philosophy · 15 May 2026 · 2 min read
How we vet mentors
Mentors are the whole product. Here's the (slightly uncomfortable) bar we hold them to.
How we vet mentors
Mentors are the whole product. Get the mentor wrong and no syllabus saves you. Get them right and the syllabus is almost incidental.
The bar
- Currently doing the work. Not "did it once five years ago" — currently shipping in the field they teach.
- Can run a critique in public. A mentor who can't kindly tear apart a piece of work in front of a cohort isn't a mentor — they're a coach.
- Will say "I don't know". A mentor who pretends to know everything is the most dangerous person on the platform.
What we do not optimise for
Credentials. The piece of paper. The brand on the CV. None of it predicts whether someone can sit with a student at 9pm and help them ship the thing.