RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2026.02.16

Two men are shown in a split-screen video call. The man on the left sits in front of a brick wall, while the man on the right is in a room with shelves and plants, speaking into a microphone. A show logo appears at the top.

Recommended Video

šŸŽ©Ā Leadership Lessons of the Presidents

In this TEDx talk, White House reporter and author Paul Brandus looks at five U.S. Presidents and pulls out the traits that made them effective — traits any leader can use.

Clear communication.

Resilience after setbacks.

Steady judgment under pressure.

Long-term thinking.

Brandus has covered presidents from inside the White House press corps. He’s seen power up close. His takeaway: the fundamentals of strong leadership don’t change.

If you run a business or lead a team, there’s something here for you.

A man in glasses and a striped blue shirt speaks on stage in front of a large red TEDx sign, holding a device in his hand.

Recommended Reading

šŸ’”Ā AI Notetakers are Creating HR Nightmares

If you attend ANY meetings on Zoom or other virtual platforms, this is for you.

Watch what you say around those virtual note takers. Tools like Fathom, fireflies, and others are great time-savers by recording meetings and generating AI-powered transcripts and summaries.

But meeting attendees often forget they’re listening. The official business ends. A few stragglers hang out in the Zoom room and gossip or make snide comments. And the note taker records every word and sends the summary to all attendees. Oops!

This article outlines steps you can take to avoid this ugly fate.


Podcast (The Story Power Marketing Show)

šŸ“” How to Beat The AI Powered Bad Guys (with Robert Siciliano)

Cybersecurity expert, good guy hacker, and private investigator Robert Siciliano delivers ā€œstraight talkā€ on safety and security, stripping away jargon to empower everyday protection. A bestselling author and CEO ofĀ Safr.Me, and head trainer atĀ Protectnowllc.comĀ he is a trusted commentator featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and the Today Show, decoding complex threats for mass audiences.

A man in a pinstripe suit smiles at the camera. Text reads: ā€œWelcome to the Story Power Marketing Show! I’m Tom Ruwitch, my guest is... Robert Siciliano.ā€ Blue graphic background with burst design.

Robert shares his journey from physical security to cybersecurity, providing insights on the evolution of cyber threats, the role of AI in scaled operations, and the emotional aspects that make individuals and businesses vulnerable. He outlines practical steps for both individuals and businesses to protect themselves from cyber threats.

This episode is packed with actionable advice for anyone looking to enhance their cybersecurity measures.

DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

01:45 Robert’s Journey into Security

03:55 The Shift to Cybersecurity

05:28 The Evolution of Cyber Threats

07:28 Human Blind Spots and Security

12:56 The Reality of AI-Powered Scams

19:47 The Rise of AI in Criminal Enterprises

20:28 Real-Life Scams: The Hong Kong CFO Incident

21:11 The Personal Impact of AI Scams

22:24 Understanding the Psychology Behind Scams

23:36 The Human Element in Cybercrime

27:12 Protecting Yourself and Your Business

29:27 Security Awareness and Appreciation

32:31 Resources and Final Thoughts

FULL EPISODE VIDEO: vimeo.com/1163554222

Listen on…

AppleĀ |Ā SpotifyĀ |Ā Amazon


Recommended Book

šŸ“šĀ Unreasonable Hospitality

This book’s subtitle: “The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.”

Why do that?

The cover of the book Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara features large blue and white text on a yellow background, with the subtitle: The remarkable power of giving people more than they expect.

Because when you exceed expectations, you become the one to choose in your niche.

This book is the story of how a New York restaurant applied “unreasonable hospitality” to exceed expectations and become the top-ranked restaurant in the world.

It’s also a guide for any business owner who wants to rise through the ranks and reach the top in their niche.

Ted Prodromou and I have chosen “Unreasonable Hospitality” as this month’s selection for theĀ Mastermind Book Club.

Grab the book, and then join us on Thursday, February 26, 2:30 p.m. ET when we meet live to discuss it. We’ll share the Zoom link later this month.


Words to Ponder

“System in all things is the soul of business. To deliberate maturely, & execute promptly is the way to conduct it to advantage.”

– George Washington

Don't go away yet..

p.s. Coaches, authors, and consultants hire me to power-up their creative content and storytelling to captivate prospects, stand-out and book more business.

Whenever you're ready, here are several ways I can help you become a storytelling stand-out so you'll land more clients without pitching and prodding:

1) Get theĀ Story Power Profit PackĀ -- 52 Strategies, Tips, and Tactics Ā to Transform Your Content from Ignored to Adored.

2) Watch theĀ free, 7-minute Micro-Training: ā€œThe 3 Most Important Storytelling Keys to Captivate Prospects and Inspire Them to Act -- Without Pitching and Prodding.ā€

3) Become a Story Power VIP: Master how to discover, assemble, and deliver business-building stories. Twice-monthly live masterclasses. Members-only content. One-on-one feedback and consulting sessions. And more… If you'd like to learn more about our VIP program, just reply to this email and put "Story Power VIP" in the subject line. I’ll contact you with more details.

4) Work with me one-on-one: If you’re interested in working directly with me -- to discover, assemble, and deliver powerful, business-building stories -- simply reply to this email and change the subject line to "Private Client." Tell me a little about yourself, your business, and what you'd like to accomplish, and I'll reply to discuss options.

5) Invite me to speak at an event: I can tailor a presentation that meets the specific needs of your organization. Informative. Entertaining. Virtual or live. Potential for continuing education credits when applicable for your group. If interested, reply to this email and change the subject line to ā€œSpeaking Engagement.ā€ I’ll circle back to discuss the possibilities.

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Tom Ruwitch

Tom Ruwitch is the founder and CEO of Story Power Marketing. For more than 30 years, he has helped businesses grow by delivering powerful stories using a variety of different media.