

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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 11, 2022 • 1h 1min
51. Goal Setting, Productivity & Evergreen Content [ft. Online Business Strategist, Louise Henry]
Do you ever get to the end of the day and feel exhausted—but you can’t quite pinpoint what you actually did that day? It can feel overwhelming running an online business and trying to get all of your tools in order: Should you use Asana or ClickUp? Should you journal? How do you set reasonable goals? Where do you create content? It’s a lot to deal with!Thankfully, Louise Henry is joining me today to break it all down for you. We talk all about productivity, setting goals, and finding the content platform that works best for you. You can actually become a more productive entrepreneur while working less when you have organized systems and clarity around your daily priorities.In this episode, you’ll hear…03:18 - Who Louise Henry is and how she serves people13:53 - The unexpected parts of building an online business19:24 - Three tips when you’re starting your business23:59 - Getting started on YouTube29:52 - Seeing business results from social media33:35 - Why having organized systems is so important37:34 - Picking a productivity system45:40 - Setting goals for your online business53:07 - Using challenges to grow your businessIf you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join Uplevel with Asana and save $500 off your enrollment: samvanderwielen.com/uplevelUse Sam's email marketing system (ConvertKit): https://convertkit.com/?lmref=SiAv4QGet Your Free 30-day Asana trial: https://asana.grsm.io/jl6zx0q14eml (affiliate link)Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

Jul 4, 2022 • 41min
50. What I've Learned From Starting a Podcast
It seems like just yesterday I started this podcast—and at the same time like I’ve been thinking about starting one forever. It’s been a great connection point with my audience, and I’ve already seen direct results in my business. If you’re in the same boat as me, thinking of starting a podcast for too long but unsure of where to start, I’m going to share everything I’ve learned along the way that you can apply to your own podcast, whether you’re thinking of starting one or already have one running. I also share how to position your podcast to grow your listeners and your business, podcasting social media strategies, and more.In this episode, you’ll hear…04:15 - Having the right expectations for your podcast06:50 - Giving your audience what they want10:34 - Setting up your podcast and business to support each other12:40 - What to do when you’re thinking of starting a podcast17:54 - Having a business plan for your podcast21:01 - Things to keep in mind when starting your podcast28:28 - How to make your social media and podcast work together32:52 - Leading people into your business33:29 - Having a review strategy35:22 - Batch recording your podcastIn our review of the week, amandathecoach said: "I purchased Sam’s Ultimate Bundle® in Fall 2021 as my very first step in starting my brand new company and then I started listening to her podcast. In addition to being a legal expert who somehow always answers my questions before I’ve asked them, she is a successful businesswoman who does not hold back on sharing great advice to start and run a growing business with a solid foundation. Everything she offers is super high quality and worth my time and energy. I love that she continues to connect me with other experts too through her podcast and other offers!"If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Follow Jen Diaz on Instagram: @jenmdiazEpisode 38. How to Start a Podcast or YouTube Channel with Katie StecklyEpisode 36. How to Grow Your Business on Instagram (Guest Episode with Natasha Samuel)Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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"DISCLAIMERMentioned in this episode:Legal WorkshopDo you feel lost thinking about how to legally protect your online business? Head to mylegalworkshop.com to sign-up for immediate access to my free 1-hour legal workshop, 5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow your Online Business.Legal Workshop

Jun 27, 2022 • 43min
49. How to Legally Protect Your Online Course
Courses are the backbone of my business, and I’ve helped thousands of other people run and sell legally legit courses in their businesses.Even if you aren’t offering courses, much of the advice I give here is going to apply to memberships or other passively-purchased products. We’re going to talk about what course contracts you need, how you can protect your content, and how scope of practice applies to courses. I’ll also go over the most common PITA problems you might come up against so you can avoid them completely.In this episode, you’ll hear…08:05 - What makes courses unique legally09:15 - Keeping up with changing legal considerations12:29 - Having the right contract19:52 - Using your contract to protect you26:05 - How to protect your course content29:46 - Applying scope of practice to your course31:22 - Common legal issues with courses—and how to avoid themAnd here’s our review of the week! sarahhhsss writes: “Incredibly useful and packed with value!! Hands down the best resource I’ve found as I’ve thought about starting my own business!! I follow so many people but this has been the most valuable resource yet!! She does a great job of providing exactly the info you need, no more and no less! I am feeling much more confident about starting a business! I also feel much closer to pulling the trigger as she answers all of my most pressing business questions in one easily digestible forum! Would absolutely recommend!!!”If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Episode 2. Scope of Practice for Coaches (What You're Legally Allowed to Do)Episode 12. How to Find Clients for Your Online Business (without ads!)Episode 13. How to Create a Program That Sells ItselfEpisode 14. How to Market Your Evergreen Product (+ Which Platforms You Should Be On!)Episode 27. The Tech Tools That Helped Me Grow My Business (& What I've Ditched!)SamCart (affiliate link)ConvertKit (affiliate link)Kajabi (affiliate link)Asana (affiliate link)Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

