The Camp Owners Podcast

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/full-for-2022

We have heard from many camp owners that camp registration is going really well and many of us have had  “waitlists” for many months.What do we do with those waitlists if we can’t get them in this summer? Is it too early to have them think about or dare we say hold a spot for 2023? Can we even afford to start thinking about 2023 registration when the 2022 season hasn't even started? 

Well, we think we have the person to talk about all of this and more. We are happy to welcome back, making his return to the show Eric Wittenberg. Eric is the CEO of Camper Machine, a marketing agency that helps camp operators with camper recruitment and sophisticated approaches to automated marketing and targeted communication strategies. 

Eric has grown up at camp, directed camp, started camps and has become a valued resource in helping camp owners market their message to existing and potential camp families. Welcome back Eric!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: The Culture Question - How to Create a Workplace Where People Like to Work
• Kelly: Book I’d like to use at staff training to practice daily meditation: 
• Eric: Thinking in Bets - Annie Duke

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Stuart Jones - President - Outpost Summer Camps

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/staff-not-the-same

As we inch our way towards summer our staffing is coming together and we’re gaining a fuller picture of what our teams will look like this summer.  We’re also gaining insight into where our staff are at coming into summer through our interviews, returning staff check ins and conversations. 

Similar to last year, we are realizing that our staff are not the same as they were prior to the pandemic. What does this mean for us as camp owners and directors?  Are there changes we need to make as an institution in how we train and mentor our young staff?  Has there been a shift around who’s applying, how they’re applying.  

As leaders in our industry it might be time to take a deep breath and look at how things are different and how we’re going to respond.  Lead with a lens focused on humility and learning.  Our guest today Stuart Jones, President of Outpost Summer Camps located in San Diego, California. Stuart is passionate about child development and best practices.  We’re excited to have him join us for this conversation.

Listen in as we discuss:

• From your perspective, how are our young people going to be coming to camp differently than they have in the past?
• Talk to us about your sense of needing to “take a big breath” and look at things differently as camp leaders
• Is this a type of “reckoning” for the camp industry?
• How do we use this knowledge to positively impact staff training and camp this summer? 
• What other changes do we need to make to the way we’ve always done things?

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Find this at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/staff-not-the-same

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Stuart Jones - President - Outpost Summer Camps

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/healthy-camp-2022

Keeping our camps healthy has never been important and we are excited to have Tracey Gaslin to discuss what we should all be thinking about as we plan for the summer. From COVID in 2022, to health center staffing we look forward to touching on many of the hot topics that camp owners would be thinking about as they work towards maintaining a healthy camp.

Listen in as we discuss:

• For those that are unfamiliar, tell us about the Association of Camp Nursing
• Let’s discuss COVID in 2022. What is the current state of COVID and what should camp owners be thinking about?
• Staffing at camp is a big priority this summer. What are you hearing about staffing Camp Health Centers? 
• What should camp owners be thinking about for overall camp health, especially in the area of mental, emotional, and social health?
• What might be some key recommendations for summer 2022 as we prepare and plan?

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Resource for young or new staff regarding supervising for the first time: book “It’s ok to be the boss” by Bruce Tolgen
• Kelly: Training at the Winnekota Leadership Conference, keynote speaker Sarah Kurtz McKinnon w/ the Summer Camp Society
• Tracey: Quote: “Courage, courage is sometimes the quiet voice at the end of the day saying I Will Try Again Tomorrow” by an

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Tracey Gaslin - Executive Director - Alliance for Camp Health

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/understanding-gen-z-2022

As we all navigate staffing this summer, understanding our workforce has never been more important. The impact of the pandemic on Gen-Z has resulted in the need to better connect, support and adapt to the needs of this important age group. 

We are excited to have Adam Baranker, the Assistant Director of Jeff Lake Day Camp in Sussex County New Jersey to talk about this important topic and to share his insight.

