Why Business and Politics Blend Rarely

My Tesla returns over the past year show why mixing business with politics rarely ends well, despite the thrill.

Started weekly SIP 3 years back.

• By election time: -14% returns.
• Post-Trump victory: shot up to 85% by December 2024.
  
  The ride was wild - between Trump's statements and Musk's tantrums, my portfolio swung daily. Now, post their fallout, I'm back to 35% returns.
  
  People taking up a job in government are told clearly: keep political opinions private. Smart advice most businesses ignore.
  
  Companies get addicted to political favor. When the winds shift, very few survive the crash. Only a handful due to sheer luck manage to ride long enough to survive after the ride ends
  
  In the past few years, I had few opportunities for political connections. However, I could never muster the courage to take it up. Nonetheless, luck was on my side - those who did align saw their fortunes change with Delhi's shifting dynamics in the past 3 years.
  
  Political bets might pay spectacularly short-term. Long-term? Anyone's guess.
  Better to treat political alignment as one of many business bets to grow - not your core growth plan