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On Your Terms®

Sam Vander Wielen

A podcast for online business owners who refuse to choose between revenue and a real life. Most business advice tells you to hustle harder, post more, and "always be on." I'm here to tell you that's BS—and I have the multi-seven-figure business to prove it. I'm Sam Vander Wielen, and I've built a thriving online business while protecting my mornings, unplugging at night, and actually living the life I built my business for.
Every week, I share the marketing strategies, legal foundations, and lifestyle boundaries that keep my business profitable without stealing my peace. Whether you're building your first six figures or scaling past seven, this show will help you grow your revenue without sacrificing your presence, your sleep, or your sanity.

Because success isn't just about how much you make—it's about having the freedom to actually enjoy your life.

New to my world?

I’m a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur who built an 7-figure digital product business helping thousands of founders legally protect and grow their online businesses. These days, I’m here to share not just the legal clarity but the lessons, stories, and strategies that make business and life more fulfilling. I'm the author of the best-selling book, When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy, and a weekly newsletter called Sam's Sidebar. Originally a proud Philly girl, I now live ON Long Island with my husband, Ryan, and bernedoodle/velcrodog, Hudson.

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  • 26 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 29 min
  • English

Episodes 26

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  • Wednesday · 7 min

    I've Sold $10M Online. Here's What Worries Me Now.

    I've sold over $10M in digital products online, and right now three things in our industry have my attention: protecting yourself from AI and the AI label changes coming, protecting your personal privacy as a creator, and the wave of ADA lawsuits hitting online business owners. → Register free for my last live legal workshop of 2026 called "How to Start an Online Business Legally Before 2026 Ends" on Monday, October 19: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Can't make it live? Sign up ^ and I'll send you the replay. In this episode, you'll hear… What's changing with AI labeling, and what it means for how you create and post Why your personal privacy matters more than ever when you're the face of your business Why ADA lawsuits are on the rise, and how to get ahead of them Where we'll dig in together: my free live workshop on Monday, October 19 EPISODE RESOURCES: Save your free seat at my live legal workshop on 10/19: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop (Replay included!) In my live legal workshop, I'll share the easy ways to navigate these legal changes, and teach you how to start an online business legally before 2026 ends. See you there! CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #298
    Monday · 1 hr 1 min

    298. I Spent a Week with James Clear, Mark Manson, and Gretchen Rubin. Here's What I'm Changing in My Business.

    What happens when you get invited to an author mastermind with James Clear, Mark Manson, and Gretchen Rubin? You say yes, then spend days wondering if they sent the email to the wrong person. I'm taking you inside James Clear and Nathan Barry's mastermind at Kit Studios in NYC. I'm sharing the best tactical tips I picked up from people who've sold tens of millions of books: the two-slide Instagram Stories trick that skyrockets engagement, what makes a quiz lead magnet actually convert, a genius way to turn nice DMs into public reviews, and the one thing about Instagram almost everybody agreed on. Plus, I get honest about what it feels like to be the smallest one in the room, and why you won't feel like you belong before you're invited in. I also grab Dan Go and Steve Kamb in the hallway to share their biggest takeaways. 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop (Replay included!) In this episode, you'll hear… How a decade of tiny, unglamorous decisions landed me at a mastermind with James Clear, Mark Manson, and Gretchen Rubin What makes a quiz lead magnet actually work, and why treating your results page like a "hostage situation" is costing you subscribers A genius (and totally free) way to turn nice DMs and emails into public reviews and testimonials What it's really like to be the smallest one in the room, and why you won't feel like you belong before you're invited in Hallway chats with health coach Dan Go and Nerd Fitness founder Steve Kamb about fighting for your own art and doing things your way Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Save your seat for the FREE last live legal workshop of 2026, How to Start an Online Business Legally Before 2026 Ends, on Monday, October 19th (Replay included!) Sam's book, When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy: A Practical No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship Check out KIT & get your first month free (affiliate link) Craft and Commerce recap episode Sam's previous mastermind recap episode from earlier this year Dan Go: https://dango.co & Instagram Steve Kamb: https://stevekamb.com & Instagram If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #297
    September 28 · 31 min

