There are moments in life when quitting would make complete sense. When the pressure is just too much, and the purpose can’t seem to stay afloat. When the dream you were building suddenly feels impossible to carry alone. And yet, some people keep going anyway. They are called to finish what was started, no matter what it takes.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, talks with Brenda Lee Cutlip, president of Shelby Joes. Brenda’s husband and business partner “Shelby Joe” passed away as they were building the family business. She talks about faith, perseverance, and what it looks like to keep building, even when that means going it alone.

How did she do it? From early local partnerships to growing regional distribution and future opportunities with larger chains, she explains how trust, relationships, and patience have helped to keep their dreams alive.

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:

-Pressure intensifies when the circumstances become almost unbearable

-Faith can be a stabilizing force when plans fall apart

-Community support often shows up when you least expect it

-Growth doesn’t require certainty, just willingness

-Loss can reshape a dream without ending it

-Listening for peace can matter more than listening to opinions

-Small confirmations can carry you through big uncertainty

-You don’t need a safety net to take a meaningful step forward

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Helpful Links:

Brenda Lee Cutlip, President, Shelby Joes: https://shelbyjoes.com/

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

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

Losing a job can unravel more than a paycheck. It can quietly shake confidence, identity, and direction all at once. When work disappears, pressure fills the space it leaves behind. Certainly for the person who lost the position, but in many ways, also for the person who lost the employee.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, is joined by Kim Pool, a career coach with IntoUSA. With more than 20 years of experience in career development and outplacement, Kim works with individuals navigating layoffs and career transitions while also helping employers support people well during difficult exits.

We talk about what people actually experience after a job ends, like shock, doubt, anger, and fear, and why rushing into applications often backfires. We also discuss how thoughtful employers protect trust and culture by offering career support.

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:

-Job loss often disrupts identity before it disrupts finances

-Panic-driven job searches usually delay progress

-Clarity about values leads to better career decisions

-Confidence grows when people understand what they bring to the table

-Employers influence culture by how they handle transitions

-Career coaching helps people regain direction in addition to finding openings

-Pressure can become a reset point instead of a stopping point

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Helpful Links:

Kim Pool, Intoo USA: https://www.intoo.com/us/

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

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

Most business owners are focused on staying visible, staying competitive, and staying in business. What often gets overlooked is whether the digital spaces we rely on every day are actually usable for everyone who needs them. When systems aren’t built with intention, entire groups of people are quietly shut out. That’s not good for business, and it’s not fair.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, talks with Elizabeth Orley, founder of Elizabeth Ink, a consulting firm dedicated to making the digital world accessible for everyone.

We break down what digital accessibility actually means in practical terms and towards marketing success. We also shed some light on the growing legal landscape around accessibility, the rise in lawsuits, and why overlays and quick fixes often do more harm than good.

Building digital spaces that work for more people isn’t just good compliance or good marketing. It’s good business, done with intention. On purpose.

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:

-Digital accessibility affects websites, social media, video, and AI-generated content

-Accessibility improvements often improve SEO and discoverability at the same time

-Many businesses are exposed to legal risk without realizing it

-Website overlays do not solve core accessibility issues and can create new problems

-Proper headers and alt text help both screen readers and search engines

-One in four Americans lives with some form of disability

-Captions and transcripts improve engagement, and are not just meant for compliance

-Accessibility is becoming a requirement in many states

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Helpful Links:

Elizabeth Orley, Elizabeth Ink: Elizabethink.net

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

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