Business
Tracey Baker-Simmons met L.A. Reid and Babyface while waitressing at Houstons in Atlanta. She had no clue who they were. They handed her their Amex to pay for the bill, and she saw that they had a production company. She asked if they were hiring, and they invited her to come to the studio. That chance encounter landed her an internship where she would begin the process of learning the ropes of production. It was the early 90's in Atlanta, and while she had a degree in marketing and finance, she had no experience or formal education in what her future career would be. Leaning on the power of books and her own resourcefulness, Tracey taught herself everything she needed to know and asked the right questions. As a firm believer in saying yes and figuring it out later, Tracey is proof that if you take a chance on yourself, you just might win. Today as a 25-year entertainment industry veteran and seasoned television producer, Tracy Baker-Simmons is one of television's most prolific and industry-forward innovators, earning titles such as the pioneer of urban reality television. With content such as the Bravo reality series Being Bobby Brown, MTV2's Sprite Step-Off, and the biopic Bobbi Kristina, Tracy has proven her ability to create content that both resonates well with viewers and pushes the culture forward. Note: When she pitched Bobby Brown a reality show she had never produced one before and fun fact: he was in jail at the time! In fact, the only blueprint at the time was The Osbournes. Currently, she works under her production company, Baker Simmons Media. She also recently launched an educational platform Reality TV Decoded, which launched its first master course, Making Reality TV. In this episode, you will learn that determination and curiosity can get you everywhere and why if you invest in yourself, you can push beyond what you don't know and be unstoppable. *** This episode of LEAVE YOUR MARK is brought to you by Madison Reed, the hair color company revolutionizing the way women color their hair. This fast-growing disruptor brand offers luxurious, Smart-8 Free hair-color formula (that's free of harsh ingredients like PPD, ammonia, and parabens), that makes your hair look and feel fabulous. Madison Reed is truly your one-stop-shop for all things hair color. Whether you're at a Hair Color Bar or coloring at home with a Radiant Hair Color kit, you get the same amazing results every time. Madison Reed's proprietary color-matching technology coupled with a team of on-call colorists help women choose their perfect shade of hair color. With over 40 Hair Color Bars in 17 markets and many more to come, Madison Reed is fast becoming the leader in hair color. The full line of products can be found online at madison-reed.com and in Madison Reed Hair Color Bars, in addition to Ulta Beauty and Ulta Beauty at Target. First time customers can use ALIZA20 20% off + free shipping on Madison-Reed.com and local Hair Color Bar services.