    297. If I Started My Business Today, I'd Ignore My Own Advice (Here's What $9M Taught Me)

    If you started your business today, would you actually follow your own old advice? I wouldn't. And after over $9 million in sales, I'm telling you exactly why. This isn't the first time I've tackled this topic either. Back in episode 28 (2022) and episode 186 (2024), I talked about what I'd do differently if I started over. Some of that advice still holds up. A lot of it doesn't anymore. So today I'm setting the record straight on what I'd keep, what I'd completely reverse, and what I think matters most for online business owners heading into 2026 and beyond. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I still believe there's no secret formula for building your business (and why copying what's "working" for everyone else can actually box you in) The one social media strategy I'd keep exactly the same, plus how I use AI tools to repurpose one cornerstone piece of content instead of creating from scratch everywhere Why I'd ditch a "social media first" approach entirely and build an audience-first business instead What I wish I'd done sooner when it comes to getting comfortable charging for my content and expertise How I shifted from "post everywhere, all the time" to focusing on fewer, bigger tasks that actually move my business forward Why "pace" today means being reactive and in the conversation, not just pumping out volume Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Subscribe to Sam's Substack Episode 280. How I Got My First 1,000 Subscribers on Substack If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • August 31 · 12 min

    I Planned a Year of Doing Nothing. I Took 19 Flights Instead. [Summer Read-Aloud]

    My gap year was supposed to be boring. Instead I've taken 19 flights before summer even ended, and somehow I still feel more rested than I have in years. This episode is part of my summer read-aloud series, where I'm sharing personal essays straight from my Substack. This one's about what happened when the "spacious, do-nothing" gap year I planned turned into a calendar full of tennis lessons, swim classes, and last-minute flights, and why I had to stop judging myself for it. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I planned a year of "blank space" and ended up busier than ever, just in a totally different way The real difference between being chronically online and busy versus chronically offline and busy (and why one feels so much better than the other) What happens to my brain, my relationships, and my sense of reality when I spend too much time online The moment I realized what I was actually feeling wasn't guilt about overcommitting. It was judgment Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Read today's essay My gap year was supposed to be boring Get Sam's book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • August 24 · 8 min

    I Built a Multi-Million Dollar Business to Avoid Feeling Anything. [Summer Read-Aloud]

    I got forced to slow down, and it's the lesson I need to learn over and over again. In this episode, I read a personal essay from my Substack about a tennis injury that took me out mid swing. One minute I'm making an incredible shot down the line, the next I'm on the ground with my knee twisted and my foot throbbing. But this episode isn't really about the injury. It's about what happens when your body forces you to stop, and what that stillness makes you face, including grief I've been carrying since losing both of my parents. In this episode, you'll hear… The moment I went down mid-shot at a tennis clinic, and the very reaction that followed (spoiler: it involved refusing to stop playing) Why I instinctively downplayed the injury and tried to keep going, even with blood involved The connection I draw between forcing my body to heal on it's own timeline Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Read today's essay I got forced to slow down Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • August 17 · 10 min

    How I Stopped Doomscrolling and Started Watching This. [Summer Read-Aloud]

    Have you ever had a moment so small (a bird, of all things) crack open something so much bigger about how you're living your life? This week's episode is part of my summer series where I'm reading personal essays straight from my Substack. This one's about a very ornery bird I met on a hike in Patagonia, the bird I accidentally trapped in my bedroom when I was 10 (yes, really), and how a string of small, strange bird encounters slowly nudged me toward paying more attention to the world right in front of me. If you've been feeling stuck in your phone, disconnected from your neighborhood, or like you're moving through life without really noticing it, this one's for you. It's not really about birds. It's about presence. In this episode, you'll hear… The story of the bird who followed me on a brutal hike through the Andean Mountains and seemed to be personally attacking my confidence What happened when I accidentally let a bird into my childhood bedroom (and what I found six months later) Why standing somewhere as vast as Patagonia has a way of putting your entire life in perspective How coming home to Long Island turned into an unexpected obsession with birdwatching What robins, swans, and bald eagles taught me about noticing the seasons changing, even when I couldn't feel it yet Why paying attention to the small, local, unglamorous things is what's actually helped me feel rooted and connected, more than anything online ever has Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Read today's essay How being attacked by a bird in Patagonia forced me offline Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • August 10 · 10 min

    How My Productivity Killed My Creativity [Summer Read-Aloud]

