On Your Terms® – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to a new approach to goal setting and personal growth. As we prepare to step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what might be missing from your current business plan and decide on what to implement if you're a new business owner. I’m sharing strategies for creating a plan that feels authentic and motivating.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Insights into setting focused and achievable goals for 2025
2. How to stay open to change and new ideas in your business journey
3. Understanding the value of KPIs in guiding your business decisions
4. Creating quarterly focuses that can keep you on track

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Annual Business Plan Worksheet
2. 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”
3. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Have you ever taken a moment to look back on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come? Lately, I’ve been doing just that, reflecting on my journey throughout 2024. It’s been a year filled with growth, unexpected challenges, and valuable lessons. I'll be sharing a few insights from my experience that might inspire your own reflections as you look ahead.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Insights into balancing personal well-being with professional goals
2. How personal experiences can impact business and life
3. Strategies that led to revenue growth and a successful book deal
4. The importance of evolving business strategies with market and social media trends
5. Aligning business goals with personal values for holistic success

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Annual Business Plan Worksheet
2. 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”
3. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

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…

1. Why free contracts from platforms like Thinkific and Kajabi might not be enough.
2. The importance of having customized terms of use for your business.
3. Common inadequacies in free contracts and how they can affect your business.
4. How to protect your intellectual property with tailored contracts.
5. 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:

1. Grab The Ultimate Bundle® on Sale
2. 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”
3. Sign up for my free weekly email “Sam’s Sidebar”
4. Get notifiied when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Writing a book is a wild ride, but one that can be worth the trip for many entrepreneurs – if you go into it for the right reasons. In this Summer School episode, we’re revisiting a conversation with book coach Richelle Fredson, who has been invaluable in my own book writing journey (if you want to hear how that’s going, listen to my latest update in Episode 115). She shares practical tips about how to go into this process with the right mindset, what options you have when it comes to publishing, and how to start preparing now for the book you want to write someday.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. What kinds of books see long-term success and sales
2. What a book consultant or coach is – and if working with one is right for you
3. The three publishing options and how to know which one to choose

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Visit Richelle’s website
2. Follow Richelle on Instagram: @richellefredson
3. Listen to the Bound + Determined Podcast
4. Apply for Richelle’s group program: Book Proposal Blueprint
5. Episode 5: What to Do When a Client is a Pain
6. Episode 115: My Book Update!
7. Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

In this episode, we're delving into the nitty-gritty of legally hiring employees for your online business.

You ask, and I answer! Listener Laura wrote in wondering about the legal steps involved in hiring employees. To tackle her question, I thought we'd kick things off by revisiting the difference between employees and contractors.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Getting a legal foundation in place first
2. Hiring help with HR
3. Required documents and setup for hiring an employee
4. Becoming a better boss

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Episode 64: Hiring Contractors 101 [Everything Business Owners Need to Know]
2. Episode 66. Hiring, Leadership & Team Building 101 [Interview w/ Kira La Forgia of Paradigm Consulting]
3. Paradigm Consulting’s Set to Scale program (affiliate link)
4. ADP Payroll (affiliate link)
5. Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
6. Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Public speaking is such an important skill to learn, and it can be a huge advantage in your business if you do it well. In this Summer School episode, we’re revisiting an interview with the great Mike Pacchione. We talk about why speaking well is important, what makes a speaker good or bad, and whether it’s possible for a bad speaker to become great. We also talked about the areas most speakers need to improve upon (and how they can do it), three tangible things to make your speaking more entertaining, and so much more.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. How Mike got into speaking
2. Why public speaking is so important
3. The qualities that make a good speaker—and a bad one
4. Three areas that most speakers need to improve upon
5. Tips for using your physical presence
6. How to get speaking opportunities
7. The “minivan test”

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. miketalks.co
2. bestspeech.co
3. Adam Driver’s TED Talk
4. Episode 54. Everything I Learned at ConvertKit's Craft + Commerce Conference (mind blown!)
5. Click here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!
6. Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Do you ever worry that your small business doesn't need the same legal protection as the big guys? That's like saying you don't need a seatbelt because you're only driving down the block! Today, I'm answering a question from one of our listeners, Candice, who asked about how legal contracts and business matters differ for small shops compared to larger ones. It's an excellent question, Candice, and one that I think many of us have – so let’s dive in!

