Lessons - How She Turned One Instagram Page Into a Full Social Media Empire | Theresa Depasquale - CEO of Capture Social Group

Summary

Success Story with Scott D. Clary

Episode: Lessons – How She Turned One Instagram Page Into a Full Social Media Empire
Guest: Theresa Depasquale, CEO of Capture Social Group
Host: Scott D. Clary
Date: May 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on leveraging social media for long-term business growth, with a candid discussion between Scott D. Clary and social media expert and entrepreneur Theresa Depasquale. Theresa shares the story and strategies behind her journey from a single fitness Instagram page to building Capture Social Group, now a thriving social media empire.

Key topics include effective content strategies, the evolving landscape of social platforms, authenticity in branding, risks of social platform dependency, and the business implications of new features and emerging platforms. Scott and Theresa also highlight actionable lessons for business owners looking to build lasting, trust-based audiences and adapt in an ever-changing digital world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Finding and Converting the Right Audience

• Objective of Content: Scott opens the episode by emphasizing that finding the right audience is crucial for conversion—a core aim of all content-driven business efforts.

  "One thing that you mentioned that if you find the right audience… they will convert. And that's really the objective of a business putting out content." (Scott, 02:03)

• Platform Trust: Scott and Theresa discuss trust discrepancies, notably how TikTok can create large followings but often lacks enduring audience commitment compared to platforms like YouTube or Instagram.

  “Anybody, a house mom from New Jersey can all of a sudden become an expert... anybody could be famous.” (Theresa, 02:24–02:37) "If your audience only sees you on TikTok and then doesn't go anywhere else… that's a leading indicator that your audience doesn't trust you or care about you that much." (Scott, 02:50)

Instagram Success Principles for 2023 (and Beyond)

• Short Form Video is a Must
  [03:37–04:05]
  Theresa stresses that brands need to embrace short-form video content—Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts—to sustain relevance and growth.

  “If you're not leaning into the short form video trend, you gotta start… It doesn't have to be silly… If you're not on Instagram or even TikTok or… YouTube Shorts… that should be part of your strategy.”

• Long-Term, Strategic Social Media Investment
  [04:05–05:35]
  Organic social is a “long-term play,” crucial for establishing owned media assets and de-risking businesses from ad and platform volatility.

  “You shouldn't have all your eggs in one basket… organic social is owned media. It’s never going to go away. It’s your content… and it’s such a good long term play to support all these other things.” (Theresa, 04:54–05:28)

  • A Personal Anecdote: Theresa relates how sudden changes in Facebook and Google ad rules nearly “dried up” her former eight-figure business, underlining the need for owning your audience and content.

Authenticity in Content Creation

• What Does Authenticity Mean?
  [05:49–07:14]
  Scott probes the meaning behind the buzzword “authenticity,” and Theresa provides practical advice: show your real self, including aspects outside your expertise, and don’t be afraid to expose personality or imperfections.

  “Who are you and what do you do? You don't have to try to be anything, just be yourself.”
  “Authenticity… isn't going to sway people away. And at the end of the day if it does, they're not your people anyway… just don't be afraid to be yourself.” (Theresa, 06:15–07:14)

• Relatability Over Perfection
  [09:39–10:52]
  Scott and Theresa agree that unpolished, ‘real’ content (even in ads) builds trust and engagement more than over-produced material.

  “People are so tired of that. They don’t want fake perfect people. They want real…” (Theresa, 10:29)

Platform Features and Engagement Tactics

TikTok: Virality vs. Longevity

[11:19–11:46]

• TikTok brings brand awareness, but Theresa warns about its uncertain future (bans, volatility).

“If you're going to put out all this work and effort into a platform that's so volatile… there is that chance [it could be banned].” (Theresa, 11:25–11:46)

Meta & VR/Metaverse

[11:46–12:57]

• Theresa isn’t personally drawn to the metaverse, but is actively learning from experts due to potential future relevance for businesses, particularly around NFTs and smart contracts.

Paid Verification Badges

[13:14–14:38]

• Theresa has mixed feelings about Twitter and Instagram’s paid badges; as someone who “earned” her verification, she hopes for differentiation between paid and legacy badges. She supports verification in principle for user safety and validity.

