Beyond Resistance Pod

Welcome to the Beyond Resistance Pod where we help red communities build blue power and start winning! Your hosts, Sarah Schulz and Jennifer Austin, turned the GOP mecca of Midland, MI into a blue city that votes for Democrats up and down the ballot! Now, they want to help you through guests, stories, and information that can help any community build blue power. Winning doesn’t always look like winning, so let’s start with some basics and we’ll flip that community together!

Beyond Resistance Pod is a news podcast hosted by beyondresistancepod, with 93 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

beyondresistancepod hosts Beyond Resistance Pod, a news show with 93 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #1

  Ep. 91: Don’t Stop Believin’: Vote Your Heart, Then Go Win

  Aug 18, 2026—

  This week, Jennifer and Sarah are fresh off primary season and feeling surprisingly hopeful. Inspired by Abdul El-Sayed's primary victory and a perfectly timed "Don't Stop Believin'" campaign ad, they talk about why hope still matters and why Michigan Democrats might just be ready to take a chance on something different. The hosts share stories from election night in Detroit, including a VIP experience that mostly involved standing for hours, watching C-SPAN, and realizing their non-VIP friends had a much better night (and better food). They also dig into a topic Democrats rarely love discussing: what happens after a primary. Their take is simple: debate hard before the vote, unite after the vote. Whether it's Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or beyond, the time for relitigating primary results is over. The time for winning is now. Along the way, they explore what this year's primaries reveal about the Democratic Party. Is it moderate? Progressive? The answer might be both. Building a winning coalition requires a big tent, diverse viewpoints, and candidates who can connect with the communities they serve. Plus: thoughts on polling, organizing for the general election, Sarah's nightly tea party, Jennifer's obsession with phone sorting games, and the ongoing challenge of finding hobbies that aren't politics. Bottom line: The primaries may be over, but the real work is just beginning. So take a deep breath, assume the race is tied, and get back to work. And maybe keep Journey on standby.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #1

  Ep. 90: Optimistically Nervous: Michigan’s Progressive Primary Gamble

  Aug 4, 2026—

  The Beyond Resistance crew is taking a quick summer breather, but not before squeezing in a conversation about two things Midwesterners apparently love: politics and camping. Jennifer and Sarah kick things off with excitement about their brand-new podcast studio (yes, it's in a basement, no, you won't be able to tell) and debate whether camping is a relaxing getaway or just remote work with mosquitoes. Then they dive into a timely conversation about primary elections: when they're healthy, when they're messy, and why they can shape the future of a political party. The discussion explores the balance between competition and unity, the difference between ideological debates and ego-driven campaigns, and why some primaries become much bigger than the candidates themselves. Along the way, they talk about the energy behind progressive candidates, what it takes to expand the Democratic tent, and why young and independent voters may be looking for something different than conventional political wisdom suggests. Think of it as a masterclass in party-building with a side of optimistic nervousness, which Jennifer has officially accepted as a lifelong personality trait. And because this is Beyond Resistance, the episode wraps up with the truly important issues: foil packet dinners, tiny hippie campers, cherry hobo pies, and whether sausage should have that weird skin snap. (Jennifer has thoughts.) Links & Resources: Medium Article: https://tinyurl.com/dase85v3 Threads Thread: https://tinyurl.com/54xyacbj ️ Follow Beyond Resistance for more hard-won insights on building blue power in red communities, one election, organizing conversation, and camping recipe at a time.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Beyond Resistance Pod

