It happens to many of us. Especially if we are high performers. The job is going well. Promotions have come quickly. Responsibility keeps stacking up. And yet something feels off. Energy fades. Health starts sending signals. The work that once felt meaningful begins to feel heavy. That’s where you need to make decisions, and that’s where purpose and pressure collide.

We’re talking about careers, recruiting, and the business of both in this episode of Purpose Under Pressure. Host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, welcomes Izka González, founder of The Hiring Revolution and an international talent acquisition consultant. Izka shares how she moved from Mexico City to Cleveland, built a successful corporate recruiting career, became a Mom, and then an Entrepreneur.

She left her job when she had to leave her job. Plain and simple. She began sharing what she knew about hiring on LinkedIn, helping people understand how recruiting really works and why. And she built a business that bridges the gap between how hiring is perceived, and how it actually functions.

Her message in this episode is that most careers aren’t broken, but they do require adaptation, clarity, and a willingness to challenge limiting beliefs. And they require Purpose, Under Pressure.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Burnout often shows up physically before we acknowledge it mentally

-Fast career growth without boundaries can quietly become unsustainable

-Financial awareness creates options during moments of transition

-Many job-search struggles stem from mindset before strategy

-Understanding how recruiting works changes how you show up

-Personal branding is about clarity, not self-promotion

-You can’t control hiring outcomes, but you can control preparation

-AI and automation are changing work, not eliminating people

-Saying “no” can be a necessary leadership decision

-Reinvention often begins by using what you already know

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Helpful Links:

Izka Gonzalez, The Hiring Revolution: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-hiring-revolution-6934521483931127808/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

Most people carry ideas they never act on. They picture different futures, better careers, bigger impact. But fear, comfort, and uncertainty quietly keep them stuck. Then every so often, someone decides to move anyway. No guarantees. No safety net. Just purpose. They are no different than others. They just weren’t afraid to try. And the won't give up.

Janice Jokkel, business owner, coach, keynote speaker, and founder of The Biz Hive joins host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, in this episode of the Purpose Under Pressure Podcast. Janice talks about early sales leadership at a young age, building a successful family entertainment business, and then firing herself to save it. It's a story about success, burnout, humility, and bold reinvention.

The conversation also dives into Janice’s upcoming book Built to Thrive, her mission to help business owners lead smarter and work less, and the mindset shift required to stop surviving and start building something sustainable.

Foks, if you’ve ever thought about throwing up your hands and giving up, this episode will give you something else to think about. Thrive!

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Pivoting is required to adapt and to succeed under pressure

-Founder syndrome can quietly become the biggest limitation in a business

-Burnout often shows up before we’re willing to admit it

-Sometimes the best move a leader can make is to fire themselves

-Trusting your team is essential for real growth

-Working harder does not always mean working smarter

-Vulnerability is a leadership skill.

-Surviving and thriving are two very different business outcomes

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Helpful Links:

Janice Jokkel, The Biz Hive: https://thebiz-hive.com/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

Many people carry ideas they never act on. They picture different futures, better careers, bigger impact. But fear, comfort, and uncertainty quietly keep them stuck. Then every so often, someone decides to move anyway. No guarantees. No safety net. Just purpose. They are no different than others. They just weren’t afraid to try.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, has a conversation with Steven Walbolt, President of MDG Flooring America and Kiba Studios.

Steve shares how he left corporate America to bet on himself, his family, and a struggling family business with nothing but faith, determination, and a refusal to quit.

Let this episode serve as a reminder that nothing good comes easy for an entrepreneur. And that pressure doesn’t disappear when success shows up. But more so as an encouragement that acting on your purpose is what the purpose was meant for in the first place.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-The leap into entrepreneurship is simple. That same leap is not easy. There is a difference

Fear evolves into something different after success is achieved;

-Comfort is is never the goal of being an Entrepreneur. Success is measured in Growth

-Delegation is a leadership skill that must be learned

-Systems create freedom.

