Episode
279. You Have to Get Good First (Then the Audience Follows)
- Podcast
- On Your Terms®
- Published
- Mar 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2072
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://samvanderwielen.com
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Summary
If you’re trying to grow your audience for your online business, you’ve probably heard advice like “build the audience first” or “you need followers before you can launch.” But what if that’s backwards? In this episode of On Your Terms®, Sam shares the real foundation of sustainable audience growth—and why focusing on followers, email list size, or social media metrics too early can actually slow you down. Instead, she breaks down how mastering your craft (whether that’s writing, podcasting, video, or your core service) is what truly builds an audience that sticks. You’ll hear… Why obsessing over audience size can distract you from building actual skill The “wedding vs. marriage” analogy that changed how I think about growth What I realized after being in a mastermind with serious writers How to practice your craft in public without spiraling over metrics How to consume content in a way that fuels your output (instead of becoming a content junk drawer) A simple way to audit whether your time matches what you say you want Click here to find the full show notes and transcript for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Get Sam’s free weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar Subscribe to Sam's Substack, Beyond Business Get Sam's Book "When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy" Click here to be notified when new episodes of On Your Terms® come out CONNECT: Get Sam's weekly newsletter, Sam's Sidebar Follow Sam on Instagram Follow Sam on YouTube Subscribe to Sam's Substack , Beyond Business Take Sam's free legal workshop "5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business" DISCLAIMER