“Success isn’t a solo project. It’s a collaboration with those who see your worth, even when you don’t.”

In 2017, a young woman named Fadekemi joined a startup accelerator in Lagos with nothing but an idea on paper: turn local grains into healthy, affordable cereals for Nigerian kids. She was passionate, driven, and painfully underfunded. In the first two weeks, she barely spoke during sessions—intimidated by polished pitches and people who had already raised seed capital.

But three people changed everything for her.

• One showed her how to think bigger.

• Another spoke up for her when she wasn’t in the room.

• And one had her back in the trenches when everything felt like it was falling apart.
  
  

Let’s talk about these three people: the mentor, the sponsor, and the ally.
They are not buzzwords. They are lifelines.
And if you want to go far—especially in a world that often overlooks fresh voices—you need all three.

1. The Mentor: They Teach You How to Think, Not What to Think

On the third week of the accelerator, Fadekemi was paired with a mentor: a retired product developer from Nestlé named Mrs. Onome. Instead of lecturing her, Onome asked her to go stand outside a Shoprite store and watch how mothers made cereal-buying decisions.

“Innovation doesn’t begin with invention,” Onome told her.
“It begins with observation.”

That single sentence reframed everything.

Fadekemi spent hours watching, listening, and learning from shoppers. She redesigned her product label, tweaked ingredients to match taste preferences, and repositioned her product from “organic cereal” to “the cereal Nigerian moms trust.”

Mentors don’t just transfer knowledge—they transfer mental frameworks.
They help you:

• Think more clearly.

• Fail more intelligently.

• Grow more intentionally.

Great mentors rarely give you answers. They teach you how to ask better questions.

2. The Ally: They Fight Beside You When No One Else Does

During a funding pitch, one of the judges smirked when Fadekemi explained her idea.

“Too niche. Poor moms don’t care about healthy food,” he said.
Before she could respond, Chuka, another accelerator participant, stepped in.
“Actually, that’s not true,” he said. “My aunt in Kaduna runs a small food business, and she's constantly asking for healthier options for her kids.”

Chuka didn’t have to say anything.
But allies do that.

They vouch for your work.
They amplify your voice.
They check bias when it tries to silence you.

Allies are not always your best friends. Sometimes, they’re the unexpected people who step up when it matters most. In a boardroom. In a comment section. In a meeting where you were overlooked.

When you find one, keep them close.
When you have the chance, be one.

3. The Sponsor: They Mention Your Name in Rooms You’ve Never Entered

Fadekemi’s big break came not from another pitch, but from a WhatsApp message.

“Hey, heard about your work. Someone from your accelerator recommended you. We’re looking for early-stage founders for a Nestlé nutrition grant.”

The “someone” was a program advisor who had watched her silently build her idea, week after week. She never pitched him directly. She didn’t even know he was paying attention.

That advisor was her sponsor.

Sponsors are different from mentors. They don’t just guide you—they advocate for you.
They put their name next to yours.
They invest their social capital to push your career forward.

Sponsorship is why people with the same skills get wildly different opportunities.
It’s not always merit. Often, it’s who’s willing to speak up for you when you're not there.

How to Find (and Be) These Three People

Let’s face it—most of us don’t get handed mentors, allies, or sponsors on a silver platter. You don’t wait for these people. You cultivate them.

To find a mentor:

• Don’t ask “Will you be my mentor?”

• Instead, ask thoughtful questions. Offer updates. Build value.

• Mentorship grows from engagement, not entitlement.
  
  

To find an ally:

• Be one first. Speak up for others. Amplify their work.

• You’ll be surprised how that energy circles back.
  
  

To find a sponsor:

• Do work that speaks for itself.

• Show up consistently and excellently—even when no one seems to be watching.

• Sponsors back those who show potential and proof.
  
  

Final Thoughts

Fadekemi eventually launched her cereal brand—one that now stocks in over 30 supermarkets across 3 states.

But the real story isn’t the brand.
It’s the trio behind her success.

The mentor who sharpened her mind.
The ally who had her back.
The sponsor who opened the door.

The question is:
Who are these three people in your life?
And just as important—who are you being this for?

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