James Dooley Interviews ODYS Mentor Mads Singers
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What Does “James Dooley Interviews ODYS Mentor Mads Singers” Talk About?
In this episode of the James Dooley Podcast, James Dooley sits down with Mads Singers, one of the ODYS mentorship program's featured mentors, to explore how mentorship and coaching can fundamentally reshape a business owner's trajectory. The conversation dives into Mads's personal journey from the corporate world into entrepreneurship, covering how books like Think and Grow Rich introduced him to the concept of masterminds and mentorship, and how three key mentors across his career helped him develop critical skills he might have spent decades learning on his own.
The discussion gets particularly practical when Mads addresses the specific skills that mentorship helped him unlock, including delegation, communication, and leadership. He shares a candid story about a coach who told him he was unintentionally offending people with his humor, a blind spot he never would have identified without outside perspective. James and Mads also tackle the important distinction between what a mentor is and what a mentor is not, emphasizing that a mentor's role is to guide and push rather than to solve problems or do the work for someone. The episode also touches on why mentorship is more relevant than ever in the age of AI, framing it as an asymmetrical bet with significant upside ROI.
“A lot of time as humans we don't see how other people see us. One of my first coaches basically told me I offended people. I was shocked because I wasn't trying to be offensive.”
— Mads Singers
Who Are the Guests on “James Dooley Interviews ODYS Mentor Mads Singers”?
Mads Singers is a seasoned business coach and mentor with deep expertise in people management, delegation, and leadership development. Having started his career in the corporate world with a strong focus on management from a young age, Mads has since coached hundreds of business owners on how to build scalable companies by developing the human and leadership skills that pure technical operators often overlook. He has worked with SEO professionals and online business owners who find themselves at the crossroads of choosing between staying a practitioner or stepping into a true CEO role, and his coaching practice has served over 700 customers with a 100 percent money-back guarantee and zero refund requests.
James Dooley serves as the host and is himself a well-known figure in the SEO and digital business space. He brings a grounded, entrepreneurial perspective to the conversation, sharing his own observations about the patterns he sees in business owners who struggle to let go of control and delegate effectively. His familiarity with Mads's coaching work lends the conversation a sense of genuine endorsement and practical credibility throughout the episode.
What Are the Key Takeaways From “James Dooley Interviews ODYS Mentor Mads Singers”?
Here are the key points discussed in this episode:
- Mentorship dramatically shortens the learning curve because a good mentor helps you avoid the mistakes and wasted years that come with trying to figure everything out on your own.
- Delegation is one of the most critical and most overlooked skills for business owners, and many operators spend decades stuck because they never learn to let go of control.
- A mentor's role is not to solve your problems or do the work for you, but to broaden your perspective and push you toward better decisions and faster action.
- Investing in mentorship should be viewed as an asymmetrical bet where the financial and professional upside can be 10x, 50x, or even 100x the cost of the guidance.
- The best time to start investing in yourself through coaching and mentorship is as early as possible, because the compounding returns on that investment grow significantly over time.
“People often make the mistake of not understanding ROI. As a business owner it's about taking asymmetrical bets. You put money into something where the upside could be 10x or 50x or 100x. That's how I look at business.”
— Mads Singers
Is “James Dooley Interviews ODYS Mentor Mads Singers” Worth Listening To?
This episode is worth listening to for anyone who has ever wondered whether paying for a mentor or coach is actually worth it. Rather than speaking in vague motivational terms, Mads Singers gives concrete, experience-backed answers rooted in real situations, including his own resistance to delegation as a perfectionist and the communication blind spot a coach revealed to him early in his career. The honesty and self-awareness in the conversation make it far more credible than typical coaching content.
What makes this episode especially valuable is the clarity it provides around what mentorship actually is versus what most people mistakenly expect it to be. Mads draws a sharp and useful distinction between a mentor who guides and a service provider who does the work, which is a misconception that wastes both time and money if left uncorrected. Combined with the practical two-step framework Mads offers for identifying where to focus mentorship investment, this episode gives listeners actionable guidance they can apply immediately whether they are just starting out or already running an established online business.
Who Should Listen to “James Dooley Interviews ODYS Mentor Mads Singers”?
