History

Founded in 2006 by Shaun Tan, a serial entrepreneur and consummate networker, the Entrepreneur Mentor Society started as a way to give back to the community and create an organization that Shaun wish he had when he started off as a young entrepreneur.  Starting with only 30 students, the program grew to over 115 members in its first year.   In 2007, EMS merged with the successful Southern California Entrepreneurship Academy (SCEA), thereby expanding the number of students and entrepreneurs EMS could help.

To date, EMS has helped over 400 undergraduate and graduate students from schools such as USC, UCLA, LMU, Caltech, Pomona College, and the Cal State system.  The program has hosted over 100 guest speakers including Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck-e-Cheese, Fred Joyal, founder of 1-800-Dentist,  Bob McKnight, founder of Quiksilver, Carl Karcher, founder of Carl’s Jr. Restaurants, and many other successful entrepreneurs.

EMS continues to inspire and support the next generation of student entrepreneurs in their quest to realize their dreams and reach their full potential.