A few months ago, I was lucky enough to attend a session of the Entrepreneur Mentor Society. Shaun Tan set up the organization to help LA college students learn about starting businesses by meeting experienced entrepreneurs. It’s built around a semester of Saturday sessions, where two or three speakers will stand in front of a few dozen students, and just tell their stories. They always get a great set of folks up front, some famous, but all fascinating. Even better, the students are all busy starting their own businesses, with experienced mentors to offer advice.

LA traditionally hasn’t had the entrepreneurial infrastructure of the tech hubs like the Valley, Austin or Colorado, so the EMS is a big step forward. I started some on-going relationships there with both some of the students and speakers, like Gary Kosman of AmericaLearns. Most of all, I left feeling uplifted and energized by the enthusiasm that everyone radiated!

If you’re ever in LA on a Saturday, and you’re interested in meeting the next generation of entrepreneurs, check out the schedule and contact Shaun.