About Us

About Inside Edge PR + MEDIA

Since our 2005 inception, Inside Edge: PR + Media has been on a mission. We help entrepreneurs and organizations seeking relevant and creative communications, ranging from public and media relations to marketing, social media and strategic services.

Reporters, editors, producers and radio hosts wisely dismiss most pitches and news releases as self-serving advertising. By contrast, Inside Edge PR + Media consistently produces engaging and timely stories that spark attention and acclaim. See how that works? Clients get what they want + media outlets get what they need=legitimate news, effectively crafted and creatively communicated.

Inside Edge PR + Media news releases read like stories you find in major metropolitan dailies. The reason is simple: founder Matt Baron has reported extensively for major publications such as the Chicago Tribune, Time and USA Today, and is still sought after as a journalist. In addition, his time as a local public figure in elected office has given him an in-the-trenches insight on how the media can fall short on its basic duty to report factually

What used to be known as the “mainstream media” is far from the only communication option these days. Inside Edge PR + Media empowers clients with thoughtful, relevant and (when appropriate) entertaining communication. They can be tailored to any variety of audiences or targeted directly to clients, prospects and business peers.

Review a sampling of how Inside Edge PR + Media has served  clients in Success Stories.

Matt Baron

Matt Baron, founder of Inside Edge: PR + Media, has crafted stories professionally since 1984.

For the first 22 years, Matt reported for small-town weeklies, big-city dailies, and national magazines.

Along the way, he helped expose local government corruption, wrote a series of investigative stories that culminated in a wrongly convicted man’s freedom from prison, and chronicled a small-town newspaper’s cringe-inducing and unblinking belief in a tale that would rival anything found in The Onion.

Matt’s work has appeared in scores of publications, including TimeUSA Today and the Chicago Tribune. For a six-year period, he was one of the most prolific reporters for the Tribune. In 2004, while covering three communities (Oak Brook, Elmhurst & Cicero), he wrote 365 stories that encompassed local government, business features, breaking news, profiles and more.

His myriad media roles include serving as senior editor of a monthly trade magazine. In addition, along with his associates, Matt is on a mission to provide the inside edge that connects clients with not only their target audiences, but also media decision-makers who can amplify their stories. The Inside Edge advantage comes through Matt’s cultivation of robust media connections, as well as firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by reporters, editors, producers and other media decision-makers

Since 2001, through workshops, webinars and columns, Matt has journeyed across the United States to train thousands of reporters, editors, publicists and other business leaders on various elements of the story-telling process. Topics include interviewing techniques, numerical literacy (aka Go Figure: Making Numbers Count), and working effectively with reporters under deadline pressure.

A variety of PR firms, including renowned agencies such as Golin & Edelman, have retained Matt’s counsel for all-day training sessions on media crisis management and nurturing effective relations with the media that generate results for clients.

A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Matt has been a guest lecturer at a variety of universities, including Medill graduate- and undergraduate-level classes, for over 20 years.

Matt has actively been involved with Chicago West Bible Church, in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, since its 2016 inception. Matt’s public service has included a two-year stint as president of the Oak Park Public Library and, starting in May 2017, a four-year term as a member of the District 200 Oak Park and River Forest High School Board.

Matt and his wife, Bridgett, have two adult children. They are amused by Matt’s ambidextrous free-throw shooting zeal, which has propelled him to make over 84% of the 183,000-plus free throw attempts he has tabulated since 2007. He is currently working on a project chronicling the experiences of some of the greatest free-throw practitioners in basketball history.

Read the latest from Matt on Substack, at The Inside Edge.

"Matt is first a very good journalist, a true wordsmith. This gives him a great foundation for being an effective PR practitioner. I see that he cares deeply about his clients’ success and is a hard worker. He’s also a great collaborator."
Jason Sherman
SHERMAN communications & marketing, inc.
“I’ve worked with many writers and PR professionals — Matt stands out as one of the best with his talent, his insights, and his professionalism. He exceeds expectations on many levels to produce outstanding results. And… he’s a cool guy to work with. I look forward to many more collaborations in the future.”
Sherri Lasko
Lasko Design & Consulting
“WOW! What an impressive guy! Matt really works hard to exceed goals and client expectations. He consistently goes way above and beyond the call of duty on his projects! He is someone I do not hesitate to work with or recommend. I feel very lucky to know him.”
Ria Davidson
Ria Davidson Communications
“I worked with Matt during my time at the Beacon-News when he worked for our sister paper The Courier-News in Elgin. Matt was a first-class reporter who set the agenda for the other reporters on his beat.”
Bill Catching
Bill Catching
The Beacon-News
"I’ve known Matt for several years now, and I wish only the best for him. Matt Baron is one of those people who seems to have it all. He’s a gifted wordsmith, an engaging speaker, a true professional, a genuinely good person and a great family man. Plus, he’s really tall. You know, I don’t think that’s really fair, now that I think about it. He must have some flaws. Maybe he doesn’t turn in his library books on time.”
Geoff Williams
author & journalist
“For nearly a quarter of a century I have wished there were more people like Matt Baron in the world. I believe that Matt’s truly rare and unique gifts as a veteran writer, humorist, presenter, math genius, advocate for social justice and public relations guru (to name but a few) come from his deep sense of integrity. Matt is a man of his word, who consistently delivers on all fronts. Most of all, Matt Baron is a true friend. He makes everything look so easy – but he’s really all about hard work, and for all the right reasons. Matt’s boundless enthusiasm isn’t just infectious, it’s highly communicable. I congratulate anyone fortunate enough to call Matt Baron a member of their team.”
David Ackerman
Citizen Pictures

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