Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sam Vander Wielen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Sam thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Most people associate lawyers with negative experiences — overly expensive, complicated, and slimy. I seek to offer them a different experience by breaking down complicated legal topics in a simple way.

Sam, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was a miserable corporate lawyer, until a scary plane incident somewhere over the Atlantic ocean shook me awake to take control over my life.

In 2016, I kicked off my drab lawyer flats to start a health coaching business online. But when people started asking me more about how I formed my LLC, rather than hiring me to be their health coach — it sparked my greatest career pivot yet…

Enter: Sam Vander Wielen LLC, my digital contract template shop.

In 2017, I started my legal templates business and ever since have helped over 350,000 online coaches, course creators, service providers, and makers become legally protected through my DIY contract templates and the Ultimate Bundle®.

42,000+ email subscribers and over $8 million in sales later… I have a lot to teach you about email marketing, funnels, and running a business no matter what else life hands you.

I’ve been through so many life challenges (ie, brain surgery, losing both of my parents within a year, the list goes on!) that I’ve really come to appreciate doing things that light you up, not what’s expected of you.

The No-BS Business Club is the resource I wish I had when I started my business.

I’m sort of known for my cozy, chill marketing strategies — that work ;)

No matter what’s happening in the world, economy, or on social media — my strategies have survived the test of time.

Attorney of 12 years, online biz owner, YouTuber, host of On Your Terms® podcast — and the author of the upcoming book, When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy: A Practical, No-BS Guide to Successful Online Entrepreneurship (Hachette/GCP, releasing April 2025).

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Shortly after I started my legal templates business, I found out that I had to have brain surgery. I was so worried that having to take so much time off would impact my then young business. But I did what I could, kept my head down, and slowly but surely came back to work. I also shared my recovery and surgery with my audience, which created a deeper, more meaningful connection.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn that you always need to be growing. Growing up, I had a difficult home life and it made me learn a lot of unhealthy, anxiety-based coping mechanisms. Once I started my business, I felt those same anxieties kick in and they made me want to work all of the time. I was obsessed with growing and really beat myself up if my business wasn’t making leaps and bounds all the time. Since I started my business, I’ve faced so much personal hardship (my brain surgery, my dad’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent death, my mom’s death) that I’ve had to learn how to fit my business into my life and not the other way around.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/samvanderwielen
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/samvanderwielenllc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamVanderWielen
• Other: On Your Terms® podcast: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/podcast/

  Pre-Order my book, “When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy”: https://samvanderwielen.com/book
  Subscribe to my Substack newsletter (The No-BS Business Club): https://samvanderwielenllc.substack.com/

Image Credits

For the picture on the beach only – Credit; Asia Croson Photography