Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/culture-customer

Dive into the latest episode of the CampHacker Podcast, where Travis Allison, Chris Hudson, and Heather Withrow unravel the secrets behind creating a vibrant and intentional camp culture. From the enchanting influences of Disney to the practical magic of a 'nurse mobile' during check-ins, this episode is packed with quirky insights and savvy advice. Learn why first impressions matter, how to win over new campers and their parents, and why serving tea might just be the ultimate camp hack. Plus, discover how to ensure your camp's invisible culture is always visible to those who matter most. 

Join the conversation and take your camp's customer service game to the next level!

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• Travis -  Best personality test based on science https://www.tiktok.com/@idiotic_shrimp/photo/7474823467444210990?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7446923457428456965
• Chris - List of LGBTQ camps! https://riverhuntervooris.com/lgbtq-summer-camps/
• Heather -  Raving Fans - Ken Blanchard

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Heather Withrow, President & CEO - Jumonville

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UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Bowline HQ

Camp leaders: Win back your time to what matters most—your campers. Bowline's comprehensive accounting back-office solutions and tech-enabled team free up your staff to focus on your mission. Visit bowlinehq.com to learn more and book a free 2-hour financial diagnostic. Find out more at https://www.bowlinehq.com 

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/talk-to-parents

On this episode of CampHacker, Travis and Chris are joined by Ruby Compton, and Joanna Warren Smith to really dig into the importance of communicating with camp parents. They discuss the common issue of camps avoiding communication with parents and emphasize the importance of timely, meaningful responses to build trust and ensure camper safety. The conversation highlights the need for camps to set clear expectations with parents, train staff on effective communication, and prioritize responsiveness to inquiries. Guests share practical tips for improving parent relations, from proactive communication strategies to addressing parental concerns head-on.

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• Travis -   The Canary Code Ludmila N. Praslova (Author) A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work
  •  https://amzn.to/3OWpc9H https://bookshop.org/a/84130/9781523005840
• Chris - Matador Pocket Blanket
• Ruby -  Breville Jewel Sous Vide
• Joanna - Bunk List Retention Hack. Use last year’s bunk list and map who isn’t registered yet, then reach out with personal moments from the kiddo’s summer.

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Ruby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby Outdoors
• Joanna Warren Smith - Camp Consultant 

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Bowline HQ

Camp leaders: Win back your time to what matters most—your campers. Bowline's comprehensive accounting back-office solutions and tech-enabled team free up your staff to focus on your mission. Visit bowlinehq.com to learn more and book a free 2-hour financial diagnostic. Find out more at https://www.bowlinehq.com 

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/spicy-questions

In this special live recording from OCA Connects 2025, Travis is joined by Go Camp Pro podcast hosts Howie Grossinger (The Camp Owners Podcast), Rachel Kent (Beyond Camp), and Matt Wilfrid (First Class Counselors) on a panel discussion like no other.

The group answered spicy questions while eating progressively hotter wings - much to the delight of the audience and the pain of the panelists. 

Here are the questions:

• What is the biggest waste of time you see or think many year-round camp professionals engage in?
• Has the camp industry abandoned environmentalism?
• Given the changing attitude about social media. If a camp who has a belief system that is opposed to what they feel social media and companies like meta and x specifically have become or what they represent, how realistic is it for them to de-couple themselves, knowing that families still use it?
• Many camp professionals and the industry at large seems to understand that it's a good goal to welcome more diverse campers and staff into camps. What are some ways you see our industry succeeding and/or falling short of that?
• What is the ultimate camp footwear (so spicy!)

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• Back next episode!

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Rachel Kent, Non-Profit Professional - Host - Beyond Camp
• Howie Grossinger - Co-owner/Director - Camp Robin Hood, Partner - Camp Walden & Madawaska Camps - Host - The Camp Owners Podcast
• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro - Host - First Class Counselors

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Bowline HQ

Camp leaders: Win back your time to what matters most—your campers. Bowline's comprehensive accounting back-office solutions and tech-enabled team free up your staff to focus on your mission. Visit bowlinehq.com to learn more and book a free 2-hour financial diagnostic. Find out more at https://www.bowlinehq.com 

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/adhd

"I thought it was just me." This is the sentiment shared by many camp professionals with ADHD. On this episode of Camp Hacker, Travis, Kelie, and Shauna open up about their personal experiences with ADHD, sharing the struggles, the "aha" moments, and the unique strengths that come with neurodiversity. They discuss the challenges of masking, the importance of self-advocacy, and the power of finding community. Tune in for an honest and relatable conversation about ADHD and camp leadership. This is part one of a two-part series; hear more on Scamp Life: The Other Side.

