MC Fireside Chats, an Outdoor Hospitality Podcast

Host Brian Searl kicked off the first Guest Experience episode of 2026 for MC Fireside Chats , welcoming a panel that bridged the gap between North American and United Kingdom outdoor hospitality markets. Joining the recurring panel were Zach Stoltenberg, Associate Principal of Architecture at LJA, and Jeremy Johnson, Owner of Camp Kona Hills in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Special guests incl...

The first episode of MC Fireside Chats in 2026 kicked off with host Brian Searl navigating technical difficulties while welcoming a robust panel of industry experts to celebrate the show's sixth year of broadcasting. Brian set the stage for a new year of insights, joined by recurring guests Phil Ingrassia, President of the US RV Dealers Association, Eleonore Hamm, President of the RVDA of Canada,...

In this final episode of MC Fireside Chats for the year 2025, host Brian Searl welcomes a panel of returning industry experts to reflect on the past year and discuss future trends in outdoor hospitality. The group begins by introducing themselves and their businesses, including Kristin Andersen Garwood from Sage Outdoor Advisory, David Byers from Canadian Sleeping Barrels and Cedar Yurts, MacKenzi...

Brian Searl opened the December 10th, 2025, episode of MC Fireside Chats by welcoming the audience to the final Guest Experience show of the year. Reflecting on how quickly 2025 has passed, Brian introduced the panel for this session. The lineup included recurring guest Jeremy Johnson, owner of Kona Hills Campground in Marquette, Michigan; Tyler Duffy from CampLife, a reservation and property mana...

The MC Fireside Chats episode on December 3rd, 2025, focused on data, trends, and the future of the outdoor hospitality industry, led by host Brian Searl. The panel included Phil Ingrassia, President of the RV Dealers Association of America (RVDA); Scott Bahr, President of the Cairn Consulting Group; Simon Neal, Founder of CampMap; Miguel Huerta, President of the Mexican Glamping Association; and...

This episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl (Founder & CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground), dove into a profound discussion on the accelerating pace of Artificial Intelligence (AI), its impact on the Outdoor Hospitality and Recreation Industry, and the importance of enhancing the guest experience in a rapidly changing world. The show featured recurring guests Kurtis Wilkin...

The special episode of the MC Fireside Chats podcast, hosted by Brian Searl, Founder & CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, took place live from the KOA Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina, on November 19th, 2025. The discussion featured six guests who shared their insights and experiences within the KOA ecosystem and the broader outdoor hospitality industry: Matt Stovold from KOA's F...

The latest MC Fireside Chats episode was broadcast live from the OHI booth during the OHCE Conference 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. Brian Searl, Founder & CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, hosted the chat. The episode brought together a powerful panel of industry leaders and campground owners who shared their personal paths into the sector, discussed the current state of outdoor hosp...

In the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, guest host Scott Bahr of Cairn Consulting Group led a dynamic conversation featuring Simon Neal, Founder and CEO of Camp Map, and Rafael Correa, President and CFO of Blue Water Hospitality. The episode also included a special check-in from Brian Searl, Founder and CEO of Modern Campground, reporting live from the massive SETT Conference in France. The di...

The recent episode of MC Fireside Chats focused on the evolving world of outdoor hospitality—particularly the glamping sector—and its strong emphasis on enhancing the guest experience. Guest hosts Greg Emmert, founder of Vireo Outdoor Hospitality Consulting, and Scott Bahr, president of Cairn Consulting Group, guided the conversation alongside Brian Searl, who joined remotely from Croatia. The dis...

In the recent episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, the theme was "Marketing, AI, and Technology" within the outdoor hospitality industry. This discussion included recurring guests Greg Emmert, Founder and Principal at Vireo Outdoor Consulting, and Matt Whitermore, Director of Market Expansion at Climb Capital and Unhitched Management, along with special guest Brent Parker, CEO of O...

The episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl (Insider Perks and Modern Campground), opened with lighthearted chat about Brian's new "Irish look" before diving into industry matters with his recurring and special guests. The recurring panel included Mike Harrison (CRR Hospitality) and Sandy Ellingson (Sandy Ellingson, LLC), joined by special guests Sangeetha Ramkumar (Dunya Camp) and Han...

The October 8th episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl and featuring recurring guest Scott Foos, along with special guest Stephanie Kichler, navigated the dynamic landscape of the outdoor hospitality industry, focusing primarily on glamping, the guest experience, and the impact of major industry news. Despite several expected guests missing the episode, the conversation was rich with...

