MC Fireside Chats, an Outdoor Hospitality Podcast

The January 15, 2025, episode of MC Fireside Chats delivered an insightful discussion on the intersection of business operations, innovation, and the future of outdoor hospitality. Hosted by Brian Searl, the session brought together industry experts, including Jeff Hoffman, Brent Parker, Mia Johnson, and Mike Sorensen, each contributing their perspectives on challenges and opportunities within the...

The January 8, 2025, episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, kicked off the year with an engaging discussion on enhancing guest experiences in outdoor hospitality. The panel, featuring Kevin Thueson, Joe Duemig, Casey Cochran, Scott Foos, Brittany Mathis, and Lelah Campo, explored themes of personalization, technology, and operational excellence, offering diverse strategies for meetin...

The final 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats brought together a dynamic panel of outdoor hospitality experts reflecting on the year’s achievements and sharing strategies for 2025. Hosted by Brian Searl, the panel included Sarah Krause, Kaylee Pace, Richard Chandler, Amir Harpaz, Matt Bragstad, Derry Green, Suzanne (Soo) Hammond, and Marcia Galvin. A key theme throughout the discussion was guest exp...

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl, welcomed special guests, Laura Mooney, co-owner of Mohican Treehouse Resort in Ohio, and Bret Bullock, owner of Pine Harbor Campground in Wisconsin to discuss the evolving dynamics of outdoor hospitality, marketing innovations, and adapting to industry changes. Laura Mooney opened by describing her journey from purchasing rural property to es...

The December 4, 2024, episode of MC Fireside Chats explored the challenges and opportunities facing the outdoor hospitality industry as it prepares for 2025. Hosted by Brian Searl, the episode featured insights from Scott Bahr, Sandy Ellingson, and Mike Harrison, who collectively emphasized the importance of adapting to shifting consumer behaviors and market conditions. The conversation highlighte...

This week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats focused on the evolving RV and campground industries, with host Brian Searl joined by Eleanor Hamm of RVDA of Canada, Shane Devenish of CRVA, and special guest Daniel Clarkson from Navico Connect. The conversation highlighted current trends, key takeaways from recent conferences, and how technology is shaping the future of outdoor hospitality. The episode o...

The November 20, 2024, episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted live by Brian Searl, took place at the KOA Convention in San Antonio, Texas, bringing together a dynamic group of speakers from across the outdoor hospitality industry. The atmosphere was vibrant, as leaders gathered to exchange ideas and celebrate the community’s collective accomplishments. Brian opened the session with humor and energy,...

The November 13th, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, brought together a group of outdoor hospitality leaders to discuss the evolution of glamping, the importance of storytelling, and the transformative potential of immersive guest experiences. Joining Brian were Angele Miller of Creekside R&R Glamping, Zach Stoltenberg of Clockwork, Chris Jeub of Monument Glamping, Matt...

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl led a live discussion from the Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo (OHCE) with several prominent voices in the industry, including Scott Knepp, Greg Emmert, Melissa Cummings, Ashley Migliaccio, David Basler, Steven Marks, and Hugh Mickel. The session provided a space for these industry experts to share insights on networking, business stra...

In the October 30, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl brings together several guests to explore various perspectives in outdoor hospitality and the RV industry. The episode features Ken Barber from Wild Haven Glamping, Leslie Taylor-Rharbi from Signature RV Resorts by Zeman, and Paul Craven and Anthony Wollschlager from Airxcel. Brian starts by introducing the guests, encouraging...

In the October 23rd, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl was joined by key industry leaders to discuss trends and issues in outdoor recreation, focusing on the RV, boating, and hiking industries. The episode featured recurring guests Phil Ingrassia from RVDA of the United States, Eleonore Hamm from RVDA of Canada, Shane Devenish from the Canadian RV Association, and special guests...

In the October 16th, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl of Insider Perks opens the show with enthusiasm about upcoming changes to the program in 2025, including new topics and a revamped studio. The episode brings together a group of outdoor hospitality professionals, including campground owners and marketing experts, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the industry. Re...

The October 9, 2024, episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, featured guests Chris Jeub and Miguel Huerta, diving into a deep discussion about the Glamping Show and the broader outdoor hospitality industry. The conversation began with a light introduction, as Brian humorously shared his struggle with his camera setup before diving into the key topic: a recap of the recent Glamping Sho...

