Welcome to this bonus episode of the Hard Knock University Podcast — somewhere between Season 2 and Season 3. In this behind-the-scenes sit-down, Mark and Seth Caples grab some cigars, crack open Lone Stars, and react to Episode 1 of the podcast... and tear it apart with brutal honesty, humor, and a whole lot of hard-earned wisdom.

🎙 What started with a grainy webcam and a dream is now a full-blown couch studio setup and a thriving community of resilient leaders. We talk cringe, growth, gear upgrades, and the real lessons behind launching a podcast, writing a book, and navigating the YouTube algorithm.

Whether you’re a creator, leader, or just a sucker for behind-the-scenes chaos, this one’s for you.

✅ What You’ll Learn:

• Why "done" is better than "perfect"

• The truth about podcast production burnout

• How to embrace the cringe and grow anyway

• Why views don’t equal value (and why your best content might flop)

• How to turn a scrappy setup into a solid studio

• The evolution of The Hard Knock School of Project Management book

💥 Plus: An Easter egg contest — find the editing error in Season 2 and win a FREE autographed copy of Mark's book!

🧠 Every Hard Knock is a Chance to Grow.

👉 Subscribe to follow Season 3 and get more #HardKnockLessons.

📚 Grab the book: https://leadershipknocks.com/book 🎧 Podcast Hub: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipKnocks 📰 Substack: www.LeadershipKnocks.com

🚨 Season 2 | Episode 24 of the Hard Knock University Podcast 🎧 Hosted by Mark Caples & Seth Caples 🎓 Sponsored by SMG Academy

What do Elvis Presley, Colonel Tom Parker, and a suspiciously long contract have to do with your busted project timeline?

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Sebby, founder of SMG Academy (our Season 2 sponsor!), to talk about the leadership fails and lessons in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic. From manipulation masked as mentorship to why poor leadership decisions cost more than just money—this episode is packed with grit, laughter, and some seriously uncomfortable truths.

🎬 We break down:

• What the Elvis movie teaches us about toxic management

• The myth of loyalty over logic

• How to lead when the spotlight’s on someone else

• Project management lessons from rock and roll history

💡 Spoiler alert: If your Colonel's taking 50%, it ain’t a partnership—it’s a prison.

👊 This one’s for the leaders trying to build something epic without selling their soul—or their schedule.

📚 Check out the book: https://leadershipknocks.com/book 🎥 Watch more: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipKnocks 📩 Subscribe to the Substack: www.LeadershipKnocks.com

#HardKnockLessons #LeadershipFails #ProjectManagement #ElvisMovie #BazLuhrmann #SMGAcademy #MarkSebby #LeadershipKnocks #HardKnockUniversity #ColonelParker #LeadershipSins #PodcastClip

In this hilarious and brutally honest episode of the Hard Knock University Podcast, host Mark Caples breaks down The Devil Wears Prada — not as a fashion drama, but as a masterclass in toxic leadership, stakeholder management, and surviving executive egos.

👠 What can Miranda Priestly teach us about authority, decision fatigue, and burnout? 📋 How does Andy Sachs mirror the journey of every entry-level project manager trying to survive corporate chaos? 💼 And what’s the cost of delivering excellence in a dysfunctional system?

Mark dishes out #HardKnockLessons from this iconic film with grit, humor, and real-world takeaways from the trenches of construction and leadership.

💥 Subscribe to the podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipKnocks 📚 Grab the book → https://leadershipknocks.com/book 📰 Read the Substack Dispatch → www.LeadershipKnocks.com