This episode is ideal for:
- SEO professionals and digital agency owners who are starting to feel the ceiling of doing everything themselves and want to scale their operations
- Online business owners who struggle with delegation, hiring, or managing a growing team and need a framework for transitioning from operator to leader
- Entrepreneurs who are curious about mentorship but uncertain about whether the cost justifies the return and want a realistic perspective on ROI
- Anyone exploring the ODYS mentorship program who wants to understand Mads Singers's coaching philosophy and areas of expertise before booking a session
Where Can You Listen to James Dooley Podcast?
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What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?
“The part about delegation really hit home for me. I've been running my content site solo for three years and Mads put into words exactly why I've been stuck. The point about choosing between being an SEO and being a CEO was something I needed to hear.”
“I appreciated how honest Mads was about the times mentorship didn't work out and about his own blind spots as a communicator. It made the whole conversation feel real rather than like a sales pitch for coaching services.”
“The discussion about ROI and asymmetrical bets completely changed how I think about paying for coaching. I've been treating it as an expense rather than an investment. Short episode but genuinely changed my perspective.”
James Dooley Hi so today I'm joined with Mads Singers, one of the ODYS mentors. Pleased to meet you Mads, how you doing. Mads Singers Good to see you again James. I'm doing very good. James Dooley Sounds good. Let's jump straight in then Mads. So how has mentorship shaped your career and personal growth. Mads Singers Yeah I think my career started in the corporate world and I was very focused on management when I was at a very young age. I would say both mentors and coaches have had a profound impact. Particularly now in my later successful years I would say I hire coaches and mentors for everything because fundamentally there's no point in me figuring out how to go to the gym and use the equipment the right way when I can have someone teach me how to do it. The same thing with business. If I want to get my finances under control or get better at finances I would hire someone who's good at it and get them to help out. Yes you can figure stuff out by yourself but one you make way more mistakes and two it takes significantly longer. My philosophy is I like generating great results and making a lot of money very quickly instead of doing it very slowly. So I think that's the core mentality behind mentorship. In terms of my career specifically I've had probably three mentors over the years. The first two I didn't pay anything. It was people I took initiative with. I walked up to them and said hey you're cool, you're doing what I want to do someday, would you be interested in mentoring me. The last one is someone I paid for where I got a ton of value from a high level business standpoint. Whatever you're doing there's always someone who's better than you unless you're Elon Musk which I don't think will be watching this. James Dooley Sounds good. So when did you first realise then in your journey that mentorship was important. Mads Singers I spent a lot of time when I was getting into management reading a ton of books. I read Think and Grow Rich for example and that talked a lot about masterminds and finding other like-minded people to mastermind with. I found that super helpful. It was through some of the books I was reading that I got the notion of looking for mentors and coaches. I've had some great coaches and mentors and some that were less great. Sometimes you don't necessarily win every time. Sometimes the personality between the two of you is too far apart. Sometimes stuff happens. But I would say 85 to 90 percent of my mentorship experiences have been very good. James Dooley So what would you say, what key lessons have you learned that you couldn't have learned on your own or you might have learned but it would have taken you two or three years of failing to get there. Mads Singers Honestly a lot of what I'm teaching people today. Delegation for example was a huge thing. I'm a super perfectionist. I'm super detail-oriented by nature and I'm the last person that would naturally delegate anything when I could just do it myself. It took me a while to learn how to do it but having a mentor guiding me through that journey was absolutely invaluable. I see a lot of people like myself who spend 10, 20, 30 years stuck not getting anywhere because they don't get hold of delegation which is such a critical skill. I'd also say communication specifically. Communication when you're in business or management is so important. I've had multiple coaches and mentors. Some on public speaking, some on general communication. Today I'm sure some people would disagree but I believe I'm a fairly good communicator and that's come from guidance. A lot of time as humans we don't see how other people see us. One of my first coaches basically told me I offended people. I was shocked because I wasn't trying to be offensive. She said when you're being funny and humorous people don't get it. They think you're being serious. It took me a long time to accept it but I started subconsciously watching people and realised she was right. Without that outside perspective I would never have learned that lesson or it would have taken me a really long time. Often even as a mentor myself I give people advice and think I should do that myself. James Dooley I think the big one there is learning to let go. A lot of business owners seem to be perfectionists and it's so difficult to initially take that step and let people take