On Your Terms | Legal Tips Meets Marketing Strategies for Online Business

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