Online Business Blueprint: Sam Vander Wielen's Guide for Internet-Based Business Owners
Title: Sam Vander Wielen's Real-Deal Guide to Online Entrepreneur Success
I had the pleasure of chatting with Sam Vander Wielen recently, a week after she launched her latest venture. She seemed a tad drained, but her voice radiated excitement and nostalgia. Her adorable Bernadoodle, Hudson, accompanied her on a chilly NYC stroll before our conversation.
Sam's journey into entrepreneurship was anything but straightforward. Her career switch from a corporate attorney to health coach-turned-business-maven was far from obvious. The void in her lawyer position became glaring when her passion for health coaching fell short. That's when her legal templates business, now her claim to fame, emerged accidentally at a wellness festival.
"Failure teaches you more than success," Sam mused. "Health coaching was something I was passionate about, but it wasn't profitable. My legal templates business was a goldmine waiting to be found. The demand was high, and the competition low. Plus, I knew how to differentiate it."
Sam's business advice doesn't align with the conventional "follow your passion" philosophy peddled by marketing gurus. Sparing the fluff about immediate success, Sam firmly believes happiness doesn't stem from business success but rather how one navigates life.
"Attaching your happiness to external factors is a recipe for disappointment. The success carrot keeps moving. Once you make a million, you'll have neighbors with five, and the cycle continues," she said.
Sam's journey has been marked by profound loss — the sudden passing of both parents. Her beloved Hudson became her emotional anchor during these trying times.
Her parents' influence played a crucial role in fostering her entrepreneurial spirit. Her mother, a former professional figure skater turned physician, showed her that unconventional paths can be paved with hard work at 41. Her father, with his racetrack management and marketing background, exposed her to the corporate world.
Remaining steadfast to her core offering, Sam centers her business around a collection of legal templates she calls the Ultimate Bundle. This bundle generated over $8 million in revenue, impressively for such a dry topic. Her secret lies in the "broccoli and mac and cheese" strategy — catering to legal needs while offering a dose of fun.
Curious about her marketing tactics, I asked about her funnel. "My strategy is simple — provide something valuable to potential customers to welcome them into my world, usually a free webinar," she explained. After the webinar, customers receive a series of emails introducing them to her Ultimate Bundle.
When asked about the relationship between money and happiness, Sam shared her insights from personal experience. "Money certainly makes life easier. It allows me to pay for things like yard maintenance, which brings me joy. But it doesn't solve all my problems."
Instead, financial success allows her to align her spending with her values, such as purchasing an electric car, supporting cancer research, and taking care of her ailing father.
Sharing advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, she urged them to always keep an open mind. "If I hadn't been open to feedback, I would've missed the key opportunity that led me to my successful business."
Leaving the call, it's clear that Sam Vander Wielen embodies a quiet self-assurance that stems from building success on her own terms. Her story serve as a reminder that happiness doesn't come from the business itself, but from finding joy in the journey, no matter the destination.
Interested in diving deeper? Take a listen to our full interview with Sam Vander Wielen.
References:1. Forbes — Sam Vander Wielen's Industry Domination2. Inc — Legal Templates for Startups3. Entrepreneur — The Importance of Teamwork in Small Businesses4. Podcast Episode — Breaking Down My 7-Figure Business with Sam Vander Wielen5. Sam Vander Wielen's Book — Making a Profit...But Without Selling Your Soul: A Marketing Guide for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners
- Sam Vander Wielen, a successful entrepreneur, discussed her journey from a corporate attorney to a business maven, crediting her legal templates business for her financial success in the real-deal guide to online entrepreneurship.
- Despite the challenges and setbacks, Sam emphasized the importance of staying open-minded as an entrepreneur, as she might have missed the opportunity that led to her successful business if she hadn't been receptive to feedback.
- Unlike conventional advice, Sam believes that happiness doesn't stem from business success but rather managing life's ups and downs, eschewing the pursuit of fleeting short-term gains by tying one's happiness to money and external factors.
- Sam Vander Wielen's story demonstrates that finding joy in the journey, regardless of the destination, is essential to entrepreneurial success. She encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on building their businesses in a manner that reflects their personal values, such as donating to cancer research or supporting green initiatives like purchasing an electric car.
