Most people think the market is too crowded to stand out, but Sam Vander Wielen proves otherwise. After leaving a legal career she hated, Sam faced enormous personal and professional challenges, yet built an eight-figure business selling legal templates online. Her secret? Embracing authenticity—sharing her real story, letting her brand reflect her true self, and doing the unglamorous work of listening deeply to her customers.

In this episode, Sam reveals how 1,200 sales calls became the foundation for her flagship product, and why building a loyal email audience matters more than chasing social media likes. She shares how to collect meaningful feedback, spot patterns, and deliver what your audience wants, while still giving them what they truly need.

Challenge of the Week:

Start a “sizzle file:” a note on your phone or a document where you collect every question, comment, or bit of feedback you get from clients, friends, or anyone who asks about your business or expertise. Don’t overthink it—just start dropping them in and look for the patterns. If you have time, go back over your texts, emails, and DMs from the past week and add any other relevant questions.

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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:



How Sam’s authenticity became her superpower in business




The process of turning 1,200 sales calls into an eight-figure product




Building a business on your own platform (email!) instead of rented social media land




Links & Tools from This Episode:



Learn more at samvanderwielen.com




Order Sam’s book, When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy




Check out Sam’s signature product, The Ultimate Bundle®




Follow Sam on Instagram: @samvanderwielen




Free Resources




Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing.




Produced by NOVA 

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