Happy Subscribers

Email and Wait Is Dead in 2026: Why Your Email Needs Strategy, Not Blind Hope

Episode Summary: Email has spent years sitting on the backburner. A "just in case" channel.
A safety net.
A maybe I'll deal with this later strategy. But in 2026? That changes. In this solo episode, I'm sharing what I see coming next for email marketing — not from trend forecasts or hot takes, but from years inside creator inboxes, email platforms, and real subscriber behavior. Because hitting "send" on anything isn't enough anymore.
 Sending more emails won't fix a weak strategy.
 And hoping email magically performs without intention? That era is over.  This episode is about what will work — and what creators need to rethink if they want email to actually support their business in 2026. In this episode, you'll hear: Why relationship-driven creators will outperform everyone else next year What it really means to earn and retain permission in someone's inbox Why email is moving from "nice to have" to a core business asset How trust is being rebuilt in email — even as everything else online feels shaky Why your existing content is one of your biggest advantages going into 2026 How creators will redefine success beyond open rates and list size What it looks like when email becomes a revenue channel — not just a traffic tool This isn't about doing more. It's about doing email on purpose. If email has felt heavy, unclear, or like something you should be doing but aren't sure how to use well — this episode will help you reset your expectations and your strategy. Check out this episode's blog post Episode Resources: Book a FREE Discovery Call Duett Free Resources Instagram @alleagrummert Duett Services: Email Strategy Playbook - A fresh set of eyes and insight into your current email marketing The Duett Debut - Done for you email copywrting & automation setup  Ready, Set, EMAIL - Quick & custom email setup to grow and send your newsletter fast    

Seven Things That Shaped My Life and Business in 2025

Episode Summary: When it's the end of the year, it's that time to reflect back on your year and take stock of what the last 11+ months held… I love a good moment to record what happened, asking: "What did I learn? What made this year significant?" For me, that looked like writing out a list of 10 (which quickly became 15) of my top moments or wins from the year.  And I'm sharing 7 of those in this week's podcast.  Tune in to hear what's shaped me the most this year.  If you need a touch of humanity in this AI-crazed, "bigger must always be better" world — let me be the one to give you the encouragement (and reality) you need to set new metrics for what the "best of" could look like for your life and business. In this episode, I'm sharing: What I did to actually achieve margin and rest the first half of this year How I'm reviving my own brand story going into 2026 What changes I made to my travel days to fill my heart and make traveling for work even better The ways stretching yourself can have a ripple effect (and what that's looked like for me this year) Check out this episode's blog post Episode Resources: Duett Free Resources Duett Services: Email Strategy Playbook - A fresh set of eyes and insight into your current email marketing The Duett Debut - Done for you email copywrting & automation setup  Ready, Set, EMAIL - Quick & custom email setup to grow and send your newsletter fast Book a FREE Discovery Call  Instagram @alleagrummert  

From In-Person Powwows to an Engaged Email Community with Paul Gowder

Episode Summary: My conversation with Paul Gowder, founder of PowWows.com, might be one of my favorite episodes yet on Happy Subscribers. Paul started PowWows.com nearly 30 years ago as a side hustle and today, it's grown into the leading online hub for celebrating Native culture and one of the most engaged email communities I've ever heard of. He gets dozens of replies with each email he sends!! Paul isn't just a creator... he's a community-builder. Whether you're a blogger, a content creator, or someone looking to build a more engaged community, tune in to learn from Paul about how he attracts the right people, welcomes them with generous resources, and strives to send more personalized content to his list. In this episode, you'll hear us talk about: How handing off his newsletter replies completely transformed his inbox (and his peace of mind) The opt-ins he uses to attract thousands of happy subscribers in his unique niche How he segments his list by interest in Native American history, artists, books, and more Why he chooses to promote opt-in email sequences instead of static PDF guides The tech tools helping him grow his list — especially through Facebook groups Check out this episode's blog post   Connect with Paul:Website Email Tools  Episode Resources: Duett Free Resources Duett Services: Email Strategy Playbook - A fresh set of eyes and insight into your current email marketing The Duett Debut - Done for you email copywrting & automation setup  Ready, Set, EMAIL - Quick & custom email setup to grow and send your newsletter fast Book a FREE Discovery Call  Instagram @alleagrummert  

Why LinkedIn Newsletters Deserve Your Attention with Katie Brinkley

Episode Summary: "Going viral is not a business strategy." - Katie Brinkley In this week's episode, I'm joined by social media strategist Katie Brinkley, author of The Social Shift and host of two podcasts: Rocky Mountain Marketing and Marketing Trends Now. Katie helps entrepreneurs simplify their social media strategy so you can spend less time creating social content and more time connecting (which is where real change happens).  Katie shared her "what's working now" strategies — the ones she's tested and tried herself — so you know where to put your energy when using social media for your business. In this episode, you'll learn about: How to approach social media and show up with more purpose Katie's 4-post strategy for creating content that actually connects  Why she calls LinkedIn newsletters "your secret email list" and how to leverage yours, even in ADDITION to a regular email newsletter How engagement (not volume) helped her hit her best sales months Why copying and pasting content across platforms doesn't work Check out this episode's blog post   Connect with Katie:Website LinkedIn Episode Resources: Agorapulse Duett Free Resources Duett Services:Email Strategy Playbook - A fresh set of eyes and insight into your current email marketing The Duett Debut - Done for you email copywrting & automation setup  Ready, Set, EMAIL - Quick & custom email setup to grow and send your newsletter fast Book a FREE Discovery Call Instagram @alleagrummert  

Create Meaningful Content Using AI (Without Losing Your Soul) with Dan Cumberland

Episode Summary: "AI can predict the next word in a sentence but it can't make meaning. That's our job." - Dan Cumberland This episode of Happy Subscribers features my friend Dan Cumberland, founder of Dan Cumberland Labs.  And while we're still new to the landscape of AI and it sometimes feels like a foreign language, Dan helps creators use it to improve their work and expand their impact in the world. One could even say he's an expert at using AI with soul. Listen in to my conversation with Dan and engage with it yourself by DMing me on Instagram or submitting a question here — as we dive into what inspires true connection with each other online. In this episode, you'll learn about: Balancing efficiency and empathy as online creators Using AI to save time and still be creative How AI should be your "sous-chef," not your replacement as the head of the kitchen A peek into the multiple AI tools he uses and how each works differently The ethics of AI (yes, we went there!) Check out this episode's blog post   Connect with Dan: Website Free Resource: AI Training Guide LinkedIn Resources: Duett Free Resources Duett Services: Email Strategy Playbook - A fresh set of eyes and insight into your current email marketing The Duett Debut - Done for you email copywrting & automation setup  Ready, Set, EMAIL - Quick & custom email setup to grow and send your newsletter fast Book a FREE Discovery Call  Instagram @alleagrummert