AI Systems Builder · Product Leader

Dana Bamshad

I ship products at scale — defining what to solve and leading the build of the AI systems that power them.

From launching the first mobile payment platform in U.S. consumer tech — featured as Apple's launch partner for Passbook at WWDC — to designing agentic workflows with LLMs and MCP, I operate at the intersection of senior product leadership and technical AI fluency.

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." — Alan Kay

Dana Bamshad

What I've Built

Products that defined categories

Each of these roles required building something that didn't exist yet — from the first mobile payment platform to AI-powered fintech to agentic workflow systems.

Starbucks

Head of Mobile · U.S. Patent Holder

Founded the digital product division. Built the first mobile payment platform at scale in U.S. consumer tech — 0→1 to $3B annual revenue in 3 years. Featured as Apple's WWDC keynote partner for the launch of Passbook (now Apple Pay). Expanded across four markets including China, where I served as Digital Leader.

DocuSign

Director, Signing Experience

Led a 30+ person team through a full re-platform of the Signing Experience — 50M DAU across 188 countries. Exceeded revenue targets, including a $23M ARR partnership. Unlocked >$30B TAM through HIPAA and CFR Part 11 compliance, ensured eIDAS compliance, and introduced WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standards across the Signing Experience.

Airbnb

Head of Product, Airbnb for Work

Led a ~50-person cross-functional team (PM, engineering, design, data) for the Business Travel platform — 550K+ companies, 7M+ enterprise users. Product lead for the IOC Olympic Games Housing partnership spanning 9 games. During COVID, pivoted the platform to support essential Frontline Worker Housing.

AI Startups

Vessel Health · Refundly

Early-stage product leadership at two AI-first startups. At Vessel Health, led an at-home diagnostics platform combining physical test kits with AI-powered insights. At Refundly, brought to market an AI-driven refund monitoring system integrated with Gmail and Plaid — connecting to users' email and bank accounts to automate transaction tracking.

Now: Agentic AI

Building What's Next

Designing agentic AI workflows with API and MCP integrations that connect LLMs to platforms like Plaid, Shopify, Slack, Gmail, and Google Calendar. Systems that automate real work, not just demos. From roadmap through delivery.

How I Work

Three principles

After leading products at Starbucks, DocuSign, Airbnb, and a series of startups, I keep coming back to these convictions.

I build the system, not just the roadmap.

I use Claude, OpenAI, and AI builder tools to write specs, generate prototypes, automate QA, and ship. At Refundly, I embedded generative AI across the full product lifecycle and shipped 10 iOS releases in 60 days. The roadmap is a byproduct of the work, not the other way around.

I think in workflows, not features.

Products are systems of connected decisions. I dissect the need and design MCP integrations, agentic workflows, and API architectures that solve end-to-end problems — not isolated feature requests. The best products feel invisible because the workflow does the thinking.

I lead from trust and accountability.

I've led teams up to 50 across product, engineering, design, and data. I set transparent values, share ownership of wins, and take accountability for misses. I've also coached 20+ director-level leaders — because understanding the humans in the system matters as much as the system itself.

"Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design."
— Charles Eames

Writing

Thinking out loud

I write about building AI systems, product leadership, and what it looks like to actually ship in the age of agents.

Agentic Systems

What My Vinyl Collection Taught Me About Designing Agentic Systems

I collect vinyl. A lot of it. Recently, I realized I couldn't answer a simple question — what do I actually own? So I drew a boundary and built a system.

Read on Substack →

AI Workflows

Building My Personal Operating System — One Workflow at a Time

Every year, I do the same thing. I spend a weekend — sometimes two — reconstructing twelve months of financial decisions I already lived through. So instead of forcing my behavior into accounting software, I built infrastructure around how I actually operate.

Read on Substack →

Beyond Work

The rest of the story

Vinyl collector and Hi-Fi listening session host at Shibuya Hifi in Ballard. Hobbyist potter and occasional tambourine player. I also run two small businesses in the jewelry industry: The Baroness Collection, vintage and antique jewelry sales, and Baron Ornaments, a Sterling Silver Christmas ornament business and family legacy I've carried forward. I share creative writing on my Substack and explore the world with my daughter Marlowe. I believe the best product thinkers are the most curious people — and curiosity doesn't stop at the office.