The Camp Owners Podcast

Building a Vision from the Ground Up - With Lauren Beckwith and Stacey Levy - The Camp Owners Podcast #76

Find show notes and more at https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/building-a-vision [https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/building-a-vision] CREATING CAMP CULTURE BEFORE THE FIRST CAMPER ARRIVES: INSIDE THE JOURNEY OF TURNING A CAMP DREAM INTO REALITY Launching a brand-new camp from scratch is no small feat, and in the final episode of season 6, Lauren Beckwith and Stacey Levy pull back the curtain on how they turned a shared vision into Camp Eastwood. Drawing on decades of experience at some of the industry’s most respected camps, they share practical insights on everything from designing age appropriate programming to creating culture, traditions and staff systems before the first camper even arrived. Whether you’re dreaming about starting a camp, refreshing your current program, or simply love hearing how great camp ideas come to life, this episode is packed with thoughtful leadership lessons and real world strategy. It’s an inspiring look at what it takes to build something meaningful from the ground up and why intentionality matters every step of the way. * 04:52 Meet Camp Eastwood * 06:58 Friendship Origin Story * 10:06 Why Eastwood Exists * 14:09 Property Site Setup * 17:00 Timeline Roles Split * 20:46 How They Got Asked * 26:10 Building Program Philosophy * 34:55 Designing For Young Kids * 39:27 Forest Friends Values * 41:37 Session Length Flexibility * 43:04 Staff Training Approach * 46:57 Reset Between Sessions * 52:05 Developmental Programming Wins * 54:18 Mentorship Leadership Lessons * 56:51 Rapid Fire Favorites - YOUR HOSTS: * Howie Grossinger [howie@camprobinhood.ca] - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood [http://www.camprobinhood.ca/], Partner - Camp Walden [http://www.campwalden.ca/] & Madawaska Camps [https://madawaskacamps.com/] * Kelly Schuna [kelly@hiddenpinesranch.com?] - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch [https://hiddenpinesranch.com/] - YOUR GUESTS: * Lauren Beckwith [lauren@campeastwood.com?] - Co-Director - Camp Eastwood [https://campeastwood.com/] * Stacey Levy [stacey@campeastwood.com?] - Co-Director - Camp Eastwood [https://campeastwood.com/] - THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: CAMPTIVITIES [https://www.camptivities.com/] Your staff work late into the night to create perfect camper schedules. Prevent mid-summer burnout with Camptivities — the smart scheduling software that saves time, reduces mistakes, and keeps your team energized. Find out more at camptivities.com [https://www.camptivities.com/] --- Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey] by February 28th and enter your email for a chance to with a $250 gift card from our friends at Gopher Sport. Find it at gocamp.pro/podsurvey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey]

Coaching Staff Who Struggle to Receive Feedback - with Dave Brown - The Camp Owners Podcast #75

Find all the show notes at https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/coaching-staff [https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/coaching-staff] HIGH STANDARDS, REAL BUY IN: FEEDBACK STRATEGIES STAFF WILL ACTUALLY HEAR AND USE Why do some staff shut down when given feedback and how can leaders break through? In this episode, your hosts sit down with Dave Brown, LCSW, to explore brain-aligned strategies that help young staff actually hear, process, and act on feedback. Listen in as they unpack the “mentor’s dilemma” and share practical tools like transparency statements, belonging stories, and low stakes check-ins that build trust while maintaining high standards. If you’re looking to strengthen your feedback culture without sacrificing relationships, this episode offers clear, actionable approaches you can start using right away. * 07:00 From Social Work To Camp * 08:21 Launching Fence Post Learning * 11:40 Why Feedback Feels Hard * 12:45 Mentor’s Dilemma  * 15:55 Fragility Causes * 21:53 High Standards, High Support * 26:04 Transparency Statements Tool * 29:15 Building Feedback Culture * 33:51 Training Middle Managers * 36:29 Why Feedback Breaks Down * 37:42 Trusting Others With Feedback * 40:42 Why Connection Matters * 46:04 Belonging Stories Tool * 50:15 Balance Scale Support * 53:52 Mentoring Campers  - YOUR HOSTS: * Howie Grossinger [howie@camprobinhood.ca] - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood [http://www.camprobinhood.ca/], Partner - Camp Walden [http://www.campwalden.ca/] & Madawaska Camps [https://madawaskacamps.com/] * Kelly Schuna [kelly@hiddenpinesranch.com?] - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch [https://hiddenpinesranch.com/] - YOUR GUESTS: * Dave Brown, LCSW [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebrownlcsw/] - Founder - Fence Post Learning [https://fencepostlearning.com/], Director - Mountain Camp [https://www.mountaincamp.com/] EPISODE LINKS: Coping Mechanisms from Fence Post Learning [/s/Coping-Mechanisms-Fence-Post-Learning.pdf] 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People [https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/10-to-25-the-science-of-motivating-young-people-a-groundbreaking-approach-to-leading-the-next-generationand-making-your-own-life-easier/9781668023884.html] THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: CAMPTIVITIES [https://www.camptivities.com/] Your staff work late into the night to create perfect camper schedules. Prevent mid-summer burnout with Camptivities — the smart scheduling software that saves time, reduces mistakes, and keeps your team energized. Find out more at camptivities.com [https://www.camptivities.com/] --- Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey] by February 28th and enter your email for a chance to with a $250 gift card from our friends at Gopher Sport. Find it at gocamp.pro/podsurvey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey]