  Ep. 89: Democracy, But Make It User-Friendly with JP Kloberdanz of BallotReady

  Jul 31, 202652 min

  Before we get started, a quick heads-up: our internet connections chose chaos for this recording. If JP sounds like he's broadcasting from a spacecraft every now and then, that's just the technology gods keeping us humble. Also, Sarah's lighting was doing something truly unhinged and made her look like she was participating in a witness protection documentary. We powered through. Democracy demanded it. This week, Jennifer and Sarah sit down with JP Kloberdanz, Vice President of Sales at BallotReady, to talk about one of the biggest challenges in democracy: helping voters figure out who and what is actually on their ballot. From school board races to ballot initiatives that seem intentionally written by a committee of riddles enthusiasts, BallotReady is working to make civic engagement easier and less overwhelming. JP shares how BallotReady helps voters find personalized ballot information, research candidates from top to bottom of the ticket, understand complicated ballot measures, locate polling places, and create a voting plan. He also tells some absolutely wild stories from the world of election data, including floppy disks, confusing local government structures, and a candidate who literally changed his name to match a popular incumbent. Yes, really. The conversation dives into voter education, local elections, reducing barriers to participation, and why informed voters are powerful voters. Plus, we wrap up with our signature lightning-round question on what every voter should do before casting a ballot. Learn more about Ballot Ready: https://www.ballotready.org Want to connect with JP? Reach out directly at jp@ballotready.org

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Beyond Resistance Pod

  Ep. 87: We’ve Heard the Anti-Abdul Arguments. Next?

  Jul 24, 202659 min

  Grab your favorite beverage and settle in because this episode is equal parts political road trip, rally recap, and spirited reality check. Jennifer and Sarah unpack their two-hour trek across Michigan to attend an Abdul El-Sayed rally featuring Bernie Sanders and AOC, and spoiler alert: it delivered big main-character energy. The conversation dives into the electric atmosphere of the event, why excitement matters in politics, and how hope can be a powerful organizing tool. Along the way, they swap war stories from political rallies past, including freezing factories, sweltering hangars, and the universal lesson that a guaranteed seat is truly the VIP experience. The hosts also explore bigger questions shaping Michigan's Senate primary: grassroots vs. establishment politics, corporate money vs. small-dollar donors, and why so many voters are ready to shake up the status quo. They discuss electability, generational change, political enthusiasm, and the challenge of bringing new voices into the democratic process. And because it wouldn't be politics in 2026 without some wildly questionable campaign ads, Jennifer and Sarah break down the latest attack ads, media messaging, and why they think voters should always look beyond the headline before making up their minds. In this episode: • Rally vibes, road trip stories, and political fandom • Why enthusiasm might be politics' secret sauce • Grassroots organizing vs. big-money influence • Getting younger voters engaged • Campaign ads that made the hosts want to throw a remote • A reminder to think critically, ask questions, and make a plan to vote Politics can be messy, but this conversation is proof that hope, humor, and a little healthy skepticism are still in the fight. ️ For more on Beyond Resistance: beyondresistancepod.com To check out Abdul El-Sayed (Politically. Those biceps are married.): abdulforsenate.com @abdulelsayed #Michigan #AbdulForSenate #USSenate #Grassroots

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Beyond Resistance Pod

  Ep. 86:Conversation Is the New Counterculture with Mike Winson of Breaking the Meta Podcast

  Jul 21, 20261h 8m

  What happens when a Twitch karaoke performer, lifelong Christian, and accidental political content creator decide they’ve had enough of the chaos and start a podcast? You get Mike Winson, host of Breaking the Meta, and one heck of a conversation. This week, Sarah and Jennifer sit down with Mike to talk about the lost art of actually talking to each other. From empathy and curiosity to the dangers of fear-based politics, they dig into why America feels stuck in debate mode when what we really need is conversation mode. Mike shares his wild journey from singing in onesies on Twitch to interviewing candidates across the country and creating space for meaningful discussions about politics, community, and democracy. Along the way, the trio tackles everything from rural organizing and voter engagement to why so many people feel abandoned by the political system. They also explore: • Why conversation requires a willingness to be wrong • The importance of meeting people where they are • Building Democratic power in rural and red communities • The difference between debating and actually listening • What podcasters owe their audiences in an era of hot takes and outrage clicks Plus, things get delightfully nerdy when the hosts swap dream podcast guests, ranging from AOC to long-lost family members, proving that even political podcasters can have a little fun. Learn More ️ Follow Breaking the Meta on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Just search "Breaking the Meta." ️ To learn more about Beyond Resistance, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and follow us on social media for more conversations about building blue power in red communities and, most importantly, learning how to start winning.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Beyond Resistance Pod. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.