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Phil Santoro

Entrepreneur and Co-FounderWilbur Labs

San Francisco, CA

Member Since November 2022

Skills

Entrepreneur
Managing Startups
Technology

About

Phil Santoro is an entrepreneur. He is a Co-Founder of Wilbur Labs, a Startup Studio based in San Francisco. Phil previously worked at Google and founded and sold FreeForums.org. Co-Founder of Wilbur Labs: Phil Santoro is a Co-Founder of Wilbur Labs, a Startup Studio based in San Francisco. Wilbur Labs provides funding, shared resources, and operational support to turn bold ideas into market-leading companies. Since 2016, Wilbur Labs has built and invested in 21+ companies. Phil’s Experience as a Speaker and Writer: Phil Santoro is an expert on building and growing companies. Phil loves sharing what he’s learned to help others. He answers common founder questions on the Wilbur Labs Founder FAQ series. Phil is a speaker and author of numerous articles in Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine, helping entrepreneurs build and scale companies. Past Work – Google: From 2013-2016 Phil worked at Google as a Growth Strategist. Past Work – Founder of FreeForums.org: In 2007, Phil Santoro founded FreeForums.org to allow anyone to create a forum. FreeForums.org quickly became one of the largest destinations online, receiving over 125 million monthly pageviews, and was acquired by the public company CrowdGather in 2010. Education Background of Phil Santoro: Phil graduated from the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business in 2013. Personal Life of Phil Santoro: Phil Santoro lives in San Francisco with his wife, Rubi Santoro.

Published content

How Barkbus and Wilbur Labs are transforming mobile dog grooming

article

Fast Company Executive Board member Phil Santoro and his team at Wilbur Labs saw tremendous potential in Barkbus—and are helping it scale to become the mobile dog grooming company of the future.

How Wilbur Labs builds for long-term durability

article

Companies built at Wilbur Labs get to tap into a team of experts, and the learnings compounded over the last seven years—something the team calls “studio knowledge.”

Next generation leadership: Three core principles to follow

article

Keeping the trust of consumers doesn’t drive ancillary revenue—it’s at the core of the business. 

10 strategies to decide if a business trend is really worth it

expert panel

Do your homework before you dive in. It's easy to get caught up in buzzwords and jump on the bandwagon when a trend has gone viral. However, in the business world, it's typically a smarter move if company leaders and teams tread the waters lightly to gauge customer sentiment and observe how other influences are leading the way in their approach. One way or the other, only time will tell which direction a popular fad may take as a fleeting trend or long-lasting opportunity—so it's best to err on the side of caution and learn from others' mistakes before you commit to a growing movement too quickly.  Below, 10 Fast Company Executive Board members share their tips on the best way to gauge whether or not a business trend is worth putting into motion.

Why startups can compete—and win—against incumbents

article

Companies that are first to market aren't always those that win. In a large space with multiple competitors, there are still opportunities to build, improve, and serve customers better.

14 tips companies need to consider before going fully remote

expert panel

If you're trading in your brick-and-mortar space in favor of a digital office environment, business leaders are weighing in on some important points before you jump ship. As hybrid-remote work options continue to rise, some employers may be thinking that now is the time to transition to a permanent remote business. Whether it's to save on unnecessary real estate spending, continued health safety, or ability to expand your talent acquisition and client base globally, you'll need to be strategic about how your company plans to move ahead without missing a beat.  Below, 14 Fast Company Executive Board members discuss essential details that every leader should take into account when transitioning from a traditional on-site company to an entire remote establishment.

Company details

Wilbur Labs

Company bio

Wilbur Labs is a startup studio based in San Francisco. Wilbur Labs turns bold ideas into market-leading companies, and has built and invested in 21+ companies since 2016.

Industry

Technology

Area of focus

Incubators
Venture Capital

Company size

11 - 50