Leading Ain't Easy

About Leading Ain't Easy

Leadership looks shiny on social media. But the reality is it’s messy, isolating, and full of self-doubt. Leading Ain’t Easy pulls back the curtain on the side of leadership nobody puts on their résumé. Created by Ryan Calkins (Marine Corps veteran, career/leadership coach, and founder of Reframe & Rise) and Erny Epley (public-sector leader and founder of Bus Pro Network), this show dives into the raw, unfiltered truths of leading others; whether it’s in the military, the public sector, or the private world of business. We’re not here with corporate buzzwords or textbook definitions. Instead, you’ll hear: Honest stories about the challenges and failures that shaped us. Real conversations about the doubts and decisions leaders wrestle with every day. Lessons, frameworks, and laughs that remind you you’re not alone in the struggle. Episodes run 45-60 minutes (long enough to go deep, short enough for a commute) and drop weekly. Some weeks it’s just us, other weeks we’ll bring in guests (current and aspiring leaders) to share their own unfiltered journeys. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re cut out for this role, questioned yourself after making a hard call, or felt like a fraud even with the title… this podcast is for you. Because leading ain’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Publisher

Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Oct 2025

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

49 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   When the Leadership Problem Is You

   Got a story like this one? Text us! Ryan Calkins and John Moore talk through the moment every leader eventually hits. The moment when the thing they keep trying to fix in everyone else turns out to be them. It's for anyone who's ever managed people and hoped the feedback would just be good news. Most leadership training is built around changing other people: better coaching, better expectations, better feedback to others. What it rarely covers is the moment a leader has to turn that same lens...

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   When Your Employee Knows More Than You Do

   Got a story like this one? Text us! Ryan Calkins and John Moore talk through what it's like to lead someone who knows more than you do; the imposter syndrome, the ego, and the real tension of coming in as an outside hire over someone who wanted the job. It's for anyone who's ever walked into a new leadership role and wondered if they actually belong there. Ryan and John open up about the moments they've each led people who were more technically skilled or more experienced than they were, and ...

3. 

   22 Sept 2026

   The Promises You Never Made But Have to Keep (feat. Erny Epley)

   Got a story like this one? Text us! Every new leader inherits more than a job — they inherit promises, contracts, and habits somebody else put in place. Ryan Calkins and John Moore welcome Erny Epley back for an honest conversation about what happens when someone else's decisions become your problem to fix. Stepping into a new role means inheriting more than a job description. Ryan and John welcome Erny back to the show to talk through everything a new leader gets handed without ever agreei...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings