In this episode, you get to hear my full live training, “5 Steps to Legally Protect Your Online Business Before 2024 Ends.” I’ll give you the five steps every entrepreneur needs to take. We’ll cover shifting your mindset, registering as the right business entity, protecting yourself in case of a lawsuit, getting your contracts and policies in place, and staying within your scope of practice. In this episode, you’ll hear…5 things you must have in place before accepting even $1 (more) onlineExact steps to form your businessShould you become an LLC or sole prop? Why you NEED to have business insurance (it’s so worth it)An actual method for figuring out what you can (and cannot) do online or when you’re NOT working under your professional licenseYour 2024 To-do List: things to do before Dec 31st to make your biz legally soundRESOURCES:The Ultimate Bundle® is on sale through Nov 1, 2024. If you buy it before Oct 30, 2024, you’ll receive 3 bonus templates + my last live call of the year.Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMER

Knowing when to take a break is important. I am listening to my own advice and taking a break from the podcast. I need time and mental space to finish my book.In this episode, I explain my thought process. I also explain where listeners can find my educational resources while I am out. Check out the Resources links below to my YouTube, Substack, etc.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why I am taking time off from the podcast to finish my book and restThe power of zooming out to see the big picture when looking for clarityWhere listeners can find past episodes and other educational resourcesClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Search past podcast episodes at SamVanderWielen.com/podcastFollow me on SubstackCheck out my YouTube channelJoin the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

The other day I received a comment on social media about how I did not look great in a video. In the past, I would have been reactive. Instead, I just laughed out loud.In today’s episode, I share my practice in becoming more confident and comfortable with myself and my online business.It has been a journey, and it is definitely still ongoing, but if this Philly-born, 90s era-raised girl can do it, so can you.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why perfectionism is the enemy of contentHow changing the stories you tell yourself can make you less reactive to negative commentsThe importance of practicing detachment from your businessClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

In the last episode, I talked some smack about social media: It’s bad for your mental health, your content won’t have great longevity or searchability, etc. So this episode I cover what to do instead, or in addition to, social media. First, I break down discovery vs. nurturing. Then, I explain why email is a great nurturing platform. And finally I talk about when social media can be an effective marketing tool, if you still really want to use it.I hope you’re enjoying these “Online Business Summer School” episodes, including the background sounds from beautiful Long Island!In this episode, you’ll hear…The difference between discovery vs. nurture platformsWhy email is a great marketing toolWhere social media can be helpfulClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Social media is designed to be addictive. Summer can be a great time to evaluate your social media usage– both consumption and creation. In this episode, I describe my experience scaling back on social media and scaling up in other areas of my personal life and business. I give you tips in case you want to do the same. I cover delegating to team members, pivoting towards more evergreen content, and re-evaluating your production approach.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why you might want to scale back on social mediaThe power of evergreen content like blogs, podcasts, and YouTube videosHow to approach the social media content you do decide to makeClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! Watch “Walking you through my CALM, social media-free, marketing strategy” by Art By Louise (YouTube)CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Welcome to the first episode of the Summer School series! This summer I’ll be creating short weekly episodes on the go- while I’m at the gym, on a walk. etc. In each one, I’ll share one lesson I’ve learned about business and life.Today’s lesson: Find a balance between creativity and strategy in your business content creation. Don’t let strategy strangle your creativity and joy. But, of course, don’t get too far away from your business objectives.In this episode, you’ll hear…What you can expect from the Summer School seriesThe importance of finding balance between creativity and strategyWhy you need be clear on what you’re doing and how you’re doing itClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Today’s episode is a recording of my new free legal training “Five Steps to Legally Protect and Grow Your Online Business”. I share the step-by-step plan you need to do to set the legal foundation to protect yourself, your business and have the ability to grow and scale successfully.Step one is adjusting your mindset. Step two is how to register as the right kind of business entity. Step three is getting business insurance in place so you don’t owe anything if you get sued. Step four is how to protect your boundaries with contracts. And step five is knowing your scope of practice. Don’t worry, I will explain each step in-depth.At the end of the episode, I take time to answer frequently asked questions about The Ultimate Bundle® and how it’s built to help you with these steps.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why you need to register your businessWhat business insurance protects you and your business fromWhy a scope of practice is importantClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Grab the Ultimate Bundle® on SaleSign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

