Episode 023: The Death of the Expense Account

Journalist Pavia Rosati on the Evolution of Travel Media

Mar 13, 2025

Wanderlust, Wit, and the Business of Storytelling

Happy Thursday friends! This week on the show, I’m joined by the one and only Pavia Rosati—CEO and Founder of Fathom, an award-winning, independently-owned editorial travel platform. She’s a true travel and lifestyle expert, and fun fact: Fathom is also on Substack, so go check them out.

Why should you listen?

Warning: Listening to Pavia will definitely make you laugh while fueling your wanderlust. Her seamless blend of humor, travel knowledge, and sharp industry insights makes for a conversation that’s as entertaining as it is inspiring. Here are a few highlights:

The microscopic is universal: This is one of my favorite takeaways from Pavia. She explains why the more specific you get, the more universally relatable your content becomes. It’s a mindset shift that applies to travel writing, business, and beyond.
How to find your business partner: Pavia and her co-founder, Jeralyn Gerba, have built a thriving company together. So naturally, I had to ask for all her secrets in finding the perfect business partner. Pavia’s response? “How do you find someone to marry?”
Words matter: Despite building a wildly successful business, Pavia does not like being called an “entrepreneur”. In fact, she has a whole list of banned words. Hear why she’s so intentional with language—and why we should be, too.
What it’s like to write a book: Pavia and Jeralyn co-authored two stunning books: Travel Anywhere (and Avoid Being a Tourist) and Travel North America (and Avoid Being a Tourist). She shares the highs, lows, and behind-the-scenes of writing and publishing—plus her favorite (and least favorite) parts of the process.
The rise of digital: When Pavia first started in media, print was flush with cash and fancy expense accounts, while digital was the scrappy underdog. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has completely flipped. We dive into the pros and cons of this shift and what it means for creators, publishers, and travelers alike.
Favorite Quote from the Episode: “Somehow, the fact that I had an email address made me qualified to work in digital media.”

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Last Week on Suite Success

Have you checked out Steve Turk’s episode sharing the lessons he’s learned from interviewing more than 150 hospitality execs!? Listen (or watch) wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. And be sure to check out his book, Hospitality Unlocked.

Until next week, here’s to your suite success.

xx Katie

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