I turn data into decisions and traffic into revenue.
I'm James Overholt — a data analyst, software developer and growth operator with nearly two decades in IT. I build the systems, ship the code, and run the paid funnels that make businesses measurably better.
Two decades of shipping systems that move numbers.
I've spent my career at the intersection of data, software and revenue. Today I'm the co-founder of TheSmokies.com LLC, a media company that builds and operates data-driven regional travel publications including TheSmokies.com and MiamiTake.com — where I own the technical and analytics side of the business end to end. I was also a co-founder of HeyOrlando.com, which I no longer operate.
Earlier in my career I served as a lead software developer at Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), where I revamped internal emergency-deployment systems and processes — work carried out alongside the Veterans Administration's Emergency Management Team to deliver aid to veterans and their communities. I've also run operations for a Tennessee-based home shopping network as Operations Manager.
Across all of it, the throughline is the same: find the signal in the data, build the tool or funnel that acts on it, and hold it accountable to a number. I care about margin, measurement, and systems that keep working after I step away.
I'm a Cocke County, Tennessee native and a graduate of East Tennessee State University.
Credentials & footprint
- ▸Co-Founder — TheSmokies.com LLC (media & digital publishing)
- ▸Former Lead Software Developer — Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)
- ▸Operations Manager — Shopping Services LLC
- ▸B.S. — East Tennessee State University
- ▸Verified: LinkedIn · Author profile
What I do for clients.
Three practices, one operating principle: everything ties back to a measurable outcome. Engage them individually or as a stack.
Data Analytics & Consulting
Turn scattered data into decisions leadership can act on. I build the reporting, find the levers, and translate numbers into a plan.
- KPI & dashboard design (GA4, Clarity, custom)
- Attribution, cohort & margin analysis
- Data pipelines & reporting automation
- Fractional analyst / advisory engagements
Software Development & Automation
Nearly 20 years shipping production software. I build the tool, integration or automation that removes the bottleneck.
- Web apps & internal tools
- API integrations & data workflows
- Automation (Make, Airtable, serverless)
- Systems modernization & process design
Paid-Traffic Arbitrage & Growth
I run profitable paid funnels for a living. Meta ad buying, funnel economics, and monetization tuned to protect margin at scale.
- Meta / paid-social campaign strategy
- Funnel & landing-page economics (CPLPV / RPM)
- Content monetization & audience building
- Growth systems that scale without starving margin
Where the work lives.
A sample of the properties and systems I've built or operated. Real sites, real traffic, real revenue.
What I'm into when I'm off the clock.
The same curiosity that drives the work shows up in how I spend my time — underwater, over the board, and on the trail.
Scuba diving & maritime archaeology
I dive — and I'm fascinated by what's down there. I follow and support the Menorca Shipwreck Project, the team documenting three newly discovered medieval shipwrecks in Menorca's "Cove of Mysteries" — the very cove behind me in the photo up top.
Board games
A standing appreciation for a well-designed game — strategy, engine-building, and the kind of tabletop night that runs long. Systems thinking, but for fun.
Rucking
Weight on the back, miles under the feet. It's how I clear my head, stay in shape, and get some of my best thinking done away from a screen.
Let's build something that moves the number.
Tell me what you're working on. Whether it's a data problem, a piece of software, or a growth channel that needs to become profitable — I'll tell you honestly whether and how I can help.