On Your Terms®

Your time is valuable. As a business owner, you spend a lot of that time pursuing leads and, more specifically, making sales calls. Love it or hate it, it’s a part of business. The best thing you can do is to get good at it.I get tons of questions regarding what you legally can or can’t do on a sales call, whether or not you’re allowed to give advice, what counts as advice vs. education, taking payment over the phone, and so much more. So, in this episode, I break down three things you should never do on a sales call, before diving into what you can do instead, so you can make the most out of your time and effort.In this episode, you'll hear… 04:21 - Why sales calls can land you in hot water08:17 - Why you should never give advice on a sales call13:16 - Whether or not you should take payment over the phone19:04 - How to guide the conversation when running a sales callRESOURCES:Visit samvanderwielen.com/prequalify-oyt to get my free “Pre-Qualify Before They Buy” email templates & video guideEpisode 2. Scope of Practice for Coaches (What You're Legally Allowed to Do)Episode 20. 5 Ways to Avoid Difficult Clients (Stop Legal Problems Before They Start!)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

We’ve all had problem clients – I know I have. Whether we find out after the fact or learn how to recognize warning signs, not everyone we work with is going to offer a smooth experience. I’ve learned a lot from dealing with them in the past and in this episode, I’m passing on those lessons to you.Problem clients often become legal problems. We’ve already talked about how to break things off when a client you’re dealing with becomes a pain, but let’s see how we can prevent dealing with them in the first place.In this episode, you'll hear… 05:40 - Why it pays to be picky14:57 - How to set boundaries with clients23:38 - Trusting your intuition24:57 - Paying attention to special requests32:00 - How to tell a client you’re not a good fit33:41 - Interviewing your clients36:33 - Warming up and weeding outRESOURCES:Visit samvanderwielen.com/prequalify-oyt to get my Pre-Qualify Before They Buy templatesEpisode 2. Scope of Practice for Coaches (What You're Legally Allowed to Do)Episode 5. What to Do When a Client is a PainCONNECT: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

We all want to create and share content respectfully and properly online. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to draw the line between inspiration and imitation. Let’s go over some of the basics of copyright law, what it is, what content falls under that category, and how you can use other peoples’ content, legally. I also discuss the fair use exception, what it is, and what content falls under it.In this episode, you'll hear… 04:56 - Understanding the gray areas of copyright law07:11 - What content falls under copyright law10:38 - How you can use someone else’s work legally15:48 - Fair use laws and how to use them22:35 - Making sure you have something original to sayRESOURCES:How to Legally Share Content [blog post] - https://www.samvanderwielen.com/how-to-legally-share-content/Copyright Basics PDF from US Copyright Office - https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdfFair Use Guide - https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/Episode 1. Community Over Competition is BS: Tips to Navigate Your Competition in a Healthier WayCONNECT: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

Instagram Reels: You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em – or sometimes a bit of both all at once. If you listen to all the people out there, you’re bound to hear both sides of it, that Reels are a waste of time and also the only way to grow your business. Let’s cut through the noise and figure out how you can create content that actually moves the needle while using your valuable time effectively. In this episode, I detail 10 tips for Instagram Reels focusing on what’s best for your business, not what’s going to get you the most views. Because growing our business is what we’re all here for, right?In this episode, you'll hear… 04:00 - The mistakes people make when it comes to Instagram Reels07:20 - My background with Reels13:17 - Using music legally16:01 - Thinking evergreen with Reels content17:21 - Letting people get to know you19:17 - Getting people to read your captions23:39 - Making your point in the caption26:15 - Having fun while making it educational28:31 - Don’t take it too seriously30:40 - How to find trending audio31:59 - Get inspiration from related entrepreneurs33:57 - Save your Reels to your phone35:35 - Answering your questions and sharing my Reels processRESOURCES:Get $100 off Louise Henry's Uplevel With Asana course (what I used to get SO organized in my business) here: https://samvanderwielen.krtra.com/t/QwGmfvsPA2Xc [affiliate link]IG Music Legal Tips from IG — https://about.instagram.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/updates-and-guidelines-for-including-music-in-video/ IG Reels Audio tips from IG — https://help.instagram.com/270447560766967/?helpref=hc_fnavFB Music Legal Guidelines — https://www.facebook.com/legal/music_guidelinesCONNECT: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

Online businesses aren’t immune to the laws, regulations, and rules that traditional brick-and-mortar businesses have to follow – despite what some “armchair legal experts” may have told you in a Facebook group chat. On top of that, there are some rules that apply specifically to online businesses and the ways that they grow. In order to make sure you are legally protected in ALL aspects of your business, let’s go over six specific things that online businesses need to do to be run in a legally legit™️, safe, and protected way.In this episode, you'll hear… 04:49 - The similarities and differences between starting an online business and brick and mortar09:38 - How scope of practice changes when you’re working online12:43 - Why you must legally protect your website18:11 - The contracts you need to have in place23:46 - Why you need business insurance for your online services27:07 - Registering your online business29:49 - How to take online payments properlyRESOURCES:6 Legal Must Haves for Going Virtual [blog post]Watch my YouTube episode "How to Send/Sign Contracts Legally"Episode 2. Scope of Practice for Coaches (What You're Legally Allowed to Do)Episode 10. What Your Website Needs to Be Legally LegitEpisode 8. What Makes a Good Contract? How to Make Sure You're ProtectedEpisode 7. The First 3 Steps to Legally Protect Your Business (Where to Start!)Episode 9. How to Register Your Business to Protect Your Personal AssetsCONNECT: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

