The Unique Hospitality Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Connor's boss joins us on the pod this week! 

Shari Heilala is the Founder of Sage Outdoor Advisory, the leading provider of feasibility studies in the glamping space. Sage have been collecting data on the American glamping industry for years now, and they presented their 2024 findings at the Glamping Show in Denver earlier this month.

Shari joins us to share the key findings, and we discuss what they might mean for your glamping project and the wider industry.

Links mentioned:

• Read The Glamping Insider (my new weekly newsletter)
• Get the Sage data report
• The Sage glamping map

Other Links:

• Posh Outdoors
• Schedule a call re Posh Outdoors
• Glampitect North America
• Sage Outdoor Advisory

Bryan Auchterlonie is one of the most knowledgeable people in the outdoor hospitality space when it comes to capital. Through his firm, Destination Capital, he's worked with some of the biggest players in glamping, including Under Canvas, AutoCamp and KSL.

He joins us on the pod to discuss everything from picking the right form of capital to his favourite hospitality destinations.

Links:

• Posh Outdoors
• Schedule a call re Posh Outdoors
• Glampitect North America
• Sage Outdoor Advisory
• Destination Capital
• Al Moudira
• Strawberry Hill
• Desert Tree 

A "bring me my champagne" button; zorb balling through Chinatown, and serving Gatorade at dinner.

Get your creative hat on, as our aim this week is to give you your next great idea for your unique hospitality business. Nick and Connor are joined by friend of the podcast, Jacob Halverson, to discuss some of the "cool shit" we've seen or done in the industry, and how it might translate to your project.

We can't promise all of the ideas are sane, but it may just spark something brilliant.

Links

• Invest in Posh Outdoors
• Glampitect North America
• Sage Outdoor Advisory
• Auberge Resorts
• Listen to Jacob's previous appearance on the pod on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube

Welcome to the first episode of The Unique Hospitality Podcast, formerly known as The Start A Glamping Business Podcast!

We've revamped the format, with fewer interviews and more deep discussion on the important issues, ideas and challenges in glamping and unique hospitality. You'll hear more from previous guests that have provided the most value, and we think this will help us uncover more gold nuggets than ever before.

For the first episode of the new format, we welcome back Bygnal Dutson of Open Sky in Zion. We discuss what's changed at Open Sky since his last appearance; what we think separates the top 5% of glamping operators from the rest; and we end up grilling Bygnal for all his guest experience secrets.

If you've not listened to an episode for a while, we suggest you give this one a chance. 

Links

• Invest in Posh Outdoors
• Glampitect North America
• Sage Outdoor Advisory
• Open Sky
• Listen to Bygnal's previous episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube

Welcome to Part 2 of the most important episode we've ever recorded. 

To celebrate recording 75 episodes of The Start A Glamping Business Podcast, Nick was grilled by regular co-host, Connor Schwab, on the most important lessons he's learned from interviewing dozens of successful glamping operators.

It's a must-listen for any prospective glamping operator, and we'd love for you to share it with anyone that would find it useful.

Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.

• Visit the Posh Outdoors deal page
• Visit Glampitect North America's website
• Take our online glamping assessment
• Check out Sage Outdoor Advisory

Episode references (links to Apple Podcasts, but also available on Spotify and Youtube):

Rule 7 - Accommodation Isn’t the Limit of Your Revenue

• Lucky Arrow Retreat
• Creekside RnR
• Retreat Ranch

Rule 8 - The Little Touches Can Mean the Most

• HoneyTrek
• Blackstrap Glamping
• Bygnal Duston

Rule 9 - Marketing, Marketing, Marketing

• Alex Burkett
• Nate Vietz
• Derry Green

Rule 10 - It Can Be Incredibly Rewarding

• Lex Jones

Welcome to Part 1 of the most important episode we've ever recorded. 

To celebrate recording 75 episodes of The Start A Glamping Business Podcast, Nick was grilled by regular co-host, Connor Schwab, on the most important lessons he's learned from interviewing dozens of successful glamping operators.

It's a must-listen for any prospective glamping operator, and we'd love for you to share it with anyone that would find it useful.

Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.

• Visit the Posh Outdoors deal page
• Visit Glampitect North America's website
• Take our online glamping assessment
• Check out Sage Outdoor Advisory

Episode references (links to Apple Podcasts, but also available on Spotify and Youtube):

Rule 1 - It’s Going to Be Hard

• Sarah Dusek 
• Bygnal Dutson 

Rule 2 - The Results Can Be Incredible

• Chris Jeub

Rule 3 - There’s No One Correct Model

• Ben Wolff
• Stephen Maulden
• Irene Woods
• Donna Vaughaun 

Rule 4 - Don’t Neglect the Boring Stuff

• Nick Labadie
• Zach Stoltenberg
• Chris Hipple
• Irene Jones

Rule 5 - Housing for Seasonal Workers

• Blake Smith

Rule 6 - Community Outreach Is Vital

• Zach Stoltenberg
• Stephen Maulden
• Sojourner Glamping

Tyson Leavitt made his name in a Netflix show where he built a playhouse for Steph Curry's kids, but his best creative work has come at Charmed Resorts, a magical glamping escape in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. 

Charmed Resorts is truly a one-of-a-kind site that has to be seen to believed. Tune in to hear the story of how it happened.

Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.

• Visit the Posh Outdoors deal page
• Visit Glampitect North America's website
• Check out Charmed Resorts

Bolt Farm Treehouse is one of the best-loved and most successful glamping businesses in North America. This Tennessee glampground offers a spectacular guest experience and is reaping the rewards in high daily rates and occupancy. You may also know them from their appearance on Netflix's "The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals".

This week, we're joined by Nathan Woods, former Marketing Manager at Bolt Farm. He talks us through the marketing secrets behind their success, some of the coolest guest experience ideas they implemented at Bolt Farm, and what hospitality means to him.

Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.

• Visit the Posh Outdoors deal page
• Visit Glampitect North America's website
• Check out Bolt Farm Treehouse
• Check out Nathan's LinkedIn

Kampgrounds of America is the biggest name in camping, and one of the best-known companies in North America. After decades of experience in traditional outdoor hospitality, they decided to enter the world of glamping with the launch of Terramor in Acadia, Maine. We spoke to Whitney Scott, the mastermind behind that development, to dive into how they did it and what they learnt from the process.

Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.

• Visit the Posh Outdoors deal page
• Visit Glampitect North America's website
• Take our online glamping assessment
• Check out Sage Outdoor Advisory
• Visit KOA Terramor

Huge apologies - we uploaded the wrong audio file when we published this episode last week!

Today's episode is a marketing masterclass from Conrad O'Connell of BuildUp Bookings. He takes us through the 5 key facets for successfully marketing a glamping business.

Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.

• Visit the Posh Outdoors deal page
• Visit Glampitect North America's website
• Check out Build Up Bookings
• Take Conrad's course (coupon code "glampitect")
• Buy Conrad's book