The Camp Owners Podcast

Find full links and show notes at: Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/full-time-pipeline No one becomes a director overnight. We’re grateful to have the opportunity to share the Camp Owner’s Podcast feed with our good friends over at the Day Camp Pod . In this episode, host Andy Pritikin speaks with Taking over an existing camp operation is no small feat, and today we’...

Find full links and show notes at: Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/succession-2 Succession doesn’t have to be a family affair… When people think of succession, it’s easy to think of it being a familial thing - a director’s kids taking over the family camp and moving it into the next era. But what happens if your kids aren’t the right next step for camp? What happens...

Find full links and show notes at: Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/building-the-best-team Don’t just build it - grow it, sustain it, watch it thrive. All of us are constantly looking to make our teams better whether it's the addition of personnel who add fresh ideas, the re-organization of our team structure and roles or an examination of how team members inter...

Find full links and show notes at: Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/future-proofing What are you doing to be intentional about AI, Climate Change and all the other things changing around our industry? Join Travis Allison, camp industry veteran and Co-Owner of Go Camp Pro, as he explores the future of camping in this exciting episode. He dives deep into how AI will re...

Find full links and show notes at: Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/succession-2024 Let’s Thoughtfully Plan for the Future of Our Camps! We are thrilled to kick off this season of the Camp Owners Podcast with Steve and Susie Baskin from Camp Champions! Like everything they do, Steve and Susie have an extremely intentional approach to thinking about succession and wha...

Let’s Train for Summer Fun! Today we are talking staff training and what our guest thinks staff need to learn this summer to be successful at your camp.  We are happy to have Scott Arizala as resident expert and guest for today. - Thanks for listening! Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Friday...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/kitchen-staff-and-the-culinary-experience Cooking in the Kitchen? Who knew it could be this fun! If you’ve been following the Camp Robindel social media over the past year you might have noticed a new trend in how they feature their kitchen staff and highlight their culinary experience.  We were curious to hear more about their motiva...

Find full show notes and links at:  https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/belonging-for-trans-youth Camp is for Anyone and Everyone. Period. Today we are talking about how we can move from creating a place of “inclusion” at our summer camps to a place of “belonging” for trans youth campers.  We are happy to have Chris Rehs-Dupin from Transplaining as our guest for today.  - Thanks for listening! Do you rea...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/vibe-check-2023 Can you call it post-pandemic yet? Wherever we are, it’s the perfect time to check in before we move forward. We are happy to welcome Andy Pritikin, Owner and Director of Liberty Lake Day Camp and host of The Day Camp Pod with Go Camp Pro to share his perspective on where we are in the camp industry and where we need t...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/staff-progression-staff-retention Staff Progression = Staff Retention Staffing, staffing staffing.  It’s the topic of conversation in the camp profession right now, especially for camp owners: retention, salaries, recruitment, flexibility… it’s a multi faceted issue and one of the biggest pieces is how do we entice our staff to return...

https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/internationalstaff  Staff come from all around, even WORLDWIDE! It appears that a major topic at conferences and small circles of camp owners is the state of staffing. Today we are exploring the role international staffing is playing in the camp landscape, how to make it successful and the things that Camp Owners should be thinking about to either start pursuing this a...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/the-summer-that-was-2022 Another year in the books with more to come. With Covid, kids, parents, and staff, there’s plenty to learn from a full camp season.  We made it! Another camp season during COVID. Yet for some of us, it felt very different. Were we back to pre-pandemic camp? Was it more challenging than the previous two summers...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/full-for-2022 Parents have FINALLY seen the light and realized that camp is important…so how to we make the most of it? We have heard from many camp owners that camp registration is going really well and many of us have had  “waitlists” for many months. What do we do with those waitlists if we can’t get them in this summer? Is it too...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/staff-not-the-same Change it up, pivot, flex, whatever you want to call it, we can’t keep doing “staffing” the way we’ve always done it. As we inch our way towards summer our staffing is coming together and we’re gaining a fuller picture of what our teams will look like this summer.  We’re also gaining insight into where our staff are...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/healthy-camp-2022 Keep it safe, keep it healthy, rock it this summer. Keeping our camps healthy has never been important and we are excited to have Tracey Gaslin to discuss what we should all be thinking about as we plan for the summer. From COVID in 2022, to health center staffing we look forward to touching on many of the hot topics...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/understanding-gen-z-2022 It’s a new generation of staff at camp and we need to GET. IT. RIGHT! As we all navigate staffing this summer, understanding our workforce has never been more important. The impact of the pandemic on Gen-Z has resulted in the need to better connect, support and adapt to the needs of this important age group. ...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/onboarding-leadership-team Our first chance to set the example of how intentionally we treat people at our camp. Here’s how to get it right. Today’s topic is proof that current employment trends impact camps similar to other industries across the country. We’ve heard lots of talk regarding the turnover in leadership team members at re...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/staff-resentment We can’t just keep saying “we know this is a hard job” and then expecting the same commitment year after year. We’re grateful to Andy and Liz Kimmelman for joining on this episode on sharing how they are flipping their mindset from staff retention to staff resentment. These two incredibly forward-thinking professional...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/first-gen-camp-families We want as many families to experience the joy of camps, so here’s how to make it as accessible as possible for families that have no idea what camp even is.  Over two-thirds of kids in the US DON’T go to summer camp and many of them don’t even know that it exists. That means that there are kids out there who d...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/state-of-camps-2022 How have the ACA, it’s members, and directors all around the world supported the industry through the pandemic and where are we all at now? We’re grateful to have Scott Brody, ACA Board Chair and a fellow camp owner and director to share his thoughts on the work of the ACA throughout the pandemic, the work forward...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/family-business-transitions-the-pandemic Succession, but the feel-good campy version of it! Todays topic is one that is near and dear Howie. His family has owned our day camp for 60 years and completed a generational change in leadership and ownership within the last 10.  They are now at the beginning of our 3rd generation of family l...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/partnering-with-staff-parents It’s time to stop fighting the parents of our staff team. On the heels of the very successful ACA staffing summit this past fall, we wanted to have Deb Gilboa “Dr. G” return to the show to discuss one of the topics that was a bit of a buzz for all the camp pro’s out there. Partnering with Your Staff Paren...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/buying-a-camp-due-diligence You asked for more about buying a camp… so here it is! We are pleased to have Rob Heming join us on today’s episode. Rob has been the go-to person for many buyers and sellers of camps for over 25 years. A camp professional for over 40, Rob is a successful real estate agent in Canada and has particular exper...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/buying-a-camp An investment that changes lives…especially yours! Kelly & Howie welcome Dan Zenkel to the show to discuss buying a camp and the things any of us should be thinking about in making this big investment. Dan wears and has worn a number of hats in the camping world. He is currently the owner of the Berskhire Soccer Acad...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/reorganizing-leadership The best time to do a re-org is yesterday. The second best time is after a pandemic. The third best time is now.  Kelly & Howie welcome back Jeff Bradshaw to the show for a discussion about re-organizing leadership responsibilities and structure at our camps. What triggers these types of moves and how has t...