    We've lost the plot when it comes to creating content. In this week's summer read-aloud, I share a personal essay on how my own productivity systems, batching, optimizing, and keeping up with an AI fueled content arms race, ended up killing my creativity. So kick back, pop in your headphones, maybe go for a walk, and let's talk about why being productive and being creative aren't always the same thing. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I'm running low on content ideas for the first time in a decade, and what that taught me How my 2026 "gap year" backfired into more batching and pressure instead of the spaciousness I wanted The real cost of optimizing everything, and why productivity can quietly kill creativity Why AI is making the content arms race worse, not better What actually refills my creative well, and why living your life is the best content strategy there is Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Read today's essay How my productivity killed my creativity Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • August 3 · 9 min

    I Declared a Gap Year. Then I Turned It Into a Full-Time Job. [Summer Read-Aloud]

    What happens when you give yourself an entire year off and can't actually take it? That's the question I'm sitting with in this week's essay. I declared 2026 my entrepreneurial gap year. I did not stay off. Instead of a regular episode this week, I'm reading you this essay straight from my Substack, the place where I write about grief, overconsumption, overworking, and learning to actually be present in my life. My full slate of regular On Your Terms® episodes will be back on September 14th, but until then, here's the honest, slightly humbling truth about why I can't stop working, and what it's taught me about rest, distraction, and grief. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I declared 2026 my entrepreneurial gap year, and how it turned into a full time job anyway The real reason I keep reaching for my phone, even when I'm trying to unplug What my brutally honest friend said that made me realize my "time off" looked exactly like work How grief shows up in the smallest, most random moments, and why distraction feels easier than sitting with it Why I'm learning to be kinder to myself about the blurry line between resting and being restless Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Read today's essay Why I can't stop working (even during my gap year) Sam's Substack Essay on saying sorry: I'm sorry, but I had to write this If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • July 27 · 10 min

    How I Stopped Letting the Algorithm Decide What I Like [Summer Read-Aloud]

    I recently stood in a long line for pancakes I wasn't even sure I wanted. And it made me realize how much of what I consume, eat, buy, watch, isn't actually chosen by me anymore. It's chosen by whoever posted about it first. This summer, I'm taking a little break from our regular episodes so I can rest, recharge, and come back to you on September 14th with a full slate of new content. In the meantime, I'm sharing a few of my favorite essays from my Substack, Sam Vander Wielen, right here on the podcast. Today's essay is all about a day I spent in New York City trying to unlearn the habit of letting algorithms and influencers decide what I like, and how I'm working to reclaim my own taste instead. In this episode, you'll hear… The pancake line that made me question everything about how I make decisions Why I think over 80% of Instagram-hyped restaurants aren't even worth the hype What my no-buy Amazon year has taught me about slowing down and shopping with intention The conversations with local shop owners that ended up meaning more than any five-star review How I'm working to reclaim my own preferences, both in New York City and in my everyday life Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Subscribe to Sam's Substack Read today's essay Field notes from NYC: reclaiming my own taste If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • July 20 · 11 min

    15 Habits that Rebuilt Me After I Lost Everything [Summer Read-Aloud]

    One of the strange gifts of your life completely burning to the ground is the fertile soil it leaves behind for you to begin again. That's where I found myself after losing both of my parents in the same year, recovering from brain surgery, and realizing that being "extremely online" wasn't actually serving me or my business. This week I'm continuing my summer series, where I'm reading you essays straight from my Substack while I take a little break before we're back with full-force episodes on September 14th. This one's about the health, digital wellness, and business habits that helped me rebuild after burnout and loss, some I learned the hard way, some I'd skip again, but all of them helped me feel better inside and out. In this episode, you'll hear… Why grief changed what actually felt worth my time and energy, in business and in life The health habits (starting with what I eat first thing in the morning) that have made the biggest difference in how I feel My digital wellness rules, including why I brick my phone every single night The business habits that protect my creative energy and keep me from chasing everyone else's version of success Why I still believe in "them" focused content, but why "you" content matters too Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Subscribe to Sam's Substack Read today's essay Healthy Habits that rebuilt me after burnout & loss The Brick, the phone-blocking device Sam uses to disable apps (affiliate link) Cometeer, the half-caff coffee Sam switched to (affiliate link) Grab Sam's Book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • July 13 · 11 min

    More Memories of Other People's Lives Than Our Own [Summer Read-Aloud]

