The May 13th, 2026 episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, focused heavily on the evolution of experiential outdoor hospitality and the unique ways campground owners and resort developers are crafting immersive guest experiences.
The conversation opened with Jeremy Johnson of Kona Hills Campground, who questioned the current state of dynamic pricing in the outdoor hospitality sector. Jeremy pointed out that traditional software relies heavily on basic yield management and often fails to account for the unique characteristics of individual properties or offer dynamic pricing floors based on seasons. He also noted the value of changing seasons in his own life, which naturally force a slower, more deliberate pace.
Zach Stoltenberg from LJA expanded on this pricing discussion, explaining that traditional hotel pricing models rely on clear demand drivers, like concerts or conventions, that are much harder to measure for purely experience-based stays. Zach also highlighted a growing industry trend toward non-RV accommodations like glamping tents and park models, and shared his excitement about a current design project in Utah where accommodation units are being excavated directly out of solid rock.
Special guest Travis Chambers from OutpostX then introduced his concept of building immersive, movie-set micro-resorts designed to completely disconnect guests from the modern world. Having achieved high occupancy at his Utah location, Travis shared his plans for an Avatar-inspired jungle resort in Puerto Rico.
He detailed his successful marketing strategy of utilizing medium-sized travel influencers rather than traditional ads, and discussed the logistical challenges of remote builds, which he solves by using a live-in, mobile construction crew. Finally, special guest Joy de Vos of Foxtrot Dairy Store and Campground shared her highly unique approach to hospitality through her working dairy farm in British Columbia.
Driven by her background as a 4-H leader and a desire to reconnect city dwellers with agriculture, Joy offers educational stays where guests can interact with farm animals, shop at an 1800s-style general store, and even milk cows. She also outlined her long-term vision of securing capital to build a farm-themed glamping village.
Ultimately, the entire panel agreed that the future of outdoor hospitality lies in storytelling and providing highly authentic, non-commoditized experiences, whether that means surviving a cinematic jungle adventure or learning where ice cream comes from on a family farm.
With Insider Perks and Modern Campground, excited to be here with you.
2
:Back from the Florida Keys,
my dog is laying next to me.
3
:She missed me for 12 days or however
long I was gone, so we have more
4
:separation anxiety than normal.
5
:But excited to be back here for
another episode of Fireside Chats.
6
:We got Zach, recurring guest, Jeremy,
recurring guest, Travis as a special
7
:guest, and Joy as our special guest today.
8
:I want to go around the room
and just introduce everybody.
9
:Zach, you want to start?
10
:Zach Stoltenberg: Sure.
11
:My name is Zach Stoltenberg.
12
:I'm the Associate Principal for
Architecture with LJA Engineering.
13
:We help people design, build, permit,
and entitle outdoor hospitality.
14
:So glamping, camping, luxury RV parks,
boutique hotels, and experiential stays.
15
:Brian Searl: Awesome.
16
:Welcome back, Zach.
17
:Appreciate you being here.
18
:Jeremy?
19
:Jeremy Johnson: Hey
guys, my name is Jeremy.
20
:I'm one of the owners of Kona Hills
Campground in Marquette, Michigan.
21
:Actually on site today, getting
ready to open next weekend.
22
:We finally got bright sunny weather
above 50 degrees in Northern
23
:Michigan, so I'm feeling good.
24
:Brian Searl: It's warm here too.
25
:Yeah, we got lucked out.
26
:Although it's supposed to be
cold this weekend, so we'll see
27
:for the holiday up here anyway.
28
:Joy?
29
:Joy de Vos: Hi, my name is Joy de
Vos and I'm from British Columbia.
30
:We opened up our campground this year
and we're looking at trying to give
31
:people the experience on a dairy farm.
32
:Brian Searl: Welcome, Joy.
33
:Is it going to be cold
over there in BC like us?
34
:Is it going to be like nine
here for the holiday weekend?
35
:Joy de Vos: I think it's
around 10 and it's cloudy.
36
:Yeah, this is not my background.
37
:I would have liked to have had my
farm background, but I'll just go
38
:with your pre-made avatar here.
39
:Brian Searl: Travis,
last but not least, sir.
40
:Travis Chambers: Hey,
Travis Chambers here.
41
:Company is Outpost X and we build
immersive adventure hotels or micro
42
:resorts, not sure what to call them.
