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.
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 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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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) 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
“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 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
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: Get Sam's weekly newsletter to be the first to know about the Ultimate Bundle® birthday sale 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
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 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
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 ) 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
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
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
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
Have you ever wondered why people in your audience don't think of you when they're ready to buy — even though you've been showing up, creating content, and putting offers out? Here's the hard truth: it's probably not your audience size. It's not your content. It's not even your offer. The real problem is that nobody knows what to associate your name with. And the good news? That is a very fixable problem. In this episode, I'm diving into why so many online business owners stay invisible — and what it actually takes to become the "McFlurry" of your industry. (Yes, we're going there. McDonald's, Wendy's Frosties, Burger King's unfortunate dessert menu, and what all of it has to do with YOUR business. I told you I always land the plane.) In this episode, you'll hear… Why shiny object syndrome is the #1 reason people can't figure out what you do How adding too many offers actually dilutes your brand instead of growing your revenue The "keeping up with the online Joneses" trap that pulls you away from what you actually want Why the gurus telling you to pivot, rebrand, or go viral profit from your instability The three things you actually need to do to become known for something in your industry 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 Subscribe to Sam's Substack , Beyond Business Clay Hebert — follow for messaging and positioning guidance 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
I just got back from three days in Atlanta with some of the most impressive people in the online business space, and I am still processing all of it. We're talking New York Times bestselling authors, YouTubers with millions of subscribers, book agents and editors, SaaS founders, and high-level consultants serving Fortune 100 companies. All 40 of us crammed into rooms, hot seats, and late-night fire pit hangs for what turned into one of the most valuable professional (and personal) experiences I've had in years. I walked away with pages of notes on pricing psychology, LinkedIn strategy, storytelling, community building, and what it really takes to write and sell a book. But honestly? The biggest thing I took away wasn't a tactic at all. It was the realization that even after building a multi-seven-figure business, giving keynotes, and writing a book, I still don't fully believe in myself or what's possible for me. And it turns out? Neither does pretty much everyone else in that room. So I figured I'd bring all of it back to you. In this episode, you'll hear… The pricing psychology tip from a master business consultant that will make you rethink every number on your sales page Why the words "fee" and "costs" are quietly working against your sales (and what to say instead) The LinkedIn profile mistakes almost everyone makes and the simple fixes that actually drive traffic to your business What spending three days with NYT bestselling authors taught me about the realities of publishing, book deals, and where authors actually make their money Why the most successful people in the room still felt like they didn't belong there, and what that means for you The honest truth about AI that nobody in the online space seems willing to say out loud Why going deep in one community beats trying to be everywhere at once 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 and join the Live Book Club Call (purchase book by April 29th to get your invite) Jo Franco's travel show Craft + Commerce Conference Sam's episode on The Nathan Barry Show 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
You've watched other people's launches from the sidelines. The big revenue numbers, the sold-out offers, the " We Hit Our Goal in 24 Hours " Instagram stories. You want that too. And so you try. You do all the launch things. But something's off. The sales trickle in slower than you hoped, or it's just... crickets. And you start wondering if it's your emails, your offer, your timing, or honestly, if it's just you. Here's the truth: it's probably none of those things. The real issue is happening way before launch week ever starts. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what that is and what to build instead, so that your next launch has actual chompers waiting for it. (And yes, I'll explain what chompers means. Stick with me.) In this episode, you'll hear… Why copying someone else's launch strategy, webinar slides, or email subject lines will not get you the results you're looking for What "chompers" are, why you need them, and how to build a community full of people who are ready to buy How to identify where your ideal customer sits on the problem and solution awareness scale, and why it changes everything about your marketing The three things you need to have in place to actually build an audience full of buyers, not just followers Why realistic conversion rates matter, and how to set expectations so you can grow your business without burning yourself out Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar Grab Sam's book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy and join the Live Book Club Call (purchase book by April 29th to get your invite) 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