Using New Instagram Features Strategically

[14:38–16:46]

• New features that foster engagement—like Notes—should be used intentionally.

“Engagement is a currency of Instagram… The more you can get people Engaging, the more that's assigned to Instagram that you're keeping people on the platform.” (Theresa, 14:45)

• She suggests using features to prompt DMs and real conversations, giving the example of a friend posting a humorous status that sparked replies. (16:00–16:22)

“Conversations lead to conversions. So the more you can connect with them, the more that it will work.” (Theresa, 16:46)

Niche Social Platforms

[16:58–17:41]

• Theresa notes some niche platforms (BeReal, Goodreads) are useful for select audiences, but her focus—and the focus for most businesses—remains on mainstream platforms due to reach and ROI.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Short Form Video:

  “If you're not leaning into the short form video trend, you gotta start… It doesn’t need to be a whole thing but if you’re not leaning into it, you really need to start…”
  (Theresa, 03:37)

• On Risk of Over-Reliance on Paid Media:

  “In a matter of months our entire 8 figure business almost dried up… don’t have all your eggs in one basket… organic social is owned media. It’s never going to go away.”
  (Theresa, 04:54–05:28)

• On Authentic Branding:

  “You should also be sharing with your audience things about your personal life. That’s where authenticity comes in.”
  (Theresa, 06:15)

• On Being Real:

  “They don’t want fake perfect people. They want real… that unpolished, like they’re just hanging out with a friend feel.”
  (Theresa, 10:29)

• On Platform Engagement:

  “Engagement is a currency of Instagram… Anything that is a new feature that can foster engagement is good.”
  (Theresa, 14:45)

• Mantra for Social:

  “Conversations lead to conversions.”
  (Theresa, 16:46)

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Key Timestamps

| Time | Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:03 | Finding and converting the right audience | | 03:37 | Importance of short-form video; overcoming video shyness | | 04:54 | The dangers of relying too heavily on paid advertising | | 05:49 | Authenticity: what it really means in a personal brand | | 09:39 | Relatability over perfection in content creation | | 11:19 | TikTok’s volatility and risks for business investment | | 11:46 | Discussion of Meta, VR, and the metaverse | | 13:14 | Feelings on paid/protected badges (verification) | | 14:38 | Using new Instagram features strategically to foster engagement | | 16:46 | “Conversations lead to conversions”—engagement advice | | 16:58 | Niche social platforms: relevance for brands |

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Practical Takeaways for Listeners

• Embrace video, especially short form: Adapt it to your brand; don’t hide behind lack of production value.
• Don’t depend entirely on paid ads or one platform: Build email lists, create owned content, and diversify social strategies.
• Be authentic: Share your real self and personal stories in addition to your expertise.
• Use new features strategically: Anything that fosters genuine engagement can boost your organic reach and results.
• Focus where the audience is—but be aware of risks: Don’t put all your work into volatile or niche platforms unless your audience is truly there.

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Theresa’s real-world social media journey and Scott’s probing questions make this episode a practical, inspiring guide for anyone ready to turn digital presence into a durable business asset.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Scott]

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[Scott]

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[Scott]

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[Podcast Host]

growth engine when used with strategy and intention. Discover why short form video remains essential for building awareness. Understand how authenticity creates stronger audience trust and deeper engagement. And uncover how using platform features strategically can turn everyday conversations into lasting conversions.

[Scott]

One thing that you, you mentioned that if you find the right audience, this is the, this they will convert. And that's really the objective of a business putting out content.

[Podcast Host]

Obviously.

[Scott]

I also find that TikTok is, is brand awareness. But the, there's like a trust factor that I feel isn't built on Tik Tok. For some reason I feel like Tik Tok is a very low trust building platform with your audience.

[Social Media Expert]

That's because anybody, a house mom from New Jersey can all of a sudden become an expert on. You know what I'm saying?

[Scott]

Yeah, it's like people don't carry over.

[Social Media Expert]

Like you look at it, anybody could be famous.

[Scott]

Exactly. So you have somebody with 5 million followers on Tik Tok. They have like nothing anywhere else. The audience doesn't carry and it shouldn't be about audience, but it's a, it's

[Podcast Host]

a leading indicator that your audience doesn't trust you or care about you that much.