43
:But we're here today
in Rincon, Puerto Rico.
44
:We're building an avatar-inspired
project in our jungle here.
45
:Brian Searl: Awesome.
46
:Excited to learn more about that, Travis.
47
:Thanks for being here.
48
:I appreciate it.
49
:So normally how we start the show,
everybody knows, or Jeremy and Zach
50
:know, we just toss it to you guys.
51
:Is there anything that you guys have
felt has come across your desk in
52
:the last few weeks since we've been
together on this specific show that
53
:you think is worthy of talking about?
54
:Jeremy Johnson: Man, I don't know if
it's just my feed showing it to me,
55
:but I feel like everybody seems to
be harping on dynamic pricing lately.
56
:That seems to be such a big
thing that:
57
:I don't know if anybody here has
utilized it in their projects yet.
58
:Brian Searl: So here's a question.
59
:Are we talking about real dynamic
pricing or are we talking about
60
:what the campground industry has,
which is basically yield management?
61
:Jeremy Johnson: I think that's
also the consensus from everybody
62
:that I'm talking to or everybody
that I'm seeing in my feed.
63
:Everybody's saying turning on PriceLabs
or turning on dynamic pricing in
64
:Newbook isn't quite cutting it anymore.
65
:There's a manual process behind
all of it that most people
66
:aren't fully exploring, it seems.
67
:Brian Searl: Where do you think,
Jeremy, as an owner of a campground
68
:obviously, what do you think is missing?
69
:What do you think is the biggest
gap between where we need to go?
70
:Because there are steps, right?
71
:We're not going to get to Disney
tomorrow or Delta Airlines tomorrow.
72
:But where's the step the industry
needs to take to get us from where
73
:we are now to where we should be?
74
:Jeremy Johnson: On the campground
side, it's hard for me to say because
75
:we use Parc as our PMS and they just
introduced flexible pricing across
76
:dates, but they don't have any dynamic
pricing or dynamic pricing integrations.
77
:I'm also very rustic, as you know, Brian.
78
:So I don't have a lot of amenities.
79
:A base price works really easy for me.
80
:I don't need to go up or down a
whole lot compared to somebody
81
:with maybe higher demand or more
amenities or different site types.
82
:So it's hard for me to say, but I
think the one thing that I've noticed
83
:on my end, whether it's with Airbnb
or even thinking about the campground,
84
:is there's not a lot of consideration
for my individual properties.
85
:You can set a base floor, but
you can't set a dynamic floor.
86
:I would like to be able to set
a dynamic floor based on the
87
:season, where most software just
lets you set one single floor.
88
:So I think taking into account more of
the uniqueness of your property and not
89
:just a single equation would be really
helpful with a lot of these softwares.
90
:Brian Searl: Zach, anybody
else have anything to add?
91
:Travis, Joy?
92
:Zach Stoltenberg: I think some of
that is still coming out of the
93
:influence of traditional hospitality.
94
:All those systems and mechanisms,
the booking software, they're
95
:built for that traditional model.
96
:Everything about outdoor hospitality
is so unique and different.
97
:Looking at Travis's property, even
with different seasons, I think
98
:his demand is always there because
it's such a unique property.
99
:I think traditional hotels, their
demand drivers are typically events.
100
:Maybe there's a concert, maybe
there's a convention, a gathering,
101
:a meetup, something like that, and
they'll of course raise prices because
102
:they know there's more demand on
those particular event weekends.
103
:But I think there's not a good way to
measure those demand drivers when it
104
:comes from that experiential perspective.
105
:The other thing I think to answer your
first question, Brian, that I noticed,
106
:we're coming off of back-to-back
conventions with the Texas Association
107
:of Campground Owners, the TACO event, and
then the Florida and Alabama convention.
108
:The thing that we heard kind of
harped on repeatedly at both of those
109
:events was that campground owners
need to be paying attention to non-RV.
110
:With the RV market kind of stabilizing,
softening a little bit, there's a big
111
:push right now into cabins, park models,
glamping tents, other accommodation
112
:options for all those people who want
to come and have that camping experience
113
:but don't necessarily own an RV.
114
:Brian Searl: How do we, and maybe
we don't want to take this over the
115
:whole show and go down this direction,
but it's just interesting to me.
