Campground Compass

Campground Compass

By Campground AccountingBusinessEntrepreneurship
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Campground Compass episodes

  • Ep. 13: Furry Friends In Campgrounds
    In this episode we talk about how dogs can make or break your campground
    Introduce the dogs
    How Phydeaux got his name
    Dog parks in campgrounds: According to the RV Industry Association, 68 percent of RVers bring a pet along on their trip and most (92 percent) are dog people.
    Should dogs be allowed in campgrounds 5:48
    Restrictions on certain types of dogs in campground (Depends on type of campground) 6:15
    Dogs
    Rules about dogs - issues with service animals 7:40
    Do you charge for pets? 10:00
    Make sure you are filling the poop bags 12:20
    Disney theory of trash and poo bags 13:00
    Dog parks 14:30
    Fenced in area 15:40
    Off leash = Less aggression 16:00
    Seating in the shade 17:50
    Story Time: Hot Pavement ~19:00
    Water for dogs - maybe 21:00
    Grass (not dirt) - mow it/ maintain 22:40
    Don’t put it in an area where no one will see it or use it 24:00
    How big should it be 24:30
    Dog wash stations - money makers? 25:20
    Coin at the front desk 26:20
    Cool down 27:30
    Most dogs are family members and friendly
    Yappy Hour - social events at the dog park 28:50
    Santa/pictures 29:30
    Pet sitters, mobile groomers, pet check ins, locations of nearby dog parks or pet friendly restaurants 30:40
    Have treats at check in for your dogs 32:30
    Any improvements or updates in your offseason (if you are coming up to an offseason)
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
    42 min
  • Ep. 12: EMERGENCY EIDL INFO
    EMERGENCY EPISODE: In this spur of the moment emergency episode of Campground
    Compass, we discuss how campground owners can take up to 90% off of their #EIDL Loans
    SHOW NOTES
    —----------------------
    - What is it 00:30
    - Who qualifies 1:45
    - What to do if you are over $200,000
    - What are the new arrangements 2:20
    - CAFS System
    - What to do when there is an error 3:30
    - Still can’t make payments after 6 months 4:20
    - Email
    - What happens to the part you don’t pay now 5:05
    - Are they going to forgive them 5:35
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    - IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    - FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    - Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    - IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    - LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    - IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    - LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
    9 min
  • Ep. 10: The Indefatigable Productivity Infrastructure for Campground Owners
    Zack talks about how campground owners can be more productive and the proper way to delegate tasks in a digital world
    SHOW NOTES
    —----------------------
    To do its
    task lists
    To dos for your teami
    Alt: Google Tasks
    GCal
    Scheduling features
    Discuss why I schedule everything
    Color coding
    Alt: Apple Cal,
    Apple notes
    any sort of notes I need
    Like most things nowadays, has a search feature
    Love the apple ecosystem
    File Management: Google Drive
    Docs & Sheets (Collaborative work)
    Online and Cloud Based
    Why you need to store everything in the cloud
    Notion
    Encompasses all of the steps in one place
    Decent at doing everything but not awesome at anything
    Alt: Obsidian
    Outsourcing
    Lot of ways to go about it
    Automation
    Zapier
    Automate you social media
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb


