Shane Leighton
Product Leader & Advisor
15+ years building at the intersection of technology, data, and business — from ESPN to Stripe.
Product Leader & Advisor
15+ years building at the intersection of technology, data, and business — from ESPN to Stripe.
About
I started my career as a software engineer at ESPN, which gave me a technical foundation that shapes everything I do. Over 15+ years I've transitioned into product and program leadership — building across fintech, data platforms, AI, and digital media.
I'm drawn to complex, ambiguous problems — the kind that require both deep technical judgment and clear business thinking. I've worked across 0→1 builds, platform scale, and org leadership, and I bring the same operating style to advisory work.
Core expertise
Setting vision, prioritizing ruthlessly, and aligning cross-functional teams around outcomes that matter.
Building infrastructure and tools that turn raw data into product value — from governance to AI-powered features.
From blank-page ideation through hypergrowth. I've done both and know when each mode applies.
Designing for developers and partners, not just end users — with a background in both PM and engineering.
Experience
Money Management & Risk
Leading complex cross-functional technical programs across Stripe's payments infrastructure at one of the world's most respected fintech companies.
Group Product Manager
Led the Trading Experiences portfolio — trade execution infrastructure, the TopstepX platform, and learning surfaces. Grew DAU 25%+ and contributed ~$8M in incremental MRR.
Head of Product
Drove product strategy for a grant management platform adopted by 30+ U.S. state agencies, supporting $15B+ in broadband funding.
Product Lead
Established the PM function at an AI-powered skills intelligence platform. Led the launch of an AI assessment generator that created a $3M pipeline during beta.
Senior Product Manager, Data Platforms & Technology
Led product strategy for data accessibility, governance, and compliance during Disney's migration to a unified cloud data platform — reducing data access time from weeks to under 3 hours.
Product Manager, APIs · Engineering Manager
Wore two hats — shipping API and content integrations as PM while managing an engineering team driving strategic platform investments.
Product Manager, Ad Platforms
Owned the ad serving and targeting product for one of the web's largest job marketplaces.
Associate Product Manager · Web Developer
Started as a web developer building ESPN's digital properties, then transitioned into product management — the move that set my entire career trajectory.
Advisory
I work with a small number of companies and individuals at a time. If you're building something interesting and want a thought partner with deep product and technical experience, I'd love to hear from you.
Strategy, roadmap, org design, and platform decisions for early-stage and growth-stage companies. I've built and scaled product orgs across fintech, data, AI, and media.
1:1 coaching for aspiring and current product managers preparing for interviews. I've helped multiple candidates land roles at top-tier tech companies.
Get in touch
Drop me a line and let's figure out if we're a good fit.