In the October 2, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl, founder and CEO of Insider Perks, led a dynamic discussion live from the Glamping Show Americas in Denver. The show featured a stellar lineup of industry leaders and experts from various parts of the world, all sharing their perspectives on the growing glamping industry and its international reach. The panel included recurring...

In the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats on September 25, 2024, hosted by Brian Searl, a vibrant conversation unfolded with prominent guests from the RV Industry. The discussion brought together Becky Goodell, CEO of Blacksford RV Rentals; Nika Shneyder, co-founder of Chill RV ; along with regular contributors like Eleonore Hamm, President of the RV Dealers Association (RVDA) of Canada; Phil Ing...

The September 18th, 2024, episode of MC Fireside Chats brought together a group of campground owners, RV park investors, and outdoor hospitality experts for a lively discussion on industry trends, challenges, and strategies for success. Hosted by Brian Searl, the panel included regulars like Ali Rasmussen (Spacious Skies Campgrounds), Tom Mason (Ivy Group), Joe Duemig (App My Community), Rachel Wi...

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats , guest host Greg Emert leads a conversation with outdoor hospitality experts who share their diverse approaches to creating unique and memorable guest experiences. Susan Smith, owner of Senya on Lone Man Creek, talks about her luxurious, African-themed glamping retreat in Texas, where guests enjoy tranquility, personal touches like private massages, and the be...

In the September 4th, 2024 edition of MC Fireside Chats, guest host Mark Koep filled in for Brian Searl and welcomed a panel of outdoor hospitality experts, including Jeff Hoffman, Sandy Ellingson, Scott Bahr, Mike Harrison, and special guest Luisana Méndez from Huellas Latinas. The episode explored key topics in the outdoor hospitality industry and community engagement. Luisana Méndez, the leader...

The August 28th, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, featured an engaging discussion with four industry experts: Eleonore Hamm, Mark Fawcett, Andrea Pierantozzi, and Aaron Pfadt. The episode focused on various aspects of the RV, boating, and outdoor hospitality industries, providing valuable insights and perspectives. Eleonore Hamm introduced herself as the President of the R...

In the August 14th, 2024 episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, a dynamic discussion unfolded around the outdoor hospitality industry, focusing on the glamping sector. The episode featured a panel of industry experts including Chris Jeub, Angele Miller, Derry Green, Miguel Huerta, and Zach Stoltenberg, each bringing unique perspectives and insights on how to succeed in this rapidly g...

In the MC Fireside Chats episode on August 7th, 2024, hosted by Brian Searl, the discussion primarily focused on adapting business strategies in the outdoor hospitality industry amid changing consumer behaviors and economic conditions. Initially, the episode saw a humorous start with Brian joking about how he and Scott Bahr could have monopolized the conversation due to other scheduled guests like...

In the July 31st episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, the discussion brought together Pier Tognazzini, founder and COO of MooVert France, and Dustin Sauer, owner of Overland Van Project, to delve into the evolving trends in outdoor hospitality, sustainable tourism, and the growing van life movement. Brian Searl kicked off the episode by acknowledging the uniqueness of the discussio...

In the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, the focus was on the RV industry, featuring an engaging panel of guests including Shane Devenish from the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA), Susan Carpenter from the RV Women’s Alliance (RVWA), and Angie Diedrich from the Wisconsin RV Dealers Alliance. Brian opened the show with his signature enthusiasm, highlighting...

In the recent episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, several key figures in the outdoor hospitality industry gathered to share their insights and experiences. The discussion aimed to provide valuable perspectives for business owners and entrepreneurs in enhancing operations and guest experiences. Alan Kahn and Jeff Hoffman, emphasized the importance of strategic consulting in the ind...

Hosted by Brian Searl, this edition of MC Fireside Chats delved into the nuances of outdoor hospitality with a focus on point-of-sale (POS) systems and group camping dynamics. Guests included Scott Bahr, Casey Cochran, Jeff Hoffman, Sandy Ellingson, Mike Harrison, and Amir Harpaz, each bringing their expertise from various corners of the RV and camping industry. The episode kicked off with introdu...