MC Fireside Chats, an Outdoor Hospitality Podcast

During the MC Fireside Chats episode last June 14 presented by Modern Campground David Smith started the conversation by reintroducing Outside Capital, a financial investment management firm specializing in outdoor hospitality. Their portfolio ranges from glamping and campgrounds to nature-based hotels, and they provide financial backing for deals in the industry, also leading their own projects....

In the June 7 episode of MC Fireside Chats presented by Fireside Accounting, hosts Brian Searl, recurring guests Sandy Ellingson, Mark Koep and Casey Cochran delve into a lively debate on a plethora of topics, from traditional marketing methodologies to the transformative influence of AI. The conversation starts with the campground maps and the efficacy of their surrounding advertisements. While S...

In the May 31 episode of MC Fireside Chats presented by Modern Campground, host Brian Searl engaged a panel of camping industry experts, including Hipcamp CEO Alyssa Ravasio, National Parks Service National Campground Program Manager, David Miyako , Lahave River Campground Owner Jamie Lee Arseneau and Blackstrap Glamping Owner Joshua Turner.  Brian introduced the session by discussing the uni...

In the May  24 episode of the MC Fireside Chats podcast, sponsored by Accesspark, host Brian Searl was joined by recurring guests Shane Devenish from CRVA and Eleonore Hamm from RVDA Canada. Adding to the insightful conversation, Sascha Ohler SVP for Outdoor recreation of Tyler Technologies and Ashley Bontrager Lehman Founder and CEO of Ember RV.  Sascha Ohler from Tyler Technologies, th...

During the MC Fireside Chats episode last May 17,  John Griffith, Founder of Outbound Kitchen , shared his experiences and insights in the outdoor hospitality and recreation industry. John's passion for the outdoors and cooking led him to upscale camping cuisine and expanded his network in the industry. Initially collaborating with REI, he provided recipe content and worked with people creati...

In this episode of the MC Fireside Chats podcast, sponsored by Horizon Outdoor Hospitality, hosts Brian Searl and  Cara Csizmadia were joined by recurring guests Glamping Association founder Ruben Martinez, The Fields of Michigan Founder and CEO Irene Wood, Clockwork Glamping and RV Resort Design Lead Zach Stoltenberg and Sage Outdoor Advisory Vice President for Outdoor Hospitality Connor Sch...

In the May 4 episode of the MC Fireside Chats podcast, hosts Brian Searl and  Cara Csizmadia as well as industry experts discussed various topics related to camping and outdoor hospitality.  Casey Cochran, the VP of Business Development at Campspot Software, highlighted the importance of introducing different age groups to outdoor hospitality, especially since many people below 55 years...

In the April 26 episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl and recurring guest guest Susan Carpenter from RV Women’s Alliance discussed the capabilities and potential of ChatGPT, an AI language model trained by OpenAI. Brian introduced the concept of ChatGPT and how it works through a prompt, demonstrating how it can quickly generate articles on a wide range of topics. Susan picked camping as...

On the previous episode of MC Fireside Chats, host brian Searl highlighted the importance of branding in campground business. He also mentioned how Zapier automation had helped him save time and how he had used it to improve the efficiency of his employees. On the other hand, Ali and Eric Rasmussen, Co-Founders of Spacious Skies Campgrounds, talked about their husband-and-wife team dynamics. Eric...

In the April 12th episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosts Brian Searl and Cara Czismadia were joined by glamping experts to discuss the latest trends of the evolving industry. This week’s panel included recurring guest and Founder of the American Glamping Association , Ruben Martinez, as well as special guests the owner of Creekside RNR Glamping , Angele Miller, and the owner of The Destination Glampi...

During last week's open discussion show sponsored by Fireside Accounting, Hosts Brian Searl and Cara Czismadia were accompanied by Mike Harrison from CRR Lifestyle and Christine Taylor from Towne Law Firm.  Mike began the discussion by sharing insights on CRR's third-party management service, which focuses on experiential hospitality and revenue enhancement through data and analytics. He high...

On March 29, the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, took a closer look at the outdoor recreation industry, such as the emerging trends in outdoor activities, innovations in the RV industry, and the growing popularity of glamping. This week’s show featured a panel of entrepreneurs from the outdoor recreation industry, including Kay Rodriguez from Outerly, Chandler Cooper fr...