[Scott]

If your audience only sees you on TikTok and then doesn't go anywhere else and you look at YouTube, for example, you, every YouTuber where you're talking to

[Podcast Host]

somebody for 10, 20, an hour long,

[Scott]

they have a big audience, their audience cares about them, their audience follows them.

[Social Media Expert]

Other places, Instagram, Facebook, Greg, email list.

[Scott]

Yeah, yeah. Okay, so without, without doing a full, full strategy because other things I want to talk to you about outside of just Instagram. What are some, what are some things that you want to leave a business owner, entrepreneur with that are just things to think about for Instagram right now in 2023?

[Social Media Expert]

Okay, that's a loaded question.

[Scott]

I know it is. You have to pick the things that are top of mind. I know it's a loaded question. Sorry.

[Social Media Expert]

I think, you know, I think this might sound funny to you because you're doing it, but like if you're not leaning into the short form video trend, you gotta start and you can really do it to what makes sense with your brand and like your personality. It doesn't have to be silly, you know, whatever trending reel with like lip syncing audios. I think a lot of extra brands get like really intimidated by reels. But if you're not on the Instagram or even TikTok or whatever, even YouTube shorts now like some kind of short form video, that should be part of your strategy. It doesn't need to be a whole thing but like if you're not leaning into it, you really need to start like just leaning into more video content and like learning the nuances of it. There's so much nuance with video content, like the editing, the lengths, the scripting, like there's a lot that goes into it that would be number one. Number two is like really not being cavalier with it because it's such a powerful tool. Organic social media, like I was talking about it can benefit your business in so many ways. Long term look at as a long term play. It's not a short term play, it's a long term play. So like really getting serious, doubling down on it. Because what I've learned is that like say I'm doing Facebook ads, you could be crushing it. And this has happened to me personally with me and my ex husband's business. We were literally crushing, crushing, crushing from Facebook. We own regenerative medicine clinics and they changed. They basically deplatformed us on off of Google overnight so we couldn't advertise redundant medicine because it's scientifically unsound. They changed the Facebook insights. It became very oversaturated. And so like in a matter of months our entire 8 figure business almost dried up and wild. The lesson that was learned from that a couple years ago was don't have all your eggs in one basket. And so as a business owner like this will organic social is owned media. It's never going to go away. So like you could, you know, I'm saying like yes, the platform could close down. You should be getting people on your email list, things like that. But I'm saying it's your content, you can save the post. It's content you create and it's such a good long term play to support all these other things. And God forbid one of them goes away. At least you have this foundation built.

[Scott]

Yeah, you're like de risking yourself one level further than just paid because yeah, that's very smart. Very, very smart. And you have that audience again to always tap into. One thing that you, you mentioned, you've

[Podcast Host]

mentioned this a few times, is, is,

[Scott]

is being very purposeful about the type of content you put out, which is understood. But then you also mentioned authenticity and

[Podcast Host]

I think authenticity is key to your

[Scott]

strategy, but it's also a buzzword that's really thrown around a lot that I think loses value because people don't understand what it really means. Like, does it mean I'm Gary Vee and I'm swearing all over my Instagram or what does it actually mean in terms of like content creation?

[Social Media Expert]

So for me, when I would like coach somebody on being authentic, it would be more of like when I'm looking at a personal brand, there's like the business side of the personal brand which is like my master, my expertise. But then I'm also a person. Right? So like one, one of the things I teach about personal branding is like you are a person in your business is one thing that you do. So you should also be sharing with your audience like things about your personal life. And like that's where the authenticity comes in because like who are you and what do you do? You don't have to try to be anything, just be yourself. Like I've had so many doctors that are like, you know, oh, I'm afraid to let not look professional and like they're doing all this really cool like dancing or like whatever. And I'm like put it out there, like let's show your audience they're so scared. Then when they do it like the aud loves it because it's just like that's who they really are. And and so I think a lot of experts are worried about not looking professional or whatever. And it's like showing people who you are and being authentic isn't going to, you know, sway people away. And at the end of the day if it does, they're not your people anyways. They're never going to buy your stuff. Not everyone's going to like you on social media. So like just don't be afraid to be yourself.

