The CampHacker Podcast

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!COVID-19 and Summer Camp as of April 1st, 2020. The hard question that we need to be asking in April 2020.This question is a definite punch in the gut.However, as the COVID-19 situation evolves, we need to consider the very real possibility that we may not see a summer of camp until 2020. It sucks. A lot, but if we think of this in the sphere of things we can and things we can’t control, things become a little clearer.We may not have control over if the summer of 2020 runs, but we do have some control over if camp will survive in the long-run.Tune in to this episode to hear Gabz, Travis and Joe discussIn this emergency episode, we discuss:What should camp professionals be considering and planning for when there is this much uncertainty in the camp world.What are the practical things we need to consider if there is no spring/summer 2020?If camp doesn’t run in 2020, what can we do to help camp survive and thrive in 2021?Hint: You probably shouldn’t be relying on the fund you would get from not refunding people’s camp fees or differing them until next summer.How to preserve the institutional memory of how camp runs if you’re going to miss a summer.How to support your community amidst what will surely be devastating news.-DisclaimerThis is not legal advice, nor does it act as a substitute for keeping yourself up to code with your governmental health regulations. Please act with an informed and current perspective.-ResourcesGo Camp Pro’s COVID-19 & Camp Master Resource PageGo Camp Pro’s Camps & COVID-19 (free) Slack team The Day Camp Pod’s COVID-19 Episode from March 20thThe Camp Owners Podcast COVID-19 Episode from March 31stACA Camp Business Resource PageWebpage on the ACA website with links related to federal and state resources, webinars, articles, etc.Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp DirectorTravis: Marco Polo appJoe: Strange Collections - and why you should share them.Gabz: Walk and talk - BoseYour Hosts:Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp ProJoe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat FacilityGabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauRate and Review the CampHacker Show(Thank you!)Thanks to our sponsor!

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Being (or acting as) a marketing expert. The perfect answer for when someone asks, “so, what do you do the rest of the year?"  Many of us didn’t get into this business because we love marketing. We do what we do because we believe in the transformative power that the camp experience has on a child’s life. We do it because we want to create communities of inclusion and welcoming for our staff. We do it because we want to create a world of creativity and wonder for kids. Well, guess what? You can build those things, but if there are no people to experience it, then what’s the point?  It’s one thing to have an amazing staff, wonderful programs or sparkling facilities, but if we don’t properly tell the story of those things and the way they impact the lives of kids, then we aren’t doing them the justice they surely deserve.  That’s why every camp director needs to channel their inner sales-person once and awhile.   And while this isn’t necessarily easy, it doesn’t have to be painful. Not only are there zillions of marketing courses, books and seminars you can take, but there a ton of camps and inner-industry experts that you can look to for advice and examples. In this episode of the CampHacker Podcast, Travis, (the Camp Marketing Maverick himself) is joined by two excellent and intentional camp marketers. A big thanks to Jiné Andreozzi and Amanda Hinski for so openly sharing their best practices with the industry in this way.Tune in to this episode to hear more about:  What’s the best foundational advice for camp marketers?  As camp is getting closer, what are some of the most effective things we can do to market our programs?How to strategically communicate with our families from pre-registration to day one of camp  How do we build trust in the idea of summer camp to those who might not understand it?What marketing techniques are being used in the business world that camps can leverage?What should we be asking in our end of season survey to most effectively target our advertising? Many more great marketing nuggets!What are you doing to tell your camp’s story this time of year? Tell us about it in the comments!-Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp DirectorTravis: Board Game - “Welcome to...Your Perfect Home” - https://amzn.to/2UxqTie Amanda: “Getting Things Done” by David Allen - https://amzn.to/39B1XdS Jiné: Grammarly - https://grammarly.com/ -Your Hosts:Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp ProJiné Andreozzi, Director of Operations, YMCA Camp ChingachgookAmanda Hinski, Chief Brand Experience Officer, Frost Valley YMCA-Rate and Review the CampHacker Show(Thank you!)-Thanks to our sponsor!Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Where can you find some creativity in your daily schedule? (and where shouldn’t you?)As camp people, it’s in our nature to innovate. We are great at looking at routine or program and think, “Hey, wouldn’t this be better if we did this!?”