Many still believe that higher education is the key to success, especially the older generation. But 25-year-old Jeff Tan is challenging that notion.
Since the age of 17, this Gen Z entrepreneur has been following his own path, choosing to skip traditional higher education in favor of pursuing his entrepreneurial dreams.
Despite forgoing a conventional degree, Jeff didn’t stop learning. Instead, he invested all of his profits from his early start-ups into enrolling in multiple short courses offered by renowned international universities. Focused on gaining practical knowledge and skills that aligned with his goals, Jeff proved that education doesn’t always come in the form of a traditional classroom.
Starting from Scratch
At just 17, while still in high school, Jeff Tan embarked on his entrepreneurial journey. His first venture was a clothing line called “On n’ Off Clothing,” which he designed and sold to his classmates.
What started as a small, personal project quickly caught the attention of a teacher, who saw the potential in Jeff’s business. Impressed by his entrepreneurial spirit, the teacher asked Jeff to provide custom shirt printing services for the school clubs, opening the door to new opportunities and a growing business.
After graduating from high school, Jeff found himself at a crossroads. He struggled to find a college program that aligned with his ambitions and future goals. Eventually, he enrolled in an Earn While You Learn (EWYL) business administration program, which required him to work full-time during the weekdays.
But just one week before the program was set to begin, Jeff made a bold decision to drop out. He realized that the classes wouldn’t help him achieve his dreams, saying that learning about theory was too general and time-consuming, and schools don’t teach how to run a business or make a profit—only experience does.
“I realised that education doesn’t come just from schooling. The school structure limits our ability to learn what we truly need to succeed in life,” explained Jeff.
Jeff was determined to carve his own path—one that would truly fuel his entrepreneurial spirit.
Despite feeling helpless at the time, Jeff didn’t let the setback define him. Instead, he took matters into his own hands and embarked on a self-paced learning journey through EDX, an online platform created by Harvard and MIT.
Determined to build the knowledge he needed, Jeff soon realized that his experience could be the catalyst for change. Inspired by the frustration he felt while searching for the right college program, he decided to launch his first education startup.
With guidance from industry experts, Jeff set his sights on the rapidly growing field of game design, combining his entrepreneurial drive with a passion for innovation in education.
Jeff quickly recognized a major gap: while gaming was a passion for many young people, the cost of pursuing related higher education programs was simply out of reach for most.
Driven by this insight, Jeff took action. He brought together game design companies that were also in search of talented individuals and created a program that offered both direct training and job placements for students.
The program was run by SEGi college subsidiary IFPA to run in SEGi College and even received endorsements from Reng College of Technology & Design and North Borneo University College.
Not stopping there, Jeff launched three more academies, including one focused on business education, Smarketing Academy. With a vision to provide practical and affordable learning opportunities, he continued to expand his entrepreneurial portfolio by co-founding an internet celebrity training company named Internet Stardom and an esports management company, FSA Esports.
His efforts earned him significant recognition, including recommendation letters from the Ambassador of Finland to Malaysia and the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Moldova in Malaysia.
Scammed by a consultant
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeff was working closely with a “Dato” consultant who represented multiple educational institutions. The consultant guided Jeff into the education industry and introduced him to several connections.
Recognizing Jeff’s strong execution skills and leadership, the consultant proposed a partnership. At the time, Jeff was only 19 years old, lacking the experience needed to foresee potential risks.
Initially, the consultant proposed a profit-sharing arrangement, even though the company was a sole proprietorship. He provided Jeff with a small office space to launch his first academy—a game art design academy—with an offer of a three-month rental deferment (only requiring all payment after three months).
In return, the consultant received a share of the company’s profits while also handling all qualification submissions. Meanwhile, Jeff managed every aspect of the business, from operations to student enrolments.
When students completed the program, payments were made to the consultant, who was responsible for submitting them to the university or the relevant qualification/endorsement body.
Payment submissions were not reached the awarding bodies
At first, everything seemed to be going well, and Jeff successfully expanded his business to four academies.
However, concerns began to arise when people around the consultant noticed that many payment submissions never reached the awarding bodies (educational institutions) for qualification or endorsement.
Payments were repeatedly delayed, and despite continuous follow-ups, everyone was ignored. Jeff eventually contacted the educational institutions directly, only to discover that numerous student applications had never been submitted. Despite Jeff’s dedication to providing quality training with his lecturer team, the consultant had taken the payments for himself.
Jeff persistently demanded the consultant return the funds, but he was continuously ignored. He later realized he wasn’t the only victim—many other academies faced the same issue, and the total missing funds were even higher than he had initially expected.
Shocked and deeply sorry for the affected students, Jeff took the initiative to gather all related educational institutions to discuss a solution. While they were willing to help, Jeff was still responsible for repaying the missing payments to ensure students could receive their qualifications.
On top of that, Jeff discovered that the consultant had been soliciting investments from outsiders for equity in one of Jeff’s academies, “Internet Celebrity Courses.”
However, instead of investing directly into Jeff’s academy, the funds were funnelled into the consultant’s own firm. As a result, no shares were issued or transferred.
The betrayal and financial loss were significant blows, but Jeff’s determination to rebuild and adapt remained unwavering, marking yet another chapter in his remarkable journey.
At this point COVID-19 and LOCKDOWN came.
Left with no other choice, Jeff was forced to stop all operations and return to the workforce to earn a salary—so he could repay the debts and cover the students’ qualification resubmissions.
However, just as Jeff began to stabilize his four academies, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, bringing with it the challenges of Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO).
In 2021, Jeff was recognized by British Publishing House and included in their prestigious encyclopedia, Successful People in Malaysia.
By 2023, Jeff’s entrepreneurial journey reached a new milestone. His latest venture, FORCAR, secured funding in the “seven-figure range,” a significant achievement that propelled the company’s momentum.
With its all-in-one, integrated platform and ambitious “super app,” FORCAR is set to revolutionize the automotive aftermarket industry.
In 2024, Jeff received yet another accolade from the British Publishing House. He was once again included in Successful People in Malaysia and Singapore for their 2025 edition, solidifying his place as a trailblazer in the entrepreneurial world.
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