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Phil Santoro

Co-Founder at Wilbur Labs

Phil Santoro is an American entrepreneur and co-founder of Wilbur Labs, a startup studio that builds and invests in new ventures. He is also known for founding FreeForums.org, which became one of the largest online forum platforms and was later acquired by CrowdGather. Previously, Santoro worked at Google as a Growth Strategist before venturing into his entrepreneurial career.

Early Career and FreeForums.org In 2007, Santoro founded FreeForums.org, a platform that enabled users to create and manage online forums. The service rapidly grew, receiving over 125 million monthly page views and establishing itself as one of the most prominent destinations for online communities. In 2010, FreeForums.org was acquired by the public company CrowdGather.

Google and Formation of Wilbur Labs From 2013 to 2016, Santoro worked at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, where he served as a Growth Strategist. During his time at Google, he met David Kolodny, with whom he shared entrepreneurial interests. The two began discussing business ideas and, after identifying several market opportunities, decided to leave Google in 2016 to co-found Wilbur Labs.

Wilbur Labs In 2016, Santoro co-founded Wilbur Labs. Wilbur Labs provides funding, operational support, and shared resources to help launch and scale companies. Since its founding, the studio has built and invested in over 21 companies across various industries.

Writing and Speaking As an advocate for entrepreneurship, Santoro regularly shares his insights through speaking engagements and writing. He is a frequent contributor to publications such as Inc., Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Additionally, he addresses common challenges faced by startup founders in the Wilbur Labs Founder FAQ series.

Educational Background Phil Santoro graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business in 2013.

Support for Young Entrepreneurs Santoro began his entrepreneurial journey at an early age, building his first computer at age 12 and starting his first company at 13. To inspire and support young entrepreneurs, he has spoken at various schools on topics related to starting a business. In 2018, he established an entrepreneurship scholarship at Madeira High School, his alma mater, aimed at encouraging students to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions.

Personal Life Phil Santoro was born in Columbus, Ohio, and currently resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife, Rubi. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, he is a licensed private pilot and holds a Guinness World Record for competitive eating, achieved in 2014.

Highlights

Jun 3 · linkedin

Barkbus continues their rapid expansion across the US. Starting today, Atlanta pet owners will have access to the leader in Mobile Dog Grooming. Congrats to Jeff Safenowitz, Erin Benatar, Kirk Kimball, Patrick Riley, and the rest of the Barkbus team!

Jan 4 · linkedin

Nice read in Fast Company on how Barkbus is accelerating growth in 2024. Jeff Safenowitz sat down and shared more about the vision and upcoming expansion plans. Exciting time for the entire Barkbus team as they quickly became the top mobile dog grooming company nationally. 🐕

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Experience

Co-Founder at Wilbur Labs
Growth Strategist at Google

Education

BBA, Finance, University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business

Location

United States