On Your Terms®

When I signed my Big 5 book deal years ago, this moment felt so far away. And now… it’s here. Tomorrow, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy hits shelves, and honestly? I’m feeling everything. I wanted to sit down, cozy-style, and share what this experience has really been like — unfiltered. I’m answering the 5 most common questions I’ve gotten about writing the book, landing a book deal, running my multi-7-figure business while doing it all… and what this whole experience has taught me.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why I wrote this book and what I hope it gives you
2. What shocked me most about writing it (hint: vulnerability)
3. How I balanced the writing process with running a full-time business
4. The biggest lessons I learned about myself
5. And how I’m really feeling, now that it’s finally here

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Is your email list growing at a snail’s pace (or not at all)? If so, I can almost guarantee you’re making at least one of these four mistakes. And even worse? These mistakes are probably costing you more than just subscribers—they're costing you customers.

I’ve built an engaged email list of over 47,000 subscribers who reply to my emails, buy my products, and even refer my newsletter to others in their industry. And in today’s episode, I’m sharing exactly what’s stopping your email list from growing—plus how to fix it.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why no one is downloading your freebie (and how to create one that people actually want)
2. How to find simple, low-effort email list growth opportunities that don’t involve PDFs, webinars, or complicated downloads
3. The BIGGEST mistake I see when it comes to promoting your freebie (hint: you’re probably not talking about it enough)
4. How to tap into referrals and share-ability to bring in more of the right subscribers with way less effort

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Email List
3. Join my weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar
4. How I Grew My Email List to 47K+ Subscribers
5. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Can you believe quarter one is already over? If you’re like me, the first three months of the year flew by in a blur. But before we sprint into Q2, let’s take a moment to pause, breathe, and reflect. Because if you want the next three months to be more productive, joyful, and successful, you need to know what worked—and what didn’t.

In this episode, I’m sharing the exact process I use in my multi-seven-figure online business to reflect on the past quarter and plan for the next one. Whether you’re celebrating big wins, wondering what happened to that one goal (whoops), or realizing you need a major shift, this episode will help you take stock, gain clarity, and set yourself up for success. Plus, I’ll walk you through how to use my free annual planning guide to make this process even easier!

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. How to properly reflect on the last quarter so you can make smarter decisions moving forward
2. The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when planning their next quarter
3. Why understanding the mechanism behind what worked (and what didn’t) is crucial for business growth
4. The key questions you should ask yourself to assess your goals, progress, and overall business well-being
5. A simple framework to set your Q2 goals (and actually achieve them)

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Grab my Free Annual Planning Guide
3. Watch this episode on YouTube
4. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

If working harder was the secret to success, every burned-out entrepreneur would be rolling in cash. But we both know that’s not how business works. If you feel like you're constantly grinding, spinning your wheels, and still not seeing the growth you want, this episode is for you. We’re diving into the biggest myths about hustle culture, why working more doesn’t equal more success, and what actually moves the needle in your business (without burning you out).

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why more work doesn’t always mean more success (and what actually does)
2. The three biggest problems that come from overworking without a real strategy
3. A smarter way to grow your business that doesn’t lead to burnout
4. Why “toilet content” is keeping you stuck—and what to do instead
5. The one content strategy that helped me scale my business while working less

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Listen to Why Hitting Your Goals Won’t Make You Happy (But What Actually Will) [Happy Trap Series #1]
3. Listen to The Business Advice That’s Keeping You Stuck (And What Actually Works) [Happy Trap Series #2]
4. Listen to Why More Followers Won’t Fix Your Business—But This Will [Happy Trap Series #3]
5. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

If you’ve ever thought, “If only I had more followers, then I’d make more sales…”—this one’s for you. Because, spoiler alert: That’s just not how it works.

There are people with 10,000 followers struggling to make ends meet, while others with just 1,000 followers are making multiple six figures. So what actually moves the needle in your business?

Today, we’re busting the “more followers = more money” myth and getting into what really makes your business grow. Plus, I’ll share how to make the most of the audience you already have—so you can start seeing results right now.

This is part three of my Happy Trap series! If you missed parts one and two, don’t worry—I’ve linked them below so you can catch up.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why more followers won’t magically increase your revenue
2. The real factors that drive sales (and why they have nothing to do with your follower count)
3. How to position yourself as an authority, so people trust and want to buy from you
4. Why focusing on engagement > growth will make all the difference in your business
5. My best tips for turning your current audience into paying customers

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Listen to Why Hitting Your Goals Won’t Make You Happy (But What Actually Will) [Happy Trap Series #1]
3. Listen to The Business Advice That’s Keeping You Stuck (And What Actually Works) [Happy Trap Series #2]
4. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Have you ever felt like every business "guru" is shouting about one perfect strategy—the magic formula for hitting $10K months? But no matter what you try, nothing seems to stick?

