Coffeez for Closers with Joe Shalaby

Episode: FROM NAVY TO NINE FIGURES ft. Douglas James
Release Date: July 4, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of "Coffeez for Closers," hosted by Joseph Shalaby of E Mortgage Capital, Joe Shalaby welcomes Douglas James—a 10-year Navy veteran who successfully transitioned from military service to building a multi-million-dollar business. The conversation delves deep into Douglas's journey, exploring his transition from the Navy to entrepreneurship, his expertise in high-ticket coaching, the development of his innovative software company Lead Fi, and his dedication to family and faith.

Douglas James’s Journey from Navy to Entrepreneurship

Douglas James opens up about his Navy background, serving as a hospital corpsman and achieving the rank of E6 in just five years, significantly faster than the average 12-year trajectory. He shares his motivation for leaving the military: the desire for time and location freedom to start a family and pursue entrepreneurship.

“I did it in five years.” (03:25)

Despite challenges, Douglas quickly found success in digital marketing, making his military salary in just six months. Balancing active duty and building his business, he earned enough to transition out of the Navy comfortably after four years.

“I ended up making my annual salary on the monthly basis from the military.” (03:56)

Transition Challenges and Overcoming Military Constraints

Douglas recounts the skepticism and scrutiny he faced from military superiors when pursuing entrepreneurship while still in uniform. His pioneering efforts led to the recognition that active-duty members could engage in entrepreneurial activities, setting a precedent for future veterans.

“I set precedent.” (10:10)

This breakthrough allowed him to coach and consult over 15,000 military veterans and civilians, helping them start local marketing agencies and transition into successful entrepreneurs.

High-Ticket Coaching and Consulting

Douglas explains his strategy in creating and selling high-ticket coaching packages. By offering significant value—such as personalized business build-outs and hands-on training—he successfully sold packages ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

“If the value is exceeding that pain, then, you know, price is irrelevant.” (23:02)

He emphasizes the importance of understanding the platform-specific audience and maintaining congruency throughout the marketing funnel to ensure high conversion rates.

“You have to meet people where they're at.” (31:34)

Douglas also addresses common criticisms of high-ticket offers, asserting that when solving significant problems, clients are willing to invest substantial amounts.

Creation and Impact of Lead Fi

Facing financial instability despite high-ticket sales, Douglas partnered with Eric to develop Lead Fi, a SaaS product designed to pre-screen and qualify leads in real-time. Lead Fi leverages identity verification technology to provide detailed financial information, ensuring that businesses focus their efforts on financially qualified prospects.

“Lead fi. AI. So l, e a d f I dot AI.” (77:49)

This innovation has dramatically increased the efficiency of sales teams by filtering out non-qualified leads, leading to a 40% increase in qualified bookings and doubling business for some clients.

“We're able to help people increase the number of qualified people booking into their funnel by as much as 40%.” (53:33)

Personal Life and Legacy

Douglas shares his personal background, revealing a tumultuous upbringing marked by abuse and instability. His time in the Navy instilled discipline and a strong sense of integrity, which he carries into his entrepreneurial endeavors. He emphasizes the importance of building a positive legacy through his children and values over material wealth.

“I can't take the Lambos when you leave. You can't take the money.” (58:33)

His commitment to faith and family drives him to create a stable and loving environment for his daughters, teaching them the value of money and hard work through practical tasks and responsibility.

Health and Personal Goals

Douglas discusses his recent focus on health optimization, addressing gut health issues that impacted his overall well-being. By improving his digestion and physical health, he aims to maintain an active lifestyle to engage with his children in sports and activities.

“Having issues in the bedroom with my wife. Like, all these things, right? And we fix it, and my life is like. Like, boom. Just like that.” (66:31)

Future Goals and Aspirations

Looking ahead, Douglas outlines his goals for both his businesses and personal life:

• Personal Goal: Deepen his faith and maintain his spiritual growth, which he credits for his resilience and success.

  “Continuing my faith is really big for me.” (65:32)

• Business Goals:

  • Kingdom CEO: Launch a new coaching and consulting company aimed at helping Christian entrepreneurs scale their businesses while integrating faith and purpose.
  • Lead Fi: Achieve a $100 million valuation and explore exit strategies, while continuing to innovate in lead qualification technology.

  “We're launching Kingdom CEO... and Lead Fi, I'm sure we'll probably get into that for our new software company.” (69:00)

• Family Goal: Ensure a loving and supportive environment for his family, maintaining a strong marriage and being actively involved in his children's lives.

  “Everything that I'm doing now is just to main keep the family intact.” (70:26)

Concluding Thoughts

Douglas reflects on the significance of choosing faith, perseverance, and humility in his journey. He shares a poignant moment of surrendering to God during a challenging period, which reaffirmed his path and mission.

“The path that I'm on is on the path that God is calling me to be on at this point.” (73:11)

Douglas emphasizes the importance of helping others and building a legacy that positively impacts his children and community. His story serves as an inspiring example of resilience, faith-driven success, and the pursuit of meaningful wealth.

Notable Quotes

• Douglas James: “If you don't have, you know, targets on the board, it's hard to know where you're going, Right?” (01:16)

• Douglas James: “Most people choose the certainty of misery to the misery of uncertainty.” (72:25)

• Douglas James: “Helping enough other people get what they want in life, and you'll have all you want in your life.” (25:55)

Connect with Douglas James

• Instagram: Douglas_James
• Website: LeadFi.AI

This episode provides a comprehensive look into Douglas James's remarkable transition from Navy service to entrepreneurship, highlighting his innovative approaches in high-ticket coaching and lead qualification technology. His dedication to family, faith, and creating a lasting legacy offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders.