To stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market, sharpening your tech strategy is more important than ever. Modern Campground invites you to explore the latest digital tools and marketing strategies driving innovation in outdoor hospitality on the next episode of MC Fireside Chats, airing live on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 2 PM ET.
This week’s discussion explores how smart technologies and data-driven operations can elevate your business.
Special guest Sherise Gumbs, Founder of Campguide, will share her specialized insights on integrating innovative, mobile-first property management apps and efficient front desk technology.
Attendees will discover how these modern software tools can eliminate operational bottlenecks, streamline team workflows, and modernize the digital guest experience, offering a critical advantage for operators looking to scale and modernize their tech stack.
Joining the conversation is host Brian Searl alongside an expert recurring panel: Cara Csizmadia (President, CCRVA), Matt Whitermore (Director of Market Expansion, Climb Capital), Mychele Bisson (CEO, Bison Peak Ventures), and Ravi Parikh (Founder, RoverPass).
Their collective insights will be invaluable for operators looking to navigate new technologies and boost their digital engagement.
Tune in live October 28th at 2 PM ET to unlock new strategies for your campground’s future at https://mcfiresidechats.com/
October 21st, 2026 Episode Recap
The October 21st, 2026, episode of MC Fireside Chats opened with host Brian Searl navigating minor connection issues while broadcasting to a panel of outdoor hospitality innovators. Despite a persistent warning banner on his screen, Searl successfully facilitated a robust conversation bridging the gap between digital property management and physical campground construction. The diverse panel featured returning expert Jeff Hoffman from Camp Strategy, software executive John Donner of Park With Us, and the architectural development team of Marlon Lynn and Lindsey Crowley representing Flora Lake Systems LLC. Together, the group explored the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence, the evolving demands of park management software, and groundbreaking solutions to modern construction delays.
The broadcast began with a discussion regarding upcoming industry events and networking strategies. Jeff Hoffman shared his busy itinerary, noting his plans to represent the industry at the upcoming OHI conference and a Canadian outdoor hospitality show, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of meeting vendors and operators face-to-face. Conversely, John Donner explained that his team at Park With Us was scaling back their conference attendance this season. Instead of traveling, Donner noted that they were hunkering down to focus heavily on software development while exploring strategic conversations with tangential verticals, such as the marina industry, to broaden their technological footprint.
The conversation quickly shifted toward the overwhelming pace of modern technology, specifically the integration of artificial intelligence into daily workflows. Marlon Lynn shared that his recent deep dive into artificial intelligence tools had effectively doubled his business productivity, marveling at how rapidly the technology introduces new efficiencies on a daily basis. John Donner echoed this sentiment by sharing a recent anecdote about a client who inquired about an automated AI phone responder. Before Donner’s development team could even add the feature to their official product roadmap, the campground owner had independently built and successfully deployed the technology themselves.
This rapid democratization of technology prompted Brian Searl to voice a significant concern regarding the future of Software as a Service within the outdoor hospitality sector. Searl theorized that as artificial intelligence makes coding and development increasingly accessible, individual software features will rapidly become basic commodities. He expressed worry that any new tool built by a property management system could be instantly replicated by competitors within a week. Searl challenged the software providers on the panel to explain how platforms intend to build a sustainable competitive moat when exclusive features are no longer enough to win over campground operators.
Responding to Searl’s challenge, John Donner articulated the core philosophy driving Park With Us through this technological shift. Donner agreed that engaging in an endless feature-matching arms race is a losing battle in the age of AI. Instead, he argued that the true differentiator for successful software companies will be the human element and exceptional customer support. Donner emphasized that the ultimate goal of their platform is not to force park owners to navigate endless configuration menus, but to create seamless, intuitive technology that actively gets out of the way, allowing operators to focus entirely on their properties.
Brian Searl strongly agreed with this sentiment, positing that the ultimate winner in the property management software race will simply be the company that successfully gets the campground owner out of the back office the fastest. Marlon Lynn expanded on this philosophy, applying it to physical architectural design. Lynn noted that whether a business is developing digital interfaces or constructing physical cabins, the overarching objective must remain fixated on the end user. He argued that technology and infrastructure must quietly support a flawless guest experience, ensuring that visitors feel fully immersed in the outdoors rather than bogged down by operational friction.
Pivoting from digital software to physical development, Marlon Lynn introduced the panel to Flora Lake Systems LLC. Utilizing his decades of architectural experience, Lynn developed a highly innovative, flat-pack building shell system designed to dramatically accelerate campground construction. The product features steel beams integrated with wood inserts, boasting exceptional hurricane-level structural integrity and massive energy efficiency, with walls rated up to R-32. By delivering the components in a flat-pack format similar to IKEA furniture, Lynn explained that a small crew can assemble a complete, weatherproof building shell in just a matter of days, bypassing the need for heavy cranes and massive construction crews.
Jeff Hoffman enthusiastically welcomed this solution, sharing his own severe frustrations with traditional construction timelines. Hoffman recounted a nightmare scenario at one of his properties where a simple swimming pool installation was delayed for over two years due to a lack of reliable contractors and endless permitting red tape. However, Hoffman questioned how Flora Lake Systems navigates the notoriously strict zoning codes that often plague pre-manufactured cabins or park models. Lindsey Crowley jumped into the conversation to clarify a crucial distinction, explaining that because their kits are bolted and assembled on-site, municipalities and lending banks officially classify them as traditional site-built structures, completely bypassing the regulatory hurdles that typically block modular homes.
The flexibility of the Flora Lake product further impressed the panel as Marlon Lynn detailed how their structural shells adapt to challenging topographies. He described a recent project in Oklahoma where the building was elevated on a steel pier foundation cut into a steep terrace, effectively doubling the usable square footage by creating a massive covered outdoor living space beneath the unit. This adaptability allows campground owners to monetize previously unusable, rugged terrain without pouring expensive concrete foundations, presenting a highly lucrative expansion opportunity for parks with difficult geographical layouts.
As the episode neared its conclusion, John Donner asked Jeff Hoffman to reflect on historical industry shifts that mirror today’s AI revolution. Hoffman recalled the late twentieth-century transition from pen-and-paper reservations to the very first digital property management systems, noting how he had to adapt hotel software for his RV parks. Hoffman observed that the current influx of multi-park institutional investors is driving a similar paradigm shift today, requiring sophisticated, centralized technology for remote management. Brian Searl then wrapped up the broadcast by collecting final thoughts from the entire panel, reinforcing the shared vision that modern advancements, whether in software code or steel beams, exist ultimately to facilitate deeper human connections with the great outdoors.
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: Building Park Value
- 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/
