Something that really has been an eye-opener to me recently came to realize that people want to be a teacher and mentor and go to great lengths to do this!
I've found that the people I look up to teach and mentor those around them in some form or fashion. This comes out most commonly in books they've written or talks they've done. But on a smaller level, with those who aren't in the public light and don't have a desire to be, there still is something inside them that wants to bring up and train the next guy. And if you can find someone that's well experienced, you may find that they would be willing to take you under their wing and teach you all that they know, for free.
A perfect example of this is my own boss. He is someone I looked up to and sought advice from when getting started at a makerspace, and because I showed interest and was willing to go the extra mile, he hired me on. Having to jump through some legal hoops in the process. Since I started working for him, he has shared so much knowledge of the industry and would even pull me aside from my work and talk for hours on the clock. It's very much like a karate kid scenario, where the sensei taught Daniel the art of karate and refused payment for it.
Key take away's:
1) People want to be mentors
2) Finding someone well experienced that isn't necessarily in the public spotlight is ideal for finding a mentor
3) Older, wiser people want to 'discover' and train the next guy and teach all the secrets of the trade
4) You can easily find yourself in a karate kid situation and massively progress your path in life