. This is even something that we praise staff for. How many of your evaluation forms list “creative thinking” as a trait that is seen as desirable?The problem can come when our creative ambitions give us the desire to tweak something that has been intentionally done, without considering or consulting those intentions.It’s a tricky line to tow. We need to balance our creativity with the fact that routines are important for campers, staff and families. Things that affect our camper’s circadian rhythms, dietary schedules and some of their other Maslow’s needs should be strongly considered before we make a big change.To help you tow that line between magic and monotony, Travis, Joe and Dan are once again joined by Camp Code Co-Host, Ruby Compton. Ruby’s many years in and around the camp industry have given her a unique perspective on what is up for changing and what should stay sacred this summer.Tune in to this episode to hear more about:How routines affect campers and their familiesHow camps walk the line between routine and ritualHow to set boundaries for staff on what is and isn’t fair-game to changeWhat are the important parts of the day that are absolutely necessary to includeHow to inject some creativity into the necessary and the in-between timesMany, many more great ideas!What is something special about the flow of your Camp Day? Tell us about it in the comments!-Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director-Travis: Fireflies.aiJoe: https://hibid.com/ - Auctions for Camp StuffRuby: The Non-Profit Leadership Team by Fisher HoweDan: The Power of Showing Up by Tina Bryson & Dan SiegelYour Hosts:Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp ProJoe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat FacilityDan Weir, Sr. Director - Youth Development, Summer Camp, & Strategic Initiatives - YMCA of Long IslandRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby Outdoors-Rate and Review the CampHacker Show(Thank you!)-Thanks to our sponsor!Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Find the full transcript and video hereAs of March 6th, 2020, What you need to know about COVID-19 and Summer CampThis special edition of the CampHacker Podcast is an interview with Dr. Amy Greer surrounding COVID-19 and what we know, as of March 6th, 2020 and summer camp.Dr. Amy Greer is one of Canada's top infectious disease specialists and researchers, Dr. Amy Greer and a summer camp alumnus. You can follow her on twitter here - https://twitter.com/AmyGreerKalisz. There’s a lot of great information here, and it’s definitely worth the listen.Some quick takeaways (many more in the recording): Amy asked that we not share this video with our families - the information will become out of date quickly. It was recorded on Friday, March 6thYou need to be consulting your local Health Department (I assume you're doing this already) for 2 things: what to be preparing now for your medical procedures this summer and making a call closer to this summer about whether/how camp will runyou should prepare a new procedure this summer to get all families to confirm, no more than 48-hours before camp, that their camper is not symptomaticyou should be ready with new cleaning/disinfecting procedures this summer. We hope you find this interview helpful. If you have any follow-up questions, please forward them to travis@gocamp.proDisclaimer: This is not legal advice, nor does it act as a substitute for keeping yourself up to code with your governmental health regulations. Please act with an informed and current perspective.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!2020 Re-post - Preventing Spread of Norwalk and Other Infections at CampHey Camp Pros, with concerns about the coronavirus and COVID-19, we’re going off-schedule and digging this show out of the CampHacker archives.Shortly, we’ll be releasing a new episode that specifically focuses on what camp pros should be thinking about when it comes to camp, coronavirus and COVID-19.Sign-up for the Go Camp Pro newsletter and we’ll send the episode right to your inbox.From Travis: I have often said that camp would be an amazing place for a public health researcher to take a look at the ways that diseases are spread throughout communities.   I have watched little things like pink eye or head lice (traumatic, but not life-threatening) run through camp in less than a day.In this episode of the CampHacker Podcast Gab and I were thrilled to bring in Marty Ferguson from YMCA Camp Chief Ouray in Colorado.  Camp Chief Ouray has developed some very smart protocols to protect their camper and staff from diseases that can spread at camp.We also had John MacDonald, my step-dad, who is a retired Health Inspector from Ontario, Canada.   John has had a long career in the public health field and was always a great resource to Beth and I.     Thank you to both of them for being on the show! Download our Camp Kitchen Compliance RecordWe hope you get lots from our discussion.   If you have any questions about communicable diseases at camp please leave them in the comments below or send us a tweet to @CampHacker using the #CampPros hashtag.Tool of the Week – Make yourself a better Camp DirectorTravis: FocusatWill.comGab: Twitter for your desktopMarty: Season of Life by Jeffery MarxJohn: HACCP trainingYour Hosts:Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.orgGabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauMarty Ferguson, Director - Camp Chief Ouray (YMCA of the Rockies)John MacDonald, Retired Health InspectorThanks for the evening, friends.

