Dave Masters | Greater NYC Area
Product Leader, Marketplaces and Consumer PlatformsI’m a senior product leader with more than 20 years of experience building and scaling consumer and marketplace products, most recently at Realtor.com.I’ve spent much of my career working in complex, ambiguous problem spaces, helping teams turn messy inputs into clear direction through lean experimentation, strong product judgment, and steady execution.My work centers on guiding complex consumer and marketplace products through growth, monetization, and moments where trust really matters.
WHAT'S IT LIKE WORKING WITH ME
“Dave brings clarity to complex situations and helps teams move with more confidence.”“A calm, thoughtful leader who always keeps users, teammates, and outcomes in focus.”“In every cross-functional room, Dave is the person who builds trust and keeps everyone aligned.”“He leads with empathy, but also knows when to push decisions forward.”
SELECTED PROJECTS
GearFix (private beta):
Built a 0-1, AI-powered guitar pedal assistant that helps players dial in their tone with manual-backed recommendations. Full-stack app with Next.js, FastAPI, RAG pipeline, and Qdrant vector DB. Live at gearfixapp.com.Agentic AI Hackathon
Co-led a company-wide AI initiative that explored how agentic workflows could streamline internal and external operations. Built a Slack-integrated prototype using Glean that automated team tasks and surfaced insights.Sellers Marketplace
Strategized and launched a marketplace that gave homeowners more choice and transparency. Integrated more than 20 partners including cash-offer companies and listing agents. Extended the experience through the UpNest acquisition.Airbnb Short-Term Rental Integration
Partnered with Airbnb to bring income estimation into the homeowner dashboard. Helped owners understand potential short-term rental value as part of their planning and renovation decisions.Doorsteps Renter Platform
Turned a first-time buyer startup into a renter-first platform focused on affordability, budgeting, and personalized guidance. Extended distribution through Facebook Messenger using early conversational patterns.
FEATURED
How I Tested That – Concierge Experimentation
Conversation with David J Bland on early-stage experimentation and learning under uncertainty.
EXPERIENCE
For a full view of my experience and career progression, LinkedIn is the best place to go.
HOW I WORK
- Calm and collaborative
- Comfortable operating hands-on in ambiguity
- Focused on clarity, trust, and delivering products people actually use
- Strong partner to design and engineering
CONTACT
If you’d like to talk about product leadership, complex problem spaces, or potential roles, feel free to reach out:📧 [email protected]📅 You can also book a 15 minute intro call.🔗 Connect on LinkedIn
FUN FACTS
• Guitarist and founding member of Signal Hill. Latest album released through Better Looking Records.
• Creator of a 50-week ambient guitar series.
• Received coaching from David Bland, Josh Seiden, and Melissa Perri/Product Institute.
• Early experiments in agentic AI with a growing obsession for simplifying workflows.
• Exploring a marketplace concept focused on trust, provenance, and high-quality gear signals.