makes him cringe. So many pitchy pests using funnels to dish out their over-hyped offers with inflated promises, Bill said. He doesn’t want any part of that. I get it. How about you? Have you…

How to Make ’em Say, “Wow”

By Tom Ruwitch

Here’s what happened when I walked into Lilo restaurant in Carlsbad, CA last week with my high school pals Mike and Alison… The floor manager welcomed Alison who had made the reservation. Then she looked directly at Mike and me and asked, “Which one of you is Mike?” Mike smiled and said, “That’s me.” Then…

RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.11.03

By Tom Ruwitch

Recommended Reading ā©Ā Perseverance: 7 Stoic Lessons on How To Keep Going Need a boost to keep going? This Daily Stoic article delivers seven practical lessons on perseverance from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus. It opens with Admiral James Stockdale’s incredible story of surviving 7 years as a POW using Stoic philosophy, then breaks down timeless…

The Most Profitable Horror Movie Ever?

By Tom Ruwitch

Fun fact about Halloween — the movie that is. John Carpenter made the 1978 classic for around $300,000. The movie grossed $70 million. That’s a 232X profit. Speaking of profit, my client RJ 3X’d hers after she implemented my PLAN framework to turn content into clients. I’ll tell you that story and show you how to do…

This Works For Funerals, But Not For Webinars…

By Tom Ruwitch

Of all the wacky, unusual holidays out there, this might be the wackiest: Today, October 30, is Create a Great Funeral Day right here in the good ol’ USA. Really. It is. Now, you may be thinking, “Why is there a holiday for this!?” Or maybe you think, “Planning a great funeral is NOT on my agenda…

What Were They Thinking When They Bought This?

By Tom Ruwitch

I can’t stop thinking about Paul Hartunian — the guy who bought scrap wood from the Brooklyn Bridge during its 1983 renovation and sold it in one-inch square slices (with a certificate of authenticity) for $14.95, plus shipping and handling. I close my eyes and imagine a person who bought a piece of the bridge…