Get publicity without
the huge agency fees
Empowered PR is the smart, affordable approach to PR.
In our program, you’ll work directly with a top PR expert to create a campaign designed to get buzz from the media, podcasts, and influencers. Then, we show you how to implement it — or our pros can handle it for you.
Clients in
Get your brand or yourself in the headlines — fast.
You need publicity. You need it now. What you don’t need: The bloated fees of typical PR firms.
Using the proven Empowered PR model, you’ll work one-on-one with founder Tracy Samantha Schmidt to generate publicity and media buzz around you or your brand. Our pros will create:
Personalized pitches for media, podcasts, and influencers
Expert-built email lists (which you keep)
A press release optimized for AI search results
Talking points for interviews
A social media strategy to build momentum
And so much more
Bottom line: You’ll get everything and more a big PR firm could provide for less money out of your pocket — all in just 4 weeks.
Lauren Wambold Patel, CEO, Keenan Reid Strategies
“The PR Accelerator helped me find a clear message for our company and a communications strategy I could actually execute. It changed how I talk about my business and gave us real visibility to reach more prospects. With Tracy’s help, we were able to get an interview published in Fast Company – a huge win for our credibility.”
You could achieve all this
in just 4 weeks:
In one month, you’ll have a clear, compelling message that makes you stand out in a crowded market using assets we create for you and with you. Prepare to achieve all this:
Earn valuable media coverage: Be seen in local, trade, business, and national outlets.
Appear on industry podcasts: Reach listeners who influence buying decisions.
Publish articles under your name: Share thought leadership in outlets your buyers read.
Win awards that elevate your brand: Get recognized for your work, products, or leadership.
Get the right eyes on your site: Drive web traffic from audiences who trust the outlets where you appear.
Speed up your sales cycle: Leverage press mentions to boost your reputation and credibility.
Improve your discoverability: Use media coverage to influence AI and search engine results.
Erica Bethe Levin, Founder and CEO, Globowl
“Although I've always considered myself PR savvy, traditional PR hasn't always felt like it was working. Tracy armed me with the tools I needed to do it the right way, on my own, and it's been more effective than anything else we've ever tried. She goes above and beyond to support her clients, celebrates every win, and even makes sure we all have fun along the way.”
This is what Empowered PR can do for you:
Look at the wins clients like you have earned with us:
Major media coverage in Newsweek, Fast Company, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Slate, Axios, and AARP.
Live appearances on NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX, gaining national exposure and driving trust with new audiences.
Top podcast interviews with industry creators, reaching target audiences without spending a dime.
Thought leadership articles as an author in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Crain’s.
Raised over $2.1 million on Kickstarter in just one month.
Influential industry awards, including “Person to Watch” and “Top Products of 2025.”
Main-stage speeches at SXSW, positioning themselves as a top thought leader.
Keynote speaker for leading brands Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft
Seth Kravitz, Co-founder of Technori
“Because of Tracy, we were first covered by CBS and then inundated with press coverage. Tracy's PR strategy was a game-changer for our organization and one of the reasons why we grew so fast. I'm incredibly grateful for her support and friendship."
These 4 weeks can change everything for you:
WEEKS ONE + TWO
Personalizing your PR strategy.
After an intake assessment, we determine how to get attention and build trust faster. You’ll meet with Tracy for two virtual strategy sessions. Our team will analyze your opportunities and create the right plan to get you visibility.
WEEK THREE
Creating your PR campaign
This is when the components of your PR campaign come together. You’ll get:
Customized messaging
1 press release optimized for AI
Hand-built media and podcast lists
Personalized email pitches for 50 journalists & 25 podcasts
Talking points to prep for interviews
A PR playbook to implement your campaign
Our proven templates to get more coverage
WEEK FOUR
See how to run your PR campaign.
In one 60-minute session with Tracy, you’ll learn how to implement your PR campaign. Expect you or a team member to spend 3 to 4 hours a week executing it. To help, you’ll have 1-year access to our private library of PR tutorial videos.
WEEKS FIVE to EIGHT
Follow-up with Tracy to ensure success
Once your campaign is underway, you’ll have a 45-minute check-in call with Tracy.
When your campaign ends, you and Tracy will review the results and plan next steps. If you need a new campaign, you can implement one at a reduced cost at any time.
But you will have already gained the skills, assets, and templates to keep winning the attention you deserve — all on your own.
That’s Empowered PR.
BONUS ADD-ON
Hands-off PR: We execute your PR campaign.
No time to manage your PR campaign? Let us implement it for you. You’ll be in good hands with our expert team and save tens of thousands vs. typical PR firms.