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• Kelie - Factile (Jeopardy Maker) https://www.playfactile.com/ 
• Shauna - Goblin Tools - https://goblin.tools/ 
• Travis - The Way of Play - Dr. Tina Payne Bryson - https://www.tinabryson.com/the-way-of-play 

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Kelie Cook, Camp Director, Pine Ridge Day Camp
• Shauna Guglielmo, Camp Programs Coordinator - Lincoln Park Zoo
• Check out Kelie and Shauna’s Podcast -  Scamp Life - The Other Side

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Bowline HQ

Camp leaders: Win back your time to what matters most—your campers. Bowline's comprehensive accounting back-office solutions and tech-enabled team free up your staff to focus on your mission. Visit bowlinehq.com to learn more and book a free 2-hour financial diagnostic. Find out more at https://www.bowlinehq.com 

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/no-fun

This week on CampHacker, we're tackling a big question: Should camp directors have fun? It might seem obvious, but we dig deeper than just surface-level enjoyment. We explore what "fun" really means in the context of the demanding world of summer camp. Our guest, Ariella Skoczylas, joins Travis and Chris to share her insights on balancing the hard work with the joy of making a difference. We talk about where we find our own fun in the camp experience, from planning and leading to those spontaneous moments of connection. We also discuss how to communicate the realities of the job to young staff, making sure they understand the balance between fun and responsibility.

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• Travis -  Lego Bontanicals 
• Chris - Behind the Overlay
• Ariella Skoczylas - The Carrot Principle

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Ariella Skoczylas, Educator and Trainer - Leadership Lioness

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Activity schedules are the backbone of every camper’s experience. If there’s a staffing change, it’s really hard to find a person that knows your camp and the nuance your schedule takes. Come check out Camptivities to learn more about our scheduling tools,  designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/hire-director

Join Travis Allison, Chris Hudson, Dan Weir, and Esther Eisenhard for another fantastic episode of the CampHacker podcast! This episode dives into key challenges and emerging trends in recruiting and retaining camp staff. Learn about tools and strategies to manage camp operations more effectively, improve the candidate experience, and set up your camp for success. Plus, find out about specific job openings and practical tips on hiring superstars for your camp.

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• Chris - Battery-powered lamps (Expensive version)
• Travis - The Unstuck Book - Conor McCarthy https://amzn.to/3PwqWH2 
• Dan - Grammarly Pro: https://www.grammarly.com/referrals/redeem?key=pj7usy9dest2ilsu 
• Esther 
  • Indeed.com Role posting - Analytics / Analytics Review
  • JazzHR - https://www.jazzhr.com/ 
  • Glassdoor - https://www.glassdoor.ca/index.htm 

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Esther Eisenhard, Co-Founder, CampHire Recruiting
• Dan Weir, Sr. Consultant - immersive1st - Day Camp Community

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Activity schedules are the backbone of every camper’s experience. If there’s a staffing change, it’s really hard to find a person that knows your camp and the nuance your schedule takes. Come check out Camptivities to learn more about our scheduling tools,  designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/campahead/scenario-planning-101

In this episode of Camp Ahead, hosts Joe, Jess, and KJ  expand on the idea of scenario planning as an essential tool for thinking about the future. They discuss key drivers such as climate change, economics, demographics, technological advancements, and social shifts that can shape the next decade of summer camps. Through imaginative scenario planning, they aim to prepare the industry for both positive and challenging futures. Tune in as they explore the potential impacts of AI, climate mitigation, and more on the world of summer camps.

• 01:46 Recap and Introduction to Scenario Planning
• 05:33 Key Drivers for the Future of Camps: Economic and Staff Considerations
• 07:55 Environmental and Technological Impacts on Camps
• 15:09 Social Drivers and Equity in Future Camps
• 20:33 Imagining Positive Futures: Pronoia vs. Paranoia
• 25:36 The Impact of Camp and Nature
• 26:04 Funding and Philanthropy in Camping
• 29:31 The Value of Experiential Learning
• 30:12 Community and Indigenous Relationships

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• The Book: Imaginable by Jane McGonigal:
  • https://janemcgonigal.com/2021/12/17/imaginable-how-to-see-the-future-coming-and-feel-ready-for-anything-even-things-that-seem-impossible-today/
• https://poe.com/UOScenarioCreator
• https://urgentoptimists.org/

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Jess Elfring-Roberts - Executive Director, Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers

Joe Richards - Executive Director, Pearce Williams Summer Camp and Retreat Facility

KJ Williams -  Camp Director, Phantom Lake YMCA Camp

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A huge thanks to our sponsors for making this possible.

Campify:

Is creating your camp schedule a headache? Does it limit the experience of campers or staff? Campify is software that does the heavy lifting for you - taking care of group, elective, and specialist scheduling based on your custom scheduling rules.