Jun 20, 2022 • 26min
48. Do You Need a Business Coach?
People ask me all the time: “Do I really need a business coach?” And my answer usually surprises people. There are plenty of great business coaches out there—but there are also a lot of bad ones. This is more my thoughts on the industry rather than individual coaches. It’s important to be discerning about who you get help from in your business and have clarity on what you actually need.I’m going to share tips on when you should and shouldn’t have a business coach, what to look for, my personal experience working with business coaches, and what I thought was worth it or a total waste.In this episode, you’ll hear…03:01 - The problem with business coaching08:08 - A story about learning along the way13:14 - When business coaching is helpful17:50 - Why I don’t work with coaches and what I do insteadNow let’s share our review of the week! Kelseyanne13 wrote: "Great resource!Sam is real and honest, which I love. This podcast has been a helpful resource to me as I begin building my nutrition coaching business. She talks about relevant topics to me and doesn’t embrace the hustle culture which I so appreciate!"If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:shinewithnatasha.comEpisode 36. How to Grow Your Business on Instagram (Guest Episode with Natasha Samuel)creatorlymedia.comEpisode 38. How to Start a Podcast or YouTube Channel with Katie StecklyGet notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

Jun 13, 2022 • 59min
47. Losing My Dad, Emergency Plans & Push/Rest
Trigger warning: This episode talks about cancer, loss, and grief.When you’re running a business, you still have to manage to live your life alongside it. And when things happen in your life that demand your attention, you want to be able to give it the attention it needs. This came up personally for me when I had to take a sudden leave from work. Thankfully, I have systems in place that allow me to do this and still keep the business running smoothly.I share what happened in my life to prompt my break, tips for setting up the systems I had in place to allow for a seamless and sudden period of leave, and the push/rest concept that I have been thinking about for quite some time.In this episode, you’ll hear…03:41 - A life update from Sam28:56 - Having people behind you to support you31:04 - Giving yourself time to rest36:04 - Creating a system to give yourself time off48:36 - Times to push and times to restAnd now our review of the week! Jenna_RD writes: “I have been listening to Sam for a while now, and have enjoyed every single one of her podcast episodes. I love the natural, down-to-earth way she presents information, and I really appreciate her consistent reminders that growing my business can be done on MY terms. I've used her Ultimate Bundle® of legal templates to get my business up and running, and it has relieved so much stress knowing I'm set up from a legal standpoint. Thanks Sam!”If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Check out my Emergency SOP Instagram Post and ReelBlog Post: 6 New Streams of Revenue to Add to Your Business Right NowEpisode 12. How to Find Clients for Your Online Business (without ads!)Episode 13. How to Create a Program That Sells ItselfEpisode 14. How to Market Your Evergreen Product (+ Which Platforms You Should Be On!)Episode 32. Should We Always Be in Growth Mode in Our Biz?Episode 38. How to Start a Podcast or YouTube Channel with Katie StecklyEpisode 45. Four Tips for Sending Legally Legit EmailsGet notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

Jun 6, 2022 • 22min
46. Your business’ growth is bigger than you (From the archives)
A while back on Instagram, I posted about something I do to save money at the grocery store and someone commented: “Why do you care about saving money? Doesn’t your business make a ton of money?” There are a lot of misconceptions baked into that comment that relates to building an online business and that’s what I want to dig into today.In this episode, you’ll hear…00:43 - You are not your revenue03:01 - The fiduciary duty of any business owner04:45 - Why saving money is villainized06:32 - Growth vs. lifestyle businesses16:34 - The privilege baked into online business adviceIf you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