Listen in as we discuss:

• Let’s define Gen-Z and the group they typically represent at our camps
• What are pitfalls can camp owners avoid when recruiting/engaging/interacting with Gen Z?
• How have you adapted and what do you want camp owners to know to best relate and/or interact with Gen-Z?

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Book “The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stainer
• Kelly: Book  “The Enneagram & You” by Gina Gomez
• Adam: “I’m not making fun of it, I’m just having fun with it” quote from a 14yr old camper

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Adam Baranker - Assistant Director - Jeff Lake Day Camp

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

Send us Fan Mail

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/onboarding-leadership-team

Today’s topic is proof that current employment trends impact camps similar to other industries across the country. We’ve heard lots of talk regarding the turnover in leadership team members at recent camp conferences and gatherings. As we prepare for summer and staff training, we’d like to discuss the onboarding of new leadership team members and how we prepare them for this new role at camp. 

Our guest today is Ryan Rosen, owner and director of Camp Kinneret, a summer day camp located in Agoura Hills, California. Ryan is also the owner of Camptivities (one of our generous sponsors, thank you Ryan), a scheduling tool designed just for camps.

Listen in as we discuss:

• How have you seen this play out at your camp?
• What does this look like in regards to onboarding and training our new leadership team members?
• What are the best practices you utilize? 
• Any tools or resources that make this process easier?
• What are the biggest lessons take-aways from this process?

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Article: Connect with Empathy, But Lead with Compassion - https://hbr.org/2021/12/connect-with-empathy-but-lead-with-compassion
• Kelly: Alumni staff member sharing their keynote speaker at General Mills relation to what they learned at camp. 
• Ryan: Conversations with long-term staff members about next steps, growth at camp, becoming a better human through camp. Through conversation discussed that your time at camp doesn’t have to be over if that’s where you want to be. Have now developed a new position that meets their needs and camps. 

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Ryan Rosen - Owner & Director - Camp Kinneret & Founder - Camptivities

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/staff-resentment

We’re grateful to Andy and Liz Kimmelman for joining on this episode on sharing how they are flipping their mindset from staff retention to staff resentment. These two incredibly forward-thinking professionals share both the philosophical AND extremely practical ways that camp owners and directors can begin to meet the true needs of this changing staff workforce.

Andy, Liz Howie and Kelly go deep into:

• Why shift to focus on staff resentment?
• How have you seen this play out at your camp? 
• What should camp owners be doing to assess levels of resentment? 

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Your best year ever, by Michael Hyatt
• Kelly: Influence is Your Superpower, by Zoe Chance
• Andy: Brene Brown’s decision to pause her podcast on Spotify - making that decision with curiosity and listening 
• Liz: The band, the “Linda Lindas” - they live into the punk rock value and vibe of questioning the patriarch  - Podcast “The Pen Pals” - with Daniel and Rory 

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Liz & Andy Kimmelman - Owner/Director - Tumbleweed Day Camp

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

Send us Fan Mail

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/first-gen-camp-families

Over two-thirds of kids in the US DON’T go to summer camp and many of them don’t even know that it exists. That means that there are kids out there who don’t even know the potential of a summer in a positive community. That means is should be our goal, no, our MISSION, to reach out to them and give them a chance to say YES to a summer that can change their lives forever.

To help us break this down we welcome Max Claman to the show to share his experiences as a camp staff, director and consultant. Max has some deep thoughts on how to bring in new families to the camp experience and we’re grateful to have him share his time with us.

Tune in to this episode to hear Max share:

• Who exactly are ‘First-Gen Families?
• Why aren’t First-Gen families interested in summer camp?
• What are ‘First-Gen Families’ looking for in a camp? 

