On Your Terms®

My goal is to make sure that you aren’t personally on the hook for whatever happens in your business – whether that’s getting sued, owing money, or something else entirely. That means you have to register your business properly so that you, yourself, are protected. It’s not as complicated as people make it out to be, so let’s make it easy for you to keep your assets covered!In this episode, you’ll learn:03:46 - Why you need to be personally protected06:55 - Where to start registering your business10:22 - The difference between a sole proprietorship and LLC17:10 - How to properly act like an LLCRESOURCES:Listen to Episode #7 of On Your Terms®: The First 3 Steps to Legally Protect Your Business (Where to Start!)Click here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT:Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's SidebarFollow Sam on InstagramFollow Sam on YouTubeSubscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond BusinessTake Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"DISCLAIMER

Story time: I always knew I wanted to be an attorney, but there was one event that really set off my interest. In college I got involved in a bad housing situation and couldn’t find a way out of my lease. I asked nicely, and I was denied. So I reviewed my lease, did some research, and found a hole in the tenant law that they missed. I brought it to their attention and ended up being let go of my lease and getting my money back. From then on, I knew the importance of a solid contract. I’m going to share what contracts you need, what any good contract should or shouldn’t have, how to sign and send contracts properly, and how they can provide proof in a time of need.In this episode, you'll hear… 07:15 - Why we have to talk about “proper” contracts15:08 - Getting the contract you need for the moment17:19 - What to look for in a good contract22:12 - Protecting your intellectual property23:21 - Using a liability disclaimer26:30 - Sending & signing your contract properlyRESOURCES: Listen to Episode 2 “Scope of Practice”: samvanderwielen.com/episode-2Listen to Episode 7 “3 Steps to Legally Start Your Business”: samvanderwielen.com/episode-7Try HelloSign (send and e-sign contracts): app.hellosign.com/?ref=a30ef418&s=S (affiliate link)Shop my Legal Templates for Coaches: samvanderwielen.com/shop-templatesCheck out THE ULTIMATE BUNDLE®: samvanderwielen.com/the-ultimate-bundleCONNECT: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

Are you super overwhelmed with legal advice? Have you taken in way too much information and can't figure out where to start? I will go over the three steps you need to take to protect and grow your online business if you haven't done much yet. We keep it simple – just exactly what you need to know to get started. If you haven't taken any action to protect yourself and your business legally, start here!In this episode, you'll hear… 05:14 - The legally legit trifecta09:13 - Forming your business15:18 - Getting business insurance21:30 - The importance of a proper contractCONNECT: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

If you approach your business with a fixed mindset, you won’t be able to pivot when you need to. It’s inevitable that you’re going to have to make changes in your business at some point, and if you’re too rigid in your thinking you aren’t going to recognize those opportunities quickly enough. Whether it’s reacting to personal life events or if something in your business is no longer working, you need to be nimble and ready to move. I’m going to share my steps to handling change quickly and with grace.In this episode, you'll hear… 06:20 - Accepting change as part of the process11:22 - How pivoting can help your business17:25 - When the world forces us to change20:11 - Shifting your mindset22:02 - Studying the market28:21 - Taking questions as hints29:09 - Putting on your scientist hatRESOURCES: Visit Jamie Mendell - jamiemendell.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

Today, we’re talking about issues that are a real PITA (that stands for pain in the…). The worst of these problems can come from your paying clients.Whether you have all of the best legal protections in place or none at all, trouble clients can always find ways to end up causing legal headaches. I’m going to share how to identify warning signs early so that you can see problems coming, when to cut ties with a difficult client, and – ideally – how to avoid them altogether, in the first place. Keep in mind that these types of issues are normal and they’re in no way a reflection of you as a coach. The best thing to do is move through these experiences with grace.In this episode, you'll hear… 06:21 - Why we need to talk about PITA clients09:40 - What to take away from them10:43 - How problem clients present themselves in your business19:45 - Warning signs31:56 - When to run39:39 - How to avoid problem clients altogether52:11 - How to terminate a problem client properlyRESOURCES:“How to Terminate a Contract with a Client” [blog post]“How to Send and Sign Contracts” [blog post]Episode 2. “Scope of Practice for Coaches (What You're Legally Allowed to Do)” [podcast episode)“How To Deal With Difficult Clients” [blog post]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