People are often surprised when I tell them they might not own the content they create on Canva. That’s why in today’s episode I give a quick overview of what you should be aware of in terms of content creation, including AI generated content, and copyrights.I walk through Canva, ChatGPT, and a few other tools, explaining what to look for in their licenses.As a business owner, the buck stops with you. You’re the one responsible for ensuring your business’s content is legal and protected. I hope this episode gives you a little better understanding of content creation, copyrights, and ownership.In this episode, you’ll hear…The three things you should know about AI and copyrightsUnderstanding what Canva retains ownership over How what to look for in creation tools’ licenses Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Are you using the free contracts provided by platforms like Thinkific or Kajabi to protect your online business? If so, you might be wondering if they’re really enough to keep you legally covered. Today, I'm breaking down why these default terms of use might not be as protective as you think and what steps you can take to ensure your business is truly safeguarded. We'll explore the inadequacies of these free contracts and discuss how to create customized terms that reflect your unique business needs.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why free contracts from platforms like Thinkific and Kajabi might not be enough.The importance of having customized terms of use for your business.Common inadequacies in free contracts and how they can affect your business.How to protect your intellectual property with tailored contracts.The role of customized financial terms and payment policies in your legal protection.Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

This episode comes to you from the M trail in San Luis Obispo, California. I realized I was falling back into a bad habit of mine so I pulled out my phone to make a voice recording to share with my future self and with all of you!While I was hiking, I was spending the whole time being worried about snakes, tarantulas, weird bugs, and being very, very high up. This is a bad habit of mine that I fall into with my business journey too. I focus so much on my fears. I fight and resist and struggle my way through it, and then I wonder why I’m feeling tired and unhappy.Sometimes you can re-hike a trail, but there are a lot of things you don’t get to redo in life. Here’s a reminder to myself and all of us to enjoy the journey, not fixate on fears, and be proud of the heights we’ve achieved.In this episode, you’ll hear…How hiking is like building a businessThe power of stopping yourself mid-habitBeing a peace with the processClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Where I was hiking Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship”Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

One of the core startup costs for an online business is business insurance. In today’s episode, I teach you about business insurance and the general cost you can expect.Business insurance is critical for financially protecting your business. Even if you just receive a nasty lawyer letter threatening to sue you for liability, your business insurance will step in with their own lawyer to act on your behalf. I go over the key terms you need to know: Premiums, deductible, liability limits, exposure, policy limits, and exclusions. Then I explain how they all interact to create how much you pay and how much you are protected.If you’re an online coaching business, you can expect liability insurance to cost somewhere between $400-$1,000. Trust me, it’s worth it.In this episode, you’ll hear…Why business insurance is importantKey business insurance terms explainedHow much you can expect to pay for liability insurance as an online coachClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:My affiliate link for Alternative BalanceJoin the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship”Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Starting an online business is much cheaper than starting a brick-and-mortar shop, but it still has costs. So how do you navigate those costs before your business starts bringing in any money? That’s what we cover in today’s episode.I walk through the three-step process of how to start a business on a budget: Save, Research, Budget. I breakdown each one in detail, giving examples from my own experience.Being realistic in your projections and plans leads to the empowered, quality decision-making necessary to build a sustainable business. I hope this episode helps you do that.In this episode, you’ll hear…The three components of the saving phase: Save, Cut, MakeWhat costs you need to research when starting a businessHow to factor a long runway into your starting budgetClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Try Siteground for hosting - free domain & professional site transfer with every plan (affiliate link) https://samvanderwielen.com/sitegroundBetterment - Join Betterment and get up to 5.50% variable APY for 3 months with a qualifying deposit (affiliate link) https://samvanderwielen.com/bettermentSign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Writing a book isn’t just about writing a book. It brings up all kinds of business and personal dynamics, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Today fellow debut author, Jannese Torres, joins me to talk about why she chose to write a book as part of her personal finance business, and how she has made it work.Jannese is an award-winning Latina Money Expert. She helps her clients and listeners build successful online businesses that allow them to pursue financial independence and freedom. Her podcast, Yo Quiero Dinero® is a platform to de-stigmatize money as a taboo topic in the Latinx & BIPOC communities and make personal finance fun, relevant and relatable. She decided to write a book in order to reach more people, and to cement herself as a thought leader in the field. Jannese talks about making time for writing (and everything else that goes along with creating a book), she had to implement some automated processes in her business and rely on her circle of support.In today’s episode Jannese gives us great advice about investing in your business when it has hit a plateau, where to find free resources, and how to deal with online trolls. In this episode, you’ll hear…What goes into the business decision to write a book Tips on investing in your businessHow to manage being the face of your brandClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Read Jannese’s book “Financially Lit!: The Modern Latina’s Guide to Level Up Your Dinero & Become Financially Poderosa”Listen to Jannese’s personal finance podcast “Yo Quiero Dinero”Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship”Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

