As we near the end of the year, MC Fireside Chats is bringing you one more cutting-edge conversation on marketing, technology, and AI. Week 4 airs November 26th at 2 PM ET, spotlighting the latest breakthroughs in AI and digital marketing—and what they mean for the industry heading into 2026.
Host Brian Searl, Founder & CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, will be joined by an expert panel featuring Greg Emmert, Co-founder of Camp Strategy, Kurtis Wilkins, Private Equity Analyst of RJourney, Mychele Bisson, CEO of Bison Peak Ventures, Cara Csizmadia, President of the Canadian Camping and RV Association, and Matt Whitermore, Director of Market Expansion at Climb Capital and Unhitched Management.
We’re thrilled to welcome our special guest, Lizzy Bustamante, Co-Founder of TillerXR, who will share her expertise on immersive technologies, AI-powered marketing strategies, and the trends she predicts will redefine how brands connect with audiences.
Don’t miss this final Marketing AI episode of the year—tune in to gain insights that could shape your approach to digital marketing in the year ahead.
November 19th Episode Recap
The special episode of the MC Fireside Chats podcast, hosted by Brian Searl, Founder & CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, took place live from the KOA Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina, on November 19th, 2025. The discussion featured six guests who shared their insights and experiences within the KOA ecosystem and the broader outdoor hospitality industry: Matt Stovold from KOA’s Franchise Development in Canada, Gwyn Wathen, Director of Marketing for Recreational Ventures Company, Ryan McPeek and Camille McPeek, owners of the Coshocton, Ohio, KOA, Samantha Chipperfield, General Manager of the Townsend / Great Smokies KOA, and Mike Harrison, Chief Operating Officer of CRR Hospitality . Brian Searl kicked off the discussion by asking each guest about the most impactful thing they had seen or learned at the conference.
Mike Harrison, a veteran of the podcast but a newcomer to the KOA franchise system with CRR Hospitality, shared his initial positive impressions after joining KOA just six weeks prior. Coming from the traditional hospitality franchise world (Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton), he was very excited to see the expected level of franchise support in marketing, operations, and revenue management. Mike viewed the partnership with KOA as a way to “fuel and inject” a particular property and was optimistic about leveraging the brand for “inordinate growth,” concluding that the convention “doesn’t disappoint”.
Samantha Chipperfield, a long-time member of the KOA family who has attended 19 conventions, expressed appreciation for the sense of community and support provided by the KOA leadership team, noting that they consistently have “your back”. Brian Searl posed a unique follow-up question to Samantha, asking about the difference between attending the convention as an owner, which she once was, versus her current role as a manager after selling the property to KOA. Samantha responded that there is “way more support” now, contrasting it with the earlier days when decisions and money were solely managed by her family.
Camille McPeek and Ryan McPeek, owners of the Coshocton, Ohio, KOA, highlighted key technological and communal benefits of the conference. Camille was particularly excited and appreciative of the home office’s ongoing work to revamp koa.com and develop a better Content Management System (CMS), which she believes will be a “game changer for all franchisees”. She also found the session honoring long-time owners, including one family from New Mexico operating their park for 40 years, to be “very inspiring” and felt proud to be part of the “KOA family”.
Ryan, in turn, highly valued the networking opportunity, particularly connecting with multi-park owners. As an operator of a smaller park, he appreciated seeing how large-scale operations tackle common challenges like building and growing a strong team. He explained that this insight reinforced his current priority of developing their loyal team members, getting them to take on leadership challenges, and establishing systems to enable future business growth.
Gwyn Wathen echoed the importance of networking, calling it “probably the biggest advantage of KOA convention”. He admitted that while the educational sessions are valuable, networking is more important for his multi-property company. Gwyn shared a crucial business insight, stating that networking at the convention is how his company has achieved some of their acquisitions, as it’s often the place to start the initial conversations with owners thinking about selling.
Matt Stovold focused on the Canadian market and the general sense of community. He noted that while he has experienced the convention as both a franchisee and a home office employee, the spirit remains the same: it’s a “family” where people openly share ideas, talk about business, and build personal connections. Regarding the Canadian market, Matt noted that there has been “really good growth” over the last three to four years, with some parks seeing double-digit growth. He characterized the Canadian camper as “very loyal” and highlighted the opportunity to invest in the growing brand, citing the growth in Alberta from one KOA two years ago to five now.
The discussion moved into specific operational and development topics, starting with Mike Harrison’s question to Gwyn Wathen about the Camper Reservation Center, a call center Gwyn’s company created. Gwyn explained that the service was built to answer the 800-number after the third ring when the property couldn’t pick up, but it has since grown to serve between 99 and 110 KOA properties. He detailed that the service is technology-driven, pulling up all necessary information from rates to local attractions, and charges a minimum per call, allowing properties to handle reservations even when closed for the winter.
Gwyn then turned the tables and asked Ryan and Camille McPeek about how they handle their on-site activities, noting his company is trying to figure out the right dynamic for their 15 properties. Camille explained that their approach has evolved from trying to do weekly themed weekends to now focusing on offering the same, consistently fun, family-oriented activities every weekend, like tie-dyeing or ceramic painting. She also shared an innovative example of outsourcing an activity by inviting the “Bug Mobile” from Ohio State University to their park, highlighting the value of collaborating with local community institutions.
The conversation shifted to development when Ryan McPeek posed a question to Samantha Chipperfield about the best path for development—building new sites or cabins—given decreased demand and higher costs. Samantha, whose small park is only 14 acres, advised on being “mindful” of existing space and detailed her success in taking out sites to improve existing ones, specifically removing 9 sites to create 12 deluxe patio sites, significantly improving the ROI. She passionately advocated for deluxe cabins, noting that turning a tent site that earns $$$12,000 to $$$13,000 annually into a cabin site that earns $$$60,000 annually is worth the upfront investment. Mike Harrison interjected to support this, framing the decision as a “math question,” and advising that adding cabins is often an “easy” investment with a quick return (as low as 1.5 years) because it uses existing utilities, whereas new site development requires costly underground work, paving, and permitting.
Finally, Brian Searl asked each guest for one goal for 2026 to achieve before the 2027 convention. Matt Stovold stated he wants a better understanding of AI and how it can be used to help franchisees and business in general, acknowledging the rapid change in technology. Gwyn Wathen’s goal is to fully leverage revenue management practices, which his company dove into in 2025, to significantly move the needle and be able to “lead that conversation” by 2027. Ryan McPeek wants to come back with a stronger team, one that feels confident in taking on leadership and decision-making roles, allowing him and Camille to focus on growth. Camille McPeek also focused on AI, hoping to gain a better understanding of it as a tool and its impact on the environment and mental health. Samantha Chipperfield also expressed a wish to utilize AI effectively, hoping it will allow the operational work to “take care of itself,” freeing her to be more available to personally engage and grow relationships with guests. Lastly, Mike Harrison shared two goals: a business goal to learn, embrace, and leverage the KOA brand and win the Rising Star award for his property, and a personal goal to continue to contribute and give back to the KOA community. Brian Searl then wrapped up the show, thanking Matt, Gwyn, Ryan, Camille, Samantha, and Mike for their participation.
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: RV Industry, Outdoor Recreation & Activities
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: moderncampground.com/mc-fireside-chats.