Branden Espinoza
Curriculum Vitae
I take good product ideas, make them great, and lead the teams that turn them into successful market solutions.
As a product leader and individual contributor, I bring a maturity acquired in the trenches. My ability to gain product vision buy-in from key stakeholders, communicate with c-level leadership, navigate risk and regulatory compliance demands, and mentor junior team members make me well-suited to manage next-generation product initiatives and lead the teams that deliver them.
Skills & Knowledge Sets
| Product Skills | ………. | Leadership Skills | ………. | Knowledge Sets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agile/SAFE Methodology | Change Manager | Bitcoin/Crypto/Digital Asset Domain | ||
| Product Roadmapping | Conflict Resolver | BSA/AML/CTF Regulatory Compliance | ||
| Technical Spec Writing | Decision Maker | Product Lifecycle Management | ||
| SDLC Mastery | Performance Manager | Fintech Trends & Innovations | ||
| Performance Metrics Analysis | Strategic Planner | Data Security & Privacy | ||
| User-Centric Approach | Mentor & Coach | Risk Management & Mitigation |
Training & Certifications
- SAFe Agile Product Owner Product Manager (POPM Training) - Scaled Agile, Inc - December 2022
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO Certification) - Scrum Alliance - November 2020
- Project Management Professional (PMP Training) - Project Management Institute - March 2013
Experience
Senior Product Manager, Stakeholder Management
EOS Network Foundation
April 2023 – Nov 2023; Remote
- Led end-to-end stakeholder engagement, driving critical feature inclusion.
- Systematized stakeholder feedback acquisition, fostering responsiveness and product improvement and innovation.
- Drove stakeholder-aligned, data-driven product decision making by synthesizing and escalating research.
- Initiated and led cross-functional, evidence-based product planning and ideation sessions to align business objectives.
Key Achievement
- Built a stakeholder-focused product management processes, accelerating the efficient delivery and development of products that resonate with user needs and expectations.
Senior Product Manager, Digital Asset & Exchange Product
Bullish.com (a block.one company)
Jan 2021 – March 2023; Grand Cayman & Remote
- Managed all product features directly related to listing of digital assets/tokens.
- Architected end-to-end digital asset vetting and listing process with consideration for secure and compliant custody.
- Maintained an expert level of domain knowledge, with attention to custodial solutions and asset management practices.
- Spearheaded research initiatives focused on Bitcoin-specific integrations and alternative custody solutions.
- Designed and iterated a regulatory-friendly Product/Feature Review and Approval process.
Key Achievements
- Launched a subsystem, significantly accelerating the secure listing of new digital assets on the platform.
- Designed a global spot-price oracle/API suite, laying the groundwork for the introduction of margin and futures products.
Senior Technical Project Manager, Ecommerce Replatforming
Omnichannel Commerce Inc
Oct 2019 – Oct 2020; Remote
- Formalized the agency’s best practices for planning, managing, reporting, and billing projects.
- Led global teams of 30+, including Developers, Architects, and Project Managers.
- Managed ecommerce replatforming and systems integration projects including Salesforce Commerce Cloud, enterprise middleware, and various payment, warehouse, and order management solutions.
Key Achievements
- Tripled project delivery velocity.
- Founded and formalized the company’s PMO.
Director of Product
StrongBlock (a pre-series A startup)
July 2018 – Sept 2019; Remote
- Brought the StrongBlock Enterprise-grade Blockchain-as-a-Service product suite to life.
- Managed product roadmap, product specs, global development team, QA, unit testing, regression tests.
- Transitioned team from waterfall-based engineering process to fully integrated agile process and SCRUM framework.
Key Achievements
- Developed a comprehensive product strategy uniting user interviews, competitive landscape, and c-suite vision.
Regulatory Compliance Training Solutions Manager (AML, BSA, CTF)
BB&T (now Truist Bank)
Jan 2017 – Sept 2018; Remote
- Rapidly designed, prototyped, and implemented a new enterprise-wide AML training product.
- Consulted on BB&T’s compliance program to support regulatory compliance needs for client-side products.
- Designed various change management solutions to ensure long-term viability of training assets.
Key Achievement
- Delivered compliance training products resulting in lifting of FDIC issued consent order/decree.
Learning & Development Project Manager, Fintech & Regulatory Compliance
American Express (Foreign Exchange Services)
June 2011 – March 2017; Greater Salt Lake City Area
- Consulted on product feature enhancement of a point-of-sale retail FOREX platform.
- Instituted rapid prototyping methods, reducing training designer/developer man hours by 25% per project.
- Deployed and supported a global knowledge base with 3000+ topics to support customer facing relationship managers.
Key Achievement
- Delivered global regulatory compliance training product rebuild across all business lines in response to Dodd-Frank.
Education
| Brigham Young University | ………. | Cornell University |
|---|---|---|
| September 2003 – April 2007 | September 1997 – January 1999 | |
| Bachelors of Science in Entrepreneurship | Natural Resource Management | |
| - Lean Startup Methodology | - Agribusiness Management | |
| - Product Development | - Behavioral Economics | |
| - Entrepreneurial Finance | - Change Management | |
| - Business Development/Sales |