When Ruben Trujillo, owner of Clear Rock Realty, launched Leading Lubbock in September 2024, his goal was simple: to shine a light on the people making an impact in his city. He wanted his neighbors to see what he saw: that Lubbock is full of difference-makers whose quiet faithfulness shapes the community in powerful ways. 

Each guest on Leading Lubbock is nominated by someone who’s been on the show before, creating a ripple effect of connection that mirrors the way influence spreads across a city. That relational chain is what eventually led Ruben to a group of leaders whose stories would forever change the heart of his podcast — the Betenbough Companies team. 

It began with Kalee Rich, director of sales support for Betenbough Homes. Her openness about faith, stewarding people, and accountability left a lasting impression on Ruben. Next he interviewed Holly Betenbough, co-founder of Betenbough Homes and former board member of Betenbough Companies. She spoke about purpose, vulnerability, and leading with love. Then he spoke with Cal Zant, president of Betenbough Homes. Cal shared about humility, an orphan spirit, and creating a company culture where everyone flourishes. Finally, Ruben interviewed Jeanna Roach, CEO of Betenbough Companies, who talked about emotional intelligence, delivered truth vs. discovered truth, and the power of togetherness. 

What Ruben found in each Betenbough interview he conducted was not corporate polish or scripted answers, but a rare and refreshing transparency. “Those episodes shifted everything. It wasn’t about leadership lessons anymore. These were stories about transformation — about people who’d almost lost it all but came back from the brink to become senior leaders in the company.” 

“Sometimes leadership conversations get a little fluffy,” Ruben admits. “But the Betenbough team showed up with honesty. No fluff. Just faith and vulnerability turned into lessons. It rocked me to the core.” 

Through those interviews, Ruben began to see leadership differently — not as a position to hold, but as a reflection of identity rooted in Christ. He noticed how each Betenbough leader carried the same spirit of generosity and authenticity, yet expressed it in their own unique way. “Not one of them is a conformer,” he says. “They all know who they are and what they’re called to bring to the world. That’s what true leadership looks like.” 

Over time, the Leading Lubbock conversations began to change Ruben’s heart, too. He realized he was no longer just collecting leadership insights; he was being transformed by stories of faith, humility, and perseverance. The Betenbough episodes revealed something sacred in storytelling itself: that God often uses our hardest seasons as a foundation for our most impactful testimonies.  

“The Betenbough interviews were different,” Ruben says. “Each of those leaders let God take what was broken and make something beautiful from it.” 

The impact didn’t stop with the microphone. Ruben began reexamining his own company culture at Clear Rock Realty, inspired by how Betenbough’s teams live out their core values daily. “Every decision now gets held up against a value,” he explains. “Does it align or not? There’s purpose behind everything Betenbough does, and I wanted that same clarity for my team.” 

Ruben was moved by the intentionality of Betenbough leaders who gave not just resources, but time, attention, and friendship. “The fact that each of them gave me two or three hours — coffee before the show, then the actual podcast interview — was incredible,” he says. “They didn’t just talk about generosity; they lived it.” 

Jeanna remembers her first meeting with Ruben over coffee before the podcast. “He was so genuinely curious about why people at Betenbough lead the way they do,” she shares. “During the podcast interview, the hour flew by. It felt like twenty minutes.” 

Months later, as Leading Lubbock grew beyond its first season, Ruben returned to Jeanna and Holly for guidance. They encouraged him, prayed with him, and even offered Betenbough’s recording space for the next season. “It just felt right,” Jeanna says. “It’s the Kingdom of God manifesting itself through people — through love and shared resources.” 

Season Two, aptly titled Rewritten, continues the journey that began with those Betenbough conversations. This time, Ruben is joined by his new cohost, Ryan Harris (a former Betenbough team member), and Betenbough Companies has come alongside as the podcast’s first official sponsor — a full-circle moment of partnership and shared purpose. 

Looking back, Ruben can only describe the story as divinely orchestrated. “I couldn’t have planned this,” he says. “Every door that opened, every connection, it wasn’t me. It was God.” 

Through Leading Lubbock, Ruben discovered that leadership isn’t about spotlighting success. Rather, it’s about telling honest stories from the trenches with no fluff. 

“It’s crazy to think that something as simple as a podcast could be a Kingdom tool,” he reflects. “But when people are willing to be real and share their stories vulnerably, it brings life to everyone.” 

Click here to see Kalee’s Leading Lubbock interview.

Click here to see Holly’s Leading Lubbock interview.

Click here to see Cal’s Leading Lubbock interview.

Click here to see Jeanna’s Leading Lubbock interview.