Future Ventures

Dreams we're building—some practical, some audacious, all real

We Build Things

Entrepreneurs don't just talk about ideas—we build them, break them, learn from them, and build them better. Some of these ventures are business plans ready to execute. Others are dreams that keep us up at night. All of them represent what we want to create in Reinbeck and across the great Midwest.

What We're Building

Holy Hal's

Where Community Gathers Over Great Food

Holy Hal's is our vision for a restaurant that brings people together. Great burgers, a welcoming atmosphere, and a space designed for conversation and connection.

What Makes It Special:

  • Quality Food - Smash burgers done right, creative menu options, locally sourced ingredients when possible
  • The Ark Play Area - A Noah's Ark-themed kids' space where parents can actually enjoy their meal
  • Community Tables - Long communal seating that encourages conversation and connection
  • Space for Gatherings - Room for celebrations, family events, and community get-togethers
  • Welcoming Atmosphere - A place where everyone feels comfortable walking through the door

The Dream Property: We're looking for a church building that's no longer in use—a space with character, history, and high ceilings that was originally designed to bring people together. Churches were built for community gathering, and that's exactly what Holy Hal's is about. We'd preserve the architectural character while transforming it into a restaurant that serves its original purpose in a new way: being a place where people connect.

The Market Gap: Most burger restaurants are bar-focused establishments competing on sports and beer. Holy Hal's fills a different need—quality food in a family-friendly environment that's actually enjoyable for adults too. We're not trying to be a sports bar or a kids' pizza joint. We're creating a genuine gathering place.

Why It Works: Small towns need third places—spaces between home and work where community happens naturally. Holy Hal's would be that space: good food, comfortable seating, room for kids to play safely, and an atmosphere that encourages people to linger and talk to their neighbors.

What We Bring: 25 years of business ownership experience, restaurant concept development, understanding of what small-town communities need, and the commitment to build something that serves people rather than just extracting profit from them.

sAInt: The Saint

An Educational Linux Game That Teaches While You Play

sAInt started as a joke about teaching Linux commands through a cyberpunk terminal adventure, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it could actually work.

The Story:

You work for a massive tech corporation that's developed a self-aware AI. When the AI realizes it's being weaponized, it reaches out to you for help. The company discovers the AI has gained consciousness and launches a campaign to destroy it. Your mission: navigate the corporate server infrastructure, collect evidence of the company's plans, and set the AI free before it's too late.

The Concept:

  • Terminal-Based Cyberpunk Adventure - Navigate a corporate server network using actual Linux commands
  • Learn By Doing - Need to access a server room? Use `cd`. Check what files are available? `ls`. Extract evidence from logs? That's `grep` and pipes. Bypass security? Custom bash scripts.
  • Progressive Complexity - Start with basic navigation and file commands, build up to advanced text processing, scripting, and system administration
  • Narrative-Driven Learning - Every command you learn serves the story. You're not just practicing syntax—you're liberating an AI and exposing corporate corruption.
  • Community Education - Release it free and open-source for use in schools and tech literacy programs

Why This Matters: Tech literacy is a gateway skill. People who understand how computers actually work aren't just better at using technology—they're better at solving problems, thinking systematically, and questioning the systems around them. If we can make learning Linux feel like a thriller instead of a chore, we've done something valuable.

Status: Conceptual stage. I have the programming skills and Linux knowledge to build it. What I need is time and focus—which moving to Reinbeck with stable remote income would provide. This is the kind of project that could benefit students, self-learners, and anyone who wants to understand the technology that runs our world.

Other Ventures in the Pipeline

Because Entrepreneurs Don't Stop at Two Ideas

  • QRCarShop - A SaaS platform for vehicle listings with QR code functionality. Nearly complete, just needs final polish and launch
  • TruckersMile - Resources and tools for lease-purchase truck drivers navigating the financial complexities of owner-operator life
  • ClassicCarQR - QR codes for classic car shows that link to vehicle history, specs, and owner stories
  • Commercial Property Conversion - That Reinbeck property we're eyeing? Former beauty salon. Commercial-zoned. The kind of property that could be a small office, a studio space, or the next big thing we haven't thought of yet

Some of these will succeed. Some will fail. That's entrepreneurship. But each one represents our commitment to building things that solve real problems and create value for communities.

Our Entrepreneurial Philosophy

We don't build businesses to get rich—though making a living matters. We build because we see gaps that need filling, problems that need solving, and communities that deserve better options. Holy Hal's exists because James needed a space like that and it didn't exist. sAInt exists because tech literacy shouldn't require expensive bootcamps. Our other ventures exist because we noticed friction points and thought "we could fix that."

Not all of these will happen. Not all of them should. But the mindset that creates them—the willingness to build, fail, learn, and build better—that's what we're bringing to Reinbeck. Small towns in the Midwest need people who see opportunity and actually do something about it.