I vaguely heard of this but I guess some people are a bit miffed. “I was scammed by Trump”: Former students allege The Donald defrauded them - Salon.com
What the hell were these people expecting? A PhD in Real Estate and a tenure track position at an AACSB university?
I think they were expecting a quality experience and unique insights from Trump. But I also think they were made to believe that Trump was actually involved. Finally, at the end of each tier they were urged to go up to the next level where the real juicy stuff was supposed to be...but never was.
Most of these names are scams. For example: You properly never seen Robert Kiyosaki at Rich Dad, Poor Dad seminar, or Arnold Schwarzenegger at Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Expo. Other includes Touring CNN with Robin Meade in Atlanta....
Why are there those who actually believe Trump, or anyone else for that matter, would in fact reveal through some wealth and real-estate seminar their proprietary model to financial success. So profoundly naive… but then simpletons love naiveté. "There's a sucker born every minute."
It wasn't the no-Trump bait-and-switch, nor was it the fact that you don't get his real secret (which is to be born rich, btw). It was the constant up-selling, promising that the next level above would hold the real goods. He got nailed in NY for using the term "university."
If only being born rich was the ultimate secret to Trump’s business success (although a plus); nonetheless, Trump likely would have been long gone after losing the $20MM he originally inherited from dear old dad’s estate. Historically Trump is a master at leveraging his funding sources (banks). Possibly they believe he was /is TBTF…
Well, for comic-or-other-relief, here's my good experience with Trump University - and yes, this was before the New York Board of Regents objected to the name and it was changed to Trump Institute of Entrepreneurship. I downloaded and printed out a free brochure I was offered, containing 200-odd tips about financial & business success and developing the "Trump Mindset." I think the tip about learning at least one new thing every day was the most important to me; I have really tried to live by it. I don't think any of the 200+ tips was any kind of secret, but they were pretty well all common-sense and well-presented. I still have the brochure - in a binder, with The Donald and his University on the cover. It really looks impressive, especially for a freebie! I still review it once in a while - and sometimes carry it on the bus, for effect. :smile: Subsequent to the brochure, I did get a number of solicitations for seminars etc. in which I had no interest. These soon dwindled away. People in this business all realize when they are wasting their time. So, I have nothing but good to say about Mr. Trump and his generosity to me. :smile: J.
When I was a kid, I had a Reggie Jackson model baseball glove, and it was a piece of crap. The stitching in the webbing started falling out almost immediately, and it was unusable within a week. I didn't hold Reggie personally responsible, nor did I ask for my dad's money back.
I liked Robert Kiyosaki's book. When there was a book supposedly written by Trump, and Kiyosaki, "Why we want you to be rich" , I borrowed it from a library. It was full of hot air about how great Trump is and how he is so smart, but it gave zero financial education or real advice.
Reading through this, I'm sure many of us have been disillusioned 'way more than once, when we felt that some well-known person - I name no names - had lent his/her name to a crap product or service, solely for the money. The thing that gets me: advice from some of these people that your good name is the greatest thing you have - so don't call it into disrepute. Then they do... :sad: J.
I wish all celebrity endorsers were more like George Foreman. Yeah - love my Grill! George has been smart and careful about use of his name & fame. Maybe he could teach a seminar on that topic, to celebrities who really need it! J.
George Foreman not only has his name to protect but those of his five sons, also named George Foreman.
Partially agreed. In the beginning, I'm sure he had a hand in creating the "University." Similarly, I read that George Foreman, although not the inventor of the grill that bears his name, also had some influence in its design. Difference - Foreman stuck around and continually went to bat for his good product - for really good pay, I must admit. :smile: Trump? One of the most frequent customer complaints was that he was never present at the seminars etc., not that he ever promised to be there, as far as I know. In the end, unlike George Foreman, it appears ( I could always be wrong - but I doubt it) he just stamped his name on the project and left product details and the running of the project completely to others. Anyway - I can't complain. I appreciate the nice freebie. J.
Agreed! The motto of P. T. Barnum University. One bizarre twist on this was Harvey Brody, in the 1980s, who was aggressively selling a $99 "Get rich quick" booklet, revealing the secret method that made him rich. The secret turned out to be aggressively selling a $99 "get rich quick" booklet. John Bear