116
:Is it possible to build a dynamic pricing
model for experiences or experiential?
117
:To measure what the guest is not only
experiencing in the accommodation,
118
:but what they're feeling, how their
stay goes, what the landscaping is,
119
:everything that you do, Zach, to
design the resorts, everything that
120
:Travis does with the accommodations,
everything Jeremy does from operations
121
:that feed into that experience.
122
:Or is that unnecessary?
123
:Zach Stoltenberg: I
124
:think that's the rub here, right?
125
:That's the challenge is how do you,
what's the data measurement, the metric
126
:that you would use to drive that dynamic
pricing when it's experience-based?
127
:Brian Searl: Anybody have any ideas?
128
:Travis, you have an idea?
129
:You build...
130
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, I'm
not a dynamic pricing expert.
131
:Brian Searl: No, but you're
an accommodation expert.
132
:You're an experience guy, right?
133
:Travis Chambers: Yeah.
134
:I actually just texted my business
partner to ask him if we do it.
135
:I don't know if we have a
software running, I'll ask him.
136
:I know we were doing it manually,
but most of our demand is driven by
137
:marketing and influencers and stuff.
138
:So I don't know if dynamic
helps us a little bit less.
139
:I know Ben Wolff does a ton of it.
140
:He talks about it all the time.
141
:So I'm waiting on an answer
from my partner on that.
142
:Brian Searl: In the meantime, while you
wait on the answer from your partner,
143
:tell us what you're building, Travis.
144
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, so we're building
these, basically they're movie set hotels.
145
:So they're highly experiential.
146
:We're trying to pull that lever as much
as possible, and experiential hospitality
147
:is kind of a growing niche right now.
148
:So
149
:when you enter the project,
you're entering a movie scene.
150
:There's a whole story, there's a
podcast that you listen to on the way
151
:there with dialogue and characters
and plot lines and backstories.
152
:You get to the project, you
enter this super themed unit.
153
:We try to remove all of your
connections to the modern world,
154
:to your life, and you're just in
this 48-hour kind of experience.
155
:It's almost like the movie version
if you were going to go train with
156
:samurai or go in the Amazon rainforest
with a tribe or go on a safari.
157
:We're trying to create that
level of immersive experience.
158
:So we have art cars that
you can drive around.
159
:There's an audio tour with historical
signs throughout the property
160
:of things that are not real,
they're just our fictional world.
161
:It's a choose your own adventure place.
162
:There's a cantina with
mocktails that you can make.
163
:There's an earth lodge that's a Moroccan
interior with mint tea and all these
164
:random delicacies and snacks that we
made up that are part of our culture.
165
:But it's cool.
166
:We're mixing a lot of things together.
167
:It's like a landscape hotel, it's like
an Airbnb, it's like a resort, but not.
168
:So it's actually difficult to explain
exactly what it is, but it's like
169
:a movie set kind of experience.
170
:And now here in Puerto Rico, we're
doing this avatar-inspired experience.
171
:And so you arrive at this jungle
trading post, right, that's
172
:hidden into this jungle here.
173
:This old kind of colonial
thing that's happening here.
174
:And then you descend down into
the jungle to ancient times.
175
:And we're going to have a lighting
design, projection mapping where
176
:the whole jungle comes alive, and
you have this art walk experience.
177
:And then there's waterfalls
down at the bottom with lagoons.
178
:So we're just trying to create
this magic, kind of surreal
179
:cinematic experience for people.
180
:Brian Searl: Is it fair to say that then
you're basically putting someone in a
181
:personalized movie of their own making?
182
:Travis Chambers: Yeah.
183
:It's hard to explain.
184
:I'm still working on the pitch.
185
:Brian Searl: I like that.
186
:I like a challenge like that, right?
187
:Because you're creating your own
thing that hasn't been done before in
188
:the ways that you've been doing it.
189
:And I think that innovation is
probably sorely needed in the
190
:outdoor hospitality industry.
191
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, so
far it seems to be working.
192
:We opened Outpost X Utah two years ago.
193
:We've had 87% occupancy, $441 ADR.
194
:And so we'll see how it
goes here in Puerto Rico.
195
:Brian Searl: How do you do marketing
to the consumer who is unfamiliar
196
:with a product like yours?
197
:Like obviously you can say all the
things you just told us, right?