-Culture outperforms charisma

-True success is measured by people developed.

-Legacy is built through leadership.

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Helpful Links:

Steve Walbolt, President MDG Flooring America/Kiba Studios: https://www.mdgflooringamerica.com/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

When pressure hits, it rarely announces itself. Most leaders don’t realize how close they are to crisis until something forces them to face it head-on. There’s a moment when everything feels like it could all fall apart. That moment, when approached on purpose, can be the turning point that keeps everything together and forges a new path forward.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, welcomes Rod Neuenschwander, co-founder and president of Gift Ology and the Ruhlin Group, and author of From Crisis to Clarity. Rod opens up about losing his longtime business partner, John Ruhlin, and what it meant to rebuild a company and a future in the middle of grief.

Rod speaks candidly about purpose, faith, decision-making, and the clarity that comes only when you refuse to quit, even when the path ahead is nothing like the path that you planned.

This episode challenges leaders to step back and evaluate the cracks forming beneath the surface: the slow leaks, the ignored issues, the assumptions that feel safe until they’re not. It’s an invitation to confront what’s real and to find a way forward that’s focused, honest, and grounded in purpose rather than pressure.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Crisis often forms quietly long before leaders notice

-Clear purpose becomes an anchor when pressure peaks

-Culture cannot be created in crisis, It has to exist beforehand

-Moving quickly creates clarity faster than planning from a distance

-Most small businesses live only a few decisions away from crisis

-A trusted team becomes the stabilizing force when everything else shifts

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Helpful Links:

Rod Neuenschwander: The Ruhlin Group http://businessonthebrink.com and http://giftologygroup.com

Crisis to Clarity: A Proven Framework to Transform Your Business on the Brink: https://a.co/d/84TWxds

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

Pressure is a constant companion for anyone chasing excellence on the field, in the office, or anywhere expectations run high. Whether it’s a scoreboard or a bottom line, performance is measured, critics weigh in, and the stakes can be brutally public.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, sits down with Coach Lee Owens, a sixteen time champion football coach at Ashland University, the University of Akron, The Ohio State Univeristy, Galion High School, Massilon and others along the way. They got together to talk about his new book, Spirit of a Team: Successful CEOs and Coaches Share Their Strategies for Achieving Excellence.

Owens explains why he chose to write it after 45 years in coaching and how lessons from championship football connect directly to corporate leadership and everyday life.

Topics like how recruiting great people, cultivating culture, and maintaining integrity form the foundation of lasting excellence are shared, as well as stories of players and leaders who embodied those principles.

The mark a true leader leaves behind is legacy. For Owens, that legacy lives not in trophies or records, but in the young men and women who grew, learned, and carried his lessons forward.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-True excellence is more than achievement; it’s success with significance.

-Every organization needs a “Tom Brady”, a difference maker who sets the tone.

-The best leaders build culture before chasing results.

-Pressure reveals motivation: if you’re in it for money or recognition alone, it will eventually break you.

-Winning without integrity isn’t winning at all.

-Preparation and belief can narrow the gap between underdog and champion.

-Failure handled well builds resilience that success never could.

-Great teams—and great companies—operate like families built on trust and shared values.

-Legacy isn’t measured in stats, but in lives changed.

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Helpful Links:

Lee Owens: www.coachesplaybook.com

Spirit of a Team: Available on Amazon - https://a.co/d/foPlNbv

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

Technology can either fuel your business or drain it. For many leaders, IT once meant keeping the lights on. Today it defines whether a company can compete at all. The difference comes down to clarity, culture, and a willingness to grow without losing who you are

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, welcomes Becky Cross, Vice President of Client Partnerships at FIT Technologies, a Cleveland-based managed IT services firm that supports clients nationwide. FIT has become known for its people-first culture, earning 11 consecutive NorthCoast 99 awards and maintaining steady growth while helping companies navigate complex technology challenges with clarity and purpose.