This podcast episode is about podcasts. Our team’s podcast aficionado, Michelle Rubinstein, interviews me about how I utilize On Your Terms® to nurture my audience and aid in growing my business.We have a great conversation about how this podcast has been my most productive nurturing channel– helping people get to a place where they’re ready to purchase my product. We talk about voice of customer research, meeting listeners where they’re at, and providing in-depth, nuanced information. We also talk about why it’s important to pick a medium that you actually enjoy using.Then we get to the hard hitting questions: What kind of pasta would I be and why? What’s the secret sauce behind Michelle’s One Tree Hill rewatch podcast production? And, which of us listened to Serial when it first came out?In this episode, you’ll hear…What “nurturing” is and where it fits in your businessKeeping your content based on what your audience needsHow to pick the right marketing channel for youClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Check out Michelle's podcasts: Total Betty Podcast Network and Movie Friends PodcastJoin the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship”Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar” Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Right after launches, it’s normal to feel big feelings: Relief it’s over, excitement about success, sadness about failure. Feel your feelings, whichever ones they are, but don’t create unhelpful stories about them. Instead, channel your energy into getting the true story. Send out surveys to gather data.In this episode, I dive into everything you need to know about post-sale surveys and how to execute them. I teach you how to measure sale success and figure out which marketing channels produced a good ROI for your business. Plus, I touch on how to encourage post purchase behavior like referrals.Finally, since this is the last episode of our Launch Series, I review the top takeaways of running a launch, from beginning to end. I’ve really enjoyed making this series and I hope it has helped you and your business!In this episode, you’ll hear…What questions to ask in post-launch surveysHow to weigh different pieces of survey dataWhy surveys are important in continuing to list buildClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Join the waitlist for my book “When I Start My Business I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No BS Guide to to Successful Online Entrepreneurship” Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar”CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

What happens when the hype period is over, the webinar ends, the free thing is done– how do you actually sell more of your product or service? That’s what we cover today in Part 3 of 4 of our Launch series.I break it down into three segments.First, gather the ingredients that are required for a successful sales sequence. I explain each one in detail: No-brainer deal, incentive, scarcity, nudging, compassion, connection, and energy.Next, set up a clear timeline and structure. This typically includes four components: Fast Action, Mid Cart, Close Cart, Down Sell. I go into each one in depth, showing how discounts affect consumer behavior.Then, develop your social media strategy core elements: Transformation A to B, behind the scenes looks, celebrate new customers, testimonials, list of features, and what makes you unique. I share tips I’ve learned over the years about how to strengthen this part of your digital marketing sales funnel.Be ready to take some notes! We cover a lot in this episode, including how to measure sales performance.In this episode, you’ll hear…What ingredients you need for a successful saleThe four components of a sale timelineSocial media elements to keep your metrics up during a launchClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Watch Louise Henry’s “11 Instagram Story Ideas for More Sales” YouTube video.Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

