Mike Bal
Head of Product | AI Native | Growth
ex-AutomatticExperienced Product Leader with 10+ years of experience driving growth and success for startups and enterprise businesses. Currently focused on creating AI-powered products and experiences that leverage multi-model (and modal) systems.
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A proven track record in both B2B and B2C SaaS environments, thriving at the intersection of technology, strategy, and innovation. Thriving in fast-paced environments, I relish the opportunity to tackle complex, challenging problems - the harder, the better. I excel at guiding cross-functional teams through the full product lifecycle, from conceptualization to launch and beyond, ensuring that data-driven insights and a relentless focus on the customer underpin every step. My general product mindset is rooted in a deep belief that great products aren't just about what they can do; they're about doing meaningful things that meet people's needs in a simple, intuitive, and delightful way.
GTM Index
- DAVID'S BRIDALJOB
- Head of Product1Y
Head of Product
David's Bridal
I'm now Head of Product at David's Bridal, where I'm establishing an AI-native product organization to modernize a 75-year-old retail giant and disrupt the wedding industry. My role spans our entire ecosystem: consumer apps (Pearl AI wedding planning platform), B2B vendor solutions, media network, and emerging product initiatives. We're building from first principles to create competitive advantages that traditional players can't match. Leading the transformation from legacy retail operations to an AI-powered platform that redefines how couples plan weddings and how the industry operates. Currently focused on scaling our direct competition with The Knot while building the infrastructure for…
- Product and AI9M
Product and AI
David's Bridal
As Head of Product and AI for Pearl at David's, I lead a dual focus on developing comprehensive wedding planning solutions while driving AI innovation across the organization. I spearhead the creation of intuitive AI-native applications that serve both couples planning their weddings and businesses seeking to enhance their client interactions throughout the planning journey. Beyond product development, I identify strategic opportunities to implement AI-driven tools that improve efficiency and innovation company-wide. My role involves evaluating emerging technologies, determining high-value use cases, and implementing solutions that transform both customer experiences and internal operations…
- NOVA REGISTRYJOB
- Head of Strategy and GTM3Y 1M
Head of Strategy and GTM
Nova Registry
As the Head of Strategy and GTM at Nova Registry, I lead our efforts to integrate custom domains into SaaS products, focusing on activation and go-to-market (GTM) strategies with our partners. By embedding .link domains seamlessly into their platforms, I help our partners unlock new possibilities for their users, enhancing both brand identity and digital presence. Our partnerships with leading platforms such as Gravatar, Dub, WordPress.com, Bit.ly, Wix, and Heylink.me demonstrate our commitment to collaboration and innovation. I work closely with these partners to refine messaging, positioning, and pricing strategies that optimize acquisition and lifecycle marketing, ensuring a superior pr…
- MIKE BALJOB
- Advising and Fractional Le…1Y 8M
Advising and Fractional Leadership
Mike Bal
- ENRICHJOB
- Enrich host4Y
Enrich host
enrich
Description: enrich is a private network for CxOs, VPs and Directors that facilitates structured conversations with people doing your job at similar companies.
- THE ENGINEERED INNOVATION GROUPJOB
- Sr. Dir of Technical Produ…11M
Sr. Director of Technical Product Management
The Engineered Innovation Group
- AUTOMATTICJOB
- Head of Product Strategy2Y
Head of Product Strategy
Automattic
Integrated product strategy into major initiatives across WordPress.com by developing competitive analysis, GTM strategies, and leading integration of new features and 0 to 1 product builds. Led initiatives to build and launch new products, bring major features to market, and craft empathetic experiences for users — including a self-serve ads platform and consumer-facing e-commerce platform built on open-source software. Aside from the product management work involved, I was hands-on in supporting product marketing efforts, providing copy, creative direction, positioning, and educational content. Created product-focused video content that helped thousands of customers leverage the product…
- Head of Community Growth,…8M
Head of Community Growth, WordPress.com
Automattic
- 10UPJOB
- Dir of (Growth) Audience &…1Y 7M
Director of (Growth) Audience & Revenue
10up
As the Director of Audience and Revenue, I established a new discipline within the organization, working closely with internal stakeholders and key clients to seamlessly integrate this area into our core services. I spearheaded a team that was dedicated to ensuring our clients could collect the most important data from across their digital products and platforms. Our work involved not only data collection but also ensuring clients had the infrastructure and reporting abilities to leverage this data effectively. This, in turn, empowered our clients to make more informed and strategic decisions about their products. In parallel, another significant portion of my role involved a razor-sharp f…
- Dir of Delivery3Y 3M
Director of Delivery
10up
In my role as Director of Client Delivery at 10up, I was privileged to lead an exceptional group of managers who were responsible for product, project, and program management for our enterprise clients. I was at the helm of four cross-functional teams, collectively comprising over 40 dedicated professionals. Together, we delivered successful outcomes and ensured satisfaction in all our engagements. Our work spanned a diverse array of projects. While a significant portion of our efforts was centered around platform migrations and 0 to 1 builds, the heart of our work was rooted in the ongoing, iterative improvement of digital products for enterprise businesses. We were not just building and…
- Team Lead and Senior Mgr1Y 6M
Team Lead and Senior Manager
10up
In my capacity as Team Lead and Project Manager, I was entrusted with dual responsibilities that were both challenging and rewarding. Not only did I act as the project or program manager for multiple large and complex projects, but I also served as the direct manager for a large cross-functional team, with several project managers reporting directly to me. This role offered me the invaluable opportunity to learn and practice multiple agile methodologies for product management. It was an intense, hands-on experience that allowed me to refine my ability to prioritize impactful work and construct thoughtful product experiences efficiently and effectively. My day-to-day responsibilities ranged…
- CREATURES OF CONTENTJOB
- Founder and Chief Creator3Y 1M
Founder and Chief Creator
Creatures of Content
Creatures of Content is a side project I started as a way to push my own creative skills to the next level while helping great businesses pick up some momentum. We seek out really impressive products and services and then create content about those things based on our experience with it and the ideas it inspires. We don't charge our partners anything apart from the cost of the product and shipping because we want our audience and personal connections to be able to trust that we'll be 100% honest. So far we've had the pleasure of working with great companies like Loot Crate, Fifty Three, Kidrobot, Whiskey Barrel Coffee, Sock Fancy and more.
- INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTJOB
- Strategic Mktg Consultant10Y 3M
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Independent Consultant
I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Strategic Mktg Consultant10Y 3M
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Independent Consultant
I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Strategic Mktg Consultant10Y 3M
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Independent Consultant
I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Strategic Mktg Consultant10Y 3M
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Independent Consultant
I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Strategic Mktg Consultant10Y 3M
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Independent Consultant
I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- SINGLE GRAINJOB
- Dir of Client Success7M
Director of Client Success
Single Grain LLC
As the Director of Client Success I'm responsible for making sure that our efforts align with the client's needs and that we're producing nothing less than impressive work. This requires me to manage internal and external processes, client expectations, project strategy, and all communications. This new role also requires me to leverage my comprehensive knowledge of digital marketing to solve problems and present opportunities related to paid acquisition, search engine optimization, social media marketing, content marketing, and conversion rate optimization. While managing my responsibilities as the Director of Client Success I'll also be acting as the lead strategist for all social media…
- Dir of Social Media1Y 9M
Director of Social Media
Single Grain LLC
I started with Single Grain as the Director of Social Media and Content where I helped develop an offering of quality, and results-driven, social media and community management services for our clients. From there, it was my job to ensure that our work helps to fortify and grow our client's presence across the social media space earning increased traffic, raised brand awareness, and unbreakable loyalty for all of the brands we work with. I was also responsible for ensuring that Single Grain was always up to date on the newest technologies and opportunities in the industry and that we're effectively using all of the tools that were at our disposal to consistently create and share engaging…
- Job: Single Grain LLC — Director of Social Media · 2013-04 – 2015-01 · 1y 9mo — I started with Single Grain as the Director of Social Media and Content where I helped develop an offering of quality, and results-driven, social media and community management services for our clients. From there, it was my job to ensure that our work helps to fortify and grow our client's presence across the social media space earning increased traffic, raised brand awareness, and unbreakable loyalty for all of the brands we work with. I was also responsible for ensuring that Single Grain was always up to date on the newest technologies and opportunities in the industry and that we're effectively using all of the tools that were at our disposal to consistently create and share engaging…
- Job: Automattic — Head of Community Growth, WordPress.com · 2021-05 – 2022-01 · 8 mo
- Job: Mike Bal — Advising and Fractional Leadership · 2023-05 – 2025-01 · 1y 8mo
- Job: 10up — Director of Delivery · 2016-07 – 2019-10 · 3y 3mo — In my role as Director of Client Delivery at 10up, I was privileged to lead an exceptional group of managers who were responsible for product, project, and program management for our enterprise clients. I was at the helm of four cross-functional teams, collectively comprising over 40 dedicated professionals. Together, we delivered successful outcomes and ensured satisfaction in all our engagements. Our work spanned a diverse array of projects. While a significant portion of our efforts was centered around platform migrations and 0 to 1 builds, the heart of our work was rooted in the ongoing, iterative improvement of digital products for enterprise businesses. We were not just building and…
- Job: 10up — Team Lead and Senior Manager · 2015-01 – 2016-07 · 1y 6mo — In my capacity as Team Lead and Project Manager, I was entrusted with dual responsibilities that were both challenging and rewarding. Not only did I act as the project or program manager for multiple large and complex projects, but I also served as the direct manager for a large cross-functional team, with several project managers reporting directly to me. This role offered me the invaluable opportunity to learn and practice multiple agile methodologies for product management. It was an intense, hands-on experience that allowed me to refine my ability to prioritize impactful work and construct thoughtful product experiences efficiently and effectively. My day-to-day responsibilities ranged…
- Job: Creatures of Content — Founder and Chief Creator · 2013-03 – 2016-04 · 3y 1mo — Creatures of Content is a side project I started as a way to push my own creative skills to the next level while helping great businesses pick up some momentum. We seek out really impressive products and services and then create content about those things based on our experience with it and the ideas it inspires. We don't charge our partners anything apart from the cost of the product and shipping because we want our audience and personal connections to be able to trust that we'll be 100% honest. So far we've had the pleasure of working with great companies like Loot Crate, Fifty Three, Kidrobot, Whiskey Barrel Coffee, Sock Fancy and more.
- Job: The Engineered Innovation Group — Sr. Director of Technical Product Management · 2023-09 – 2024-08 · 11 mo
- Job: David's Bridal — Head of Product · 2025-10 – present · 10 mo — I'm now Head of Product at David's Bridal, where I'm establishing an AI-native product organization to modernize a 75-year-old retail giant and disrupt the wedding industry. My role spans our entire ecosystem: consumer apps (Pearl AI wedding planning platform), B2B vendor solutions, media network, and emerging product initiatives. We're building from first principles to create competitive advantages that traditional players can't match. Leading the transformation from legacy retail operations to an AI-powered platform that redefines how couples plan weddings and how the industry operates. Currently focused on scaling our direct competition with The Knot while building the infrastructure for…
- Job: enrich — Enrich host · 2021-01 – 2025-01 · 4y — Description: enrich is a private network for CxOs, VPs and Directors that facilitates structured conversations with people doing your job at similar companies.
- Job: Independent Consultant — Strategic Marketing Consultant · 2006-01 – 2016-04 · 10y 3mo — I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Job: 10up — Director of (Growth) Audience & Revenue · 2019-10 – 2021-05 · 1y 7mo — As the Director of Audience and Revenue, I established a new discipline within the organization, working closely with internal stakeholders and key clients to seamlessly integrate this area into our core services. I spearheaded a team that was dedicated to ensuring our clients could collect the most important data from across their digital products and platforms. Our work involved not only data collection but also ensuring clients had the infrastructure and reporting abilities to leverage this data effectively. This, in turn, empowered our clients to make more informed and strategic decisions about their products. In parallel, another significant portion of my role involved a razor-sharp f…
- Job: David's Bridal — Product and AI · 2025-01 – 2025-10 · 9 mo — As Head of Product and AI for Pearl at David's, I lead a dual focus on developing comprehensive wedding planning solutions while driving AI innovation across the organization. I spearhead the creation of intuitive AI-native applications that serve both couples planning their weddings and businesses seeking to enhance their client interactions throughout the planning journey. Beyond product development, I identify strategic opportunities to implement AI-driven tools that improve efficiency and innovation company-wide. My role involves evaluating emerging technologies, determining high-value use cases, and implementing solutions that transform both customer experiences and internal operations…
- Job: Independent Consultant — Strategic Marketing Consultant · 2006-01 – 2016-04 · 10y 3mo — I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Job: Single Grain LLC — Director of Client Success · 2014-06 – 2015-01 · 7 mo — As the Director of Client Success I'm responsible for making sure that our efforts align with the client's needs and that we're producing nothing less than impressive work. This requires me to manage internal and external processes, client expectations, project strategy, and all communications. This new role also requires me to leverage my comprehensive knowledge of digital marketing to solve problems and present opportunities related to paid acquisition, search engine optimization, social media marketing, content marketing, and conversion rate optimization. While managing my responsibilities as the Director of Client Success I'll also be acting as the lead strategist for all social media…
- Job: Independent Consultant — Strategic Marketing Consultant · 2006-01 – 2016-04 · 10y 3mo — I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Job: Independent Consultant — Strategic Marketing Consultant · 2006-01 – 2016-04 · 10y 3mo — I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- Job: Automattic — Head of Product Strategy · 2021-05 – 2023-05 · 2y — Integrated product strategy into major initiatives across WordPress.com by developing competitive analysis, GTM strategies, and leading integration of new features and 0 to 1 product builds. Led initiatives to build and launch new products, bring major features to market, and craft empathetic experiences for users — including a self-serve ads platform and consumer-facing e-commerce platform built on open-source software. Aside from the product management work involved, I was hands-on in supporting product marketing efforts, providing copy, creative direction, positioning, and educational content. Created product-focused video content that helped thousands of customers leverage the product…
- Job: Nova Registry — Head of Strategy and GTM · 2023-09 – present · 2y 11mo — As the Head of Strategy and GTM at Nova Registry, I lead our efforts to integrate custom domains into SaaS products, focusing on activation and go-to-market (GTM) strategies with our partners. By embedding .link domains seamlessly into their platforms, I help our partners unlock new possibilities for their users, enhancing both brand identity and digital presence. Our partnerships with leading platforms such as Gravatar, Dub, WordPress.com, Bit.ly, Wix, and Heylink.me demonstrate our commitment to collaboration and innovation. I work closely with these partners to refine messaging, positioning, and pricing strategies that optimize acquisition and lifecycle marketing, ensuring a superior pr…
- Job: Independent Consultant — Strategic Marketing Consultant · 2006-01 – 2016-04 · 10y 3mo — I have done work in training, consulting and execution on a variety of subjects. Most of my experience is weighted in social media but I'm also fairly well versed in elements of web design and my favorite platform to work on is WordPress. What really gets me excited is brand architecture. I love building it from the ground up and I think a lot of people and businesses don't understand how intricate an irreplaceable brand should be. The most valuable thing I have to offer any business or brand is my brain. I try not to limit my services because I know that every brand is different and every brand is in a completely unique situation. This means that I will take the time to identify and devel…
- School: Iowa State University — BA, Advertising
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