Becky shares how FIT grew through the pandemic, doubling in size while preserving authentic client relationships and learning to scale responsibly. She explains how the company’s employee ownership structure and use of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helped stabilize growth, strengthen internal culture, and reinforce a shared mission during turbulent times.

The discussion explores what’s next for business technology — from cybersecurity to the rise of AI — and underscores how purpose-driven leadership and genuine partnerships can turn pressure into progress.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Growth works best when it’s built on trust and authentic relationships, not transactions

-A strong company culture protects both employees and clients when pressure hits

-Expanding too fast can expose cracks, but it also reveals where systems need strengthening

-Employee ownership creates accountability that naturally improves service and outcomes

-Structure and clarity (like the EOS model) can turn chaos into direction

-Cybersecurity must be treated as a constant priority, not a one-time project

-AI should be approached thoughtfully — use it to enhance people, not replace them

-Technology decisions are business decisions; both require purpose and perspective

-Partnering with experts can help small and midsize businesses compete at a higher level

-Staying true to your “why” helps you adapt without losing your identity

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Helpful Links:

Becky Cross, VP Client Partnerships, FIT Technologies: https://www.fittechnologies.com/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

Pressures don’t wait for a convenient moment. Talking about immigration and diversity is perhaps easier to put off than tackle. But, perhaps, it's the things that make us most uncomfortable that are the most important to talk about.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, is joined by Christian Ponce, Executive Director for University Marketing at Indiana State University. Chris is a higher education marketing executive, an immigrant, a first-generation college graduate, and now a passionate advocate for multicultural marketing and inclusion in higher education.

Together, they explore the challenges that international and multicultural students face, from loneliness and cultural barriers to the pressure of navigating systems not built with them in mind.

This conversation is both candid and practical. It calls leaders, educators, and communities to recognize the changing demographics, to break down silos, and to embrace a new mainstream that is already here.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Pressures in higher education mirror the pressures of life: they demand resilience, adaptation, and clarity of purpose.

-International students often experience deep loneliness, cultural dissonance, and language barriers that require intentional outreach.

-Universities can’t rely on marketing “gloss”. Authenticity matters, and students will walk away if promises don’t match reality.

-Inclusion and multicultural marketing make both moral and business sense, especially as demographics shift toward greater diversity.

-Corporate America has long understood the value of speaking to diverse markets; higher ed can learn from that pragmatism.

-Institutions must recognize the “new mainstream” — a generation that is majority diverse — and adapt their language and practices.

-Mission clarity is vital: not every school can be everything to everyone, but each must be true to its identity.

-Leadership must involve honest conversations about relevance, strategy, and breaking down silos across campus.

-Authenticity, purpose, and mission-driven focus are the keys to thriving under pressure, for both individuals and institutions.

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Helpful Links:

Christian Ponce: https://www.chrisponce.com/

Indiana State University: https://indianastate.edu/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/

Pressure has a way of testing us. Whether it comes through work, family, or unexpected challenges, it forces us to decide who we are and what matters most. In those moments, resilience and purpose often rise to the surface.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, is joined by Gail Laux, founder of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary. She shares how a small project grew into one of Ohio’s leading nature and education centers, and how she navigated the difficult balance of family, leadership, and community expectations along the way.

The conversation explores the realities of running a nonprofit like a business, the pressures of succession planning, and the personal trials that shaped Gail’s journey. She reflects on why the sanctuary has always been about more than birds, and how accessibility, education, and people remain at the heart of its mission.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Nonprofits thrive when treated with business discipline.

-Listening to the community builds lasting support.

-Leadership transitions require planning and patience.

-Family challenges can reshape and strengthen mission.

-Accessibility makes nature meaningful for everyone.

Running a nonprofit means stewarding resources wisely.

-Resilience is built by leaning on others.

-Legacy lives on through people who carry the mission forward.

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Helpful Links:

Gail Laux, Ohio Bird Sanctuary: https://www.ohiobirdsanctuary.com/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/