https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/ Essays on entrepreneurship, local commerce, and building trust in opaque markets. en-us Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/betting-on-main-street.html https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/betting-on-main-street.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 The most durable opportunities aren't in the feeds — they're in the businesses you drive past every day. https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/what-auto-shops-taught-me-about-trust.html https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/what-auto-shops-taught-me-about-trust.html Wed, 20 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Every transaction where one side knows more than the other is a trust problem. Auto repair is the purest case I've found. https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/notes-on-starting-small.html https://www.jamesashields.com/writing/notes-on-starting-small.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Small isn't a compromise. It's a strategy — and usually the only honest place to start.