This episode is Part 2 of our series on how to put on a great launch. Today I cover the teaser, invite, and event period of the launch timeline. These periods are critical to the success of your sales, so I dig into each one to tell you about my lessons learned. First, the teaser: This is all about building hype. I give you tips on building your audience’s awareness and intrigue, especially via digital marketing.Second, the invite: How you move people through the sales funnel– from being interested about your event, to actually signing up and attending it.Finally, the launch event: This is where you move your audience across the finish line of the sales sequence. You resolve any of their lingering hesitations, helping them take action to buy your product and join your community.Plus, I answer questions from listeners about how to manage the stress of a launch, buying social media ads, and how to grow organic reach.I really hope this Part 2 episode helps you build up to, and execute, your own launch. In this episode, you’ll hear…How to create a teaserWhat to do during your invite periodHow to put on a successful launch eventClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Listen to Episode 207: The Mindset it Takes to Make $300k in a Week (ft. Mindset Coach Jen Diaz)Join the Free Legal Workshop to learn how to get your business legally protected today! CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Welcome to the first episode of our series on how to run a launch! Lindsey Deatsch, my Director of Operations, is my special guest today. She’s a pro at launches– before she came to work with me, she was a launch manager at an agency, doing launches day in and day out.We cover how to make a product launch timeline and create a pre-launch marketing strategy: Schedule the anchor point, then the invite period, then the teaser period and learning phase, the “open cart” period, and the post-launch survey. We also spend a lot of time talking about the importance of list-building, and give you some email marketing tips to help you with it. After all, the first step in a promo planning process is to have a big list to promote to.I’m so glad Lindsey was able to join us on the show today- she has seen it all when it comes to launches and is a fountain of knowledge!In this episode, you’ll hear…How to schedule a product launch timelineThe importance of list-buildingWhat conversion rate you should expect for a launchClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Sign up for Sam’s Sidebar, my weekly emailLet me know what you think! Email me (Sam@SamVanderWielen.com) or DM me on Instagram (@SamVanderWielen)Register for my free legal workshop: 5 steps to legally protect and grow your online businessCONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

My mindset coach, Jen Diaz, has made all the difference in my business. A few weeks ago, not only did I make $300k during a launch event, but my team and I actually enjoyed the process. Today I have Jen on the show to debrief the launch and share some of her coaching genius with you!We cover a lot of what makes up a growth mindset: Knowing yourself, having confidence, focusing on what’s within your control, embracing the learning process, being ok with failure, etc.“Growth mindset” can seem like a really fuzzy concept. I hope that this episode helps you understand it better and apply it in your own life.In this episode, you’ll hear…What confidence is, and what it isn’tWhy you should make sure your daily business tasks are ones you enjoyFocusing on what you can control, not the outcomeClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Learn more about Jen’s mindset coaching and sign up for her newsletter: JenniferDiaz.comFollow Jen on Insta: @JenMDiazCONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media

Following your competitors on social media can lead you down a self-doubt rabbit hole. In this episode, you’ll find inspiration so you can stand out to your audience and I’ll share 6 ways to create content that don’t involve following your competition.In this episode, you’ll hear…The pitfalls of looking at your competition’s digital marketingPractices that will help you generate creative content ideasConcepts that apply no matter what specific creative content tools you useClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Sign up for Sam’s Sidebar, my weekly emailLet me know what you think! Email me (Sam@SamVanderWielen.com) or DM me on Instagram (@SamVanderWielen)Register for my free legal workshop: 5 steps to legally protect and grow your online businessCONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramDISCLAIMERProduced by NOVA Media