Your future options — after 8-week Empowered PR experience
Fresh campaign design: Keep your PR going with a new campaign, complete with strategy, story angles, personalized pitches, and fresh email lists.
Campaign with implementation: Get another PR campaign that our team creates and executes, with outreach, follow-up, and coordination with you included.
Rachel Zorel, Founder and Creative Director, 7-Layer Studios
”As an agency owner, I hired Tracy for guidance and support to market our agency. In our time working together, we discussed everything from brand positioning to marketing opportunities through the lens of PR, social media, and thought leadership. Her insight, experience, and accessibility made the process incredibly valuable, which we are still benefiting from nearly a year later.”
Work with this pro to make PR work for you
Your Empowered PR works because founder Tracy Samantha Schmidt is a former journalist who knows what it takes to get media outlets to pay attention.
Working directly with her means you are working with a pro who has experience in every type of media outlet — newspaper, TV, radio, digital, trade, magazine — combined with deep marketing and PR experience. Tracy has:
Covered the rise of Facebook for TIME Magazine.
Published her thesis on young nuns in TIME — later covered by “The Today Show,” Oprah, Vogue, and MTV.
Created one of the world’s first influencer networks for the Chicago Tribune.
Led global social media strategy for Crain Communications and unified the efforts of 18 newsrooms.
Been a frequent TV commentator on ABC, CBS, and FOX.
Taught graduate journalism and taught marketing at the University of Chicago.
FAQs
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Absolutely. Many of our clients are brand new to PR when they start Empowered PR.
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We are a PR agency — just a different kind of one. Founder Tracy Samantha Schmidt created our unique model because she was tired of watching her friends pay huge fees to PR agencies only to get mediocre results.
In Empowered PR, you get the same expertise you’d get from a traditional PR agency, except we’re uniquely empowering you or your team to implement the campaign. This allows you to build direct relationships with journalists and podcasters, build in-house capacity, and save tens of thousands of dollars on PR agency fees.
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No. We set up everything for you. All you have to do is hit “send” on the emails that make up your 4-week PR campaign.
The email replies will come straight to your business email. Then, you can use our tailored responses to manage communications with journalists and podcasters.
Most clients say it takes 2 to 3 hours per week for 4 weeks to implement the campaign.
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Don’t worry. We designed this program so your assistant or capable intern can handle everything on your behalf. All they have to do is hit “send” on the customized emails we create for you. Alternatively, you can have our team implement the full PR campaign for an additional flat fee.
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Yes. We offer an add-on option for our team to implement the campaign and coordinate interviews for you. If you would like more robust PR support, including reacting to breaking news and trends, we can match you with one of our trusted PR partners.
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Not necessarily. You will have everything you need to get ongoing coverage from journalists, podcasters, and content creators. You’ll also get training and proven templates to keep getting attention.
We can also create fresh PR campaigns for you whenever you need more attention. Additional PR campaigns are available at a reduced fee. We can also implement those campaigns for you if desired.
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We can do that. Many clients have worked with us for years. Some of them want a steady drip of attention while others return when they want publicity for something specific.
Our unique model, which offers PR campaigns for a flat fee, lets you save thousands of dollars on agency fees and only pay for what you need.
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Both. Empowered PR is vertical agnostic. We have experience supporting clients in almost every major industry. See our case studies.
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Yes. Many of our individual clients hire us when they have something to promote: a book coming out, a restaurant opening, a speech at SXSW, or just want to increase business sales.
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No — but PR agencies can’t promise you anything, and if they do, be wary. Yet in our unique program, you will get verified email lists, our email templates, and training to keep doing PR long term. This sets you up for future success in the unlikely event that your first campaign leads to no coverage.
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Yes, incredibly so. Clients who have completed Empowered PR have earned coverage in outlets like Fast Company and Newsweek (on their first try!), appeared on every top TV network, done interviews with top podcasters, raised over $2.1 million on Kickstarter, and much more.
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Yes. If you’re a good fit for Empowered PR and would like to speak with our previous clients about their experience, we can connect you with them via email.
Ian Beacraft, Founder and Chief Futurist, Signal + Cipher
“Without a doubt, my work with Tracy on my messaging was key to our rapid growth. Not only did she help me crystallize my ideas and make them applicable to all audiences, but she also helped me understand and anticipate journalists’ reactions. On top of that, she helped me leverage my SXSW speech to attract a ton of media coverage that was a game-changer for the growth of our business. If you are ready to get more attention for your ideas, Tracy has my highest recommendation.”