Interested in learning more? Visit campify.io/CampAhead to schedule a demo or create a free trial today.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/noticing

In this episode of the CampHacker podcast, Travis and Chris discuss the vital skill of 'noticing' at camp. The duo share how camp leaders can foster awareness among staff and campers, ensuring dynamic and inclusive programs. They share practical tips, including the importance of diverse staff hiring, continuous feedback, and re-evaluating programs based on the feedback that comes from your “noticing” data. Additionally, they emphasize the necessity of noticing who is left out and the impact of thoughtful communication. Tune in for insightful strategies that can enhance your camp’s environment and overall experience.

Hear more about:

• 01:59 Introducing Noticing Skills
• 05:36 Challenging Traditions for Better Camps
• 08:24 Empowering Staff to Notice
• 17:24 Tips and Tricks for Noticing
• 22:03 Common Camp Challenges and Solutions
• 24:17 Hiring the Right Camp Counselors
• 34:55 Effective Communication with Parents
• 39:51 Tool of the Week

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• Chris - Bluesky https://bsky.app/
• Travis - The Art of Noticing - Rob Walker https://bookshop.org/a/84130/9780525521242  https://amzn.to/4isdrFq

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Activity schedules are the backbone of every camper’s experience. If there’s a staffing change, it’s really hard to find a person that knows your camp and the nuance your schedule takes. Come check out Camptivities to learn more about our scheduling tools,  designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

A new show from Go Camp Pro!

Subscribe to Camp Ahead in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your favourite Podcasts!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/campahead/intro-to-mental-time-travel

In this inaugural episode of the Camp Ahead podcast, Joe Richards, KJ Williams, and Jess Elfring-Roberts dive into the concept of future-proofing the summer camp industry. They discuss the importance of mental time travel, scenario planning, and preparing for larger global issues like climate change, financial instability, demographics, and migration. The hosts share their personal experiences and outline the goals for the podcast, emphasizing the need for proactive thinking to ensure the long-term success of camps. 

This episode sets the stage for exploring how the camp community can adapt and thrive amidst uncertainties.

• 00:58 Meet the Hosts
• 01:51 The Concept of Future Scenarios
• 03:46 Pandemic Reflections
• 06:43 Proactive vs. Reactive Planning
• 30:08 Thinking Big: Managing Smaller Challenges
• 31:10 Climate Migration and Its Impacts
• 33:12 Demographic Shifts in Camping
• 38:09 The Importance of Collaboration

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• The Book: Imaginable by Jane McGonigal:
  • https://janemcgonigal.com/2021/12/17/imaginable-how-to-see-the-future-coming-and-feel-ready-for-anything-even-things-that-seem-impossible-today/
• https://poe.com/UOScenarioCreator
• https://urgentoptimists.org/

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Jess Elfring-Roberts - Executive Director, Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers

Joe Richards - Executive Director, Pearce Williams Summer Camp and Retreat Facility

KJ Williams -  Camp Director, Phantom Lake YMCA Camp

-

A huge thanks to our sponsors for making this possible.

Campify:

Is creating your camp schedule a headache? Does it limit the experience of campers or staff? Campify is software that does the heavy lifting for you - taking care of group, elective, and specialist scheduling based on your custom scheduling rules.

Interested in learning more? Visit campify.io/CampAhead to schedule a demo or create a free trial today.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/gender-equity

In this episode, Travis and Chris welcome back Gabrielle Raill to explore the persistent issue of gender equity in camps. Chris leads a discussion on how camps often roll out the red carpet for male staff due to a shortage of male applicants, sometimes at the expense of gender equity. Gabz shares her experiences from all-girls camp, highlighting the implicit gender norms that surface even in such environments. The team examines the importance of addressing these disparities through intentional staff training and mission-driven leadership. The episode also includes practical tools and resources for camp professionals to incorporate gender equity into their daily operations.

Hear more about:

• 00:00 Introduction to Gender Equity in Camps
• 01:58 Observations on Gender Equity
• 07:27 Challenges and Solutions
• 13:34 The Importance of Mission-Driven Gender Equity
• 19:52 Promoting Gender Equity Through Staff Training
• 24:25 The Importance of Clear Communication
• 28:05 Microaggressions and Staff Training
• 28:59 Safety and Inclusion as Non-Negotiables

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• Chris -  The Book of Shadows (Amazon is cheaper but funds evil conglomerates - https://amzn.to/4hY3vTR) 
• Travis - Fixable Podcast with Anne & Francis - Neurodivergent book/interview https://www.ted.com/podcasts/fixable 
• Gabz - HiDock https://www.hidock.com/products/hidock-h1e 

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

-

UltraCamp

Remember what sparked your passion for camp? UltraCamp knows it’s about the people, not the paperwork. That’s why they built a platform to simplify your camp management. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Activity schedules are the backbone of every camper’s experience. If there’s a staffing change, it’s really hard to find a person that knows your camp and the nuance your schedule takes. Come check out Camptivities to learn more about our scheduling tools,  designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com