When the pipeline is full, you’re riding high. You’re also secretly waiting for the drop. When it’s thin, you’re bracing for impact. And somewhere in between, you start questioning everything: Did I do enough? Did I miss something? Am I about to blow this month? That mental spiral can be avoided when we simply do the work.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, sits down with Jason Reynolds, partner and trainer at Sandler by the Ruby Group, to talk about “behaviors”.

Jason walks through Sandler’s “success triangle”. That includes behavior, attitude, and technique. Then he zeroes in on what sellers actually control: goals, plans, and actions.

You may not control the market. You may not control buyer timing. But you absolutely control whether you make the call, send the email, ask for the introduction, or track your activity.

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:

-Sales is emotional because inconsistency creates mental pressure swings

-Head trash can sabotage performance before the numbers ever do

-Prospecting discomfort is normal — avoidance is costly

-Use the “More, Better, Different” filter to adjust behaviors

-Track activity like you would track diet or workouts

-Leaders must model accountability before coaching it

-Belief follows action, not the other way around

-Start with one committed behavior and build momentum

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Helpful Links:

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

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

You don’t need someone to explain pressure to you. Especially if you’re a salesperson. You live in it. You build it. You chase it. And most days, even when you hit your number, it still doesn’t feel like enough.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, chats with Robert Perry, speaks directly to sellers who are exhausted from trying to be better, faster, stronger every single day.

But what if “more” isn’t the answer?

If you’re doing your best, truly doing your best, then that has to be enough. Nothing more. Certainly nothing less.

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:

– Sales pressure is mostly self-imposed

– You can’t control outcomes, only behaviors

– 100% effort is the ceiling — there is no 110%

– Measure activities, not just results

– Celebrate the behaviors that move the needle

– Improve one flaw at a time, not everything at once

– Showing up daily compounds into real growth

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Helpful Links:

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

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

You know the feeling. The need is real. The solution fits. On paper, this should be an easy “yes.” And yet something feels off. The conversation isn’t clicking. The energy is misaligned. You can sense it in your gut before you can explain it with words. That tension? That’s pressure — and how you respond to it determines whether the opportunity dies or deepens.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, chats with Robert Perry, partner and trainer at Sandler by the Ruby Group, to discuss buyer communication styles and what happens when seller and buyer aren’t in sync.

Robert explains how the DISC framework, often misunderstood as a personality test, should instead be used as a communication tool. When a seller presents through their own natural style without adjusting to the buyer’s preferences, confusion creeps in. The responsibility to adjust? It’s on the seller. That’s good news!

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:

– Most sales breakdowns happen because of communication misalignment

– Buyer communication style is often revealed in the first 90–120 seconds

– DISC should be used as a communication framework, instead of simply a personality label

– The responsibility to adapt always falls on the salesperson

– Body language, tone, and repeated questions can be early warning signs

– When something feels off, trust your gut

– Resetting the conversation can increase trust and credibility

– Owning the miscommunication positions you as a consultative professional rather than a pushy salesperson

– Slowing down often moves the sale forward faster

– Pressure decreases when alignment increases

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Helpful Links:

Robert Perry, Partner and Trainer, Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

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

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

Growing a business is about people. That gets lost in the hustle to hit numbers and scale faster. It’s about the decisions you make when growth exposes cracks. And it’s about choosing, again and again, to build something that lasts .

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, sits down with Joe Giovanini, President of MAG Resources, to talk about what it really takes to scale a business, the right way, for the right reasons.

They talk about the importance of systems, structure, and repeatable processes, while being honest about the mistakes that come with hiring, growth, and leadership under pressure. And why most business problems aren’t about products at all. Business, and all that comes with it, is about people.

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:

—Scaling a business changes everything and you learn that what works at $1M won’t work at $5M

—Processes protect culture as organizations grow

—The wrong hire is one of the most expensive mistakes a leader can make

—Strong businesses are built bottom-up.

—Fulfilled people perform better, lead better, and stay longer

—Ownership mindset beats micromanagement every time

——————-

Helpful Links:

Joe Giovanini, President, MAG Resources: MAGResources.net

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

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

If we’re all trying to help people, why does it feel so hard to actually get along? It’s hard to realize, but beneath the frustration, the politics, the personalities, and the sharp edges, people are trying to do good, even when it doesn’t look like it. Pressure has a way of blurring that reality.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, shares three ways we as leaders or sellers can find common ground with our prospects, customers and team. Even if we might get along.

You don’t have to be best friends to work together. You don’t have to see eye-to-eye to do something meaningful. But you do have to decide whether your ego or your purpose is going to lead the way

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:

– Most people want to help, even when their behavior says otherwise

– Difficulty doesn’t mean someone is broken or bad

– Perspective is shaped by experiences you’ll never fully see

– Communication is the seller’s responsibility, not the buyer’s

– Not everyone needs you right now, and that’s okay

– Letting go can be an act of purpose. It doesn’t mean failure, and it doesn’t mean forever

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Helpful Links:

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

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

Pressure rises fastest when everyone wants it their way.

In sales, leadership, and life, tension shows up the moment conversations stop being adult-to-adult and start turning into power plays. When one side needs to win, dominate, or control, progress stalls and pressure takes over.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, talks with Sandler trainer and Ruby Group partner Tom Thon about what “adult conversations” really look like in sales. They talk about emotional attachment, equal business stature, and how tools like upfront contracts can reveal whether real partnership is possible.

If the goal is to create clarity, respect, and momentum under pressure, then this episode is for you.

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 increases when conversations become “me vs. you”

-Buyers and sellers both contribute to immature dynamics

-Emotional attachment changes how sellers communicate

-Respect creates equal business stature

-Upfront contracts set clarity, not control

-It’s okay—and healthy—to hear “no”

-Strong pipelines reduce desperate behavior

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Helpful Links:

Tom Thon, Partner, Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

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

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

What happens when buyers or sellers insist on getting their way—or else?

In this episode, Bryan Lefelhoc digs into a familiar but uncomfortable truth: when ground rules aren’t set, adults start acting like children. And in sales, that rarely ends well.

Using a simple (and very real) family story, Bryan walks through why tantrums happen in business relationships, how unclear expectations create friction, and what it looks like to be the adult in the room—especially when the other side refuses to be.

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

-When rules aren’t defined, people default to their own

-“Me first” behavior shows up on both sides of the sales table

-Clear expectations early prevent emotional blowups later

-Defining success upfront changes how both sides behave

-You don’t have to mirror childish behavior to move things forward

-If you’re the only adult in the room, act like it

-Strong relationships are built on clarity, not concession

Helpful Links:

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

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

Sales is hard enough. It shouldn’t matter whether the seller is male or female. Sadly, it often does. Credibility is questioned. Assumptions are made. Meetings slip into after-hours settings, boundaries blur, and professionalism becomes something to manage instead of something to rely on. It shapes how women sell and what they’re up against every day, and that’s not right.

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, talks with Lauren Valentine, Partner at Sandler by the Ruby Group, who is leading the organization’s expansion into New York’s Capital Region.

The conversation ranges from equal stature in sales to ageism and the unique pressures women face in revenue-generating roles. Lauren explains how preparation, upfront contracts, and disarmingly honest conversations allow sellers of both sexes to earn respect rather than demand it.

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:

-Equal stature is earned through preparation and can be attained by any seller in any situation.

-Trust is earned. Respect should be expected from both the seller and the buyer from the very beginning.

-If a prospect won’t meet during business hours, that’s a qualification signal that shows the buyer may not be interested in the same things that you are.

-Walking away can strengthen credibility.

-Likability is not a substitute for structure and process

-Clear boundaries protect both professionalism and purpose

-Confidence grows when sellers stop trying to be “chosen.”

-Ethical selling requires courage under pressure that demands results at all costs.

——————-

Helpful Links:

Lauren Valentine, Partner, Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

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

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