[Podcast Host]

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[Scott]

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[Scott]

And, and that's just. I, I feel like I notice this sometimes when I even do podcasts. It's like when people are recording something that like a different person comes on. It's like the person that comes on when you're in front of a mic and a camera. It's like, it's like this alternate ego Persona, whatever. And then the second the camera shuts off, then the person becomes real and the person actually is like a human being. And then the conversation you have when somebody, you want to have the conversation on social media that you would normally have off camera for most people, that's the best way to put it to

[Social Media Expert]

a friend at a coffee shop. That's always something cool. Stop writing like you're writing a dissertation and write.

[Scott]

Yeah. It's like there's real value in your brain. So talk about it. And don't just think you need like this, like manicured perfect.

[Social Media Expert]

No, because it's.

[Scott]

But you know, you, you see it. I'm sure you see this.

[Social Media Expert]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I mean, I think that people are so tired of that. They don't want fake perfect people. They want real. That's why. Oh my gosh, look at so many of the Facebook ads. It's literally people taking their cell phone out and they're like putting it up. You can see them pushing the button in the ad. They don't even edit that out anymore because it's like they want that unpolished. Like they're just hanging out with a friend feel that's what people want is authentic.

[Scott]

Okay, let's talk about. Let's just do like rapid fire of other social things that I'm interested in your opinion. And, and only because I was Complaining about features on social and you're like no Scott, you're an idiot. This is not a stupid fucking feature. This is actually a very useful feature. I'm like okay, whatever, we'll talk about it. So I, I was just curious about your, your view on a couple different things. So let's just go through the list. You already mentioned TikTok, you don't necessarily

[Podcast Host]

double down on it.

[Scott]

Do you have any opinions about TikTok in terms of like data privacy? Do you have any care about that? Do you think it's going to stick around? Do you Concerns?

[Social Media Expert]

That's interesting too because if you're going to put out all this work and effort into a platform that's so volatile, like it's banned in India, it's banned in a couple of other countries. So like we don't know what's going to happen here so that there is that chance. Who knows, it could be totally non existent. But yeah, I mean I don't worry too much about it but that's definitely something to think about and consider.

[Scott]

Meta, metaverse, virtual anything. Do you care about that at all?

[Social Media Expert]

You know I know I should because it's coming and I'm trying. I actually have one of our clients who's one of my good friends, she's like one of the biggest experts in crypto NFT space and so I'm learning a lot from her. Her name is Lee Richter.

[Scott]

I know Lee. Oh that I, that I know Lee. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Lee. We have a couple mutual friends.

[Social Media Expert]

Yeah, I'm trying, I'm learning so much from her but it's just like I had not resonating with it yet. Like the whole virtual reality metaverse, like it doesn't do it for me personally but I'm learning because I don't want to be behind the curve, you know, Like I'm trying to learn more about all these things and like, like she's, we, we do her social but I believe she's one of the best people teaching people like breaking it down to make it understandable. Like she's the only person that I've understood it from because I read it and I'm like ah, it's like Chinese. Yeah, but she's doing a really good job of like breaking down all this stuff and making it like also like how to apply that to your business and branding. So like using NFTs and smart contracts for your business and like really cool things that people are doing. So like I'm learning a lot from her. So I'M trying, but I haven't. I haven't done anything with it yet.

[Scott]

You know, it's funny, her whole business is about making it more accessible. That's. That's her whole, like the, the whole NFT Pay business is about making it like, super accessible to everyone. She's. She's very. We had dinner like a month ago.

[Social Media Expert]

That's so cool.

[Scott]

Yeah.

[Social Media Expert]

She's one of our very good friends. Yeah.

[Scott]

Yeah. What about influencer? Like, what about badges? Paid badges on Twitter, Paid badges on Instagram?

[Social Media Expert]

We don't know what's going to happen with that. I mean, as someone that's verified that earned my verification, it's a little frustrating for me. Yeah, I got it. Because I'm like a published author that actually had a serious book, you know what I mean? So I got verification that way. I think that it's great what they're doing, but I'm hoping we don't know because they haven't commented on it. But I'm hoping maybe the people that have verification will have a different color or something to signify something different. Like, I think it's great what they're doing because, you know, anyone should have. I do think on social media you should have some kind of verification. Anyways, it should be like the initial step, but I'm curious to see how this works when they roll out on Instagram. Like, if, if people like me are going to have a different color or we don't know yet, we have no idea.

