Originally published in the December 12, 2008 edition of the Wilkes-Barre, PA Times Leader newspaper.
Scott Sanfilippo was in his first job out of college, with Commonwealth Telephone, which launched epix Internet Services, when he saw the possibility of e-commerce. Scott and his co-founder Joe Palko brought theferretstore.com to life in 1994, even before Amazon.com was launched. The first four years were rocky. Scott and Joe plugged away at the Internet and direct marketing, working from a closet in Scott’s townhouse. The operation grew to a garage, an incubator center and then into a building.
Scott eventually devoted himself full-time to theferretstore.com, acquiring a wealth of knowledge about pets along the way and sharing it on his own weekly radio show as “The Pet Guy.” Theferretstore.com withstood big competition during the dot-com boom. Surviving the bust, Scott and Joe decided to go in a new direction with Solid Cactus, an e-commerce and Web design business.
In May of 2007 theferretstore.com and several other Web properties were sold to the nation’s largest mail-order pet supply company. Scott and Joe decided then to devote time to growing Solid Cactus. Solid Cactus was recognized by Inc. Magazine in 2007 as its 255th fastest-growing privately held company and 28th fastest-growing IT company. In 2006 and 2007, the company was selected as one of the “Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania.” Doubling in size during both years, Solid Cactus went from No. 21 up to No. 11 out of 220,000 businesses in the commonwealth as one of the best places to work in Pennsylvania.
Scott has a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from King’s College and currently resides in Moosic and Palm Beach, Fla. He shares his home with his Chihuahuas — Baby, Peanut and Freckles, as well as Cosmo the cat.
Scott currently sits on the board of directors for the following: Great Valley Technology Alliance; Luzerne County SPCA
His recent achievements: “Person of the Year – 2007” nominee by the Wilkes-Barre, PA Citizens’ Voice Newspaper; “Top 20 Under 40 – 2006” (Top 20 business executives in Northeast, PA under the age of 40); “Young Millionaire – 2005” Entrepreneur Magazine
What do you do in your spare time?
I travel and spend time with my wonderful dogs.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I’m just a common guy with an ordinary job living an ordinary life.
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Palm Beach, Fla. where I spend my weekends.
What is your favorite type of music?
Music from the ’60s and ’70s
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A disc jockey
What was your first job?
A disc jockey at the now defunct WARD radio.
If you could switch places with one person for a day, who would it be and why?
Anyone retired so I can see what I’m supposed to be looking forward to …
