James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Miami University in 2000. Before joining Wealthquest, James spent five years with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network as a Financial Representative. He spent most of that time training other Financial Representatives in financial planning techniques. James earned the right to use the CFP® mark in 2004.

James is passionate about the emotional and relational aspects of money. He is on a mission to change the conversation about money. He is the author of "Living a Rich Life: The No-Regrets Guide to Building and Spending Wealth" and he hosted the podcast, "The Rich Life".

James now serves as a Board Member of Wealthquest. He has been married to his wife, Amy for over 20 years. They have three children. Max, Wes, and Mia. He enjoys golfing and running. He is very active in service projects through his church including financial literacy education programs, and missions work in Haiti.