[Scott]

Or, or if. Because what's happening on Twitter right now is Elon's actually getting rid of legacy verification. So even if you were legacy, verified and notable, unless you're government or, or there's maybe there's some categories. He's just making it. So if you don't pay for Twitter Blue, you're not verified, which is silly. I mean, like, that means, like that means like Kanye or, you know, Kim or whatever wouldn't be verified unless they're paying for Twitter Blue. Interesting. Whatever it is, Interesting, useful features, new features. I. I was complaining. What was that feature in Instagram I was complaining about?

[Social Media Expert]

Is the one that you put a mode. You're like, this feature so stupid.

[Scott]

I don't get it. So, so I don't understand it.

[Social Media Expert]

So the reason I said it's useful is because one of the main things I teach about Instagram is like, engagement is a currency of Instagram if you want to grow organically. So you've got to have engagement in your content. The more you can get people Engaging, the more that's assigned to Instagram that you're keeping people on the platform. And they like that because it's a business. They want to sell ads to people on the platform. Right. So it's like, that's the signal. Engagement metrics signals that algorithm that they should be pushing your content to more people. So anything that is a new feature that can foster engagement is good. So like notes, if you use it, smart people will DM you and reply to the note. Do you see what I'm saying? So you can put things in there to foster DMs, which is engagement. So that's like a smart thing if you learn how to use it. Right.

[Scott]

And, and that would potentially help engagement across your entire account, your entire profile. Okay, that's okay. That's not much of a hard sell, to be honest. That's. That, that'll help me, that'll get me to do it for sure.

[Social Media Expert]

For sure. But it's not like you have to put up things that are going to foster engagement. Don't just put up, like, like, I love my dog.

[Scott]

Well, I see people, I see people just putting the city that they're in.

[Social Media Expert]

A lot people use it differently. I mean, but like, that's what I'm saying. Like, for me, it's a strat. Everything is strategic. For me, I don't think about it.

[Scott]

So give an example.

[Podcast Host]

Like, give a.

[Scott]

Like what would be a good. I can probably try and think of some. But like, what have you used?

[Social Media Expert]

I don't know. I'll tell you, the last one I replied to that I was laughing is my friend Elizabeth went to south beach and she put south beach almost killed me. And so I messaged her, started, and I put lmao. It got me a lot. I laughed because I was like, I know south beach will kill you.

[Scott]

Well, Spring break too. So.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, for sure.

[Social Media Expert]

Yeah.

[Scott]

Listen, I'm. I'm here and I don't even go down there. I, I don't even, I don't even try. I don't think I've been to south beach once in the past two years I've been in Florida.

[Social Media Expert]

So, like, that, like, that resonated with me because it's almost killed me also. So, like, thinking about your ideal audience, what would resonate with them to get them to reply to you? Do you see what I'm saying? What little comments, like, if there's like a controversial, timely thing happening, ask them a question. Trump.

[Scott]

That's a good question, Mark. That is a smart thing to think about. Just like the. The new features coming up on social. Like, use them. Like, find a way to use them and explore them, because that's obviously what they want.

[Social Media Expert]

It's all about building a relationship and, like, a dialogue with your audience. I always say conversations lead to conversions. So the more you can connect with them, the more that it will work.

[Scott]

Niche social sites, like Be Real, Goodreads, weird stuff like that that I haven't really used, but I know they exist. You see them having. No. Okay. I know that people use them. I don't know who I.

[Social Media Expert]

My girlfriend has all these, like. She's obsessed. She reads more than anybody I've ever met my entire life. So she has actually. It's a really cool news app. It's not social, but it's kind of like a Facebook for news. Have you seen.

[Scott]

It's like, hang on, the new one that Instagram launched.

[Social Media Expert]

No, it's called. I forget the name of it. It's an app that has, like, a news feed, but it's like, news that you can pick and like, show in your feed the news that you want.

[Scott]

Oh, I don't know this. No.

[Social Media Expert]

Like a social media for news. It's cool. I don't any of that stuff. I don't. It's just not my thing. I spend so much time on Instagram and social media that I can't. I need to turn my brain off.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for tuning in. If you found this valuable, don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. And if you want to dive deeper into this conversation, check out the links in the description to watch the full episode. See you in the next one.