Rephonic
Artwork for Smarter and Harder

Smarter and Harder

Eli Small and Tim Eisenhart
Portland
Portland Public Schools
Portland, United States
Israel
Donald Trump
Minimum Wage
Local Politics
High School Sports
Community Engagement
COVID Funding
Ed Techs
Property Taxes
Iran
Youth Sports
U.S. Elections
Special Education Programs
Early Literacy
Hamas
Education
Gaza

He’s smart and he’s not

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes103Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentSociety & CulturePhilosophy

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Smarter and Harder

Latest Episodes

Jonathan Bush finds himself sitting in the Smarter & Harder podcave for conversation around various topics including the state of the education system(and other systems) in Maine.   Very grateful that he found time in his campaign schedule to chat wi... more

Eli and Tim give their take on the new drama at the ever-tumultuous Lyman Moore Middle School.   Also, the teacher union is recommending the budget be rejected!!!

Dr. Scallon answers the call to discuss the budget.

A proposal from Dr. Opperman to close one of the PPS middle schools leaves Lincoln on the hot seat.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Dark Downeast
Dark DowneastAudiochuck
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal AttacksWes Larson, Jeff Larson, Mike Smith | Daylight Media
The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Lovett or Leave It
Lovett or Leave ItLovett or Leave It

Recent Guests

Dr. Ryan Scallon
Portland Public Schools Superintendent
Portland Public Schools
Episode: Ep 97 - Dr. Ryan Scallon - PPS Superintendent
Sam Aborne
City Council at large candidate for Portland
Campaign for Portland
Episode: Ep 96 - Sam Aborne Interview - At-Large City Council Candidate
Dr. Scallon
Superintendent of Portland Public Schools
Portland Public Schools
Episode: Ep 82 - PPS Superintendent Dr Scallon

Hosts

Eli Small
Co-host, educator, and community-focused commentator
Tim Eisenhart
Host who guides conversations and often hosts discussions on local issues

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 45 ratings
  • Keeps me up to date out of state!

    Great podcast Eli! (And Tim, don’t know you personally but I support your F bombs). Even from VA I can get my little bit of Maine politics and drama, so it is much appreciated. Keep ‘em coming!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mrs. Goodridge
    United Statesa year ago
  • Good show could be great show if:

    Good show but would be a great show if Tim didn’t constantly drop the f-bomb and the $h-bomb. It’s pretty annoying and immature on his part. Eli is the strength here. Professional, mature, chill, even when the topic is heated. I really appreciated the local insights into what is going on in PPS. Keep it up.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Jane Neighborly
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The dynamic between Eli and Tim adds energy, though some may prefer less aggressive language.
While opinions are strong, the show often provides useful perspectives on budgeting and community impacts.
Guests and topics feel relevant to local stakeholders and observers seeking policy context.
Listeners appreciate the practical insights into local governance and education policy.
Some reviews note the hosts' candid style may be polarizing or intense for casual listeners.
Episodes balance policy explainers with personal anecdotes, which helps translate complex topics to a broad audience.

Top Government Podcasts

Strict Scrutiny
Strict ScrutinyStrict Scrutiny
The Lawfare Podcast
The Lawfare PodcastThe Lawfare Institute
Red Eye Radio
Red Eye RadioCumulus Podcast Network
The Chris Plante Show
The Chris Plante ShowWMAL | Cumulus Podcast Network | Cumulus Media Washington
The DSR Network
The DSR NetworkThe DSR Network
5-4
5-4Prologue Projects
American Potential
American PotentialAmerican Potential
American Power
American PowerChad Scott, Nat Towsen, Mr. Global

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep 101B - PPS Superintendent Dr. Ryan Scallon on the 2026-27 Budget
Q: What is the logic behind the new senior leadership roles and how do they connect to students?
The new roles, such as the assistant superintendent for community and family engagement and the chief schools and academics position, are designed to align operations with student outcomes—expanding programs like ed tech, early childhood initiatives, and partnerships (e.g., SMCC Spring Ahead) to broaden opportunities for students while managing costs through strategic, multi-year planning.
Ep 101B - PPS Superintendent Dr. Ryan Scallon on the 2026-27 Budget
Q: All right, so why is the budget so gigantic for the Portland Public Schools?
The budget appears large because, while local spending rose only 2-3% year over year, state funding reductions forced the district to rely more on local resources, and investments like early childhood expansion drive the total budget up even as local taxpayer impact remains modest. The district also accounts for ongoing program investments and program expansions that are partially reimbursed at the state level, which changes the overall cost picture.
Ep 96 - Sam Aborne Interview - At-Large City Council Candidate
Q: How would you approach conversations with residents who disagree with you?
He emphasizes listening to interests, asking questions to understand concerns, and focusing on solutions rather than politics.
Ep 96 - Sam Aborne Interview - At-Large City Council Candidate
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Portland today and how would you address it?
He identifies affordability and housing as top priorities and proposes data-driven, cross-agency collaboration to remove building code disincentives and streamline approvals.
Ep 96 - Sam Aborne Interview - At-Large City Council Candidate
Q: Can you summarize your background and why you decided to run for City Council at large?
Sam explains his engineering background, problem-solving mindset, and desire to apply those skills to improve Portland's governance and services for residents.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Smarter and Harder

What is Smarter and Harder about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show consistently grounds local policy conversations in Portland, Maine, blending sharp debates on education budgets, school governance, and community impact with a candid, humorous banter. Episodes often thread through district funding, classroom outcomes, and neighborhood identity, while balancing practical policy explanations with personal anecdotes. A standout aspect is the duo's willingness to tackle controversial topics (budget transparency, governance, and local elections) in a conversational, accessible way that feels anchored to real-world implications for families and taxpayers.

Where can I find podcast stats for Smarter and Harder?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Smarter and Harder. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Smarter and Harder and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Smarter and Harder get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Smarter and Harder, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Smarter and Harder?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Smarter and Harder, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Smarter and Harder have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Smarter and Harder has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Smarter and Harder?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Smarter and Harder:

1. Dark Downeast
2. Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
3. The Daily
4. Lovett or Leave It
5. Good Hang with Amy Poehler

How many episodes of Smarter and Harder are there?

Smarter and Harder launched 4 years ago and published 103 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Smarter and Harder?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Smarter and Harder?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Smarter and Harder from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Smarter and Harder?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Smarter and Harder. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Smarter and Harder?

Recent guests on Smarter and Harder include:

1. Dr. Ryan Scallon
2. Sam Aborne
3. Dr. Scallon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days