In this episode, Lauren Lewis sits down with Christina Pearl, Corporate Director of Communications at Horizon Health Services, for an inspiring conversation about purpose-driven work, mental health advocacy, and the power of connection.

Christina shares her journey of returning to Buffalo after college, finding her way through nonprofit board service, and ultimately building Horizon’s communications and marketing function from the ground up. Over her 15+ years with the organization, she’s helped Horizon grow from a few hundred employees to nearly 1,000, all while keeping people, culture, and care at the center of the mission.

Together, Lauren and Christina discuss:

• The pain points of not knowing your career path, and leaning into learning

• Why joining boards and committees can open unexpected doors

• How Horizon supports mental health and substance use care across Western New York

• The importance of internal culture and employees as brand ambassadors

• Normalizing conversations around mental health and addiction

• How storytelling builds trust, reduces stigma, and saves lives

• Collaborating with community partners to expand access to care

• Why connection, not perfection, is the foundation of leadership

Christina also shares powerful stories about community partnerships, family-led advocacy, and Horizon’s 50-year legacy of meeting people where they are. This episode is a reminder that meaningful careers are built through curiosity, compassion, and showing up for others.

💼 Connect with Horizon Health Services & Christina Pearl

• Website: https://horizon-health.org/

• LinkedIn: Christina Pearl

• Email: cpearl@horizon-health.org

🤝 Connect with StaffBuffalo & Pain Points Podcast

• Website: https://staffbuffalo.com

• Episodes: https://staffbuffalo.com/painpoints

• Socials: @StaffBuffalo

In this episode, Lauren Lewis sits down with Amy Gurske, Founder of sayhii, for a powerful and deeply human conversation about burnout, fear, self-worth, and what happens when you finally choose your health over expectations.

Amy shares her journey from spending 17 years in corporate America, to hitting a breaking point that led to a life-changing decision she calls a “midlife resign.” From glass ceilings and unmanaged stress to a health scare that forced her to stop and reset, Amy opens up about the moments that ultimately led her to build sayhii, a tech platform designed to help organizations truly listen to and support their people.

Together, Lauren and Amy discuss:

• The pain points of burnout and unmanaged workplace stress
• What it means to choose yourself, even when it’s terrifying
• How fear drives so many workplace behaviors
• Why autonomy, trust, and honest communication matter more than control
• The importance of work-life balance (and how easily it disappears)
• How sayhii checks in with employees daily, and why that matters
• Using technology to reconnect humans, not replace them
• Leadership accountability, real-time data, and supporting employees before they leave
• Why awareness, ownership, and boundaries are essential to wellbeing

This episode is raw, reflective, and incredibly relatable for anyone who has ever felt stuck, unseen, or overwhelmed at work, and wondered if there might be another way.

💼 Connect with sayhii & Amy Gurske

• Website: ⁠https://sayhii.io/⁠
• Email: amy@sayhii.io
• LinkedIn: Amy Gurske

🤝 Connect with StaffBuffalo & Pain Points Podcast

• Website: ⁠https://staffbuffalo.com⁠
• Episodes: ⁠https://staffbuffalo.com/painpoints⁠
• Socials: @StaffBuffalo

In this episode, Lauren Lewis sits down with Justin Cuviello and Kyle Cuviello, brothers and co-owners of Care Team Solutions, a national healthcare staffing agency based in Buffalo, NY. Their story is packed with grit: from taking a leap of faith after careers in pharmaceutical and software sales, to launching a staffing firm from scratch, to growing through COVID, and surviving the steepest downturn their industry has ever faced.

Together, we dive into:

• How Care Team Solutions grew from a small start-up into a national brand
• The pain points of starting a staffing agency with no roadmap

• Why recruiting is truly a sales job

• Riding the COVID rollercoaster: explosive growth followed by a massive correction

• Their “hire for character, train for skill” philosophy

• The importance of culture, purpose, and keeping the right people in the right seats

• Their expansion into physician recruiting, locums, and clinical research

• How they use AI as a tool, not as a replacement for human connection

• Why travel nurses stay loyal when recruiters actually listen and support them

• The mental health, financial, and career resources they now provide travelers

Justin and Kyle are honest, thoughtful, and refreshingly transparent about the lessons they’ve learned over 11 years of building a business. If you’re in staffing, healthcare, sales, orentrepreneurship — this is a must-listen.

Connect with Care Team Solutions

• Website: ⁠https://careteamsolutions.com⁠

• Job Board: via their website

• Email: justin@careteamsolutions.com | kyle@careteamsolutions.com

Connect with StaffBuffalo & Pain Points Podcast

• Website: ⁠https://staffbuffalo.com

• ⁠Episodes: ⁠https://staffbuffalo.com/painpoints⁠

• Socials: @StaffBuffalo