Yeah, I’ve been there too. When I started my legal templates business eight years ago, I kept hearing that I had to run my webinar live first before making it evergreen. But life had other plans—my dad was sick, and I simply didn’t have the time. So, I went against the advice of all the experts and launched my webinar as evergreen right away. And guess what? It worked.

Now, eight years later, that little funnel has generated over $8 million. So, let’s bust the myth that there’s only one right way to build a successful online business.

This is Part 2 of The Happy Trap series, where I’m diving into why chasing a perfect formula holds so many entrepreneurs back.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why the idea that there’s only one right way to grow a business is a total myth
2. The four things that actually create a successful online business (hint: it’s not the latest trending strategy)
3. How to filter out the noise from business gurus and trust your instincts
4. Why marketing positioning and differentiation matter more than any specific strategy
5. How to experiment, track what works, and stick with it long enough to see results
6. Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar”
3. Juilliard Jazz Prof Hears Nirvana For The First Time
4. Click here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!

CONNECT:

1. Sam on Instagram
2. Sam on Facebook
3. On Your Terms® on Instagram

DISCLAIMER

Remember when you first started your business? You might have had all these goals, dreams, and ambitions, and thought that once you hit those milestones, you'd be happy and finally feel successful. So what's the deal, then, when you've come so far and achieved so much…but you still aren't happy?

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. What the Happy Trap is, and how we fall into it as entrepreneurs
2. Why success in your business won't necessarily make you feel fulfilled
3. Why you feel stuck after hitting goals you thought would bring you happiness
4. What you should actually be focusing on in your business to beat that Happy Trap feeling
5. Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Ever feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t have it all figured out? You’re not alone. In this episode, I share the surprising story of how Saturday Night Live stars Bill Hader and Andy Samberg met for the first time—each one secretly convinced that the other was the one "doing it right". Spoiler alert: they both were.

This story perfectly captures one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves in business, creativity, and life: that everyone else knows what they’re doing while we're somehow lost or that we need to follow what *they're * doing in order to be more successful in our businesses. The truth? Most people are figuring it out as they go—just like you and me.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. ✅ The Bill Hader & Andy Samberg SNL story and what it reveals about imposter syndrome
2. ✅ Why the belief that “other people have it all figured out” is keeping you stuck
3. ✅ How to shift your mindset and stop waiting until you feel “ready”
4. ✅ BIG NEWS! A new 4-part podcast series starts Monday, March 3, 2025
5. ✅ Other big news: My book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy, is available for pre-order and releases on April 15, 2025! 🎉

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar”
3. Click here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!
4. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

It's been a weird couple of months on social media, from content policing to apps disappearing and reappearing, new features and different trends - things have definitely changed and reached a tipping point for 2025. So how are you going to ride the wave, and keep your sanity amidst this ever changing landscape?

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. What types of content people will be drawn to, and how you can create it without burning yourself out
2. Why "old fashioned" marketing and connections are seeing a big comeback
3. When to use AI to your advantage without replacing yourself
4. How you can prepare and adapt to the new trends moving forward

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Pre-order my book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship
2. Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar”
3. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

If you want to start an online business — whether as a coach, course creator, maker, or service provider—you must have your legal foundations in place. The online business space is facing more scrutiny than ever, and you don’t want to get caught off guard.

In this special replay of my live training “How to Legally Protect Your Online Business in 2025,” I walk you through exactly how to legally protect your business so you can confidently grow it without fear of accidentally doing something wrong.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

• The 5 things you need in place before accepting even $1 online
• Why the law is cracking down on online businesses—and how to stay compliant
• Step-by-step instructions for forming your business entity
• LLC vs. sole proprietorship—what’s actually best for you?
• Why business insurance is a non-negotiable (seriously, don’t skip this!)
• How to legally offer coaching or services without violating your professional license (huge for therapists, doctors, and other licensed professionals!)
•  A complete walkthrough of the legal must-haves—whether you’re in year 1 or year 10 of your online business

The legal stuff might not be the most fun part of starting an online business, but it’s what keeps your online business safe, sustainable, and profitable.

 🎉The Ultimate Bundle®—BIGGEST Sale of the Year Ends Friday, 2/14! 🎉

Want the contracts, policies, and legal protections your business needs—without the headache of figuring it all out yourself? The Ultimate Bundle® gives you everything you need to legally protect your online business, from contracts to step-by-step legal trainings.

 🎉Now on sale for the biggest discount of the year—but only until Friday, 2/14! 🎉

👉Grab the Ultimate Bundle® before the sale ends: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/ub-bonus/ Let’s get your business legally protected—so you can focus on growing with confidence! 

RESOURCES:

• The Ultimate Bundle® is on sale through Feb 14, 2025 only. If you join before Feb 12, 2024, you’ll receive a copy of my book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy" + 4 LIVE support calls with me in 2025 + 3 additional legal templates (NDA, podcast guest contract, collab contract).

CONNECT:

1. Sam on Instagram
2. Sam on Facebook
3. On Your Terms® on Instagram
4. Get the Ultimate Bundle®

DISCLAIMER