198
:But how do you convince the guest
who's never experienced something like
199
:yours that it's worth the $441 ADR or
whatever it is to come and do all that?
200
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, so our project
in Utah is three hours from Vegas and
201
:an hour and 45 minutes west of Zion.
202
:So it's absolutely in
the middle of nowhere.
203
:And we wanted to do this experiment.
204
:Can we get someone to go
in the middle of nowhere?
205
:Can we pull that off?
206
:The thing that's worked has been
medium-sized travel influencers.
207
:And these are people who just
find experiences and explain
208
:them to their audience.
209
:It's done really well.
210
:I'd say we've spent maybe $30,000 total
in two years on influencers to do about
211
:250 million views on social media.
212
:And to our knowledge, we're the most
viewed hospitality product in Utah.
213
:Brian Searl: Something to
hang your hat on for sure.
214
:Especially with all the national parks
there and all the amazing geography.
215
:Zach, you have any questions for Travis?
216
:Zach Stoltenberg: One, I
love that you're in Rincon.
217
:I actually spent Christmas a year
ago in Rincon at Crash Boat Beach
218
:and I love that area of Puerto Rico.
219
:It's absolutely incredible and the
people there are absolutely wonderful.
220
:That's pretty exciting.
221
:I'm anxious to see you focusing on that.
222
:Talk a little bit about just some of
the challenges of those remote sites.
223
:Solving some of the problems of
utilities, of infrastructure, of
224
:getting trades to come out to be able
to actually do work on the property.
225
:Is it bringing a crew in or
is it sourcing it locally?
226
:Because I think you're doing
something that is amazing and
227
:wonderful, but everybody would
be doing it if it was easy.
228
:And I know that it's not easy.
229
:I know that you've taken honestly
probably one of the more difficult
230
:paths in order to get there.
231
:So maybe just tell us a little bit
about what that journey's been like
232
:and your approach to it and some of
the things that have worked for you.
233
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, thanks Zach.
234
:Yeah, we've tried just about everything.
235
:Hiring a builder, we've
tried getting local people.
236
:So where we've landed is we now have
a mobile construction crew, people who
237
:are willing to travel and live on site.
238
:Generally that's been the best for us.
239
:That requires a lot of hands-on
management and a lot of planning.
240
:It's not maybe the easiest way
to do it, but it's definitely the
241
:most cost-efficient way to do it.
242
:And so we've got 25 people living
here on the job site right now.
243
:And I'll actually show you, we've just
rolled out all this prefab housing,
244
:basically just air-conditioned units.
245
:And then we've got these
showers and bathrooms.
246
:And the advantage of that is a lot
of this infrastructure for the crew,
247
:we end up reusing for staff to live
on site and for our laundry room
248
:and back of house, things like that.
249
:That seems to be going well.
250
:And in Puerto Rico is
an additional challenge.
251
:There's not a lot of builders,
there's not a lot of laborers
252
:in general in Puerto Rico.
253
:They're really hard to get.
254
:So just bringing people from
the mainland has been huge.
255
:We already did the test experiment with
a lot of locals and things and they were
256
:pretty good, but it was just a little bit
more difficult, not moving quite as quick.
257
:Brian Searl: Anybody else
have any questions for Travis?
258
:Joy de Vos: I'm curious, how
did you come up with this idea
259
:of doing what you're doing?
260
:Because it sounds really exciting.
261
:Travis Chambers: I had a
film production company.
262
:We were making hundreds of commercials a
year for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube ads.
263
:And one day we were
throwing away a film set.
264
:It was a $50,000 film set
and it broke my heart.
265
:And I thought, I would sleep in
this film set, especially if it was
266
:out in the wilderness somewhere.
267
:And so I sold that production company and
there were some other macro trends too.
268
:I used to work at 20th Century Fox
and I saw that the movie industry
269
:is reducing pretty quickly.
270
:And I thought the digital age maybe
has reached its peak and maybe we're
271
:going to go back to the physical in
real life experiences or alternate
272
:reality even, you could call it,
like slightly augmented reality.
273
:So I got really interested in that and
thought maybe that's where things are
274
:going to go with AI and AI robotics.
275
:People are not going to be working
on their computers as much.
276
:There's hopefully going to be a
lot of abundance, hopefully a lot
277
:of mobility, personal aircraft.