Automation is great — until it makes people forget there's a real human behind your business. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the tool I've been quietly using to generate content ideas, boost webinar show-up rates, and collect testimonials, all while making my audience feel personally connected to me. It contributed to a $500K launch, and I'm walking you through exactly how I use it for content, sales, and social proof. In this episode, you'll hear… What VideoAsk actually is and why it's more like FaceTiming your audience than filling out a form How I'm using it to generate content ideas directly from my audience (in their own words) The exact funnel I built to improve webinar show-up rates and make my workshop better in real time How I'm collecting video testimonials that I can use in ads, social content, and more Why building in "surprise and delight" moments is one of the highest-return investments you can make in your marketing Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar Grab Sam's book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy and join the Live Book Club Call (purchase book by April 29th to get your invite) If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here . Check out VideoAsk (affiliate link) 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
If you've ever opened a blank document to write your newsletter and immediately closed it again, this one's for you. I've been sending my weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar, consistently for years, and in this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly how I decide what to write every single week. Including the time I scrapped a completely finished email the morning it was supposed to go out, wrote something raw and real in about five minutes, and watched my inbox light up with replies all day long. This is the behind-the-scenes process I use to make email feel less like a chore and more like one of the most powerful, reliable tools in my business. In this episode, you'll hear… Why I always start by zooming out on my business before I write a single word How to reverse engineer your email from your call to action so everything you write actually has a point Why your call to action doesn't always have to be a sale (and what to do between launches) The one habit that makes finding topics infinitely easier, even when your brain is totally blank How I turned a frustrated, throw-it-all-out moment into one of my most-responded-to emails ever Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar Get your 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
Q1 is officially in the books — so before you barrel headfirst into Q2, let's actually stop and take stock of how it went. In this episode, I'm walking you through the end-of-quarter check-in I use in my own business — one that covers both your stats and your vibes — so you can go into the next quarter with one clear focus, a simple plan, and a lot less "why does running this business feel so chaotic?" energy. We'll talk about how to look at your numbers without spiraling into a shame spiral, how to figure out whether you have a leads problem or a sales problem (because the answer totally changes your Q2 plan), and why the things that are draining you in your business are probably directly connected to what's not working in your data. I'm also sharing my personal Q1 gap year update — what's working, what's not, the mastermind I very painfully said no to, and the morning routine that finally helped me get my writing practice off the ground. In this episode, you'll hear… How to review your Q1 stats without spiraling into a shame spiral (the "curious scientist" approach is a game-changer) Why picking one single focus for Q2 will get you further than 16 half-finished goals ever will The "vibes check" — how to honestly assess how this quarter felt and what that means for Q2 Why what's draining you in your business might be directly connected to what's not working in your stats My personal Q1 gap year update, including the mastermind I painfully said no to, the morning writing routine that finally clicked, and why "gap year" does NOT mean I'm sitting on a beach doing nothing Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar Sam's Substack post: Taking a Gap Year as an Entrepreneur: My Year of Letting Go in 2026 Sam's Substack post: I called it a gap year—and everyone heard “year off.” Check out The Brick (affiliate link) Kit what I use to build my email list, send emails to my list, and create opt-in forms & pages (affiliate link) 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
Sam pulls back the curtain on her biggest launch ever — $500K in revenue in just four days. She's sharing the real numbers: 11,000 webinar registrants, a 5% conversion rate, and exactly what she spent on ads to get there. But this isn't just a brag fest — Sam gets honest about what's actually behind a launch like this, why you can't just copy someone else's formula, and what entrepreneurs at every stage can take away and apply to their own business. Whether you're planning your first launch or looking to scale, this episode is packed with practical strategy on webinars, email list marketing, buyer objections, and building an online business that actually converts. In this episode, you'll hear… The actual stats from my $500K launch — including webinar registrations, show-up rates, conversion percentages, and ad spend (yes, I'm sharing the numbers) Why I switched from three live webinars down to one — and how it actually increased my results The "show up" email strategy I use to get more people to attend the webinar live (and why it works way better than a basic reminder) How I think about Meta ads as their own social channel — and when you should (and absolutely should not) start running ads The three main buyer objections I prepare for in every launch — and how I use testimonials to overcome each one Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar Grab a copy of Sam's Book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy Read Sam's Substack post: I called it a gap year—and everyone heard “year off.” If you have a question you’d like Sam to answer on a future podcast episode, you can submit it here . Learn more about VideoAsk (affiliate link) 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
