David Barnes

Hi, I’m David, a Senior Product Manager with over 10 years of experience across startups and enterprises, specializing in helping founders build product-first organizations. I’ve co-founded and led multiple businesses, ranging from LegalTech and e-commerce to events, fashion, and consultancy. Currently, I lead product development at eduMe, a Series B-funded micro-learning platform, and have guided businesses—from bootstrapped startups to enterprises like Protolabs—through product ideation, market validation, and scaling.

I mentor technical co-founders, who bring deep technical expertise, and subject matter expert founders, who are industry specialists but may lack experience in product management. Whether you’re aligning your product with business goals, clarifying your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), or managing competing workstreams, I provide practical, hands-on guidance to help turn your expertise into a successful product.

Clients often describe my approach as "like therapy"—providing a second perspective to refine plans, while enabling founders to think about challenges in new ways. I focus on equipping you with the skills to solve problems independently, helping you grow into a stronger product leader. By offering a fresh perspective and asking the right questions, I enable you to develop the tools you need for long-term success.

If you’re ready to take the next step in building a product-first organization, let’s connect. I’m here to help you bridge the gap between technical knowledge and product success!