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#292: Chenell Basilio — The state of email in 2026, growing your list without social media, and new predictions.

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Feb 3, 2026

Guest

Chenell Basilio

Chenell Basilio, creator of Growth in Reverse who reverse-engineers newsletter growth, joins to unpack the future of email in 2026. She explains why newsletter hype is fading and why “insanely valuable content” matters most. They explore turning recommendation subscribers into real fans, growing lists without social media, YouTube-to-email moves, and using AI to repurpose long-form work.

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insights

INSIGHT

Writing Trains Thinking

AI can write, but writing refines thought; outsourcing thinking risks weakening your skills.
The craft of writing produces ideas by forcing deep synthesis you can't shortcut easily.

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ADVICE

Automate Short-Form From Long-Form

Use AI to generate short-form drafts from your long-form work and then edit them.
Automate transcript-to-clip workflows to free time for long-form creation.

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ADVICE

Reframe Recommendations As Followers

Treat recommendation-network signups as followers, not full subscribers.
Create systems to convert them into real subscribers instead of ignoring their lower engagement.

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Email's Maturing Moment

02:25 • 2min

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Limits of CPC Ads for Small Creators

04:28 • 1min

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Turning Recommendation Subscribers Into Fans

05:52 • 2min

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Quantity vs. Relationship in Email

07:38 • 1min

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Email Inflation and James Clear's Reach

08:41 • 3min

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Predictions: Who Will Quit and Why

11:40 • 2min

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Insanely Valuable Content Defined

13:56 • 2min

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The Cognitive Value of Writing vs AI

16:02 • 3min

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Using AI to Repurpose Long-Form

19:28 • 4min

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Reframing Recommendation Subscribers

23:05 • 1min

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Referral Programs That Actually Work

24:13 • 37sec

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YouTube-to-Email Opportunity

24:50 • 4min

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Growing Email Without Social

29:16 • 5min

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Guest Posting and Creator Collaborations

33:54 • 5min

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Public Homework & Challenge Flywheels

39:11 • 3min

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In-Person Events and Niche Tactics

42:29 • 59sec

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Kiss, Marry, Kill Email Platforms

43:28 • 1min

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Hunch: Time Invested Signals Quality

44:34 • 48sec

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Chenell's Frustration: Deep Dives Pace

45:22 • 2min

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Full-Email Essays vs Multi-Block Format

• Mentioned in 1,344 episodes

Atomic Habits

James Clear

Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth.

This week I'm joined by my good friend Chenell Basilio, creator of Growth in Reverse and one of the most thorough newsletter analysts in the space. We spent over an hour diving deep into what's really working in email right now — from the death of newsletter hype to the opportunity hiding in recommendation networks. Chenell shared her framework of "insanely valuable content" (the one thing that matters more than any growth hack), and we got surprisingly honest about using AI to create short-form content from our long-form work.

We also tackled the big question: how do you grow an email list if you refuse to use social media? Turns out there are more options than you think — from public homework challenges to old-school guest posting making a comeback. Plus, I introduced a new segment called "Unhinged Questions" where we played kiss, marry, kill with email platforms.