May 30, 2022 • 12min
45. Four Tips for Sending Legally Protected Emails
When you’re used to sending emails person to person, nothing could be more straightforward. But when you’re representing a business – even if that business is just you – things get a bit trickier. In this short episode, I’m going to share with you four tips you can implement right away in order to ensure the emails you’re sending on behalf of your business are legally protected.In this episode, you’ll hear…00:39 - Why you need to send emails legally02:14 - Making sure you have an unsubscribe link05:59 - Having a mailing address for your business06:57 - Including your business name08:14 - Only sending emails to people that want themIf you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:The Ultimate Bundle®Click here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

May 23, 2022 • 22min
44. What's the Deal with ™️ © ® Symbols and Can I Use Them?
Legalese can sometimes feel like a different language altogether, and let’s be real, all of the symbols you see everywhere don’t help! What's the deal with ™️, ©, ® symbols? What do they mean, what do they do, and can you use them in your business? We’re going to break it all down and translate these strange glyphs into a language that you can understand.In this episode, you’ll hear…03:01 - Getting your symbols straight (and why it matters)04:54 - The copyright (©) symbol13:12 - The trademark (™️) symbol17:34 - The registered trademark symbol (®)This week’s review of the week comes from Bethica83 who wrote: “These podcasts have been perfect for me as I work through the multitude of angles, starting Honeybee Health Coach PLLC, and protecting myself as I provide diabetes education and help patients navigate the complicated world of health care and realize their full health potential. This is a great tool to accompany her legit legal package.”If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Go to copycatschecklist.com to get my free PDF guide on keeping content thieves off your back!Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

May 16, 2022 • 31min
43. BTS: When My Website Got Stolen by Another Attorney
As business owners, we work hard to make our businesses run, from our websites to our social media content to our copy. But what if someone else saw your work and thought, “Wow, this is great! Nobody will notice if I use it for my business, right?” What would you do?I’m going to tell a juicy story that I’ve never shared in full before, about when I had my entire website stolen by another attorney a few years ago. It’s a wild story, and parts of it are hard to believe, but it’s completely true – which means it could happen to anyone. I’m sharing this story to show you how these situations play out in real time, and what steps you can take to get through it.In this episode, you’ll hear…06:25 - Why business theft seems to be so prevalent08:24 - The two problems that always come up when you protect your content10:17 - That time I got my whole website stolen by another attorney23:56 - The importance of memorializing agreementsIn our listener review of the week, Samantha Burmeister said: Perfect for the next-level entrepreneur. This podcast has been a godsend for me as I seek resources that are for someone that’s already established in their business. It’s beyond entry-level info, but not too over my head. As Goldilocks said, “This podcast is juuuust right.”!If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Go to copycatschecklist.com to get my free PDF guide on keeping content thieves off your back!Episode 19. How to Legally Share Content (Don't be a Copycat!)Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes 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

May 9, 2022 • 26min
42. Business Insurance Mistakes That Could Cost You BIG
I get so many questions (and hear so much bad advice floating around) relating to business insurance. One of the worst things that could happen is thinking you’re fine, only to find out your coverage won’t do anything for you. That’s not what I want happening to you! Let’s break down the myths, teach you what business insurance really is, how it works, and what some of the most common mistakes are for people who already have it.In this episode, you’ll hear…03:17 - What business insurance actually is06:40 - The different kinds13:44 - Why not having business insurance is a mistake16:10 - Making sure you get the right kind17:27 - Not being fully covered20:12 - Knowing your business insurance exclusions22:00 - Looking at your declarations pageIn our review of the week, DiamondA2021 says: “Oh my goodness, I am a new fan of Sam’s podcast 100%!! Sam is so down to earth while being so knowledgeable and wise at the same time. Many of her episodes speak directly to my heart and help me to become more confident as a Gospel fitness trainer and business owner. The episode: “What Other People Think Of Your Business- Does It Really Matter?” especially spoke to me!! For the longest I obsessed over unfollowers!! But Sam is right in encouraging us all to celebrate our wins and make a difference in our own ways.”If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Episode 33: What Other People Think of Your Business – Does it Really Matter?Episode 35: What to Do if Your Business Gets SuedClick here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT: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