    Everyone's obsessed with the getting off social media part — deleting the apps, doing the digital detox, bragging about their screen time going down. But almost no one talks about what's supposed to happen once you actually log off. Because here's the thing: stepping away from Instagram only to fall into a Substack doom scroll isn't really progress. It's just a softer-feeling version of the same problem. In this episode, I'm doing something a little different to celebrate summer — I'm reading you one of my recent essays straight from my free Substack, where I get real about what it's actually like to run a seven-figure business while also trying to build a life off the very apps I used to build it. This particular essay gets into something I don't talk about all that often: how losing both of my parents within a year of each other completely cracked open the way I think about time, attention, and what I actually want my life to look like — phone down or not. In this episode, you'll hear… Why getting offline isn't just about swapping one app for a "better" one The unsettling stat about our generation and other people's memories that I can't stop thinking about How losing both of my parents within a year of each other changed my relationship with my phone, and with my life What it actually looked like for me to start rebuilding an offline life on purpose, not by accident Why the more offline I get, the better my online business actually does Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Subscribe to Sam's Substack Read today's essay How I Got (More) Offline Grab Sam's Book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #296
    July 6 · 35 min

    296. I Took a Whole Month Off and Didn't Tell a Soul — Here's What Happened.

    I'm taking a little summer break, not just from the podcast, but from working in general. And yes, my friends are already cackling about that one, because as my friend Steve put it, he can't wait to watch me be the most productive person he knows this summer. Fair. So in this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what a summer break actually looks like for a business owner. What I'm doing, what I'm not doing, and the honest truth about whether you're ever really "off" when your name, face, and voice are all over your business. For the podcast specifically, you'll be hearing weekly Substack essays read aloud by me for the next several weeks while the team gets a break from the production grind, and I get to focus on what I actually love right now: writing. I'll be back in full force with regular episodes on September 14th. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I'm taking a break from podcast recording (but not from my newsletter or Substack), and the difference between work that drains me and work that fills me up What "bare maintenance mode" looks like behind the scenes of a multi-seven-figure business, and the systems that make it possible I'm manifesting The mindset work behind taking time off, including the guilt, the fear of being "lapped," and what my therapist had to say about it My practical advice for designing your own break, even if it's just two weeks or a pause on one platform Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Subscribe to Sam's Substack Check out Jennifer Diaz, Sam's mindset coach If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #295
    June 29 · 57 min

    295. I Went to Craft + Commerce. Here's Everything I Learned.

    If you've ever wondered what it's actually like to attend one of the best conferences in the online business space, I'm bringing you along this week. Every June, I pack my bags for Boise, Idaho to attend Kit's Craft + Commerce Conference, and this year I recorded real-time clips along the way so it would feel like we were just hanging out in the hallway together. This is officially my fifth Craft + Commerce, and in this episode I'm sharing my full recap: why I keep going back, what my week actually looked like behind the scenes, the tactical tips I'm already using in my own business, and the bigger mindset shifts I'm walking away with this year, including a few things I picked up from a private mastermind with James Clear. You'll also hear some of my favorite on-the-street interviews including a quick chat with Kit founder Nathan Barry. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I keep going back to Craft + Commerce every year, and why Boise (yes, Boise) might be part of the magic On-the-street interviews with Mallory Rowan, Nathan Barry, Steve Kamb, and Barrett Brooks Three tactical takeaways from the conference, including Kit's new Signals feature and a workaround for connecting Substack and Kit The mindset shifts I'm walking away with around quality versus quantity, wanting something versus working for it, and finally feeling like I belong James Clear's "category killer" concept, and the difference between his concentrated strike and tailwind marketing strategies Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get your first month of Kit free (affiliate link) 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Steve Kamb's book, How to Try Again Follow Barrett Brooks on Instagram or visit barrettbrooks.com Follow Mallory Rowan on Instagram or visit malloryrowan.com Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #294
    June 22 · 26 min

