Why Nature Is Everything; How to Listen to Your Guests; and Bootstrapping a Glamping Startup - Blake Smith and Bygnal Dutson

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 reportThe Sage glamping mapOther Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaSage 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 OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaSage Outdoor AdvisoryDestination CapitalAl MoudiraStrawberry HillDesert Tree 

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 Bygnal Dutson of Open Sky never disappoint when they're on the pod, and today is no exception.Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaSage Outdoor AdvisoryWalden Retreats Open SkyBlake's last episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YoutubeBygnal's last episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube

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 discussing why this is important, we covered separate issues such as selling branded merch to your guests and marketing to niche communities.Remember to check your feed on Monday for the early release of next week's episode with Blake Smith and Bygnal Dutson. This is so you can listen on your way to the Glamping Show! Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaAuberge ResortsCampit Resort

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 completely immersive experience for your guests; some cool ideas for upsells, and the bravery it takes to push ahead with a bold concept like House of Gods.Expect a few laughs and some new ideas for your project along the way! Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaStoried CollectionNook OutdoorsGood Morning HospitalityHouse of Gods

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 traits among the most successful.We break down three projects that Nick Parker and Connor have worked on, and identify the secret sauce for getting your hospitality project financed.Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaSage Outdoor AdvisoryLive Oak BankNick Parker's original episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube

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 Senior Design Director that same year, and he was the design genius behind the locations that followed. He joins us to share all the good stuff about AutoCamp's design and development process, as well as the mistakes they made and learnings they implemented over the years.Will left AutoCamp in 2022 to start Boundary Works, a design and development group specializing in outdoor hospitality. Will's thriving client list is a testament to his knowledge and experience in this space, and we hope you enjoy learning from him.Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaSage Outdoor AdvisoryBoundary Works Design and Development

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 distils the principles of Unreasonable Hospitality, which is his unique approach to serving guests that took EMP to such heady heights. In our first "Book Club" episode, Nick and Jacob are joined by Nathan Woods to discuss our takeaways from reading book and how it can be applied to your unique hospitality business. Links:Buy Unreasonable HospitalityPosh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaAuberge ResortsMinistry of WelcomeNathan's previous episode, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube

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 duration of their stay. It's all about that privacy and seclusion. At The Fields (Irene's glamping site), staff will have a ton of interaction with guests, with community a centrepiece of the experience.We dive into both approaches; the pros and cons of each; and discuss which model might work best for you.LinksPosh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaAuberge ResortsOneraStayOasiThe FieldsListen to Ben's previous appearance on the pod on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YoutubeListen to Irene's previous appearance on the pod on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube

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 of the US are experiencing a short-term rental boom, and much, much more. LinksInvest in Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaAuberge ResortsStaywatchThe Cave at Hocking HillsListen to Zach's previous appearance on the pod on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube