Building businesses for the real world.

The story

Most of the economy still happens off-screen: in garages, storefronts, and workshops run by people who are excellent at their craft and underserved by technology. That's the part of the economy I care about.

This isn't a thesis I picked up from a newsletter — I live it. I own Xenos Pizza, a pizzeria in Midtown East, so I know firsthand what running a Main Street business takes: the margins, the hours, and how much being trusted by a neighborhood is actually worth. That operating experience is also the backbone of James Shields Management, my hospitality consultancy, and Future Location, my brokerage — because after the concept, nothing decides a business's fate like its operations and its address.

I started Autoshopstech.com because auto repair is one of the highest-trust, lowest-transparency purchases people make. Everyone has a story about not knowing whether to trust a quote. Meanwhile, the best independent shops — honest, skilled, often family-run — struggle to be found by the customers who need them. Closing that gap is a real business, and a genuinely useful one.

My approach is simple: start small, stay close to the customer, and build things people would miss if they disappeared. I write about that approach — and what I learn applying it — in my writing.

If you're an investor, a potential partner, a shop owner, or someone building for Main Street, I'd like to hear from you.

At a glance

• NowFounder, Autoshopstech.com — connecting New Yorkers with trusted neighborhood auto shops.
• AlsoFounder, James Shields Management (hospitality consultancy) · Founder, Future Location (brokerage) · Owner, Xenos Pizza (Midtown East, NYC) · Infinity Rockets · James Garage Sale.
• FocusLocal commerce, trust in opaque markets, tools for real-world businesses.
• BaseNew York City.
• WritingEssays on entrepreneurship and Main Street business — read here.

Press kit

For journalists and event organizers — a ready-to-use short bio and headshot. Reach out via the contact page for interviews or quotes.

Short bio

James A. Shields is a founder based in New York City building businesses that serve Main Street. He is the founder of Autoshopstech.com, which connects New Yorkers with trusted neighborhood auto repair shops; the owner of Xenos Pizza in Midtown East; and the founder of James Shields Management, a hospitality consultancy, and Future Location, a brokerage. He writes about entrepreneurship, local commerce, and trust in opaque markets at jamesashields.com.

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