    294. Why 'Must Be Nice' Is the Most Dangerous Thing You Can Say to Yourself

    “Must be nice.” It sounds harmless. Like a throwaway comment, a passing thought, something you mutter when you see someone doing something you wish you could do. But I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I think that little phrase is one of the most dangerous things you can say to yourself as a business owner. Because here’s what it’s actually doing: it’s letting you off the hook. It’s a quiet way of deciding something doesn’t apply to you before you’ve even given yourself the chance to find out if it could. And I’ve been getting a lot of these comments lately, in my DMs, in the comments, in the tone behind the questions I get, and I finally needed to say something about it. Not to call anyone out. I’ve thought it too. But because I think the story underneath “must be nice” is costing you more than you realize, and I don’t think it’s actually true. In this episode, I’m getting honest about what people don’t see: why the nos and the boundaries came before the revenue, what really shifted the way I run my business (hint: it wasn’t hitting a certain income number), and what it looks like to start building a business on your own terms right now, wherever you are. In this episode, you'll hear… Why “must be nice” is actually one of the most dangerous things you can say to yourself as a business owner The truth about what actually came first in my business: the permission, the nos, and the boundaries, before the money and the team How grief completely changed my relationship to what felt urgent in my business and what that meant for everything that came after Why saying yes to everything is not the path to making more money (and what to do instead) What the “arrival fallacy” has to do with building a business and why hitting a revenue milestone won’t be the thing that finally lets you say no How to take inspiration from someone ahead of you without dismissing their strategies because your situations look different Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Grab Sam's Book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Grab The Ultimate Bundle® on sale through Friday, June 26th. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #293
    June 15 · 32 min

    293. I've Sold $9M in Digital Products. Here's My Honest Take on the Market Right Now

    Everyone keeps coming up to me like they're attending my business's funeral. "How are things?" And I'm standing there like... everything's actually great? My business keeps growing. But I get it. There's no shortage of people online saying digital products are dead, courses are dead, the whole thing is over. Here's the thing: the market has changed. A lot. And if you have a digital product or course, you've probably felt it. Buyers are taking longer to make decisions, coming in with their guard up, asking more questions. But "harder" is not the same as "dead." After 10 years in this industry and $9M in digital product sales, I want to give you my honest take on what's actually happening, what's changed, and exactly what it takes to build and sell a digital product that still works in 2026 and beyond. In this episode, you'll hear… Why buyer skepticism is at an all-time high and what actually caused it How the 2020-2021 online business boom (and AI) flooded the market with low-quality products The real reason information-only products are struggling, and what to do instead Six things your digital product must do to succeed in today's economy Why cold-audience funnels are suffering the most right now What "long game trust" actually looks like, and why it's your biggest competitive advantage The honest truth about how much work building a successful digital product takes Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Get Sam's Book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #292
    June 8 · 48 min

    292. How to Actually Make Instagram Reels for Your Business (Without Losing Your Mind)

    You know reels are one of the best ways to grow your business on Instagram. You've seen other people crushing it. You've probably even sat down to film one yourself, maybe more than once, and then... you just didn't post it. Or you did, and it flopped, and somewhere along the way, the whole thing started to feel way more complicated than it's worth. Here's what I actually think is happening: you're drowning in advice that was designed for influencers, not for people who run a real business. Hook formulas, trending audio, CapCut tutorials, edit transitions... it is A LOT. And most of it doesn't apply to you. So in today's episode, I'm breaking it all the way down to the actual basics: how to find ideas, how to script a reel, how to film it, and how to batch the whole thing so it doesn't take over your life. No dances. No pressure to go viral. Just what actually works to get you more clients from Instagram. In this episode, you'll hear… Why you shouldn't be getting content inspiration from competitors (and where to look instead) How to write a hook that stops the scroll, even if you hate writing The one structural shift that's making reels perform better right now (hint: stop giving it all away in the video) Filming best practices that make a real difference, even with just your phone How to batch your reel production so you're not starting from scratch every single week The four reel formats explained, so you can pick what actually works for your personality and schedule Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Kit (affiliate link)what I use to build my email list, send emails to my list, and create opt-in forms & pages Episode 291. 11 'Bad Habits' That Actually Built My 7-Figure Business Natasha's YouTube video on YAP content for Instagram B-roll reel example with Text Overlay B-roll reel example with Audio Overlay Scripted reel example If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #291
    June 1 · 39 min

    291. 11 'Bad Habits' That Actually Built My 7-Figure Business

    Every entrepreneurship influencer on the internet has an opinion about what you should be doing. Six AM wake-ups. A content calendar mapped out six months in advance. Tracking every metric. Showing up on every platform all at once. But here's the thing — what successful founders say they do and what they actually do behind the scenes? Often very, very different. I know because I'm one of those founders. And when people meet me in real life, the thing they always say is, "Wait, your business is so chill and simple. You don't do any of the stuff people say you're supposed to do." So today I'm pulling back the curtain and giving you the real list: my 11 "bad habits" that I genuinely believe built my seven-figure business. The stuff I do, don't do, and intentionally skip — and why I think it's actually the reason this whole thing has worked at all. In this episode, you'll hear… Why ghosting your Instagram Stories for days (or weeks) at a time might actually be good for your business How skipping the perfectly planned content calendar has made Sam a better, more creative writer The surprising reason oversharing the good, the bad, and the ugly has been one of her biggest trust-builders Why saying yes to almost everything early on was one of the smartest moves she made How staying resistant to every shiny new platform or trend has kept her business simple and wildly profitable Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Mallory Rowan on Instagram (original carousel that inspired this episode) 👩🏻‍💻 REGISTER FOR MY FREE LIVE LEGAL CLASS --> https://www.samvanderwielen.com/live-legal-workshop Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Grab Sam's book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #290
    May 25 · 22 min

