What Donald Trump Can Teach You About Social Capital

don't do what Trump does for podcasting success

President Donald Trump is different. The one thing the current POTUS does better than anyone is break the rules. Podcasting is like that too. Podcasts are not radio broadcasts. There are unwritten rules in podcasting but rules are open to interpretation.

Your podcast doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s template.  Just like President Trump is not following any of the templates before him.  It is obvious that President Trump is used to doing whatever he wants. He says whatever he wants. While as a public figure it is entertaining, as a leader, he has made it hard to follow him.

You on the other hand want people to follow you.

Entertainment works in the short term unless you stay in that lane and everyone knows it, i.e. comedy show.  Unfortunately, people will queue up for a train wreck, a street brawl and a cat video.  They won’t stay long for either of those.  You are looking for long term relationships to be successful.  You do so by breaking the rules in marketing and doing the opposite of what POTUS is doing with social capital.


Social Capital is “those tangible assets [that] count for most in the daily lives of people: namely goodwill, fellowship, sympathy, and social intercourse among the individuals and families who make up a social unit”. Lyda Hanifan


Real estate mogul and former reality TV star Donald John Trump was born in 1946, in Queens, New York. In 1971, he became involved in large, profitable building projects in Manhattan. In 1980, he opened the Grand Hyatt, which made him the city’s best-known developer. In 2004, Trump began starring in the hit NBC reality series The Apprentice, which also spawned the offshoot The Celebrity Apprentice.


A lifetime Democrat and supporter, Trump turned his attention to politics, and in 2015 he announced his candidacy for president of the United States on the Republican ticket. After winning a majority of the primaries and caucuses, Trump became the official Republican candidate for president on July 19, 2016. That November, Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, after defeating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.


To obey a rule is a choice.


To disobey a rule is to choose to deal with the consequences of doing so.


Authors note: Our President has said things that are flat out disrespectful for a person in the Highest Office of the Land IMHO. As an entertainer, that works (what the POTUS is doing) As a leader of the United States of America, history will tell. 


“If Hilary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?” (deleted Twitter post, 2015.)




–Donald Trump on his performance with poorly educated voters who helped him win the Nevada Caucus, Feb. 23, 2016


As a podcast you can say whatever you want too.  Your choices has consequences.  There are at least 13 countries that won’t let your show in, if you are not family friendly (blue).

But that is not all.  You can choose the length of your show, the frequency of it, the tone, and color of it.

If you are not monetizing your show to the general public then you really can do and say what you want. The currency is social capital.

Pod- people get paid indirectly today for their work. My wife asks me after every speaking invitation I receive the same question. “Did you get paid for this?” When I was speaking in the gun world yes, in podcasting no.  To be remunerated in benefits and social capital isn’t the same. 

Maybe that is what the President is working towards, social capital with some group.

As stated before, social capital is a form of economic and cultural capital in which you are paid by gaining trust, cooperation, and services and sometimes products for volunteering for the common good. The big plus of social capital is reciprocity, which encourages bargaining.  Podcasting is a long game.  People will do business with you after they trust you.  It’s not like politics where people that don’t like you will still stand next to you.


Although I have missed the mark on this post with the “craziness;” here’s the purpose of what I was really trying to share:

  1. It’s more important to understand the purpose of a rule than it is to follow it.
  2. A very famous man has gotten very far not obeying the rules. You can too.
  3. Podcasting can be amazing for you if you are true to yourself, and your audience.
  4. Gain social capital before you look for riches.

Money is made in podcasting through affiliates, training, speaking, and selling to people that have an affinity with you.  It’s more than “likes.” You can’t buy a sandwich with a Facebook “like.”  The President is teaching you what not to do for long term success in podcasting.

Be unique but don’t be an ass.


“It’s freezing and snowing in New York – we need global warming!” – Donald Trump


Author: kennblanchard

Reverend Kenn Blanchard is an artist, musician, media consultant, podcast editor and producer, speaker, author, and gun enthusiast known internationally as the Black Man With A Gun.

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