In this week's episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosts Brian Searl and Cara Csizmadia are joined by industry experts Eleanore Hamm, President at RVDA of Canada, Susan Carpenter from the RV Women's Alliance, and special guests Bob Zagami and John DiPietro from NERVDA to discuss the latest news, trends, and commentary from the Outdoor Hospitality Industry, with a focus on the RV industry. The conversati...

On the March 15th edition of MC Fireside Chats , a panel of industry experts convened to share their experiences and insights.  The episode, sponsored by Firefly Reservations , featured recurring guests Joe Duemig of App My Community and Scott Knepp of IVEE Group , alongside special guests Thomas Bales and Jake Schmitz, co-founders of Lagos Collective and owners of Swan Lake Resort & Camp...

Welcome to MC Fireside Chats, a weekly show brought to you by Modern Campground, featuring guests from the outdoor hospitality industry. This episode is sponsored by Horizon Outdoor Hospitality. In this week’s glamping episode, we are joined by Ruben Martinez, Founder of Glamping Hub and the American Glamping Association, and Zach Stoltenberg, Glamping and RV Resort Design Leader, as well as two s...

In the March 1st edition of MC Fireside Chats, Host Brian Searl, along with a panel of experts, discussed the use of artificial intelligence in different industries and third-party services to help campground owners with other facets of their operations, like marketing. The panel that joined the discussion included Christine Taylor of Towne Law Firm, Founder & CEO of CampgroundViews.com Mark K...

The week’s edition of MC Fireside Chats centered on the recent happenings in the RV and camping industries. Host Brian Searl was joined by recurring guests Mike Harrison from CRR Lifestyle and Joe Duemig of App My Community, as well as special guests New Jersey Campground Owners and Outdoor Lodging Association Executive Director Joann Delvescio and Harvest Host CEO Joel Holland. The group opened t...

With the glamping industry’s continued growth, leaders shared their insights on the current state of glamping and the challenges faced in this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats. Glamping has been growing in popularity in recent years and has undergone a significant transformation in the UK. The industry is a diverse and flexible alternative form of accommodation, providing a unique experience fo...

In this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats, sponsored by Fireside Accounting, Host Brian Searl, along with a panel of experts, discusses the future of the campground industry and the impact of technology on it. The panel to discuss the latest trends and developments in the industry are RV Industry Consultant Sandy Ellingson, Campspot Software Vice President of Business Development Casey Cochran,...

This week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats has never been more special as hosts Brian Searl and Cara Czismadia announce the newest segment of the show, Campvantage, a five-minute segment that showcases AI technology that can help the RV, camping, and outdoor recreation industries move forward.  We were joined by a panel of experts from the RV industry, such as Phil Ingrassia, President at RVDA;...

In this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats, show hosts Brian Searl and Cara Csizmadia discussed the possible opportunities and challenges that AI usage may bring to the campground and RV industry. Joining them for this discussion are recurring guest Papoose Pond Co-Owner Duncan Winship and special guest Outdoor Venture Partners Managing Partner Andrew Garcia. The group discussed various topics, s...

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, glamping industry experts discussed some of the operational and logistical aspects and challenges in the glamping space and how to create a unique space that offers a unique experience to guests. Sara Gladstone, the founder and managing director of Glamping Innovations, talked about the UK’s glamping industry, its significant growth over the years, and how gla...

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, outdoor hospitality experts discussed various trends and provided insights regarding the sector. The discussion kicked off on how businesses can prepare for and come back from a long break like the recently concluded holiday break and how culture can define a company for its employees. One way to reward staff for their contributions is to give them a break the...

This year has been a rollercoaster ride for the outdoor hospitality, outdoor recreation, RV, glamping, and campground industries. While the sectors had their fair share of struggles, they also celebrated victories and accomplishments. In this year-ender episode of MC Fireside Chats, we brought back industry experts to look back and discuss learning points from this year. Industry experts Connor Sc...

In this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats hosted by Connor Schwab, glamping industry experts discussed how owners could utilize their properties to provide a unique experience to guests.  We are joined by Boris Ryabov of Essential Steam; Ruben Martinez, the founder of Glamping Hub and the American Glamping Association; glamping and RV resort Design Leader Zach Stoltenberg; and John and Nanc...