Mentorship: Who It's Really For

Let’s be honest — “mentorship” is one of those buzzwords people throw around without really understanding. It has joined the likes of “love,” “loyalty,” “friend,” and “submission” on the list of overused and misunderstood terms. And lately, with all the noise online about who should charge what for mentorship (hello, Stephen Akintayo), it’s even more important to clear things up.

So, let’s strip away the hype and ego and talk plainly: What is mentorship? Who truly needs it? And how do you know when you’re ready for it?

1. Mentorship Is Not for Beginners

Mentorship is not a crash course or a hand-holding session. It’s not for someone who’s still figuring out the basics or trying to decide what path to take. Think of mentorship like jet fuel — you don’t pour it into a car that doesn’t even have an engine.

Real mentorship is for people who have already put in serious work. It’s for those who’ve laid the groundwork, tested things out, failed, learned, and now need help to move faster or smarter. If you’re still at square one, what you need is training, not mentorship. And no, they’re not the same.

Mentorship is the transfer of deep, hard-earned insight. It’s reserved for people who’ve shown they’re serious and can handle it — not those still asking where the “on” switch is.

2. Mentorship Is Not Coaching, Online Courses, or a WhatsApp Group

Let’s be clear: calling every form of support “mentorship” is what’s watering down its value. A beginner program? That’s education. A Facebook group with weekly tips? That’s community. A one-time session with a guru? Maybe coaching.

Mentorship, on the other hand, is an intense, long-term relationship. You’re not just getting tips; you’re getting access — to a person’s experiences, networks, strategies, and scars. That access is rare, expensive, and absolutely not for everyone.

Many so-called “mentors” are really coaches selling access to generic advice. That’s not mentorship. It’s sales.

3. Mentorship Is a Deep, Personal Investment — For Both Sides

When someone agrees to mentor you, they’re opening a door most people never see. They’re trusting you with knowledge, networks, and maybe even their reputation. That’s why real mentors are selective — and should be.

If you betray that trust, act entitled, or misuse what they share with you, it reflects on them too. That’s a risk most successful people won’t take lightly.

If you’ve ever watched The Apprentice (the film with Sebastian Stan), think about the dynamic between Roy Cohn and Trump — mentorship gone right, and then very wrong.

4. You Can’t Ask for Free Mentorship If You Haven’t Paid Your Dues

Here’s a hard truth: people who have done the work know how much real knowledge costs — not just in money but in sweat, mistakes, and years. They want to pay for mentorship because they understand its value.

People who complain about paying for mentorship are usually the ones who haven’t put in the work. They don’t recognize value because they’ve never earned or built anything meaningful yet.

Yes, there are exceptions — not all who charge are worth it. But generally, if you find yourself angry at someone pricing mentorship high, ask yourself: what exactly are you bringing to the table that justifies free access?

Let’s call it what it is: expecting premium mentorship for free is intellectual theft.

5. Should Mentorship Be Offered Publicly?

In a perfect world, mentorship would be a private offer extended to those who’ve proven themselves inside a community. But we don’t live in that world. Sometimes, people go public with it to reach a wider audience or to make a bold statement — like Stephen Akintayo did.

Yes, it’s controversial. And yes, it triggers people — especially when the fees are steep. But it’s also brilliant marketing if you’re prepared for the backlash.

Sadly, many people are more comfortable spraying money in clubs than investing it in knowledge. That’s just where we are.

Bonus Thought: High-Value Knowledge Costs — And That’s Okay

If you ever feel weird about paying a lot for access to someone’s knowledge, ask yourself this: Why are you okay paying tens of thousands for a foreign university degree, but not okay paying a successful entrepreneur to teach you how they actually made it?

Universities don’t guarantee success. Many professors have never run a business. Yet we revere those institutions and shame individuals who ask for payment for hard-earned wisdom. Make it make sense.

If YouTube and Google were enough, everyone would be a millionaire by now.

A Word on the Stephen Akintayo Controversy

Personally, I believe Stephen has earned the right to charge what he does. The real question isn’t about his price — it’s whether he’s burned bridges with people who now want to see him dragged.

And that’s something every public figure must wrestle with — credibility and ethics matter more than just your pricing strategy.

Because people rarely seek truth — they seek justification for their opinions.