Ruby Compton, a freelance camp professional and Chief Exploration Officer for Ruby Outdoors, discusses the critical role of clear expectations in shaping a successful camp experience. She emphasizes the importance of defining high-level expectations for staff to boost performance while fostering a respectful work culture. Ruby outlines strategies for effective communication during the hiring process, including the use of pre-interview booklets, and highlights innovative mentorship techniques. Ultimately, she champions a supportive environment that respects young staff members as they navigate their first jobs.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!More money, more mission, but also…more problems?You’ve heard Travis say this time and time again.“Money moves the mission”.In this day and age, if you want to run a successful year-round camp business with multiple full-time staff, all while keeping camper fees reasonable, you likely need some financial support! Donations and grants are incredibly helpful, but if you can tap into a market that works for your local community or potential clients, it can be a great way to supplement your income and use that money to help improve your summer program.That being said, the way you go about diversifying your income is WAY more complex than simply saying, “alright, we’re doing weddings!”. Without carefully assessing your facility, budget and staffing and local laws, you may be committing to a program that either doesn’t fit your mission or worse, ends up costing more resources than it brings in.While there are a ton of great ideas out there, wouldn’t it be great to have a crew of seasoned Camp Directors out there who have tried this kind of thing before to guide you in this decision-making process?…Well, if you’ve made it this far in this post…we all know that you know the answer to that question…It’s the CampHacker Podcast!To help Gab, Travis, Joe and Dan with some big-money brainstorming, we welcome friend and past guest of the Podcast, Jalisa Danhof from Camp Newaygo! Jalisa not only suggested this topic, but she brings some valuable experience to our panel. Camp Newaygo runs a ton of really unique events for their local community, facilitates multiple weddings a year and has recently begun their own catering business. We’re grateful to have Jalisa back to share her stories and best practices.Tune in to this episode to hear about:Some things to consider BEFORE even thinking about diversifying your incomePrograms our hosts tried that have been a big ol’ flopSources of income the panel have found to be a good, revenue-generating endeavourPlenty of other ideas that may work for your campDo you have a great income-generating program at your camp? Tell us about it in the comments!Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp DirectorTravis: Connector bag (thanks, Gabz!) - BUBM Travel organizer for electronics cables and LCD projector cables.Joe: Tickler File - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tickler_file (Bonus Video by Joe - https://youtu.be/5ZCmCfy5eb4)Jalisa: GwynnieBee - clothing rentalDan: Adam Grant’s InstagramGabz: Video Teleprompter 3Your Hosts:Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp ProJoe Richards, Executive Director -Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat FacilityGabrielle Ra

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!What you should be thinking about to ensure your summer camp stands the test of time.If you’re reading this on release in February, then you know that time is running short on your time to do some of the deep philosophical work that can only happen when summer isn’t on the horizon. This episode is for when you have the brain-space, or, maybe it’s for when you need to not think about this coming summer for a second.(You’re an adult, we’re not going to tell you how to live your life!)Getting into the mindset of planning for the future is something that isn’t easy, but is absolutely necessary for ensuring the success of our camps beyond just the coming summer. We all have budgets to meet, and of course, things come up, but without a plan and the right mindset, you may be finding yourself wasting the time and money putting out short-term fires rather than fire-proofing (sorry, Joe, that wasn’t an intentional fire-order joke!).To help Gab, Travis, Joe and Dan navigate this deep topic, we welcome Stacy Simpson, camp, org and Girl Guide consultant. and Go Camp Pro Masterclass instructor to the panel. We’re grateful for Stacy’s additions to the conversation as we discuss the philosophies and best practices when it comes to planning for your camp to be successful in the long-term.What is one way that you intentionally plan for the future at your camp? Let us know in the comments!Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp DirectorTravis: WIBYT - Write it Before You Talk ~ Michael BrandweinTravis 2: The Imagineering Story - Disney+ https://youtu.be/-Y7TlaXDPrgJoe: Dolly Parton’s America - Podcast - In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? Joe 2: uBlacklist Chrome Extension - Blocks specific sites from appearing in Google search resultsGabz: Wicked Cool Travel Mug: KintoDan: The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, (Cliff notes of the 10 rules)Stacie: New Research from GSRI (Girl Scout Research Institute): Today’s Girls. Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs. [https://www.whygirlscouts.org/success]Other things mentioned this show:Joe would like to remind people of - https://archive.org/details/canadian-camping-associationCardboard beds at Toyko Olympics- https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/tokyo-2020-olympics#A Pattern Language Book - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Pattern_LanguageYour Hosts:

