On Your Terms®

A practical end-of-quarter check-in that walks through reviewing both your stats and how the quarter felt. Learn which metrics matter, how to analyze data with curiosity instead of shame, and whether you need more leads or better sales. Hear tips for dropping draining commitments, protecting creative energy, and the personal routines that finally made writing stick.

Sam breaks down the real numbers behind a $500K four-day launch, including webinar registrations, show-up rates, conversion percentage, and ad spend. She explains why one live webinar beat multiple sessions and shares a clever “show up” email tactic. Topics include traffic mix, Meta ads as a social channel, testimonial use for buyer objections, checkout optimizations, and when to invest in ads.

They walk through organic strategies that grew a Substack to 1,000 subscribers using only consistent writing and simple tactics. Topics include treating the platform as a writing playground, building a reliable writing habit and idea bank, banking finished essays before publishing, using Substack Notes, repurposing podcast content, and referral tactics that boost discoverability.

A case for getting great at your craft before chasing follower metrics. Short lessons on practicing publicly, picking one medium for six months, and joining communities that push you. Reflections from a writers’ mastermind and a wedding versus marriage analogy about long term work. Practical tips for consuming content to fuel creativity without turning into a content hoarder.

Have you ever heard a quote at exactly the moment you needed it? Like it practically reached out and grabbed you by the shoulders?That happened to me recently when I heard this line from The Artist’s Way: "perfectionism isn’t a quest for the best… it’s a pursuit of the worst in ourselves.Oof. Holy cannoli. That one knocked me flat.In this episode, I’m sharing the simple exercise that helped me see my burnout in black and white—and how you can use it to finally exhale.You’ll hear…The quote about perfectionism that stopped me in my tracksThe unexpected way I realized I am a perfectionist (even though I swore I wasn’t)What I wrote on my “trying to do this perfectly” list—and why it shocked meHow this one list immediately softened my burnout and anxietyWhy doing “everything right” might actually be the thing holding you backClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.EPISODE RESOURCES:Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outCONNECT:Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's SidebarFollow Sam on InstagramFollow Sam on YouTubeSubscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond BusinessTake Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"DISCLAIMER

If you’re building a business, doing “all the right things,” and still feel exhausted even after a full night of sleep… this episode is for you.So many entrepreneurs think rest is something you earn later — after the launch, after the revenue goal, after things finally feel “stable.” And that belief keeps you stuck in a cycle of pushing, white-knuckling, and wondering why you’re burned out even though you technically love your work.I’m breaking down the 6 different types of rest, why sleep alone won’t fix burnout, and how I’ve been intentionally weaving more play, creativity, and relief into my life and business — without stepping away from work entirely.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why sleep isn’t the kind of rest most business owners actually needThe 6 types of rest and how burnout can show up even when you “love what you do”How pressure, grief, and mental load quietly drain your energyWhat it looks like to rest while building — not afterSimple ways to add more joy, play, and creativity into your everyday lifeClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam's Book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy"Taking a Gap Year as an Entrepreneur: My Year of Letting Go in 2026Subscribe to Sam's Substack Beyond BusinessLeslie Stephens' Substack American Psychological Association - Types of rest Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outCONNECT:Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's SidebarFollow Sam on InstagramFollow Sam on YouTubeSubscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond BusinessTake Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"DISCLAIMER

It’s mid-February (or honestly… March… or April… or whenever you’re listening), and if your New Year’s goals already feel like they’ve floated off into the abyss — you’re not broken. You’re just human.In this episode, I’m breaking down why January 1st is kind of a terrible time to set goals, especially if you’ve been navigating grief, uncertainty, burnout, or just… life. I’m sharing how I actually set goals now using a monthly goals method that’s way more realistic, flexible, and supportive — and yes, you’re absolutely allowed to steal it.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why January 1st isn’t actually a clean slate (and never has been)How grief, uncertainty, and burnout affect goal-setting more than we admitThe monthly goals method I use instead of New Year’s resolutionsHow to set goals when you don’t feel clear or motivatedWays to bring “new year energy” into any month of the yearHow to stay present and profitable without rigid long-term plansClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Leslie Stephens' Substack NoteListen to EP 274. 4 Tiny Shifts I Make Every Winter (so I feel cozy, not crushed)Listen to EP 251. How To Leave Social Media without Losing Your ClientsClick here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outCONNECT:Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's SidebarFollow Sam on InstagramFollow Sam on YouTubeSubscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond BusinessTake Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"DISCLAIMER

A candid rewind to five years ago with six lessons about building and living through growth. Conversations touch on why the climb can be more rewarding than the peak. Topics include shifting goals, defining your own why, resisting trend-chasing, leading with confidence, and a simple ritual to ease control and trust the process.

Live legal training on the five essential steps to protect and grow an online business in 2026. Topics include choosing the right business entity, when to add insurance, must-have contracts and website policies, and staying within your professional scope. Also covers timing for protection, converting structures, and practical templates and resources to set up confidently.

When it gets dark before you’ve even wrapped up work for the day, winter can feel like it shrinks your whole life. Suddenly everything feels harder, heavier, and honestly… a little bleak. And while part of you might want to hibernate until April, another part of you knows that doesn’t really work when you’re running a business and trying to live a full life.In this episode, I’m sharing how I’ve learned to actually work with winter instead of fighting it. After moving from Philly to the north shore of Long Island (where winter is colder, darker, windier, and somehow five degrees colder just to be rude), I had to build a real winter toolkit — not just cozy socks, but mindset shifts, routines, and intentional rituals that make this season feel supportive instead of soul-crushing.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why your relationship with winter might be making it harder than it needs to beThe mindset shift that completely changed how I experience winterHow I intentionally design winter to feel cozy, grounding, and even enjoyableWhy winter is actually essential for creativity, energy, and long-term sustainabilitySimple routines and rituals that give you something to look forward to all season longClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s SidebarLearn about The Ultimate Bundle® on SaleGet Sam's book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy"Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outCONNECT:Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's SidebarFollow Sam on InstagramFollow Sam on YouTubeSubscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond BusinessTake Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"DISCLAIMER