The Campfire Effect - with Matt Kaufman - The Camp Owners Podcast #74

Find all the show notes at https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/campfire-effect [https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/campfire-effect] USING BRAIN CHEMISTRY TO ENGINEER BELONGING What if belonging wasn’t left to chance, but intentionally designed? In this episode of The Camp Owners Podcast, Matt Kaufman unpacks “The Campfire Effect,” revealing how camps can use brain chemistry to foster deeper connection, resilience and growth. From navigating homesickness to building powerful staff cultures, this conversation offers practical strategies rooted in the simple idea that stress plus support creates lasting impact. Whether you work in camps, schools or teams, you’ll walk away with actionable ways to create environments where people truly feel they belong. * 04:20 Matt’s Camp Origin Story * 06:55 Why He Wrote Campfire Effect * 10:38 Engineering Belonging at Camp * 14:53 Neurochemicals and Dopamine Goals * 19:53 Stress Plus Support Equals Growth * 24:57 Training Staff to Support Campers * 28:50 Camp Beyond Camp * 32:13 Belonging Culture Non-negotiables * 32:53 Welcoming New Staff Right * 39:18 Belonging by Design * 41:31 Inspect Your Rituals * 44:58 Healthy Dopamine  - YOUR HOSTS: * Howie Grossinger [howie@camprobinhood.ca] - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood [http://www.camprobinhood.ca/], Partner - Camp Walden [http://www.campwalden.ca/] & Madawaska Camps [https://madawaskacamps.com/] * Kelly Schuna [kelly@hiddenpinesranch.com?] - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch [https://hiddenpinesranch.com/] - YOUR GUESTS: * Matt Kaufman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjkaufman/] - Director - Camp Ramaquois [https://www.campramaquois.com/] - EPISODE LINKS: The Campfire Effect: How to Engineer Belonging in a Disconnected World [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GMBV6BM1 ] Matt’s Website [https:// https://www.ilove.camp/ ] THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: WHEREABOUTS [https://whereaboutsapp.io/] Your mission is campers. Ours is making their experience coordinated and connected.  Whereabouts [https://whereaboutsapp.io/] is the only camper management system that keeps Parents, Admin, and Staff in sync in real time — so every camper’s day runs with confidence, clarity, and care. Check them out whereaboutsapp.io [https://whereaboutsapp.io/] --- Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey] by February 28th and enter your email for a chance to with a $250 gift card from our friends at Gopher Sport. Find it at gocamp.pro/podsurvey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey]

Summer Camp: The Best Medicine - with Keith Brazendale - The Camp Owners Podcast #73