responsibility. Anyone that comes to me seems to hit a threshold and I always say you need to speak to Mads. You need that middle management system set up and you need to stop thinking that a job done well is done by yourself. You need to learn to let go. So the next question is what is a mentor not. Mads Singers This is a big one. Most people when getting a coach or mentor expect them to solve their problems. My goal is never to solve people's problems. It's pushing them in the right direction. If you're tunnel-visioned like this it's opening your eyes a little so you have more view and can see a better path. Don't hire a mentor if you want someone to do something for you like build a site or fix your SEO. That's not what a mentor is. When I mentor people, if I see they don't take action, I stop the relationship because for me it's not about making money, it's about making a difference. If people don't take action I'm wasting my time. When you become successful one of the core things you value is using your time on things that actually make a difference. James Dooley Now we're in a world where if you don't innovate you evaporate. With AI and everything moving fast why do you think mentorship is more important than ever. Mads Singers Our teams are constantly getting support in AI. We've hired people who are very good at it to help our team out. Not to do the work but to consult and guide. Some of our people know a little but if you find someone who's really good you get a lot more value. We're constantly looking at who is the best around. Who can we hire to coach or consult. I've seen you do the same. Sitting with someone talking about topical maps for example. If you don't get it, it can be mind-blowing and move your business forward significantly very quickly. People often make the mistake of not understanding ROI. As a business owner it's about taking asymmetrical bets. You put money into something where the upside could be 10x or 50x or 100x. That's how I look at business. James Dooley So with regard to choosing the right mentor how do people go about that. Mads Singers For me it's been a mix. I have a huge network so often I know people. If I'm considering someone as a mentor I'll ask other people who know them what they think. Sometimes they say it's a great fit, sometimes they say maybe not. James Dooley Why did you decide to join the ODYS mentorship program. Mads Singers I love helping. The ODYS model gives people a way to get coaching from me without having to go through all the hoops. I really appreciate Alex as a business person. He's a very good business person and I like supporting initiatives like this. James Dooley There are many ODYS mentors who are all great. Why should someone choose yourself as a mentor. Mads Singers My core strength is definitely people. I've coached hundreds of business owners on how to manage better. Everyone comes to me saying they're a bad manager or don't want to manage people. Many SEOs want to do SEO but they eventually realise they need to choose between being an SEO or a CEO. If you want to make real money and build a real business you need to become a leader. It's learning delegation, hiring great people. All skills take time but with a good mentor you learn faster. James Dooley What do you tell someone who's never had a mentorship call. Mads Singers Two steps. First take a step back and ask what's holding me back. Most companies' problems aren't one SEO hack. It's usually sales, marketing or management. Look at your business and decide which area needs the most focus. Then invest in a mentor based on that. Ask colleagues for insight. Most investments I've made in mentors have always paid back because they unlock shortcuts. James Dooley Specifically related to mentorship what would you tell your 16-year-old self. Mads Singers I started early. My first coach was at 19. The one thing I’d say is invest in yourself. When I was younger I was cautious with money. Now I know nothing gives a better return than investing in yourself. I could have invested a lot more a lot earlier. James Dooley Is this you admitting you're tight and frugal and that's why you're last to the bar buying drinks. Mads Singers I usually take advantage of people who... no. Not really. I'm more reserved. Many assertive people want to show off and I let them. James Dooley Back onto the mentorship question. Some people say calls seem expensive. Then two weeks later they come back saying it was the best investment they've made. Thoughts on cost versus return. Mads Singers I've had over 700 customers in my coaching business. I have a 100% money-back guarantee and not one person has ever asked for a refund. There are different levels of expensive. Expensive like you won’t eat for four weeks or expensive like it feels a lot for a short session. It took me a long time to learn the value of paying for quality. You can always find someone cheaper but likely not someone cheaper and more successful. Successful people value their time. Honestly even with ODYS prices we might make more money focusing on our own businesses, but coaching is about helping people and seeing results. James Dooley How can people book you then Mads. Mads Singers Get onto the ODYS website, go to mentors and find my profile. It's typically the most handsome picture you’ll find. James Dooley For anyone watching this the URL is odys.global forward slash mentors slash Mads Singers. You'll see his profile picture. I'll let you decide if it's beautiful or not. It's been a pleasure having you Mads. Anyone looking to grow an offline or online business you should book Mads. You've done a lot of coaching for us and it's been a pleasure having you on. Mads Singers Awesome. Thank you very much James.
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James Dooley is a UK entrepreneur.