    40 min
  • Ep. 8: The Top 10 Things Every RV’er Wants from a Campground
    This podcast is all about the top 10 things that RVers want from their campgrounds! From wifi and electric hookups, to bathrooms and showers, this podcast will cover it all. So if you’re an RV’er or are thinking about becoming one, make sure to check out this podcast!
    SHOW NOTES
    —----------------------
    Site
    Paved
    Spacing
    Fire pit
    Big rig friendly
    Pull through
    Level
    Utilities
    Water pressure
    WiFi
    Sewer
    Placement
    Sewer connection sits more than a few inches above the ground
    50 AMP v.s. 30 Amp
    Placement of poles
    Full hookups
    Pets
    Dog Parks
    Dog wash
    If you have to pay use credit card
    Bag stations
    Pet friendly parks
    Pet check ins (for money)
    Facilities
    Clean bathrooms
    Laundry rooms
    Card operated laundry machines
    Campstore
    Clubstore
    Management
    Friendly staff and management
    Customer service
    Cancelation Fees
    Environment
    Signage
    Navigation
    Garbage piles
    Work campers to pick up trash
    No trash on floor
    Landscaping
    Trees
    No low hanging branches
    Separation between sites
    Shade
    Privacy
    Activities
    Nickel Bingo
    Ice cream socials
    Themed events/days
    Holiday activities
    Campers app
    Fun
    Pool
    Lazy river/splash park
    Playground
    Ponds
    Hot tub
    Adults only?
    Guide
    Nearby restaurants and activities
    Mountain Falls RV
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
    1 hr
  • Ep. 7: 5 Suspicious Minds in The Campground Industry
    In this episode, we got our “Spidey Senses” 🕸️ tingling with some suspicions we have inside the outdoor hospitality industry!
    SHOW NOTES
    —----------------------
    Fraud at Carolina Pines
    [Carolina Pines manager indicted in fraud scheme, US Attorney's Office says] (https://www.myhorrynews.com/news/carolina-pines-manager-indicted-in-fraud-scheme-us-attorneys-office-says/article_8942323a-38fa-11ed-bb72-5f830fe71c22.html#:~:text=Troy%20Benjamin%20Bittner%2C%2053%2C%20was,to%20the%20U.S.%20Attorney's%20Office.)
    Short time owners who want to sell a park - suspicious
    Frank Rolfe, RV Park University
    [Short-Term Owners Create Big RV Park Suspicions - RV Park University]
    (https://www.rvparkuniversity.com/articles/short-term-owners-create-big-rv-park-suspicions?inf_contact_key=2b392716b8ef4d69cf9b0f30e11aced4f651f238aa2edbb9c8b7cff03e0b16a0)
    Investment Groups are in high gear: Happy Camper
    Accredited investors $25m fund
    (https://happycampercapital.com/portfolio-of-rv-parks-campgrounds-marinas/)
    (https://moderncampground.com/usa/colorado/happy-camper-capital-acquiring-more-parks-using-25m-fund/)
    Entergy LED Lighting Programs
    Infrastructure
    Latest News
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
    40 min
  • Ep. 6: 7 Planning Tactics to Bulletproof Your Campground
    This week…In this episode…
    SHOW NOTES
    —----------------------
    Delivery Bot
    Tiny mile
    Refunds from IRS for penalties on 2019 and 2020 returns - automatically refunded by check.
    Taxes - filed for businesses and Oct 15 for individuals
    Plan for next year
    “Using last year’s financial statements for planning is like using a smoke detector to bake cookies.” Ron Baker
    Million Dollar Idea: PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!!
    Pricing for the upcoming year and dynamic pricing
    Don’t Focus too much on cutting expenses
    Get your reservation system and website updated
    Add new pictures and make sure you have happy people in them
    Slap a coat of paint on something
    Create a list of priorities for improvements in your park; look at an estimated cost, how long it will take, and what the result will be; - sort them by return on investment.
    Newsletter for your park
    Events from the community at your park to get the word out - pavilion, a place for meetings with groups
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
    2 hr 12 min
  • Ep. 5: Hurricanes, Halloween and How the IRS will Haunt You
    This week…In this episode…
    SHOW NOTES
    —----------------------
    Intro Portion
    Latest News
    Halloween “mini-season” - events; traditions (Chester)
    Hurricane season - Ian did some damage in Florida and Carolinas, lead up to insurance; ask for ideas from listeners Industry events season: https://www.campgroundaccounting.com/upcoming-events/
    1099 preparation - who gets one and why
    What’s the purpose of 1099?
    Who gets one?
    What about work campers?
    How do you get the information to file the 1099?
    What happens if you don’t have the information to file?
    Penalties: the penalty varies from $50 to $270 per form, depending on how long past the deadline the business issues the form. There is a $556,500 maximum in fines per year for small businesses. If a business intentionally disregards the requirement to provide a correct payee statement, it's subject to a minimum penalty of $550 per form or 10% of the income reported on the form, with no maximum.
    Penalty relief from Covid that we discussed last time does not appear to apply to 1099s
    One potential relief could be based on destruction of information at IRS back in May 2022. https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2022/may/irs-blames-old-tech-destruction-information-returns.html
    CONTACT
    —----------------------
    Campground Compass Socials
    IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
    FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
    Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com
    Donna
    IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
    LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux
    Zack
    IG: instagram.com/thezackb
    LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
    30 min
  • Ep. 4: Depreciation in Campgrounds and Lessons in Customer Service from the Most Magical Place on Earth

    This week we start off by discussing the basics of depreciation and how it affects campgrounds. Then, we kick off a great conversation about Disney and what campgrounds owners can learn from Disney’s Fort Wilderness

    SHOW NOTES

    —----------------------

    1. Depreciation
      1. prior accountant wouldn’t tell them how it worked
      2. Surprised to find that land doesn’t reduce taxes - not depreciated
      3. Depreciation just means breaking down an expense over multiple years
      4. Lots of special rules and exceptions but here are the basics
        1. 5 years: equipment like tractors, mowers, jump pads and heavy trucks
        2. 7 years: furniture
        3. 15 or 39 years:  improvements like roads and sites
        4. 39 years: commercial real estate including the owner’s house
        5. Autos
        6. South Carolina Campground Statistics
          1. The 2021 Annual Report for Sun Communities, Inc (SUI) echoes the occupancy reported by ELS with a US total occupancy for annual sites reported at 97.3%.  SUI reports 100% occupancy for annual sites at Carolina Pines and Crossroads RV Resorts.
          2. "Overall, camping occupancy averaged over 70% throughout the spring of 2021.  At many parks with higher visitor demand, occupancy rates were above 80% each month in the spring, with several parks above 90% and two exceeding 99%." (2022-2033 South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Budget Request)
          3. South Carolina State Parks had an estimated annual 62.71% occupancy for RV campsites
          4. KOA Conference
            1. November 16th-17th in Orlando, Fl
            2. Staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
            3. The Disney Experience
              1. Customer Service
              2. The great benefits of Fort Wilderness
              3. The time Zack almost died on Haunted Mansion
                1. The recovery story and free fast passes

                  2. CONTACT

                  —----------------------

                  Campground Compass Socials

                  • IG: instagram.com/campgroundcompass
                  • FB: facebook.com/campgroundcompass
                  • Web: campgroundcomapsspodcast.com

                    • Donna

                    • IG: instagram.com/thedonnabordeaux
                    • LI: linkedin.com/in/donnabordeaux

                      • Zack

                      • IG: instagram.com/thezackb
                      • LI: linkedin.com/in/realzackb
                        • 46 min

                      About Campground Compass

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                      🏕 Campground Compass is the weekly podcast that delivers for-us-by-us campfire stories, pro tips, and fresh ideas about how to amplify your efforts, innovate the industry, and solve problems specific…