About EO

As the world’s only peer-to-peer network exclusively for entrepreneurs, EO helps transform the lives of those who transform the world.

About EO

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global business network of 14,000-plus business owners in over 190 chapters in more than 60 countries. Founded in 1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO helps small and large business owners learn from each other, leading to greater business success and enriched personal lives. Our vision is to build the world’s most influential entrepreneur community that aligns with our mission of supporting entrepreneurial education and engaging entrepreneurs so they can master new skills and grow.

As a global business-owner network and association, we help transform the lives of the entrepreneurs who transform the world. We educate, we transform, we inspire and we offer invaluable resources in the form of events, leadership-development programs, an online entrepreneur forum and business-owner education opportunities, among others, and all designed for business growth.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization also operates the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), the premier award program for undergraduate students who own and run businesses while attending a college or university, and Accelerator, a series of quarterly, high-impact learning events designed to provide top business owners with the tools, knowledge and skills they need to grow their businesses to more than US$1 million in annual revenue.

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About EO

The History of EO

It's been more than 25 years since a group of forward-thinking entrepreneurs created a network of likeminded peers to help each other learn and grow. Follow the evolution of EO below - from its beginnings as YEO and WEO - and discover how we grew into the world's most influential community of entrepreneurs.

Highlights

Young Entrepreneurs' Organization®
Young Entrepreneurs' Organization®

1987-1988

  • Verne Harnish and 22 former members of the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs create "their own path" for continued personal and business growth; this organization eventually becomes the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization (YEO®)
  • YEO® holds its first official event in Nassau, Bahamas, with 57 members in attendance

1988-1989

  • YEO® opens its first office in Washington, D.C., USA, to manage operations
  • Andrew Sherman of Jones Day becomes YEO®'s legal counsel; incorporation papers are filed in the spring of 1988

1989-1990

  • YEO® is officially incorporated in November 1989
  • Birthing of Giants (now known as the Entrepreneurial Masters Program) is created as a continuing education opportunity focused on practical business management

World Entrepreneurs' Organization®
World Entrepreneurs' Organization®

1990-1993

  • YEO® expands its reach with eight total chapters, along with joint programs with the USSR and China
  • Continued chapter expansion, especially in Canada, presents the need for a governing body for the organization; a Global Board of Directors is formed
  • Membership begins to expand exponentially as the "no borders" policy is developed to establish one truly international organization
  • The first international Forum training takes place, becoming the largest such session to date

1993-1996

  • YEO® teams up with Ernst & Young for the first "Entrepreneur of the Year" award
  • Several new chapters are launched outside of North America, primarily in Asia and Europe
  • YEO® receives its first grant from the Kauffman Foundation to help foster entrepreneurship worldwide
  • IBM becomes the first official corporate sponsor of YEO®

1996-2000

  • YEO® celebrates its 10th anniversary, while hitting the 1,000-member milestone
  • The World Entrepreneurs' Organization (WEO®) is created as a graduate program for YEO® members
  • YEO®'s membership increases by more than 35% to eclipse 2,775 total members
  • European expansion continues with the launch of six new chapters, including EO London and EO Amsterdam
  • The "Strategic Vision Statement" is created to drive the organization to be the "premiere, peer-to-peer global community, network and resource for entrepreneurs"

2000-2004

  • The Forum program begins to more closely resemble its current state, with Moderator-training programs and higher-level experience-sharing being offered
  • Pilot Mentorship programs begin, reconfirming the YEO®/WEO® commitment to peer-to-peer learning
  • EO is formally established as an umbrella organization to house YEO® and WEO® under one single brand

2004-2008

  • WEO® chapters begin to solidify their identity with the EO brand
  • The new brand is officially launched at the Global Leadership Conference (GLC), with EO eventually becoming the standard brand of the organization
  • The EO Accelerator program begins, with support from Mercedes-Benz Financial
  • EO introduces Octane, a quarterly magazine designed to educate and inspire its members through member-written stories
  • EO begins to assume control of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) from St. Louis University

2008-Present

  • EO's first Global Leadership Summit is held in Canada
  • EO Injected launches, with its EO Insignia and EO Quantum Leap programs focused on providing additional resources to tenured and high-revenue members
  • EO24 is held for the first time as a truly global learning initiative, with live-streaming events and knowledge-sharing from 60 chapters in 17 time zones
  • The Global Entrepreneur Indicator is launched, creating a quarterly tracking mechanism for the economic outlook of entrepreneurs worldwide

About EO MEPA Bridge

EO MEPA Bridge is a regional, border-less chapter that enables members to amplify their journey with peers beyond their local community.

Bridge aims to serve the needs of business leaders from both smaller cities and areas outside the radius of local chapters. Bridge also provides an option for those members looking to grow through diverse relationships or need greater flexibility by connecting via virtual platforms.

Learn more about EO MEPA Bridge
About EO