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Adventure programming is about way more than a $1M ropes course!Adventure programming, challenge courses, low ropes, rock walls, team-building, staff construction, initiatives, WHATEVER you want to call it, this episode is about that.This type of camp program has really been changing and growing over the years. From the early days where people built and tested their own ropes courses to today where zip-lines are tested by the same people who certify elevators, we’ve certainly seen it grow.One thing that has remained true is the goal of adventure programming. Campers take part in adventure programming at your camp to become changed through exposure to challenge and risk. Whether that be the risk that comes with being 30 feet in the air or that risk of telling their friend that they need better communication from them, the benefits to this type of programming are truly endless.However, before you get your harness on and take a drill to an unsuspecting maple tree to start an adventure program at your camp, there are a lot of things to consider. Who will make sure your ropes course is up to regulatory standards? Do your staff know how to properly run adventure programming? Have you properly budgeted for this course? What the heck is an Ubuntu card!?Yeah. Put that drill away and get, Air Pods out and listen in to this episode. Gabz, Travis and Joe are joined by Phil Brown from High 5 Adventure. Phil lends his expertise to the group as they share their practical tips and philosophies when it comes to planning, implementation evaluating and proper training for adventure programming.What is the coolest adventure program you have at your camp? Let us know in the comments!Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp DirectorTravis: LoomJoe: Wall Control Magnetic PegBoard:Gabz: ToDoistPhil: Ubuntu cardsYour Hosts:Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp ProJoe Richards, Executive Director -Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat FacilityGabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauPhil Brown, Trainer, High 5 AdventureAlso, check out High 5 Adventure’s PodcastRate and Review the CampHacker Show(Thank you!)Bonus Content! - The Canadian Camping Magazine Searchable ArchiveThanks for letting your awesome out, Joe!https://archive.org/details/canadian-camping-a

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!A New Podcast from Go Camp Pro - The Camp Owners Podcast!Whether you are a Camp Owner, an aspiring camp owner, or a lover of some of our other Go Camp Pro podcasts, we’re so happy to have you here.The Camp Owners Podcast is here to explore a side of the summer camp world that is experienced by those that have the privilege of running an independent program.In this world of camp, the stakes are high. Not only do private camps have the same goals, aspirations and responsibilities that other camps have, but there is also usually a ton of personal livelihood on the line. When you OWN a camp, you really do own the successes and failures that any for-profit enterprise faces.On this podcast, our hosts, Howie Grossinger and Kelly Schuna will be joined by some seasoned prime camp professionals to dive deep into the issues that most private camp pros will need to face, and the best practices that they use to create, and sustain a summer camp for their campers to enjoy summer after summer.In season one, tune in to the podcast monthly to hear about topics like Camp As a Business, Camp Insurance, Buying and Selling Camps, Work/Life Balance, Pricing, Staff Training & EngagementThanks for tuning in! If you have any feedback, please get in touch with our producer, Matt at matt@gocamp.pro.In our first episode, Camp as a Business, Howie and Kelly are joined by the wise and wonderful Steve Baskin of Camp Champions. Together, Howie, Kelly and Steve address some of the unique aspects of the private camp industry and what even the most business-savvy camp pros need to be thinking about as we enter a new decade.Tune in to hear about:What can you expect from this season of the Camp Owners Podcast?Steve Baskin’s camp origin story and his favourite part of being a Camp OwnerWhat does it mean to view camp “as a business”?What is a unique or unexpected challenge of being in the business of camp?What is an insider tip that you would give to a new or up-and-coming camp owner?What is something that camp owners should have on their radar for the future of the industry?What is something you hope to learn from the hosts and guests of the Camp Owners Pod? Let us know in the comments!What Inspires You? - Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.Howie: Simon Sinek - https://simonsinek.com/Kelly: Esther Wojcicki - “The single most important behaviour that you can role model for your children is the ability to have functional relationships” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_WojcickiSteve: Angela Duckworth, Carol Dweck and David Jaeger’s work regarding mindset.Carol Dweck - https://www.ted.com/speakers/carol_dweckAngela Duckworth - https://angeladuckworth.com/David Jaeger - https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/camping-magazine/mindsets-matterHost Links:Hosts:Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska CampsKelly Schuna, Own