    290. I'm Sorry, But Someone Had to Say It (On Apologizing For Everything)

    I recently apologized to my shower handle. No, really. I turned off the water before rinsing out my conditioner, reached back to flip it on again, and instinctively said sorry to a cold, metal, completely inanimate faucet. And that moment stopped me dead in my tracks, because if I'm apologizing to shower handles, what else am I unnecessarily apologizing for in my life and business? This episode is a little different. I'm reading you an essay I originally published on my Substack, Beyond Business, because I genuinely believe so many of you need to hear it, not just read it. It's something I was almost too scared to put out into the world. But here's what I know: the over-apologizing so many of us do, especially as women in business, is costing us. It's costing us deals, visibility, clients, confidence, and the kind of success we've worked incredibly hard for. In this episode, you'll hear… Why so many of us learned to over-apologize long before we ever started a business, and how that pattern is still running the show The jaw-dropping (and infuriating) moment at a law firm that made me feel like my ambition was something to be ashamed of Where over-apologizing shows up in your business, including in your marketing, your pricing conversations, and how you manage your team A reflection prompt to help you identify where you might be apologizing unnecessarily, and what to do about it Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Grab a copy of Sam's book, When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #289
    May 18 · 42 min

    289. Why Doing Less Is Actually the Strategy

    You're busy. You're building. You're making a thousand decisions a day — what to post, what to buy, what to eat, what to cut. And somewhere along the way, all of that choosing started to feel like its own full-time job. Here's the thing: we've been sold this idea that more optimization equals more freedom. That if you just find the perfect system, the perfect routine, the perfect answer, you'll finally be able to relax. So you keep researching and refining and second-guessing. And the relaxing never actually comes. This episode is about what happens when you stop. It's about de-optimizing your life — and why I think "good enough" isn't a consolation prize. It's the entire point. I'm sharing what's been quietly shifting for me (some of it unexpected, some of it born out of grief), and how I'm starting to let go of the pressure to have, do, and be the best version of everything, all the time. Spoiler: it feels a lot like relief. In this episode, you'll hear… How grief cracked open my relationship with time and completely reorganized my priorities Why I stopped chasing "biggest business ever" and started making my business the least interesting thing about me What happens when you spend less time on screens (hint: everything slows down, in the best way) The three unexpected shifts I've noticed from de-optimizing: more confidence, more assuredness, and serious relief The "consequences" framework that's helping me stop agonizing and start choosing Three ways this mindset shift is showing up in my business right now Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Grab Sam's book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

  • #288
    May 11 · 41 min

    288. I Pulled Back From Social Media. It Performed Better.

    What if stepping back from social media was actually the thing that made it work better for your business? I'll be honest with you: my relationship with social media has been a lot. It helped me build a multi seven-figure business. Then it became my number one addiction. Then it turned into a coping mechanism I reached for every time life got hard. And then, after losing both of my parents, I basically wanted to throw my phone into the ocean and never look back. In this episode, I'm sharing the full, messy truth of my relationship with social media, including the part that surprised even me: that since pulling way back, my content is performing better than it ever has. But here's what's different about this conversation: it's not just a "hire a team and disappear" story. It's a real mindset shift that I believe anyone can adopt, no matter what size your audience is or what stage your business is at In this episode, you'll hear… Why my relationship with social media went from exciting opportunity to full-blown addiction (and how grief changed everything) The honest truth about why pulling back actually made my content perform better The specific tools and strategies I use to protect my time and attention without disappearing from my business How I restructured my content creation process so I spend less time on the app but show up with way more intention Why posting less might actually be the smartest move you can make, even if you have a small audience Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business The Brick (phone-locking device) [affiliate link] Read Sam's Substack Post About the Brick Shine with Natasha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinewithnatasha/ If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here. Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER

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