Self-talk plays a huge role in our lives, especially for anyone who’s putting themselves out on the wire in a public forum like social media. Today, we’re talking with Katie Horwitch, a New York City-based writer, speaker, mindset coach, and the founder of WANT (Women Against Negative Talk), a platform and podcast that offers tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to help people move forward in life by shifting their negative self-talk. We talk about how you can improve your own self-talk, how it impacts your life as an entrepreneur and on social media, and her career journey to the point where she’s ended up today.In this episode, you'll hear… 05:43 - How Katie incorporates acting into her current work14:42 - How Katie’s self-talk practice began32:55 - The ways social media affects self-talk49:28 - Ways that Katie builds resilience online55:27 - How to improve your own self-talkRESOURCES:Visit womenagainstnegativetalk.com to listen to the podcast and join Katie’s newsletter!Find out how to work with Katie at katiejoyhorwitch.comFollow Katie on Instagram: @katiehorwitchListen to Episode 2. Scope of Practice for Coaches (What You're Legally Allowed to Do)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

Let’s take a trip back in time to when I first started my online business. What was the marketing landscaping looking like and what was going on in the online business world at that time? I’ll dig into the details in the episode, but I can tell you one thing for sure: things are so different today! I’m going to share what was working when I started my business, what’s no longer working, the marketing strategies that DO work now, and look ahead to predict where things are going. It’s the past, present, and future of marketing for online businesses!In this episode, you'll hear…01:53 - Why you need to get cozy with constant change12:28 - The trends that dominated the online marketing scene when I first started19:19 - Why true authenticity is a winning strategy25:51 - The importance of community depth over audience size27:08 - Shifting from a launch-focused strategy to evergreen products and programs29:16 - Putting a face to the name of your business33:59 - How micro educational video content is the new hotness36:19 - Why doing things on your terms works bestRESOURCES: Listen to Episode 14. How to Market Your Evergreen Product (+ Which Platforms You Should Be On!): samvanderwielen.com/episode-14Listen to Episode 6. Staying Nimble as an Entrepreneur: samvanderwielen.com/episode-6The Lifestyle Edit (Naomi) thelifestyleedit.comOlive & June Nail Kit - get 20% off (affiliate link): http://fbuy.me/v/samanthafossCONNECT: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

Wouldn’t you love to create a marketing strategy that sells your product on autopilot and amplifies your impact in a BIG way? It’s not as far-fetched as you might think! You can market a product that sells itself, all the while building a snowball effect without having to burn yourself out on social media every day or reinventing the wheel every time you want to make a sale. The universe doesn’t magically take your creation and put it in front of the right people with the wave of a wand – don’t worry, that’s how I thought it would work at first, too. 😆 I’m going to share my two-path process, organic and paid marketing approaches, how to build proof of concept, and the content you should be creating to not only find your ideal clients, but get them to click that ‘buy’ button.In this episode, you'll hear… 04:41 - Adjusting your expectations about how long it takes to gain traction05:43 - Where to go next after marketing to your immediate network07:21 - All about organic marketing10:15 - Should you build a free product to bridge the gap or not?20:14 - Creating content that attracts your ideal customer25:02 - Using a marketing system that works, instead of just doing what everyone else is doing28:16 - When to start running paid ads - hint: it’s probably not as soon as you thinkRESOURCES:Get your ticket to Sam's live “From Startup to Soldout” masterclass series Nov 3-5 here: www.samvanderwielen.com/fsso-oytListen to Episode 12. How to Find Clients for Your Online Business (without ads!) here: samvanderwielen.com/episode-12Listen to Episode 13. How to Create a Program That Sells Itself here: samvanderwielen.com/episode-13CONNECT: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

I’ve experienced both success and failure when it comes to starting a business. I’m not ashamed to admit it because knowing what works and what doesn’t puts me in a powerful position to give advice on what differentiates the two. For me, one of the things I focused on in a different way that helped lead to my business’s success was the product. I have eight ways you can create a product that’s going to become your bread and butter for years to come.In this episode, you'll hear… 04:39 - Why you should keep your product offerings focused07:12 - How you can show up differently than others in your niche10:03 - Making sure your product works for your customers20:25 - Offering ONLY what your customer needs23:38 - Pricing your product effectively26:51 - How to build your product to scale over time28:50 - Beta-testing your product34:36 - Selling your full-price productRESOURCES: Get your ticket to "From Startup to Soldout" here: samvanderwielen.com/fsso-oytTry Canva here: canva.com/join/tbq-wth-fprCreate a product, website, or program with Kajabi w/ a 30-day free trial here: app.kajabi.com/r/fLP3TYLV/t/6lnttyqzWatch my free legal workshop '5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business' here: samvanderwielen.com/oyt-workshopCONNECT: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

This week, we’re kicking off the first in a three-part series to help you make the transition from a startup business owner to soldout and scaling. We’re going to start things off with the basics: how do you find high-quality, paying customers – wherever you are in your business. We take a look at what some of the biggest companies are doing and scale them down to fit your business, finding a unique value proposition, getting to know your ideal client, and how to establish an expert status and use it to find customers.In this episode, you'll hear… 03:16 - Why most business owners approach finding clients backwards09:59 - Where I went wrong in my first business19:33 - Finding a market for your ideal clients27:40 - How to differentiate your business36:57 - Leaning into your expert status40:36 - Creating content geared towards your ideal clientsRESOURCES: Get your ticket to From Startup to Soldout here: samvanderwielen.com/fsso-oytCheckout Sarah @ Former Lawyer: formerlawyer.comCONNECT: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