Blog | Sam Vander Wielen LLC - DIY Legal Templates

281. How I Made $500K in 4 Days (The Real Story)

March 23, 2026

Listen on Apple | Spotify | YouTube Listen Now: Okay, I have to be honest — having my biggest launch ever was absolutely not on my 2026 Bingo card. Especially since I’ve already declared this year my entrepreneur gap year....

Sam Vander Wielen laying on her stomach on a couch and typing on her laptop featured on a blog graphic titled “How I Got 1000 Substack Subscribers by Learning to be bad at something new"

How I Got 1,000 Substack Subscribers by Learning to Be Bad at Something New

March 17, 2026

I’m not very good at being bad at things. And I don’t mean I’m good at everything. I mean that when I am bad at something, I turn into a full-on meltdown in progress — think: a kid who got...

280. How I Got My First 1,000 Subscribers on Substack

March 16, 2026

Listen on Apple | Spotify | YouTube Listen Now: Everyone’s talking about Substack — and maybe you’re curious, a little skeptical, and 100% wondering if you actually need to add another platform to your already-full plate. (Spoiler: you don’t need...

Sam Vander Wielen smiling, wearing a striped sweater and sitting on the beach with text overlay reading “How to Know If You're Cut Out for Online Business (Hint It's Not About Talent)"

How to Know If You’re Cut Out for Online Business (Hint: It’s Not About Talent)

March 10, 2026

My office closet is basically a graveyard of business ideas I used to have. There’s a fancy camera I bought but never learned to use. A 20-piece lighting system that never came out of the box. Editing software that collected...

On Your Terms® podcast episode cover for ‘You Have to Get Good First (Then the Audience Follows) featuring Sam Vander Wielen typing on her laptop and holding a coffee mug

279. You Have to Get Good First (Then the Audience Follows)

March 9, 2026

Listen on Apple | Spotify | YouTube Listen Now: You’ve probably heard it before: “Build the audience first.”“Grow your following, then you can write a book.”“Hit 10,000 followers, then you’ll be taken seriously.” But that advice? It’s kind of like...

Sam Vander Wielen smiling and sitting on the beach with text overlay reading “Entrepreneur burnout during a gap year"

Entrepreneur Burnout During a “Gap Year”: The Truth about Slowing Down in Business

March 3, 2026

I’m Having a Day (And Maybe You Are Too) I just deleted a 1,000-word email I worked really hard on. Not because it was bad.But because it felt fake. I wrote about my 8-week pottery class and what it’s teaching...

278. Make This List If You’re Burnt Out (It Changed Everything)

March 2, 2026

Listen on Apple | Spotify | YouTube Listen Now: Have you ever heard a quote at exactly the moment you needed it? Like it practically reached out and grabbed you by the shoulders? That happened to me recently when I...

Sam Vander Wielen smiling at Disney World wearing Minnie Mouse ears, featured on a blog graphic titled “I Said ‘Yes’ To My Dream."

Saying Yes to Your Dream: What Disney Taught Me About Building an Online Business

February 24, 2026

I Said “Yes” To My Dream I just slipped off my Minnie ears and put down my Dole Whip to write this. I’m in Disney World. And no — this isn’t a productivity metaphor. I’m actually here! But this trip...