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Of course, nothing happened overnight for Fuller. Each step along the way has served as an invaluable rung on the ladder to the top, from her first job as a reporter for The Toronto Star to her current post at American Media. Simply put, she believes she's become a better journalist along the way.
"I've had some quite broad experience working at a newspaper, a trade publication, several fashion magazines and also fashion women's shoe magazines and now I'm in the celebrity and weekly field," said Fuller. "All along the way you gain tremendous experience. I think as a journalist I've learned the importance of doing actual groundwork, like reporting on the ground and gaining multiple sources. You really have to dig. [At Star] we have to do that on a weekly basis. When I was at Glamour and Marie Claire I thought we did a number of really great investigative pieces that involved on-the-ground reporting, as well as talking to multiple sources. So I learned about how important that combination is."
That combination is vital in a field marked by publications with questionable content integrity and shoddy reporting. And a lopsided view of "truth" is not limited to just celebrity news. According to Fuller, it can also be found in articles about the very editors in charge of those magazines.
"I've edited a lot of magazines, I've mentored a lot of people, I've had a lot of staff and I've been close to a lot of staff. That's not a sexy story, and it's not the one that gets written," said Fuller. "You know the other story that gets written, but when you've hacked-off employees and you've had to recreate a lot of publications and do launches and re-launches, you're not going to make everyone happy."
"There's a small percentage (of stories about an editor) - and I always feel its the same ones that get requited all the time - and then the people that write those stories never want to quote the people that want to give the other side of the story. They never even return their calls. I have - as an editor and a boss - given out a lot of advice to my staff and people gave me advice, and I think it's important to pass along. I had to learn the hard way a lot of times."
The knowledge Fuller has gained from her victories and defeats are something she wants to pass on to others, especially young women looking to journalism for a career.
"If they are interested in women's service magazines I say go for it. We always have a hard time finding good editors for those magazines. But you have to stick with it for a few years to gain experience. In the junior area, it's hard to get in, but if you get in and stay in and you start getting to senior editor positions there are usually more jobs than there are editors. It's always hard to find enough people."
With all of her ups, downs, failures and achievements, what's the one thing Fuller wants to be remembered for?
"I think as someone who re-energized women's magazines and made them relatable and made women want to read them. I made them relevant."
While her story is far from over, Fuller has more than earned the right to reflect on her experiences, as well as share what was required to reach this point. For her, it's about making the most of one's time and earning that sense of accomplishment which eludes so many.
"I may not get everything I've dreamed about but I've gotten a hell of a lot more than I thought and if I hadn't tried and really worked at it, I never would have gotten this far. It's great; I've ended up having great experiences and I think other women also can end up doing more than they ever expected.
"Some may come home and think, 'Well I'll do the same old thing tonight: I'll get some take-out and sit in front of the TV, maybe later I'll read a book.' That's okay some days but not everyday. You don't want to settle for OK unless that's what you want. Maybe you want a humdrum life, but you don't want to wake up when you're 50 and say, 'Huh? What happened to the last three decades?'"
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