On Your Terms®

You know that feeling when you come back to your desk in January and everything is a disaster? Your desktop looks like a digital garage sale, your office chair is still wearing yesterday’s sweater, and your brain feels like it’s running 42 tabs at once?Yeah… we’re not doing that this year.In this episode, I’m sharing the super simple, totally doable tasks I’m doing in the next two weeks—while cozied up in my pjs —to close out 2025 in a way that feels calm, grounded, and actually restorative. No “new year, new hustle” energy required. Just a cleaner home base, a quieter mind, and a business you can step back into without the chaos hangover.This is your permission slip to put the laptop away, clean the slate, and give your future self a January that feels good.In this episode, you’ll hear…The 4 things I always do to wrap up my business before the holidaysWhy I deep clean everything (yes, including the dreaded office drawer) before taking time offHow I’m approaching 2026 as a “mental gap year”My end-of-year digital detox ritualWhat I’m doing during my time off to reconnect with creativityThe cozy winter habits keeping me sane in an extremely dark, extremely windy Long Island winterClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s SidebarGet Sam's book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy"Listen Episode 267: Before You Plan 2026, do THIS firstListen to Episode 268: How to Create Your Ideal Business Year (Without Burnout-y Goals)Grab the Ultimate Bundle® and use code OYTWRITEOFF to save 20% off through December 18th.Read Sam's Substack Taking a Gap Year as an Entrepreneur: My Year of Letting Go in 2026Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outClick here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramSam on YouTubeDISCLAIMER

It’s that time of year again — when everyone online suddenly becomes a color-coded-notion-board-wielding planning expert. But before you map out your entire 2026 vision board, we need to do something way more important: figure out what you actually want.In today’s episode, I’m walking you through the exact reflection + annual planning exercise I do every single year — the one that helps me make decisions based on how I want to feel, not what the latest marketing trend says I “should” be doing. This episode pairs with last week’s 2025 reflection episode, so if you haven’t listened to that one yet, go queue it up next.PLUS — I’m trying something new today. I pulled a random question from the “More, Tell Me More” connection cards I won at a mastermind retreat (yes, I was voted Best Strategy at my table and the whole room — no biggie). I answered it… and I want you to answer it too. If you love this segment, email me or DM me and tell me to keep it!And before you dive in, don’t forget: I created a free 2026 Annual Planning Guide that includes every question I ask in this episode and space for you to jot down your reflections and goals. Grab it in the show notes!In this episode, you’ll hear…The connection-card question I pulled — and the unforgettable story about the stranger who changed how I think about human connectionWhy planning for 2026 means starting with how you want to feel (not arbitrary goals like “50K followers”)How to imagine your ideal day next year so you can reverse-engineer what needs to changeWhy so many entrepreneurs felt unstable in 2025 — and how to honor what actually happened before planning aheadThe questions I use every year to figure out what I truly need in my business and personal lifeA guided reflection to set aligned, realistic, energizing goals for 2026Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s SidebarGet Sam's book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy"Listen to the How to Grow Your Email List Series PlaylistSubscribe to Sam's Substack Beyond BusinessDownload Sam's Annual Planning GuideClick here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outClick here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramSam on YouTubeDISCLAIMER

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably hit the end of the year and thought:Wait… what actually happened?!How did we blink and suddenly find ourselves staring down a new calendar, new goals, and the same coffee mug we’ve dragged through the highs and lows of the last 12 months?Before you sprint into planning mode for 2026 (don’t worry, we’re doing that next week!), today’s episode is all about slowing down long enough to look back—at what worked, what didn’t, what you let go of, what you gained, and most importantly… how it all felt.Because building a business on your terms means regularly checking in with yourself—not just the metrics, money, or milestones, but the very real human (you!) behind all of it.Inside this episode, I walk you through the exact year-end reflection process I do myself, including the six life categories I evaluate every single December to help me understand what’s out of balance, what’s thriving, and where I want to direct my energy next.Grab your notebook, a cup of something warm, and prepare for some gentle-but-honest self-inquiry.In this episode, you’ll hear…The six life categories I use to check in with myself each yearWhy reflecting before planning will make your 2026 goals actually stickThe progress-based mindset shift that will keep you motivated all year longWhat to ask yourself about what you accomplished, added, and let go ofHow to identify your “accelerators” and “constrictors” going into a new yearClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s SidebarGet Sam's book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy"Listen to Epi 262. The 6 Weekly Anchors Behind My $8M BusinessListen to Epi 254. The NEW Way to Structure Your Work Day for Better ContentSubscribe to Sam's Substack Beyond BusinessDownload Sam's Annual Planning GuideClick here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outClick here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramSam on YouTubeDISCLAIMERMentioned in this episode:Yearly Planning GuideDownload my fee yearly planning guide at https://www.samvanderwielen.com/yearly-planning-guide/Yearly Planning Guide

If you’ve ever stared at a blinking cursor while trying to write your weekly newsletter and thought, “What in the whole enchilada am I supposed to say?” — today’s episode is your permission slip to stop overthinking and start structuring your emails in a way that works for you and your audience.I’m breaking down the two classic newsletter formats (and why I don’t follow either), the hybrid structure I swear by, and the eight must-have elements your weekly emails need if you want them to be opened, read, clicked, and shared.Whether you're brand new to email marketing or finally ready to clean up the spaghetti-at-the-wall approach we all start with — this episode gives you practical steps to build a bingeable, forwardable, valuable email your people will look forward to every week.In this episode, you’ll hear…The two traditional newsletter formats — and why a hybrid approach winsWhy story-driven writing builds connection (and how to use it well)How to structure “predictable sections” and weekly “boxes” your audience can rely onThe three core goals every email should have (and how to choose yours each week)How many links to include — and the right balance between your content vs. other people'sEight essentials you must include in your weekly newsletterHow to write subject lines + preview text that actually get openedMy #1 habit that instantly elevates the quality of your emails (and makes them sound human)Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s SidebarListen to Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 of the "How To Grow Your Email List" SeriesDownload the free “How to Grow Your Email List” WorkbookGet Sam's book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy"Listen to Epi 262. The 6 Weekly Anchors Behind My $8M BusinessWatch my email walkthrough trainingClick here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outClick here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramSam on YouTubeDISCLAIMER

Let’s be honest — most freebies out there? They’re not working.If you’ve ever spent hours creating a lead magnet only for it to attract people who download and disappear, this episode is your new best friend.In Part 3 of my 4-part email series, I’m breaking down why your freebie isn’t growing your list (hint: it’s not because freebies don’t work) and how to finally create one that brings in actual future customers — not just freebie hoarders.From finding the perfect topic your people actually want to grabbing the right metrics to track whether it’s working, this episode gives you the full roadmap to a freebie that convertsIn this episode, you’ll hear…Why most freebies flop — and how to fix yoursThe #1 rule for creating a freebie your audience can’t resistHow to reverse engineer your freebie from your offerThe secret to positioning your freebie so it attracts buyers, not browsersWhich numbers to track to know if your email list is really growingClick here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode.RESOURCES:Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s SidebarListen to Part 1 & Part 2 of the "How To Grow Your Email List" SeriesDownload the free “How to Grow Your Email List” WorkbookListen to Part 1 of "How To Grow Your Email List" SeriesClick here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come outClick here to watch the free workshop so you can get legally protected right now!CONNECT:Sam on InstagramSam on FacebookOn Your Terms® on InstagramSam on YouTubeDISCLAIMER