About Me
Jake Rains
Founder & AI Product Builder2x Emmy Nominee
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Two-time Emmy nominee turned AI builder. I spent years making complex stories land for broadcast audiences, then led creative and AI initiatives at Sterling—producing summits, partner demos, and the company's first AI-powered tools. Now I run LemnIQ, where I ship AI products and train non-technical teams to build real workflows.
At LemnIQ, I've built and launched multiple AI-powered products—inventory management, transcription, and retail analytics tools all shipped to production. I also lead AI education through hands-on workshops, 1:1 coaching, and practical exercises. My training programs span manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and real estate, and participants leave with working workflows they can use the next day.
Before LemnIQ, I was Creative Lead at Sterling, where I owned end-to-end production of the Sterling Technology Summit and built the company's first AI-powered micro-apps. I partnered with Dell and NVIDIA to create immersive experiences, managed brand identity and all marketing creative, and served as on-camera talent for promotional content. I started my career at KTIV-TV, earning Emmy nominations and launching the station's drone program from scratch.
Online I'm known as the GenAI Alien—sharing experiments, tutorials, and field notes that make AI approachable. Check out my projects page to see what I've been building.
AI Siouxland — practical workshops
Through AI Siouxland I run local and virtual workshops that help small businesses ship one working AI workflow in a single session—no coding required, clear safety habits, and tools they already use.
- Outcome-driven sessions where you leave with one finished, repeatable workflow
- 60-minute intro talk with live demos and a starter prompt template pack
- 2-hour hands-on workshop with guided reps, worksheet, and one-page cheat sheet
- Private team sessions for 6-25 people, tailored to your tools (email, CRM, website)
Experience
Founder
LemnIQ – Dakota Dunes, SD | 2025 – Present
- Built and launched multiple AI-powered products—inventory management, transcription, and retail analytics tools shipped to production
- Lead AI education for non-technical teams through hands-on workshops, 1:1 coaching, and practical workflow exercises
- Deliver custom AI training for businesses across manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and real estate
- Developed AI-generated crisis negotiation training scenarios for law enforcement
- Provide 1:1 AI strategy coaching for founders and operators focused on prompting, tool selection, and repeatable processes
Creative Lead | Marketing & AI Strategy
Sterling – North Sioux City, SD | 2021 – 2025
- Owned end-to-end production of Sterling Technology Summit—coordinated keynotes, partner demos, and immersive experiences with Dell and NVIDIA
- Built company's first AI-powered micro-apps, reducing internal workflow time from weeks to minutes
- Managed brand identity, website, and all marketing creative; produced videos, trade show experiences, and partner content
- Designed and ran trade show booth experiences at national events—handled setup, staffing, and live product demos
- Served as on-camera talent and voice-over artist for promotional content
Promotions Coordinator | Chief Drone Pilot
KTIV-TV (NBC Affiliate) – Sioux City, IA | 2014 – 2020
- Produced Emmy-nominated promotional content that elevated network brand; managed social campaigns that grew audience engagement
- Launched and led KTIV drone program from scratch—pioneered aerial storytelling that brought new perspectives to local news coverage
- Created promotional videos, PSAs, and branded content; managed production from concept through final delivery
Skills
Product & GTM
Product Launches, Workshop Facilitation, Brand Strategy, Technical Writing, Event Production
Technical
Vibe Coding, Context Engineering, Claude Code / Cursor, AI Coding Agents, ChatGPT / LLMs
Creative
Adobe Creative Cloud, Video Production, Motion Graphics, UI/UX Design, Scriptwriting
Education
Graphic Design & Advertising
Western Iowa Tech Community College, 2007
Awards
Emmy Nominations
- Upper Midwest Emmy Nominee (2020)
- Additional nominations in 2018 & 2019
MBJA Award
USS Sioux City Coverage (2019)
Certifications
- NVIDIA AI Technical Curriculum (2024)
- HubSpot Academy Social Media Marketing Certification
- Microsoft & LinkedIn Career Essentials in Generative AI
Let's Connect
If you're looking to make AI understandable for your team or want help prototyping the next big idea, let's talk.
Get in Touch