The CampHacker Podcast

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! https://gocamp.pro/campprogrammingbydesign/boredom The Gift of Boredom: Why Uncomfortable "Dead Air" is Your Camp's Secret Weapon When a camper drops the dreaded "I'm bored" bomb, most counselors panic and go into immediate rescue mode, treating it like a programmatic failure. But what if that uncomfortable silence isn&...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/campprogrammingbydesign/design-magic Welcome to a new show from the Go Camp Pro Podcast Network! Welcome to the Go Camp Pro podcast family! We are thrilled to introduce a show that peels back the curtain on the "how" and "why" behind our favorite summer moments: Camp Programmi...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-jane-m Mastering the "Business" of Camp with Jane McCutcheon Building a thriving summer camp requires more than just "warm and fuzzy" feelings, it demands rigorous professional standards and an intentional focus on safety. Many leaders struggle to balance the ma...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/expectations-vs-reality-for-staff - The Truth About Selling the Camp Experience to Gen Z Join the team as they discuss the critical gap between what seasonal staff expect and the gritty reality of summer camp. The conversation explores why staff members often hit a wall three weeks int...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/camper-parents-and-our-staff - Training Your Team to Inspire Confidence in Caregivers This episode explores the friction between caregiver expectations and camp realities, emphasizing why trust is the foundation of every interaction. Matt shares insights from his book on the science of...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/ill-larry-b Lessons from 80 Years of Camp Robin Hood Join Travis Allison as he sits down with Larry Bell, Director Emeritus of Camp Robin Hood , Canada’s oldest privately established day camp. In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders , Larry reflects on his legendary career...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/staff-member-who-wants-to-quit-midsummer - Managing Mid-Summer Staff Departures with Strategy Join Chris, Travis, and Emily as they tackle one of the most stressful moments for any camp director, which is the mid-summer staff resignation. The conversation centers on why traditional &qu...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/ill-travis Building a Resilient Camp Operating System with Travis Allison In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders , Matt Wilfrid sits down with Travis Allison, a primary architect of the modern camp industry’s culture of collaboration. As the founder of Go Camp Pro, Travis...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/are-we-ethically-failing-campers - Ensuring Every Staff Member Understands the Mission Join Chris, Jake, and Amanda as they dive into the heavy ethical weight of running a summer camp. The conversation moves beyond simple childcare to explore the moral obligations directors have when p...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-jolly-c Lessons in Capability and Safety: Jolly Corley on Leading with Intent In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders, Jolly Corley, leadership coach and Director of Camp Robindel For Girls, joins the show to discuss the deep-seated why behind camp leadership. From her...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/camps-using-and-applying-ai - Balancing the Ethics and Efficiency of Modern Technology Join Travis, Chris, and Kate as they dive into the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the 2026 camp landscape. The conversation explores the tension between increasing administrative efficie...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-andy-p Raising the Bar: A Masterclass in Camp Intentionality with Andy Pritikin In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders , Matt Wilfrid sits down with Andy Pritikin , a true powerhouse in the summer camp industry. From founding Liberty Lake Day Camp to producing the New...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/the-resilience-report - Analyzing Hard Numbers and Camp Realities Join Travis, Chris, Kendra Perkins, and Amanda Palmer as they dissect the initial findings from the Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic. This episode explores the stark reality of how modern camps are operating, from the...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-howie-g High Expectations, Higher Support: A Masterclass in Legacy Leadership with Howie Grossinger In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders , host Matt Wilfrid sits down with a living legend of the summer camp world: Howie Grossinger . As the co-owner of Camp Robin Hoo...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Clipboards, Kaizen, and Connection: Revolutionizing Camp Attendance with Ryan Rosen *This is a piece of sponsored content by our friends from Camptivities and Whereabouts . We are so grateful for Ryan and the Camptivities team for their support of many Go Camp Pro podcasts and we're excited to bring you this episode and share more about Whereab...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/winning-over-parents - Adapting to New Parent Expectations Modern parents view summer camp as a significant investment, rather than a simple recreational activity. This episode breaks down why safety and skill-building now outperform traditional marketing. It offers practical advice on...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/welcoming-new-campers - Winning Over First-Time Campers on Day One This episode provides a masterclass on transforming the high-stakes environment of opening day into a welcoming and inclusive experience for every child. Learn how to break down the psychological and logistical barriers...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-gabe-c The End of the "Magic" Myth: Gabe Chernov on Engineering Social-Emotional Growth In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders, Travis Allison talks with Gabe Chernov, the owner and director of Birch Trail Camp for Girls. They explore the small interactions...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/the-enrollment-cliff - Preparing for the Demographic Shift of 2028 Join Travis Allison, Jake Sorenson, Eric Wittenberg, and Stefanie Gillman as they discuss the massive demographic shifts threatening the summer camp industry. The conversation centers on the "enrollment cliff"...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-sam-t Lessons from 8 Seasons of the Day Camp Pod: Sam Thompson's Essential Rules for Day Camp Directors Hello everybody and welcome back to the CampHacker Podcast. In this edition of the unique Intentionally Intentional interview series, Executive Producer Matt Wilfrid dives d...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/fundraising-strategies-for-2026 - Strategies that work! The 2026 Playbook for Camp Fundraising If you’re still fundraising like it’s 2019, you’re leaving money and mission on the table. In this deep-dive update, Travis Allison, Joe Richards, and Heather Withrow unite to discuss what ac...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-jordanna Leadership, Legacy, and the Magic of Day Camp with Jordanna Grossinger Join Matt on Intentionally Intentional Leaders for a deep-dive conversation with Jordanna Grossinger , Director of Camp Robin Hood and a prominent voice in the summer camp industry. Through the unpredic...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/lessons-from-visiting-camps - Fresh Eyes, Fresh Ideas: Lessons from a Summer of Site Visits Join Travis Allison and guests Ari Polsky, Elizabeth Kaplan, and Dan Kirsch from JCamp 180 as they share their unique perspectives from visiting dozens of camps this past summer. Discover the tr...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-matt-k Engineered for Intentionality: Matt Kaufman on Data, Habits, and The Campfire Effect In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leadership, host Travis Allison sits down with Matt Kaufman , Director at Camp Ramaquois and author of the upcoming book, The Campfire Effect . M...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/the-resilient-camp-blueprint - The Resilient Blueprint: Escape the Camp Director Burnout Cycle This episode tackles the core challenge facing camp leaders: chronic overwhelm and burnout. Travis explains how camp professionals can break the cycle of feeling like they have to "do it...