The Camp Owners Podcast

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/rethink-re-org-staffing What to do when it feels like you need to rethink EVERYTHING? Summer 2022 is the time. What more of a kick in the butt do you need? Staff need to be paid equitably, programs need to be rethought, value-added means something totally different nowadays and we need to be ready. And here’s the thing - PEOPLE WANT C...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/spouses-as-partners When your life partner, is also your business partner…can it work? So here we are, into our 3rd season and we are taking the plunge to have our spouses and business partners join us for an episode. Not sure if this will morph into couples therapy but we know so many of our colleagues share their lives personally an...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/back-in-the-saddle We’re back! Let’s get to work. We’re delighted to be back for a 3rd season and to have you along for the ride with us! It’s been a heck of a summer for everyone and after a bit of a breather, we’re ready to get back to doing everything we can to push the industry forward. This episode is all about how we’re getting...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/empowering-staff-to-act Who better to wrap up another great season with, than our friend Gabrielle Raill. I don’t know about you Howie but one of the worst things at the end of the summer, as a camp owner or director, is to find out that one of your staff members has been upset about something all summer or a group of counselors has b...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/state-of-our-industry-2021 What will Summer Camp look like in 5 years? We’ve brought in the next best thing to a crystal ball. Welcome, Travis Allison! As we approach the start of the camp season, after the year we have all had and continue to have, we thought it would be great to have a conversation with Travis Allison, the Co-Founde...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/virtual-staff-training-2021 No matter how much time you have left, you still have time. to make your virtual training the best it can be! As we enter into our final weeks of planning we wanted to be as relevant and helpful as possible for fellow camp owners and directors.  Staff training is one of the most important aspects of the suc...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/team-building-virtually No matter what your summer looks like, kids will need team and character development activities! Michelle Cummings is here to help. As we approach the final stages of summer prep, staff training is an integral piece of our summer success. Many camps are planning for virtual training, in-person training or a hyb...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/legal-considerations-2021 Alexa, play the “Law & Order” theme song. As we approach the final stages of summer prep, we thought we would turn our attention to issues that all camp owners should be thinking about. Is the language we are using in staff contracts and communication with families up to speed with current legal practice....

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/talking-resiliency The Doc (tor G.) is in! What a treat today.  We have the one and only Dr. G! Deb Gilboa with us.  Dr. G is an incredible friend to the camp industry and has provided all of us with a wonderful insight into all aspects of camp. From helping staff manage stress, changing camper behaviour to being a resource to camp pa...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/radical-empathy Radical Empathy - for every kind of summer camp! We are really excited to be talking with Jack Schott, of Camp Stomping Ground on our show today. Jack is an active, passionate member of the camp community. His grassroots efforts with Camp Stomping Grounds and their mission to build radical empathy in their campers is r...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/be-a-better-boss The boss & staff relationship can be something special at summer camp. Let’s unlock that potential with Ruby Compton. We are really excited to be talking about how to be a better boss with the one and only, podcaster/trainer extraordinaire Ruby Compton, of Ruby Outdoors and Go Camp Pro. Ruby is a co-host of Camp C...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/2021-staffing-trends Kim and Jolly - the closest thing we have to a crystal ball to see what this wild year of recruitment is going to be like… We are really excited to be talking about staffing for 2021 with Jolly Corley (Jolly Corley LLC and Camp Robindel) and Kim Aycock (Kim Aycock, Kimspiration LLC, Camp Consulting and Staff Train...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/2021-camp-healing We can’t just go back to “business as usual”. We need to re-start our cultures for the better. We are thrilled to be talking today with Rachel Kent (Girl Guides Canada & Co-Host of Beyond Camp ) and Sol Birenbaum (Director & Co-Owner Camp Walden). As we are early into 2021 and the work of camp owners continue...

A special, timely interlude from our friends at the Day Camp Pod: Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/day-camp-pod/ppp-era-aca Timely info for American Camps - Jan/Feb 2021 For many camps and small businesses in the United States, the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program was a lifesaver- enabling us to keep our best people employed which we navigated the un...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/camp-marketing-in-2021 After an unprecedented year, we need an unprecedented marketing strategy.  Today we are talking to Eric Wittenberg the creator of Camper Machine, a company that assists camp owners in camper recruitment and retention. Eric’s knowledge of the camp industry is extensive as he has been a camp owner himself.  Eric w...

Find full show notes and links at:  https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/save-next-summer If we want to SAVE NEXT SUMMER - we need to act NOW.  On today’s show we are excited to welcome the creators of SAVE NEXT SUMMER , a camp advocacy movement spearheaded by our guests. Many States and Provinces have still not provided guidance for camps to open in 2021, our guests have created a resource for campers, p...

Find full notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/lgtbq-at-camp Camp Owners are responsible for making their camp an inclusive, welcoming and affirming space for participants and staff of all sexes and gender identities. Period.  Today we are discussing what Howie and I feel is a really important topic in our world today and in the camp industry - gender.  A 2019 Pew Research stuff found...

Find full notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/2021-registration No matter what Summer 2021 looks like, we’ve got to get people registered first! Here are the ins and outs of a registration season like no other! Today, we have two seasoned camp owners with us to share their 2020 experiences and to give us some perspective on the trends they are seeing in 2021 registration. Both of our...

Find out more at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/takin-care-of-business In a financial year like no other, we’re thrilled to welcome Jonathan Gold to The Camp Owners Podcast! On the 11th episode of The Camp Owners Podcast, we are taking care of business. We sit down with Jonathan Gold where we get his insight into all things business, the cash crunch and all financial considerations to make 2021 an...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/blog/women-of-gcp-podcast What do you call it when you gather a bunch of female camp and podcasting pros in a room? You call it AWESOME. In today’s special crossover episode, Beth Allison from Camp Code hosts a conversation with several of the women who podcast with Go Camp Pro. Today’s episode features Rachel Kent and Cassie Bloy from Beyond C...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/diversity-intentional-choice André Brewer is back for part two of this incredibly important conversation. You can’t just say you’re a “welcome and diverse camp”. You have to make the intentional choice and effort to actually be a diverse camp. That means changing the way you market, recruit, interview, talk about and even run your cam...

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/working-as-person-of-color André Brewer, Director of Camp Lincoln joins Howie and Kelly to unpack his camp journey and what it’s meant for him to be a Black man in the industry. It’s no secret that our industry is vastly over-represented by white owners, directors and leaders. It’s a problem that needs to be addressed as we look towar...

Find links and full show notes at:  https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/camps-that-didnt-run Shari Sigoloff, Howie and Kelly unpack their summer 2020 experiences and get a grasp on it was like to not run camp this summer, and what they’re thinking about going forward. It’s time to tell the other side of the story - last episode, we talked to some camp owners who opened last summer, and now let’s explore...

Find full show notes and links at https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod Eric Shendelman and Andy Lillienthal join Howie and Kelly to begin to unpack what was likely the hardest season in a Camp Owner’s career. The Camp Owner’s Pod is BACK! We’re thrilled to bring you a full season of podcasts from now until June 2021! Stay tuned to our podcast feed to hear new episodes dropping every two weeks. It’s fair t...

That’s a Wrap on Season 1 of the Camp Owners Podcast What a fun first season! A big thanks to Howie and Kelly for embarking on this adventure with Go Camp Pro and camp owners around the world. In this episode, Kelly and Howie recap their biggest takeaways from the first season and how it has impacted them as they move forward towards a strange season of camp. Finally, Howie and Kelly talk about wh...