We recently connected with Sabrina Proffitt and have shared our conversation below.
Sabrina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
If I’m being honest, my entire business plan was propelled by failure.
Flashback to last summer, August of 2021… I was working for a little online magazine that I’d found on a job posting site. The pay was good, the assignments were fun but the work culture was increasingly torturous and toxic. Every little typo I made was a fire under my feet, and the string I was standing on was on its last thread. Without much of a warning (and just a little speculation), I was fired, point-blank. No warning, no notice. I was fired over email and ripped out of all of our programs immediately. I was out.
Luckily, I had been picking up side gigs my entire professional career, so I wasn’t too worried about my financial status (and for that, I’m so thankful, considering, I could have been SOL). But, I wanted to keep creating, keep writing, and keep putting pen to paper. I took a few hours to cry it out but then I took action. That same day (and after a pint of ice cream), I had formulated my own magazine and the website went live the next morning.
The magazine I was writing for prior to this was made for mommy bloggers, rich white women and people who were used to success and beauty. Every article I wrote felt privileged and from an age range angle I didn’t even relate to. Instead, I wanted to create a space for the messy, penny-pinching, incredibly diverse range of people I knew were a part of my generation. The Zillennials. Before I started my website, I feel like there wasn’t a place for them on the internet. For the people who feel like they are in between two major generations, the Millennials (notorious for being dog moms, having man buns and being “hipster vegans”) vs Gen Zers (Roblox players, tide pod eaters, TikTok dancers). There are so many of us who are in the middle. Who often might have a little bit of a hipster vegan vibe to us (we’re environmentalists after all), and those of us who will also scroll through TikTok all damn day (but won’t dance, ever). The kids who remember the late 90s and early 2000s (vaguely) but can’t quite relate to the middle schoolers we share Gen Z with. I wanted to make a space for them, where TikTok trends were discussed regularly, where new musicians and small women and LGBT-owned brands were spotlighted, where fashion and beauty was extreme and fun, where self-care was vital and where we filled in that middle ground.
So, The Zillennial Zine was born. I called up my best friend Ash Lohmann, and we got to work. Since August of last year, we’ve had an article out every single day. Most of these were written by Ash and I but we’ve also had a ton of reviews and guest articles. It’s been a blast and we’ve been working so hard on it, hoping for it to really take off.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi, there! I’m Sabrina! I’m a 22 year old journalist in AZ who loves to write. After graduating with a degree in journalism from Northern Arizona University, I’ve made it my personal goal to never stop writing. I’ve written for newspapers, magazines, websites and more throughout the entire state. A few you might know are The Arizona Daily Sun, Arcadia News or Essential Magazines. I love telling stories. When I enrolled in school at NAU, trying to figure out what to do with my life, I knew it would have to do with storytelling. In journalism, you have the chance to highlight people who otherwise might not have a chance to shine. I have a platform that I can put them on, so I can elevate their voice and their story. All I’ve ever wanted to do is to use my privilege to help out others, and journalism is the best way for me to do that.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Work, work, work. I’m not sure what you’ve heard about journalism before, but it isn’t the highest-paying career in the world. That’s for sure. In order to fund my dreams, you wouldn’t believe how many odd jobs I’ve picked up. I’ve written for so many different magazines, newspapers and news sources in Arizona, and I do so just by reaching out and constantly being on the hunt. Almost every single freelance position I’ve been in is because I sent out a random email on a Tuesday asking if they needed a writer. Chances are, they do. News never sleeps. But beyond my journalistic work, I’ve used my writing as a tool in other ways. I’ve done SEO (search engine optimization) writing for all kinds of clients and you would not believe the type of mind numbing articles I’ve written in the last few months. I’ve written like 10 about vasectomies in the last year (and I know so much now, hit me up if you need anything lol). But the truth is, is that I’ve used my toolbelt and my writing in order to make my magazine possible. At the moment, it’s not the highest-grossing career ever, it’s not making a ton, but I put almost all of my time and effort into it. It can’t succeed unless I do.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Ash and I go way back. We met while we were both working on our college newspaper The Lumberjack. We had a creative writing course together one year and because we knew each other from the paper, we sat next to each other. And from there, it was history. Since then, we’ve been growing closer and closer. This is actually the second magazine we’ve created together (RIP Misguided Magazine). She’s my business partner, my friendship soulmate and my twin flame. I’ve yet to meet someone who understands my journalistic values as she does.
Contact Info:
- Website: thezillennialzine.com
- Instagram: @thezillennialzine
- Twitter: @Zillennialzine