MY PHILOSOPHY
The right visibility
changes everything.
I started this business because I kept meeting brilliant people who were getting terrible PR advice. They'd hire agencies, pay thousands a month, and have nothing to show for it. Or they'd try to do it themselves and get nowhere.
It was super frustrating to watch because I could tell these experts had so much to offer. Yet they just couldn’t break through to reach the right people.
I'd spent 15 years working inside America's top newsrooms and training working journalists. I knew what reporters actually respond to and how to build an engaged audience online. A professional speaker myself, I also knew what it takes to land a stage and get paid well for it.
In 2022, I switched gears to help experts get attention across the media, podcasts, social media, and stages without hiring a publicist or PR agency. My clients’ successes have been extraordinary, including landing an exclusive in the New York Times print edition, going viral at SXSW, raising $2.2 million on Kickstarter, and more.
Again and again, they prove that you don’t need to hire an expensive PR agency to get attention. With the right strategy, training, and assets, you can absolutely do this. And that’s what I’m here to help you achieve.
MY CLIENTS HAVE LANDED COVERAGE IN
MY BIO
About Tracy Samantha Schmidt
I am a PR strategist for experts of all kinds: influential entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, academics, scientists, artists, speakers, consultants, and more.
I began my career as TIME Magazine's youngest reporter, covering the rise of social media and pioneering new ways of reporting that are now standard. My master's thesis also ran in TIME and was covered by The Today Show, Oprah, MTV, and Vogue.
I later co-founded ChicagoNow.com, the Chicago Tribune’s groundbreaking influencer network, co-created and co-hosted a radio show on WGN, and served as a media executive at Crain Communications, where I led global social media strategy, unifying efforts across 18 newsrooms and training hundreds of journalists.
I have also been a frequent TV commentator on ABC, CBS, and FOX, spoken at dozens of conferences, and taught personal branding to thousands of professionals.
A passionate educator, I taught marketing at the University of Chicago for a decade and also taught graduate-level journalism courses. Additionally, I designed and led social media training programs for TV newsrooms for the National Association of Broadcasters.
In 2022, after advising over 150 brands on their marketing and communications, I switched gears to empower experts to do PR without a publicist. Since then, I’ve helped dozens of clients succeed at PR — landing top-tier media coverage, going viral, booking major keynotes, and raising millions.
A Chicago-area native, I live in the heart of Michigan's Upper Peninsula with my husband. Outside of work, I paint, write novels, hike, and work on our off-the-grid farm.
Select clients
Aether Biomedical • Advocate Healthcare • American Library Association • American Society of Anesthesiologists • Brightpoint • The Chicago Network • Crain Communications • Gundir • i.c.stars • Institute for Nonviolence Chicago • Keenan Reid Strategies • Kin + Carta • Kin Insurance • National Association of Broadcasters • National Association of Realtors • NORC • Oliva Capital • Origin Investments • Rotary International • The Joffrey Ballet • Unify America • University of Chicago • University of Illinois • YPO •
Since 2010, I have advised over 150 brands on their marketing and communications, including:
What clients say
“I’ve been a 'digital media guy' for over 20 years. I not only learned a few things from Tracy but, more importantly, she helped coalesce for me how specific media channels can be co-leveraged intelligently to drive personal and business outcomes."
— Salesforce consultant
“‘Turn heads. Grow faster.' That’s exactly what Tracy has helped me do in so many ways: recasting my personal branding, articulating my personal and company story creatively, crafting an impactful bio, and preparing me for greater visibility and public speaking. Highly recommend!"
— Founder in B2B services
"Working with Tracy was like having my best friend by my side - I would absolutely refer her to anyone who is looking for support on how to get sustained attention."
— Career advisor + best-selling author
“If you want to work with someone who is incredibly smart, experienced, honest, understands your needs and most importantly, KIND, you will want to work with Tracy."
— Full-time actor, SAG-AFTRA
“When we met, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I now sit at my computer with a growing newsletter — hundreds of people follow and comment on its value. They say they look forward to it every Sunday. Your guidance and perspective enabled me to make this happen.”
— Ad executive
“Tracy continues to be an advocate for truth in the age of disinformation, with an unparalleled ability to pivot and transition potential complications into generative insights. She knows the art of ethical and sound business, approaching each project with a level of mastery, effectively raising the standards and benefits for anyone involved. "
— Artist and cultural critic