Ready to grow your brand?
We’ll help you make it happen.

I’m Tracy Samantha Schmidt, the founder of The PR Accelerator and a former TIME Magazine journalist.

I created The PR Accelerator because many people and organizations don’t have the budget for an expensive PR firm — but they still need to get attention.

We uniquely provide everything you need to succeed at PR in 2024 and teach you exactly what to do. There’s no other program like ours out there.

Since we launched two years ago, we’ve helped dozens of clients get the attention they deserve and accelerate their sales.

If you’re ready to grow your brand or cause good trouble, we’re here to help. I look forward to talking with you soon.

Headshots by partner Margo Popio.

Meet our team

  • Tracy Samantha Schmidt

    Founder and CEO

    Tracy has 25 years of experience across journalism, communications, marketing, and advertising. As the youngest reporter at TIME, she developed new methods for breaking news and published her master's thesis in the magazine. It was later covered by Oprah, Vogue, The Today Show, and MTV.

    She also developed a massive blog network for the Chicago Tribune, led global social media strategy for Crain Communications, co-hosted a radio show on WGN, been a frequent TV guest, and trained hundreds of working journalists. Through her first business, Socially Authentic, Tracy advised over 100 brands on their marketing and communications.

    A passionate educator, she has also taught graduate journalism school and taught marketing at the University of Chicago for a decade.

    Connect with Tracy on LinkedIn.

  • Brian Hilliard

    Public Speaking Strategist & Coach

    Brian Hilliard is a popular speaker & author of the best-selling books Networking Like a Pro and How to Overachieve w/o Over Committing. As a graduate of Duke University, he also coaches individual clients how to make more money from their speaking engagements.

    After working in management at GE, Brian started his business in 2001. During that time, he has written eight books, published 300+ podcast episodes, while speaking to over 400 audiences in the areas of leadership, mindset & high-performance success.

    Some of Brian’s work has appeared nationally in EntrepreneurMagazine, Black Enterprise, and the Martha Zoller Morning Show.

    Connect with Brian on LinkedIn.

  • Lauren Viera

    Ghostwriter & Communications Strategist

    Lauren Viera is a professional writer and communications consultant with more than 25 years of experience. She helps brands, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals achieve their communications goals, no matter how big, small, weird, or wild.

    She’s built a career around translating the human experience into an engaging read. These days, most of her work involves collaborating with branding and creative agencies, or brands and businesses directly (from startups to Fortune 500s), that are looking to launch, refine, expand, or totally overhaul their storytelling infrastructure. The range of work is wide — communications strategy, ghostwriting, advertising & marketing, editorial & publishing — but the through line is writing.

    Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn.

  • Heather "Margo Popio" Stumpf

    Photographer & Creative Director

    An experiential photographer, Margo has taken portraits of more than 4,000 people since launching her studio in 2009.

    She’s created portraits for celebrities, Fortune 100 executives, New York Times best-selling authors, world-renowned physicians, award-winning artists, and many entrepreneurs.

    Widely regarded for her discerning eye, Margo’s ability to bring out her clients’ dynamic individuality in photos sets her apart as a creative.

    Based in Chicago’s Wicker Park, Margo travels frequently for client photoshoots. She can lead photo shoots virtually by serving as a creative director.

    Connect with Margo on LinkedIn.