Customer Service is Culture - with Heather Withrow - CampHacker #212

Matt Wilfrid April 2, 2025

Mastering Camp Culture: From Disney Magic to Tea-Kettle Secrets!

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!

Tool of the Week - Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

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

Your Hosts

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

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.

Stop Avoiding Talking to Parents - with Ruby Compton and Joanna Warren Smith - CampHacker #211

Matt Wilfrid March 18, 2025

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Save the dodging and weaving for wide-game, not for avoiding camp 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.

Tool of the Week - Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

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.

Your Hosts

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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Spicy Wings, Spicy Questions - Live from OCA 2025 - CampHacker #210

Matt Wilfrid March 4, 2025

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Are these questions about the camp industry too hot to handle?

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!)

Tool of the Week - Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Back next episode!

Your Hosts

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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Thanks to our sponsors!

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Confessions of a Camp Pro with ADHD - with Kelie Cook and Shauna Guglielmo - CampHacker #209

Matt Wilfrid February 19, 2025

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Is Summer Camp the Right Profession for Someone with 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.