Bengaluru Influencer Slams Sharan Hegde’s 1% Club for Asking for Free Sessions

In a recent social media uproar, Bengaluru influencer Ankit Vengurlekar publicly criticized the 1% Club, led by financial content creator Sharan Hegde, for approaching him to provide unpaid online sessions for its members.

Vengurlekar's stance against the “well-funded” startup’s expectation of free services from professionals in exchange for mere branding sparked a heated debate on fair compensation and professionalism in the digital age.

Ankit Vengurlekar posts on LinkedIn

When approached by a team member from the 1% Club to conduct a masterclass on "Building your personal brand online," a seasoned content creator and former journalist, Ankit Vengurlekar quoted his fee per session. However, the company expressed its inability to provide monetary compensation.

“My professional fee is ₹25,000 per hour,” Vengurlekar said to which the firm’s representative replied, “We don't pay anything to experts who host these sessions” and instead offered “branding” through its platform.

Vengurlekar publicly denounced the 1% Club's request for free services on LinkedIn. His post resonated with many professionals who believe in fair payment for expertise. By pointing out the company's “well-funded” status and questioning the logic behind expecting free content from experts, Vengurlekar exposed what he deemed as a shameful lack of respect for professionals in the digital industry.

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On the other hand, in response to the controversy, Raghav Gupta, co-founder of the 1% Club, clarified that while the company pays a significant amount to individuals hosting masterclasses due to their high-level expertise, community sessions are offered with branding opportunities as compensation. Although Gupta defended the company's approach as mutually agreed upon, the debate surrounding fair compensation for professionals continues to gain traction.

Amidst the online discussion, numerous individuals voiced their support for Ankit Vengurlekar's firm stance against the expectation of free services from professionals. Many commended Vengurlekar for speaking out against what they perceived as entitlement and disrespect towards professionals. The incident prompted valuable conversations about the importance of acknowledging and compensating the expertise and efforts of professionals in the digital space.

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