Find all the show notes at https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/best-medicine [https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/best-medicine] CAMP & CHILDHOOD OBESITY: A CONVERSATION WITH ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KEITH BRAZENDALE Summer camp isn’t just fun, it may be one of the most effective tools we have to support children’s health. In this episode of The Camp Owners Podcast, Associate Professor Keith Brazendale speaks about compelling research showing how camp environments can help combat childhood obesity. From the power of structured days and unintentional physical activity, to the role camps can play for low income families, this conversation connects research directly to camp operations and advocacy. You’ll also hear bold ideas about partnerships with schools and pediatricians, including what it could look like for doctors to “prescribe” camp. If you care about the impact camps have beyond the summer, this is a must listen. * 06:12 The Impact of Summer Camps on Children's Health * 08:10 The Structured Days Hypothesis * 16:11 The Importance of Summer Camps for Low-Income Families * 23:10 Promoting Camps Through Schools * 29:36 Impact of Summer on Low Income Families * 30:22 Logistical Challenges and Potential Solutions * 31:32 The Role of Schools and Scholarships * 32:19 Health Outcomes and the Faucet Theory * 32:37 Summer School vs. Summer Camp * 33:26 Promoting Healthier Children Through Camps * 36:46 Unintentional Physical Activity at Camps * 38:23 Pediatricians Prescribing Summer Camps * 42:07 Pilot Study on Camp Prescriptions - YOUR HOSTS: * Howie Grossinger [howie@camprobinhood.ca] - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood [http://www.camprobinhood.ca/], Partner - Camp Walden [http://www.campwalden.ca/] & Madawaska Camps [https://madawaskacamps.com/] * Kelly Schuna [kelly@hiddenpinesranch.com?] - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch [https://hiddenpinesranch.com/] - YOUR GUESTS: * Keith Brazendale [keith.brazendale@ucf.edu?] - Associate Professor - University of Central Florida, Department of Health Sciences [https:// UCF Department of Health Sciences - College of Health Professions and Sciences] - EPISODE LINKS: Keith’s Article: Could This Be a Simple Solution to Reducing Childhood Obesity? [https://www.ucf.edu/news/could-this-be-a-simple-solution-to-reducing-childhood-obesity/] THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: CAMPTIVITIES [https://www.camptivities.com/] Your staff work late into the night to create perfect camper schedules. Prevent mid-summer burnout with Camptivities — the smart scheduling software that saves time, reduces mistakes, and keeps your team energized. Find out more at camptivities.com [https://www.camptivities.com/] --- Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey] by February 28th and enter your email for a chance to with a $250 gift card from our friends at Gopher Sport. Find it at gocamp.pro/podsurvey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey]

How "Whereabouts" is Solving the Camp Director’s Biggest Headache - with Ryan Rosen

CLIPBOARDS, KAIZEN, AND CONNECTION: REVOLUTIONIZING CAMP ATTENDANCE WITH RYAN ROSEN *This is a piece of sponsored content by our friends from Camptivities and Whereabouts [http://whereaboutsapp.io/]. 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 to share more about Whereabouts and it's intentional design - Check them out whereaboutsapp.io [http://whereaboutsapp.io/]* -- In this episode, Travis sits down with Ryan Rosen, a 28-year camp veteran and owner of a premier Los Angeles day camp, to discuss the intersection of "tech-free" camp philosophy and high-efficiency logistics. Ryan shares the origin story of Whereabouts [http://whereaboutsapp.io/], an innovative app designed to bridge the communication gap between parents and camp offices. From the "Spirit of Kaizen" to real-time attendance reconciliation, this conversation explores how small, iterative improvements in camp tech can lead to massive gains in safety, staff sanity, and parent satisfaction. Key Takeaways include: * The Spirit of Kaizen: Success isn't always about massive overhauls; it’s about the "incremental improvement" of systems. By questioning why "we’ve always done it this way," directors can identify stagnant procedures - like where T-shirts are handed out or how attendance is taken - and refine them for a better experience. * Closing the "Lunchtime Gap": Many camps don't fully reconcile bus lists with group rosters until midday. Ryan explains how real-time widgets allow directors to know exactly who is on-site before the morning assembly even ends, meeting modern parent expectations for safety and transparency. * Passive vs. Active Engagement: There is a fine line between "convenient" tech and "isolating" tech. Ryan discusses moving away from passive check-ins (like unattended QR codes) toward "human-powered" technology that prompts staff with camper birthdays or medical alerts during the check-in process. * Empowering Gen-Z and Alpha Staff: Modern summer staff are digital natives. Asking them to manage complex paper-and-pen systems often leads to errors. Providing them with intuitive, mobile-first tools like Whereabouts aligns with their skills and reduces operational friction. * Tech-Enabled Emergency Safety: Beyond daily attendance, the episode highlights the importance of "Emergency Pods." In the event of a wildfire or evacuation, having a cellular-connected system to track which kids are on which bus in real-time is a critical safety upgrade for any modern camp. --- Thanks to Camptivities and Whereabouts [http://whereaboutsapp.io/] for sponsoring! Your mission is campers. Ours is making their experience coordinated and connected. Whereabouts [https://whereaboutsapp.io/]is the only camper management system that keeps Parents, Admin, and Staff in sync in real time - so every camper’s day runs with confidence, clarity, and care. Check them out at whereaboutsapp.io [http://whereaboutsapp.io/] --- Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey] by February 28th and enter your email for a chance to with a $250 gift card from our friends at Gopher Sport. Find it at gocamp.pro/podsurvey [https://gocamp.pro/podsurvey]