Episodes
The Secret to 1.2 Million Followers for Your Glamping Site
Send us a text Derry Green returns to the podcast to reveal his secrets for social media domination. He tells us how Secret Garden Glamping accumulated 1.2 million followers and became an online phenomenon; how he designs his...
From Under Canvas to the Grand Canyon - The Story of Jeremy Budge and…
Send us a text Jeremy Budge was one of the earliest hires at Under Canvas, the pioneering glamping brand that was acquired for over $100 million in 2019. He left Under Canvas at the peak of its powers to start Backland Glampi...
The Future of Unique Hospitality - Round Table with Ben Wolff, Isaac …
Send us a text Today's episode is a special co-production with the "Behind the Stays" Podcast. Zach Busekrus and I were joined by two of the biggest names in the unique hospitality space, Ben Wolff and Isaac French. You'll learn why their philosophy is "build less, spend more"; why Ben is betting b…
The Glampground with a 94% Occupancy Rate, Celebrity Clientele and a …
Send us a text With daily rates of $800+ per night and near-100% occupancy, Bolt Farm Treehouse is arguably the most successful independent glamping business in North America. Tori Bolt, one half of the husband-wife founding team at Bolt Farm, joins us to pull the curtain back on how they reached t…
From Getaway to Nude Campsites - The Story of Topos Ventures
Send us a text There's a growing class of glamping consultants that cut their teeth at the venture-backed brands like Getaway (now Postcard Cabins) and AutoCamp. The experiences they gained from scaling high-end hospitality quickly equipped them with a wide range of skills that they take into clien…
What's the Most Popular Glamping Unit? - Data Deep Dive With Shari He…
Send us a text 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 finding…
How the glamping industry is evolving; how to choose the right form o…
Send us a text 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 glamp...
Why Nature Is Everything; How to Listen to Your Guests; and Bootstrap…
Send us a text In what's rapidly becoming our favorite episode format, two of the best operators in the business join Nick and Connor in a wide-ranging, round-table glamping discussion. Blake Smith of Walden Retreats and Bygn...
Gay Glamping! How Campit Resort Became an LGBTQ+ Haven
Send us a text We love niche concepts at The Unique Hospitality Podcast, and this week we were delighted to talk LGBTQ+ hospitality with Randy Henry, Ops Manager at Campit Resort in Saugatuck. Campit is a campground that caters specifically (but not exclusively) to the LGBTQ+ community. As well as …
Meet the Guy Who Builds Hotels for Rockstars
Send us a text Mike Baxter loves three things: hotels, rock 'n' roll, and partying. That's what led to the creation of House of Gods, a completely immersive rockstar hotel in the heart of Edinburgh. In a wide-ranging conversation applicable to all hospitality operators, we discuss how to create a c…
Common Traits of Projects That Get Funded (3 Case Studies)
Send us a text Nick Parker (Live Oak Bank) returns to the pod! He and Connor have worked on many hospitality projects together, and they have the inside track on the operators that get funding for the unique hospitality developments. You won't be surprised to learn that there are plenty of common t…
Glamping Design Secrets From Autocamp's Former Senior Design Director
Send us a text AutoCamp is one of the world's biggest glamping brands. After starting small with their first Santa Barbara location in 2013, their growth rate exploded following a $115 million investment from Whitman Peterson, a private equity firm, in 2019. Will Spurzem joined the company as Senio…
How Unreasonable Hospitality Can Transform Your Glamping Business (Bo…
Send us a text Unreasonable Hospitality is a bestselling book by world-leading restauranteur, Will Guidara. Guidara found fame and fortune through Eleven Madison Park, his high-end New York restaurant that would go on to win 3 Michelin Stars and multiple James Beard awards. In the book, Guidara dis…
Hands-On vs Hands-Off Hospitality - Ben Wolff and Irene Wood Debate
Send us a text Ben Wolff and Irene Wood are two of the most successful entrepreneurs in the boutique glamping / unique stay space. Despite their similar results, their models of hospitality couldn't be more different. At Onera (Ben's landscape hotel), guests won't see any on-site staff for the dura…
Why We're Bullish About Glamping; The Hottest Short-Term Rental Marke…
Send us a text Unique stay aficionado, Zach Busekrus, is back on the Unique Hospitality Podcast! This week, we discuss the coolest unique stays Zach has come across; why nature gives glamping the edge over hotels; which parts...
From Champagne Buttons to Gatorade at Dinner - The Coolest Shit We've…
Send us a text 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 Halver…
What Sets Apart the Top 5% of Operators? (P.S. We've Revamped the Po…
Send us a text 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 …
Special Episode Part 2 - The Most Important Lessons from 75 Episodes …
Send us a text 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 glam…
Special Episode Part 1 - The Most Important Lessons from 75 Episodes …
Send us a text 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 glam…
From Building a Playhouse for Steph Curry's Kids to Owning a Magical …
Send us a text 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. Cha...
The Secrets Behind a Netflix-Featured Glampground
Send us a text 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 Netfli…
How to Build a Glamping Brand From Scratch
Send us a text 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 S…
Corrected Audio - 5 Steps to Glamping Marketing Success with Conrad O…
Send us a text 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 P…
From Luxury Hotels to a Californian Glamping Resort - How to Create a…
Send us a text Today's guest is Jacob Halverson, current Experiences Manager at Bishop's Lodge (an Auberge Resort) and former General Manager of Mendocino Grove, a large glamping resort in California. Jacob is a true hospitality expert with an incredible amount of hotel and glamping operational exp…