Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Wheeler.
Hi Michelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
PSM Marketing began with a simple but powerful belief: professional service firms deserve marketing that is both strategic and deeply personal. My mom, Terrie Wheeler, launched the firm in 1997 as a one-woman consultancy, drawing on her extensive background in legal marketing and business development. She saw firsthand how many professionals—lawyers, small business owners, and consultants—struggled to market themselves while staying true to their values and expertise.
From the very beginning, I was never far from the action. As Terrie’s youngest daughter, I was “helping out” long before I had an official title—stapling proposals, stuffing envelopes, and soaking in the entrepreneurial spirit around me. While attending St. Olaf College, I found a passion for web design and digital marketing, which ultimately came to shape the course of my career.
Over the years, Terrie’s dedication to relationship-driven marketing fueled PSM’s growth, and by 2019, I officially joined the leadership team. I brought a fresh perspective and a deep expertise in digital strategy, SEO, and website development. Together, our mother–daughter team blended time-tested marketing wisdom with cutting-edge online tactics, creating a unique, full-service agency model that marries strategic marketing planning with expert implementation using personal connection with modern technology.
Today, PSM Marketing serves clients nationwide with a talented virtual team of over 20 professionals—graphic designers, writers, SEO experts, social media strategists, and website developers—making top-tier marketing accessible wherever our clients are located.
While we’ve evolved from a solo consultancy into a full outsourced marketing firm, one thing hasn’t changed: our passion for helping professionals shine in their markets. It’s the same mission Terrie had from the start—now carried forward by a talented team that knows great marketing is equal parts strategy, creativity, and heart.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If you had asked me early on if I wanted to work with lawyers—the bread and butter of my mom’s business—I would’ve given you a very quick and polite “no, thank you.” My mom had spent decades building a stellar reputation in legal marketing, but my interests pulled me in a different direction.
Before joining PSM’s leadership team, I launched my own agency, Spectrum Design and Marketing. For five years, I poured myself into helping small businesses, contractors, and non-profits grow—building websites, copywriting, managing digital campaigns, and learning the ins and outs of these industries. I built my own client base, earned a solid reputation, and discovered a love for working with mission-driven organizations.
Despite our differences in “ideal client,” my mom and I never had any arguments about it—just a lot of thoughtful conversations. Over coffee, on walks, or during long phone calls, we talked about what each of us loved most about our work, what types of clients energized us, and how our skills complement each other.
The turning point came when we realized there was a shared thread running through both our worlds: we were both passionate about helping professional service providers thrive. Whether that meant a solo attorney, a non-profit director, a consultant, or a small business owner, our ultimate goal was the same—to give them strategic, creative marketing that helps them shine.
Once we embraced that unifying idea, the rest fell into place. PSM grew into a team that could serve a broader range of clients with both depth and versatility—blending Terrie’s decades of strategic experience with my fresh, digital-first approach.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about PSM Marketing?
PSM Marketing is a full-service outsourced marketing firm with a twist—we’ve been 100% virtual since the 1990s, long before Zoom calls and flexible schedules were the norm. From the start, our model was built around a simple belief: people do their best work when they have balance in their lives.
When our founder, Terrie S. Wheeler, launched PSM in 1997, she’d already spent over a decade in the corporate world. She saw how many talented professionals—especially women—were leaving high-powered positions in law, finance, and consulting to raise families, only to find it difficult to reenter the workforce. Terrie knew there had to be a better way.
Her solution? Build a company where location didn’t matter, talent was valued over face time, and no one was penalized for having a life outside of work. There was no commute. No dress code. Definitely no pumps or pantyhose. Just smart, strategic marketing done by experienced professionals who could work when and where they choose.
We’re pleased to have attracted a diverse group of top-tier creative and strategic talent from across the country. Our clients benefit from a marketing team that’s not only skilled but also energized, innovative, and genuinely invested in their success.
Almost three decades later, we’re proud to say our virtual model hasn’t just worked—it’s flourished. It’s allowed us to support clients nationwide, foster creativity, and prove that flexible, remote work produces exceptional results. Our brand stands for trust, expertise, and a forward-thinking way of working that benefits both our clients and our team.
At the end of the day, our goal is simple: to give professional service providers the strategic, creative, and consistent marketing they need to stand out in their markets—without the overhead of doing it all themselves.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
People are often surprised to learn that Terrie and I not only work together—we genuinely love being business partners. We hear it all the time: “I could never work with my mom…” But for us, it works. We respect each other’s strengths, trust each other’s judgment, and share the same values about how we treat clients and run our business. Sure, we’re mother and daughter, but at PSM we’re also equals who bring different perspectives to the table—and that’s a big part of why our partnership thrives.
Pricing:
- Affordable Outsourced Marketing
- We Create a Tailored Marketing Plan
- We Do the Work for You
- Our Services Are 100% Scalable
- We’re 100% Woman-Owned
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.psm-marketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psmmarketing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PSMMarketingLLC
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/psm-marketing-llc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyPlrhQ60Z3HCIpT0-aQF4A
- Other: https://www.psm-marketing.com/marketing-services/outsourced-marketing/