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Adam Grant’s Instagram Account - great leadership quotes
• Kelly: Book “Professional Troublemaker” by Luvvie Ajayi Jones: “We have to become professional troublemakers: people who are committed to not letting fear talk them out of the things they need to do or say to live free.”
• Max: Basketball (the plays at the end are last minute, drawing it up on the sidelines)  vs. Football (practice, plays, very organized) - both just like camp - be prepared but also be ready to drop a play in the moment

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Max Claman - Principal - VestEd Consulting

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

Send us Fan Mail

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/state-of-camps-2022

We’re grateful to have Scott Brody, ACA Board Chair and a fellow camp owner and director to share his thoughts on the work of the ACA throughout the pandemic, the work forward and the things that owners and directors should be thinking about as they move forward.

Tune in to this episode to hear Scott share:

• Can you give us a big picture view of the state of the state of camping for 2022?
• What is important for camp owners to know? 
• Are there any action items for camp owners or things they can do on a local level to support these initiatives?
• What do you see coming down the pipe for the future?

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Effortless by Greg McKeown - How to reach a feeling of effortless doing challenging and essential projects
• Kelly: Conversations with returning staff members and their “why” for choosing to come back to camp
• Scott: Hopes and Fears: working with todays independent school parents by Robert Evans and Michael Thompson

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Scott Brody - National Board Chair - American Camp Association & Owner+Director - Camps Kenwood & Evergreen

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

---

Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

Send us Fan Mail

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/family-business-transitions-the-pandemic

Todays topic is one that is near and dear Howie. His family has owned our day camp for 60 years and completed a generational change in leadership and ownership within the last 10. 

They are now at the beginning of our 3rd generation of family leadership at camp and anticipate that they will have to consider another transition sometime in the future. 

Our guests Jeff and Brooke Cheley are the Directors of Cheley Colorado Camps who have experienced a chapter of family transition in their camp ownership and operation. We are excited to speak with them about their experience, lessons learned and advice about transition in a pandemic and beyond. 

Welcome to the show Jeff & Brooke!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!) (click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Howie: Finish What You Start - Peter Hollins
• Kelly: Audrey Monke Podcast with author of Entitlemania, Episode 101

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Jeff and Brooke Cheley - Directors - Cheley Colorado Camps

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

---

Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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

Send us Fan Mail

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/ownerspod/partnering-with-staff-parents

On the heels of the very successful ACA staffing summit this past fall, we wanted to have Deb Gilboa “Dr.G” return to the show to discuss one of the topics that was a bit of a buzz for all the camp pro’s out there. Partnering with Your Staff Parents.

We look forward to hearing Dr. G’s perspective which just may change our attitudes and approaches to our recruitment efforts, developing excellent staff behaviors and driving retention by engaging, setting boundaries, and opening to a partnership with parents of our staff

As many of our listeners know “Dr. G,” is a leading parenting and youth development expert, family physician, international speaker, author, and media expert. Her straightforward advice (always accompanied by good humor) helps wade through the stress, doubt, and guilt that all parents and educators feel at one time or another. A lifelong camper, she has a knowing admiration for counselors and administrators who play a key role in shaping the campers around them. 

Welcome back to the Camp Owners Podcast Dr.G!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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Things that inspire our hosts and guests to be the best Camp Owners they can be.

• Kelly: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/01/why-pepsico-ceo-indra-nooyi-writes-letters-to-her-employees-parents.html
• Dr. G: http://wecandohardthingspodcast.com

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• Kelly Schuna - Owner - Hidden Pines Ranch
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps
• Dr. Deborah Gilboa - “Dr. G”, Parenting, Youth Development & Resiliency Expert - www.askdoctorg.com

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CampBrain provides management and registration software to camps and conference centers. Serving 1300+ camps since 1994, with a dedicated staff of 50+ providing personal, caring support and building beautiful, intuitive software.
For more information visit them at https://www.campbrain.com/ownerspod

In a year where you’re juggling so many changes, let’s take activity scheduling off that list. Camptivities is specifically designed for camps by camp people. Save time, money and resources to create your best activity schedule yet! Find out more at camptivities.com

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Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey 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