Mid-October brings fresh insights from the busy season and marks the critical time to dive into off-season planning. Modern Campground invites you to get real about business operations, ensuring your campground streamlines processes and thrives into the future on the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, airing live on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 2 PM ET.
This week’s discussion dives into practical methods to boost efficiency, overcome infrastructure hurdles, and optimize space.
Special guests John Donner, Co-founder of Park With Us, and Marlon Lynn, Architect & Manager of Flora Lake, will share their specialized insights on improving operational workflows. Attendees will discover how smart architectural design and modern parking management solutions can directly eliminate bottlenecks, optimize physical footprints, and significantly streamline day-to-day campground operations.
Joining the conversation is host Brian Searl alongside an expert recurring panel: Jeff Hoffman (Board Member, OHI), Sandy Ellingson (RV Industry Advisor), Mike Harrison (COO, CRR Hospitality), Angele Miller (Co-Founder, Creekside RNR), Robert Preston (CEO, Unhitched RV), Casey Cochran (VP of Business Development, Campspot), and John McMahon (Operations Director, Camp Door County).
Their collective insights will be invaluable for operators looking to navigate complex regulatory environments, manage seasonal transitions, and successfully scale specialized outdoor properties.
Previous Episode Recap
During the October 14, 2026, episode of MC Fireside Chats, host Brian Searl led an engaging discussion on the shifting seasons of outdoor hospitality, broadcasting alongside a diverse panel of international operators. The panel explored the harsh realities of seasonal closures across North America and contrasted them with year-round operations in warmer climates.
Discussions ranged from Jeremy Johnson, Kaleigh Day, and Tom Mason detailing the absolute necessity of shutting down their respective parks to avoid the dangers of freezing pipes and severe winter coastal storms, to Pawel Sikorski sharing his experience operating a small, off-grid eco-retreat in Cyprus without any seasonal downtime. The panel heavily focused on complex regulatory and infrastructure hurdles. Johnson highlighted his ongoing battles over water regulations in Michigan and the grueling $150,000 process of building a commercial-grade gravel road to expand his property—which he brilliantly offset by securing a local tourism grant. Similarly, Sikorski recounted his years-long effort to pioneer glamping in the Mediterranean despite intense bureaucratic delays. Kaleigh Day offered a practical workaround to local municipal constraints by utilizing cost-effective, instant-hot propane outdoor showers for her staff accommodations in a heavily restricted housing market.
The operators also examined expansion strategies and customer acquisition, agreeing that blending rustic accommodations with traditional RV parks requires adequate acreage to ensure differing guest expectations don’t clash. The episode concluded with a testament to the immense grit, creative financing, and resourcefulness required to develop and sustain modern outdoor hospitality businesses.
About MC Fireside Chats
MC Fireside Chats is a live podcast experience dedicated to the outdoor hospitality and outdoor recreation industries. Hosted by Brian Searl, founder and CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, the show offers engaging discussions with industry leaders, innovators, and experts shaping the future of camping, RVing, glamping, and outdoor recreation.
Airing every Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET), the show follows a structured weekly theme to deliver deep dives into the most relevant topics:
- Week 1: Industry Trends & Insights
- Week 2: Enhancing Guest Experience
- Week 3: Business Operations & Management
- Week 4: Marketing, AI and Technology
Each episode features a panel of recurring guests, complemented by 1–2 rotating special guests, including industry analysts, campground owners, technology providers, sustainability advocates, and more. Whether exploring the latest market trends or innovative guest experience strategies, MC Fireside Chats delivers thought-provoking insights for professionals and enthusiasts across the outdoor recreation spectrum.
To explore previous episodes of MC Fireside Chats, visit: https://mcfiresidechats.com/