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Getting legally covered no matter your businesses size
2. Why having to scale your legal coverage is a good sign
3. How to be legally legit without the overwhelm

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. DIY Affiliate Contract Template
2. Collaboration Contract Template
3. 5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business [free workshop]
4. Episode 42: Business Insurance Mistakes That Could Cost You Big
5. Episode 64: Hiring Contractors 101 [Everything Business Owners Need To Know]
6. Episode 89: How To Legally Protect Your Online Business
7. Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be running what I call Online Marketing Summer School. We’re going to be revisiting some past episodes geared toward helping you level up (or kick-off) your online marketing strategy! We’re kicking things off with one of my favs: an interview with Natasha Samuel of The Shine Online Podcast!

Natasha Samuel is the host of The Shine Online Podcast and an Instagram strategist that helps small businesses... well, shine online. Through intensive strategy days, digital resources, and education, Natasha helps you build your brand on the gram with a video strategy that is fulfilling and fun - without the overwhelm.

Natasha is a social media genius. She breaks down Instagram in such a refreshing, relatable way. Her whole approach is about finding the social media strategy that's actually sustainable for you, no matter how busy your work or life can get. She also believes social media should reflect your personal values, and doesn't advise compromising any of that for quick growth. We talk about overwhelm, content batching, nailing your Instagram bio, and her three-part follower journey (which is going to blow your mind)!

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why Instagram is a great place to market your business
2. Growing a community on Instagram
3. Struggling to balance personal and business content
4. The various surfaces of Instagram and what to post there
5. Tips for writing captions
6. Using Instagram to direct people to other platforms
7. The 3-step follower journey
8. Tips for batching and consistency
9. How to iterate on your strategy
10. Tips for people burnt out on social media
11. Navigating social media during hard times

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. shinewithnatasha.com/video
2. Natasha’s LinkTree
3. Shine With Natasha on YouTube
4. Instagram: @shinewithnatasha
5. Episode 24. Why You Should Treat Your Clients the Way Olive Garden Does
6. Episode 25. Creating Brand Loyalists 8 Future Buyers

CONNECT:

1. Sam on Instagram
2. Sam on Facebook
3. On Your Terms® on Instagram

DISCLAIMER

Do contracts need to be looked over or written by an attorney to be legally binding? As always, I'm here to demystify the complex legal jargon for you and empower you to grow your business on your own terms.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Whether a contract needs to be written by an attorney
2. What makes your contract unenforceable
3. Ensuring your contracts are legally binding

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Learn about the Ultimate Bundle®
2. Shop my DIY legal contract templates
3. Episode 106. How Do You Make Your Contracts Enforceable?
4. Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER

Has the popular narrative of 'soul-level work' ever made you question whether every aspect of your business is something that should light your soul on fire? If so, let's take some time to unpack this today.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

1. Why it’s unrealistic to expect your business to provide unending joy
2. How the realities of running a business impact your daily life
3. Making room for evolving passions and interests

If you’d like a shoutout (and a chance to win a $20 gift card), just leave a review on Apple Podcasts and send a screenshot of it to me on Instagram via DMs!

Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.

RESOURCES:

1. Easy Email List Sign Up
2. Episode 32. Should We Always Be in Growth Mode in Our Biz?
3. Read the Bustle Article: Is Therapy-Speak Making Us Selfish?
4. Get notified when each episode of On Your Terms® comes out

CONNECT:

1. Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar
2. Follow Sam on Instagram
3. Follow Sam on YouTube
4. Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business
5. Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business"

DISCLAIMER