If you’re thinking about quitting your job in 2026 and finally starting your own business, this episode is your practical roadmap. I’m joined by lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Sam Vander Wielen, who left corporate law with multi-six-figure student loans, built a multi-seven-figure digital products company, and learned firsthand what entrepreneurship can and cannot do for your happiness. We’re talking about how to financially plan your exit from a 9-to-5, what legal steps you need (LLC, contracts, trademarks), and how to stop tying your worth to income, vanity metrics, or job titles. If you want a sustainable, smart plan for quitting your job and building a profitable business in 2026, this conversation will show you how to do it without burning your life down in the process.

Sam’s links:

Get Sam’s book: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/book/ Listen to Sam’s podcast: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/podcast 

Sign up for Sam’s newsletter: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/easy-emails 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to see the show notes and read the transcript of this episode!

0:00 Intro

01:15 The Happiness Myth

04:30 Why We Tie Happiness to Milestones

07:30 What a Business Can (and Can’t) Give You

11:00 Money as a Tool for Safety and Choice

15:00 Sam’s Corporate Law Wake-Up Call

20:00 The Stability Myth of Corporate Jobs

25:30 Planning a Real Exit From Your 9–5

30:30  Legal Basics for Starting a Business

36:00 Why Entrepreneurship Doesn’t Fix Your Life

41:30 Redefining Success Before You Leap

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