The Email List: Why It’s Your Most Important Asset

Let me tell you something I wish I’d learned sooner.

When I first started out in online business, I thought the magic was in websites, fancy software, and the latest social media platforms. I spent hours tweaking pages, experimenting with ads, and chasing “followers.”

But here’s the truth that hit me hard later on: your most valuable asset isn’t your website. It isn’t your Facebook page. It isn’t even your product.

It’s your email list.

My Early Mistake

In the beginning, I ignored email. I told myself:

• “Nobody reads emails anymore.”

• “Social media is where it’s at.”

• “I’ll build a list later, once things are bigger.”

Big mistake.

Because here’s what happened: the algorithms changed. Ads got more expensive. Social platforms came and went. And every time, I was left scrambling, with no direct way to reach the people who’d shown interest in what I was doing.

I was effectively building my business on rented land.

The Shift

It wasn’t until I finally committed to building an email list that everything changed.

I realised:

• With email, I own the connection. Nobody can take it away.

• With email, I decide when and how to communicate. No algorithm in the middle.

• With email, I could build trust over time — not just shout into the void.

The first time I hit “send” on a simple email and saw real replies come back… I kicked myself for not starting sooner.

Why Your List Matters More Than Anything

Here’s why I believe the email list is your most important business asset:

1️⃣ It’s stable. Platforms rise and fall, but email has been strong for decades.
2️⃣ It’s personal. You land directly in someone’s inbox — not buried in a feed.
3️⃣ It converts. Pound for pound, email still beats every other channel when it comes to turning prospects into customers.

And here’s the kicker: you don’t need thousands of subscribers. Even a small, engaged list can outperform a big, “empty” following on social media.

What I Do Differently Now

At Volcano Publishing, everything we do now has one eye on the list. Every blog, every free guide, every resource — it’s all designed to connect with people and invite them onto our email list.

Because once they’re there, we can:

• Share the best courses we’ve found and tested.

• Recommend tools we actually use ourselves.

• Build relationships that last years, not seconds.

And that’s how a business becomes more than just sales — it becomes a community.

Final Word

If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice at the very start, it would be this:

“Start building your email list from day one.”

Not when you’re “ready.”
Not when your website is perfect.
Not when you’ve got your first product.

Day one.

Because your list is the one thing that compounds in value the longer you nurture it. And if you’re serious about building a business with freedom, flexibility, and customers who stick with you… your email list is where it begins.

👉 Over to you: Have you started building your list yet? If not, what’s holding you back?