The MC Fireside Chats episode on October 1st, 2025, was recorded live at the Glamping Show USA, with host Brian Searl guiding a wide-ranging discussion on the current trends and future of the outdoor hospitality sector. Brian Searl was joined by a distinguished panel that included Mike Harrison from CRR Hospitality, Sven Schuurmans of Glampings.com, Ann Howard from HoneyTrek, Tori Bolt and Seth Bo...

The MC Fireside Chats episode on September 24th, 2025, hosted by Brian Searl, dedicated its discussion to the rapidly evolving intersection of Marketing, AI, and Technology within the Outdoor Hospitality and Recreation Industry. Brian Searl, upon his return from Ireland, welcomed an expert panel including recurring guests Mychele Bisson (CEO of Bison Peak Ventures), Kurtis Wilkins (RJourney), Cara...

On a recent MC Fireside Chats, guest host Rafael Correa, who serves as President and CFO at Blue Water, welcomed an esteemed panel to discuss the state of the outdoor hospitality industry. He was joined by Jeff Hoffman of Camp Strategy, Mike Harrison, Chief Operating Officer of CRR Hospitality, and Sandy Ellingson, a passionate campground advocate. Kicking off the discussion, Correa asked each gue...

On September 10, 2025, MC Fireside Chats was guest-hosted by Zach Stoltenberg, Associate Principal of Architecture at LJA, as Brian Searl was out for the week. The episode featured a discussion on glamping and outdoor hospitality, with special guests including Kelly Jones, Vice President of Operations for Great Escapes RV Resorts; Jayne Cohen from Campground Consulting Group and Glamping Consultin...

In a recent episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl, from Insider Perks and Modern Campground, led a discussion on key trends and insights shaping the outdoor hospitality and recreation industry. The panel included industry experts such as Simon Neal from CampMap, Scott Bahr from Cairn Consulting Group, Eleonore Hamm and Phil Ingrassia representing the RVDA of Canada and the United States,...

The episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, centered on the convergence of marketing, AI, and technology within the outdoor hospitality industry. Brian opened the discussion by welcoming back a panel of recurring and special guests: Cara Csizmadia of the Canadian Camping and RV Association (CCRVA), Ravi Parikh, Founder of RoverPass, and Nate Tayl...

The latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl of Insider Perks, brought together a panel of recurring and special guests to discuss a range of topics impacting the RV and camping industry. The discussion was lively, covering everything from new tax laws to the critical importance of guest experience and operational strategy. The show began with Brian Searl welcoming a mix of famil...

In the recent episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl, kicked off with a slightly chaotic but charming start as Searl navigated a remote studio setup. He introduced the diverse panel of guests, including returning speakers Zach Stoltenberg and Scott Foos, new recurring guest Jayne Cohen, and special guests Brian and Ann Konradi. A late but welcome addition to the chat was Casey Cochran from...

In the previous episode of MC Fireside Chats, Brian Searl, host of MC Fireside Chats, opens the show with an energetic welcome, noting he had just made it in time. Recurring guests Rafael Correa, Scott Bahr, Simon Neal, and Eleonore Hamm are present. They are joined by two special guests: Kristin Andersen Garwood VP of Outdoor Hospitality at Sage Outdoor Advisory and Nick Harrington, Communication...

In the recent fifth week episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl, founder and CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, welcomed three special guests from the glamping and outdoor hospitality industry, marking a unique show without the usual recurring panelists. The first guest to introduce herself was Vicki Jones, who runs Tracks and Cream Glamping in Somerset, UK. Her site features nine...

In the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl of Insider Perks explores the intersection of marketing, AI, and the campground industry. He’s joined by recurring guests Mychele Bisson of Bison Peak Ventures and Kurtis Wilkins of Rjourney, along with special guests Jeremy Johnson, owner of Kona Hills Campground, and Kieron Wilde of First Nature and Fur Haven. Brian opens the show by w...

On the July 16th episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl welcomed back Mike Harrison from CRR Hospitality and Sandy Ellingson, a consultant in the RV industry. Robert Preston, founder and CEO of Unhitched RV and Management, joined as a new recurring guest. Angele Miller, owner of Creekside RnR Glamping, and Britt Roth, co-owner of Dark Sky RV Campground in Kanab, Utah, also joined the discu...