The online world can be a messy place for legal advice. I’m going to discuss some of the biggest and most dangerous legal myths I’ve seen, such as LLCs versus sole proprietorships, using free contracts when starting out, whether it’s true that the online world is a Wild West, and whether you really need an LLC or business insurance – or both.In this episode, you'll hear… 02:21 - The dangers of following anonymous online advice05:20 - Know-it-all Facebook ad comments07:50 - The myth of waiting13:58 - LLCs vs. sole proprietorship16:32 - Copy-pasting someone else’s contract21:36 - The internet is not The Wild West22:53 - The difference between LLCs and business insuranceRESOURCES:Top Legal Mistakes to Avoid for Online Businesses (blog post)Top Legal Mistakes to Avoid for Online Business Guide (PDF downloadable guide)Episode #2: “Scope of Practice for Coaches: What You're Legally Allowed to Do” (podcast episode)7 Legal Myths Keeping You From Being Legally Legit (blog post)Why Free Legal Contracts Wouldn't Cut It for Kristen Zavo (interview recording)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 get personal. I’m sure there are people out there who are going through a lot right now – I’m one of them! In fact, the last three years have been the hardest of my life. Despite that, I’ve managed to grow my business immensely. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve made it happen. So how did I do it? You’re going to hear all about what happened to me when I left being an attorney, how I used that experience as rocket fuel for my own business, what’s happened over the last three years in my personal life while building that business, and all the tips and tricks I’ve used along the way to make it happen.In this episode, you'll hear… 03:22 - What happened when I left my attorney job11:05 - Making a decision during hard times12:56 - Letting go of what doesn’t work in order to grow18:09 - When you subtract, it’s time to add20:15 - Building creative outlets outside of your business22:24 - Getting the support you need25:24 - How to make your business smarter27:32 - Your questions about the topicRESOURCES:Why Adversity Is Actually Good For Your Business (blog post)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

Scope of practice is one of the most requested topics in my community, and in my DMs, so we’re going to get down and dirty, talking about what you are, and are not, legally allowed to do as a coach.First of all, you need to understand exactly what scope of practice is and which scope of practice covers what you do. This is where this episode starts. But there’s so much misinformation out there when it comes to scope of practice legislation that it can be a real minefield, and getting things wrong has the potential to land you in trouble, so I spend a bit of time myth-busting as well.Once that’s out of the way, I get into how you can design your business in a way that’s safe, covered, and will let you sleep tight at night.In this episode, you'll hear… 02:09 - What scope of practice means04:08 - How it affects your business06:17 - The myth of unregulated industries08:17 - Where the confusion comes from16:04 - Do’s and don’ts of your coaching scope of practiceCONNECT: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

There can be so much pressure to engage with people offering the same professional services that you do online – especially when you’re starting out. I’m here to tell you that “community over competition” is BS. Don’t listen to it. That doesn’t mean you can’t be polite and friendly with other people doing what you do, but at the end of the day, they’re not your clients and they’re never going to be your clients. You only have a finite amount of time and energy to spend professionally, so why waste it on your competition? Taking a step back will be better for you in more ways than one. It can feel counterintuitive so here are my six tips for navigating online communities and social media and an explanation of why each one is the right thing to do.I reached out for questions on this topic, so I also answer a few of those on this episode. I explain how avoiding consuming the work of your competitors will make you feel healthier in the long run and how it’ll lead to you doing better work and I also lay out how you can still be friends with your competition just because you’re not necessarily seeing their Instagram posts any more!In this episode, you'll hear… 03:16 - Engaging with your competition online09:45 - The pitfalls of being a follower14:43 - Dealing with analysis paralysis17:46 - Standing out from the competition21:50 - Outsourcing market research24:16 - Connecting with your ideal clients25:44 - What to do when your competition buys your product29:34 - Answering your questionsCONNECT: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

Hey, I'm Sam Vander Wielen, an attorney turned multi-seven-figure entrepreneur and the host of On Your Terms®, a podcast all about helping you legally protect your online business and learn the marketing strategies that will actually help you grow it.I understand how overwhelming legal protection can be, and I'm here to help break down the legal stuff that you need to know in a no-fear, no-fluff, your-best-friend-just-so-happens-to-be-a-lawyer kind of way. And the vibes? Think cozy coffee shop instead of stuffy lawyer's office.On Your Terms® is all about giving you marketing strategies that you won't hear many other seven-figure entrepreneurs talking about, mostly because they're holding it for themselves. And I'm giving you legal insights that are tailored specifically for what you're going through as an online business owner: From growing your email list to being uniquely yourself, I've got you covered.Episodes drop twice a week, ranging from bite-sized tips to in-depth educational sessions to guest interviews, so you always have something to fit your schedule and needs. You'll also hear behind the scenes of how I'm building my business — from marketing, to scaling, to hiring and more.Ready to join the Terminator Squad? (Oh, by the way, that's what I call my most loyal listeners!) Follow On Your Terms® wherever you listen to podcasts to be notified of new episodes, just like magic.And if you're looking for a great place to start, check out episode one, where I tell you why competition is a good thing. Don't wait to start legally protecting and growing your online business. Grab a cup of coffee and come join us.Resources:Learn more at samvanderwielen.comListen to Episode 1. Community Over Competition is BS: Tips to Navigate Your Competition in a Healthier WayConnect with Sam on Instagram: @samvanderwielenProduced by NOVA Media