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Leading Ain't Easy

Leading Ain't Easy

By: Ryan Calkins
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About this listen

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.


Hosted 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.

© 2025 Leading Ain't Easy
Episodes
  • Episode 0: Welcome to Leading Ain’t Easy

    Episode 0: Welcome to Leading Ain’t Easy
    Oct 28 2025

    Leadership isn’t all highlight reels, motivational quotes, or textbook frameworks. It’s messy, isolating, full of self-doubt, and it rarely looks the way it does on social media. That’s why we created Leading Ain’t Easy.

    In this special intro episode, Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley pull back the curtain on what this show is all about. We share our leadership journeys; from the Marine Corps, student government, and private-sector consulting to public-sector transportation leadership and building our own businesses. Along the way, we’ve faced plenty of challenges: leading teams who didn’t trust us, managing under public scrutiny, building culture from the ground up, and wrestling with imposter syndrome ourselves.

    Here’s what you can expect from this podcast:

    • Real stories about the side of leadership no one puts on their résumé.
    • Honest conversations about the doubts, failures, and hard calls leaders face every day.
    • Practical lessons, fresh mindsets, and validation that you’re not alone in the struggle.
    • Occasional guests who will share their own unfiltered leadership truths.

    We’re not here to preach from a pedestal. We’re still learning, still screwing up, and still showing up, and we want to create a space where leaders at all levels can do the same.

    If you’ve ever felt like a fraud, second-guessed yourself, or carried the weight of decisions with no playbook, this show is for you.

    Our first full episode will dive into Imposter Syndrome (the quiet fear that you don’t belong and someone’s about to find out). Spoiler: we’ve both been there.

    Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen so you don’t miss an episode. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for clips, prompts, and more. And if this resonates with you, leave a review to help other leaders find the show.

    Because leading ain’t easy... but you don’t have to do it alone.

    🎙️ Leading Ain’t Easy is hosted by Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley.

    • Ryan is the founder of Reframe & Rise, a career and leadership coaching practice helping veterans and other professionals realign their work and lead with purpose.
    • Erny runs Bus Pro Network, supporting school transportation leaders across California with training and development.

    👉 Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
    👉 Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for clips, prompts, and behind-the-scenes updates.
    👉 If this episode resonated, please leave a review, as it helps more leaders find us.
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    10 mins
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