In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Cynthia Sassi, founder and publisher of Fabulous Arizona, the digital lifestyle publication spotlighting the people, places and brands shaping Arizona.

Cynthia shares how she built Fabulous Arizona from the ground up, why she went all in on her business without a safety net, and how losing a job days before rent was due became a defining moment. She opens up about expanding into additional Fabulous markets, managing a growing team, balancing editorial integrity with brand partnerships, and staying focused on ROI for clients while protecting trust with readers.

Discussion highlights

• Studying marketing and consumer behavior
• Discovering digital publishing early
• Launching Fabulous Arizona
• Going fully self employed
• Losing a job days before rent was due
• Why pressure fuels growth
• Expanding into additional Fabulous markets
• Managing teams and releasing control
• Editorial integrity vs brand partnerships
• Handling public criticism and improving on camera
• What people misunderstand about digital publishing
• The importance of relationships in business

Cynthia’s episode is an honest look at risk, resilience and building a modern media brand without a safety net.

🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline.

📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity
🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Michelle Glicksman, a 26-year media veteran and editor in chief behind multiple Arizona publications, including Scottsdale City Lifestyle and Chandler City Lifestyle.

Michelle shares how writing shaped her career early on, why magazine journalism ultimately won over television, and what it truly means to be responsible for editorial judgment under real deadlines. She reflects on pulling a magazine cover just hours before press, selecting stories worth publishing, covering nonprofit and community voices, navigating AI in journalism, and how personal loss deepened her empathy as an editor and storyteller.

Discussion highlights

• Discovering her voice as a writer early in life
• Moving from television to magazine journalism
• Editorial judgment and covering unfamiliar beats
• Interviewing Johnny Unitas without knowing who he was
• Working with her daughter on a fashion shoot
• Choosing nonprofit and community stories
• Covering Arizona food, travel and culture
• Pulling a magazine cover hours before press
• Managing nonstop PR pitches
• How AI is entering journalism
• Personal loss and deeper empathy in storytelling

Michelle’s episode offers a rare look at decision making, pressure and responsibility inside magazine publishing.

🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline.

📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity
🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

Catherine Anaya is a three-time Emmy Award winning journalist, longtime Phoenix news anchor, and the host of Horizonte on Arizona PBS. With more than 35 years in broadcast journalism, she has interviewed world leaders, built deep trust with viewers, and shaped how Arizona understands its most important stories.

In this episode of Off Deadline, Catherine reflects on the career she built, the moments that changed her perspective, and the personal decisions that allowed her to stay present for the life she refused to miss.

In this episode, Catherine shares:

• How a college editor unexpectedly changed the direction of her career
• The insecurity and constant movement behind television news contracts
• Anchoring live during major breaking news and carrying the emotional weight of the job
• How her work on Buddy Check 12 showed her the real-world power of journalism
• Why she chose to step away from full-time television at the height of her career
• How she redefined success after decades in the spotlight
• Advice for journalists and high achievers navigating career crossroads

This conversation is an honest look at ambition, impact, and the clarity that comes with choosing what matters most.

🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline.

Guest: https://www.instagram.com/catherineanaya

Horizonte on Arizona PBS: https://www.instagram.com/arizonapbs

Host: https://www.instagram.com/melissadflip

📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity
🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com