Do Things.
Action creates clarity.
Created for the Builders.
Do Things.
We build businesses with good people.
Sometimes we start from scratch. Sometimes we join someone already building something worth making bigger. The structure changes. The philosophy does not.
What we do
We like building.
That is really the whole story.
Over the years, we have built consumer brands, service businesses, media companies, and community platforms.
Some became global brands. Some were acquired. Some are still growing. Every one taught us something.
Eventually, we noticed a pattern.
The strongest businesses were built by good people with complementary strengths.
That is why the mad group exists.
What we believe
How we see the work.
Build Profitably.
Profit proves value.
Choose Agency.
Build your future.
Partner Well.
Build with people you would choose again.
Earn Trust.
Reputation compounds.
Who we build with
Operators.
People obsessed with the work.
The ones thinking about customers before competitors.
The ones improving the product, building the team, watching the numbers, and doing the unglamorous work great businesses are built on.
We do not replace operators.
We build beside them.
Created for the Builders.
For the people who cannot stop creating.
For the individuals who dare to be different. Who break away from the norm to create and build their own one-of-one worlds.
What we bring
The pieces around the operator.
These are not services we sell. They are capabilities we bring into the businesses we build.
Brand
Positioning, identity, messaging, and long-term brand equity.
Offers & Products
Stronger offers, better products, and new revenue opportunities.
Marketing & Growth
Customer acquisition, distribution, campaigns, and expansion.
Content & Media
Storytelling, video, copy, attention, and assets that compound.
Design & Creative
Visual identity, websites, sales materials, and creative direction.
Capital & Strategy
Investment, guidance, accountability, and long-term support.
Things we have built
Different businesses.
Same philosophy.
Build something useful. Build it profitably. Build it with good people.
Active company
Good Neighbours
Building Canada's trusted local recommendation network and helping great local businesses become known, trusted, and recommended through storytelling, recognition, and community.
2025–PresentActive company
Neighbour Media
A modern local media company focused on positive, community-driven storytelling, original content, and media that strengthens the communities it serves.
2022–PresentBuilt & acquired
The Big Ball Golf Company
Built a putting training product from concept through product development, a Dragon's Den appearance, launch, growth, and a successful acquisition in 2026.
2023–2026Built · majority stake sold
SummerSkates
Built from a simple idea into a global consumer brand, selling more than 500,000 pairs through retail and eCommerce before selling majority ownership in 2020 and retaining a minority stake.
2013–2020Where it started
The Original Hockey Lace Belt
An idea built in high school that became a real product, appeared on Dragon's Den, and sparked a lifelong obsession with building businesses.
2009–2013Profit matters
We are here to build real businesses.
Businesses with customers. Businesses that create more value than they consume. Businesses that can pay their people, reinvest, survive difficult years, and make decisions from a position of strength.
Profit is not the whole point. But without it, the rest eventually becomes difficult to sustain.
Founder
Myles Doak
I started the mad group for a simple reason.
I like building things.
Over the years, I have built products, service businesses, media companies, and community platforms. Some worked better than others. Every one taught me something.
Eventually, I noticed a pattern.
The strongest businesses were not built by one person. They were built by good people with complementary strengths.
The mad group is simply the long-term home for that idea.
Journal
Things we have learned.
Ideas. Lessons. Observations. Annual letters. The work behind the work.
Why We Do Things
Action, agency, imperfect starts, and learning from the real world.
Coming soonProfit Proves Value
Why good economics make better companies and create more freedom.
Coming soonBuild With Good People
Why the right partner matters more than the perfect opportunity.
Coming soonPartner
Have something worth building?
We are interested in thoughtful operators, overlooked opportunities, and businesses with long-term potential.
Are we better together than apart?
hello@themadgroup.ca ↗Build useful things.
Build them profitably.
Build them with good people.