278
:So I imagine people are going to want
to spend their time in really beautiful
279
:places with unique experiences.
280
:So I'm just really bullish
on hospitality in general.
281
:That's why I just pivoted this direction.
282
:And it was really interesting too.
283
:Marc Andreessen, he's one of the most
prolific venture capitalists of all
284
:time, he tweeted actually last week.
285
:He said, "I co-sign."
286
:And the tweet was, "As abundant things
become more abundant, the things that
287
:are going to be in demand are things that
are difficult to have an abundance of."
288
:Hotels, experiences, community.
289
:And so I feel like that's
what we're all a part of.
290
:And I just feel like this
niche is going to grow.
291
:So I just wanted to do my own
little type of thing with it.
292
:Zach Stoltenberg: Yeah, we've talked
about that on the show before.
293
:Like how I think outdoor hospitality,
and I think many people agree with me,
294
:that outdoor hospitality is perfectly
positioned for what's going to come.
295
:Because you only have so many
rivers and so many forests and
296
:so many trees to sit next to.
297
:And you can't duplicate that in
any kind of AI virtual whatever.
298
:People want to touch, they want
to feel, they want to smell.
299
:People have been disconnected from that
stuff I think over the last 15 plus
300
:years as we've had phones in our hands.
301
:And I was telling my girlfriend
when we were out and down in the
302
:Keys, like there's just not an
opportunity to be bored anymore.
303
:And so you don't notice the waves, you
don't notice the ocean, you don't notice
304
:the osprey, you don't notice the, right?
305
:But that is going to be I think extremely
coveted in the future we're headed toward.
306
:And I think all of us are perfectly
positioned to take advantage of it.
307
:Brian Searl: So are you...
308
:if let's say I have a question,
I have one more question for you.
309
:If somebody were to drop a billion
dollars into your hands tomorrow,
310
:would you build Westworld?
311
:Travis Chambers: Probably.
312
:It feels like you're taking baby
steps maybe towards that future
313
:based on what you just said.
314
:Yeah, right now I like the
40 to 60 unit projects.
315
:I think projects can get too big where
you could risk losing the whole project.
316
:So I feel like there's a certain
level of intimacy that you can't
317
:really accomplish at scale.
318
:You'll probably seen people
go from 50 units to 100 units
319
:and start to have problems.
320
:That's what I've noticed with some
of my friends that own projects
321
:outside of Zion National Park.
322
:But yeah, I think that the even
bigger vision, Brian, when you talk
323
:about Westworld, is converting this
at some point into long-term living.
324
:And we see that Disney is now doing
long-term living developments.
325
:And you just think about how do
our communities change when people
326
:aren't working on a laptop all day?
327
:What do they do with their time?
328
:And old European cities and even Puerto
Rican towns seem much more equipped for
329
:that future than American towns that
are built around cars and very isolated.
330
:And you spend a lot of time alone
and there's no mixed zoning, so
331
:no one can have a business in your
neighborhood, which is really weird.
332
:So I feel like you talk about
this Westworld thing, I wonder
333
:if a Westworldification is
going to happen everywhere.
334
:I wonder if this experientialization
and this hospitality element that
335
:we're involved in is going to
just be everything, everywhere
336
:is going to be like that.
337
:Community driven, agricultural,
agrarian driven as well.
338
:Brian Searl: I would sign up for that.
339
:And I'm the biggest AI geek probably in
outdoor hospitality that exists, right?
340
:But I still like to disconnect.
341
:I still like to be immersed.
342
:I still like to...
343
:and I would love to get to a
place where I know everybody in my
344
:community for a couple blocks, right?
345
:I don't know...
346
:I guess I could theoretically do
that now, but it'd be weird to
347
:just walk up to people's doors and
knock and be like, "Hey, I'm your
348
:neighbor from two streets over."
349
:It feels weird, even though
it shouldn't be weird.
350
:So if you can do some part to build almost
like a neighborhood that's what you're
351
:saying is almost themed the same way.
352
:Does that make...
353
:and that's too maybe loose of a
word, but that brings the same
354
:type of people together who want to
experience the same thing and thus
355
:the community interaction is easier?
356
:Am I going down the right path?
357
:Zach Stoltenberg: Yeah, I think
we're starting to see some of that.
358
:Travis mentioned kind of the
Disney communities and stuff.
359
:Not my focus with our company, but other
divisions within LJA do a lot of these
360
:master plan communities where developers
coming in to build 800, 2,000 home lots.
361
:And at a $100,000 lot price, you've
got to sell more than just ground.
362
:You're selling a lifestyle,
they're selling a brand.
363
:And so we can call it theming, we
can call it immersion, we can call
364
:it branding, whatever you want.
365
:But we're seeing those master plan
communities with resort-style swimming
366
:pools and top-tier amenities and
clubs that would rival a Four Seasons.
367
:And I think when you look especially
amongst younger generations, I'll
368
:say Gen Z especially, they're really
putting a huge emphasis on lifestyle.
369
:You figure most of your life
is spent at work or at home.
370
:And when you're at home,
wouldn't it be great if it
371
:felt like you were on vacation?
372
:So I think we're starting
to see that trend already.
373
:And I also think that that's probably
one of the things that is pushing that
374
:ratcheting up of guest expectations
when it does come to outdoor
375
:hospitality and resort development.
376
:What people have at home
is getting nicer and nicer.
377
:So we've really got to up the ante when
it comes to creating a unique experience.
378
:And I think Travis, to your credit,
you're probably one of the best in the
379
:business at having accomplished that.
380
:Brian Searl: If living at home
feels like vacation, does vacation
381
:exist in the future or do you
just swap homes with someone else?
382
:Jeremy Johnson: I think it's not so
much does vacation exist, but it's
383
:wanting a different experience.
384
:I think Travis, I remember you
talking about this on the podcast
385
:with Alex and Matt, where it's
like you can be anywhere in 24 to
386
:48 hours.
387
:So your life might feel like vacation.
388
:Like I live in Marquette, Michigan.
389
:I'm on the shores of Lake Superior.
390
:To me, every day is vacation.
391
:I get to look out, I live on the biggest
freshwater lake in North America.
392
:I love my life.
393
:But that doesn't mean that I don't
want a completely different experience.
394
:I might want to go to Utah
and be in the desert or go to
395
:Santa Fe and be in the desert.
396
:I want that different perspective.
397
:And I think that's where that
perspective, being able to give
398
:somebody a new perspective, that's
where there's a lot of value, I think.
399
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, I agree with that.
400
:I think that we as a species, we're
really obsessed with storytelling.
401
:And the storytellers
generally run society.
402
:The Aristotles, the
403
:Shakespeares.
404
:Or if our life is playing infinite
games, then who's the game maker?
405
:Whose games are we playing?
406
:And you see how big the video
game industry is exploding.
407
:It's multiples and multiples
of the film industry now.
408
:And I think what happens is when
a species gets more wealthy, they
409
:start living more like aristocrats.
410
:So it almost becomes post-monetary
where your exchange of value is your
411
:style and your personality and your
experiences and your perspectives,
412
:just like Jeremy said, and your art.
413
:And so if we do survive this AI thing
and it does bring a lot of abundance
414
:and prosperity, then it seems like
that exchange will possibly become
415
:one of the most valuable currencies.
416
:It will be, right?
417
:It will be Jeremy walking out and
looking at this lake because he
418
:doesn't have to live in Milwaukee
anymore to make a living.
419
:He can live anywhere he wants.
420
:And because of that, he's this
really interesting character and
421
:it just seems like that is possibly
going to be where things go.
422
:It'll be interesting to see.
423
:Jeremy Johnson: I'm curious,
Joy, we haven't talked about your
424
:property too much yet, but I'm
guessing you're on a dairy farm.
425
:Is that an experience in British Columbia
that people are seeking because they
426
:want to get out of the city or what was
the idea and inspiration behind that?
427
:Joy de Vos: I guess my inspiration
comes from being a 4-H leader.
428
:I've been a 4-H leader for 20 years
and in this time I've mentored over 200
429
:children to learn more about dairy, learn
more about agriculture, being able to be
430
:public speakers and leaders for tomorrow.
431
:And along the way, I've encountered
people that couldn't tell that a
432
:bull calf was actually not a goat.
433
:Brian Searl: That would be me.
434
:Joy de Vos: Yeah, and when I had
21-year-olds making that kind of comment
435
:when I did a petting zoo, I thought,
oh my goodness, we're so out of touch.
436
:And so I decided with my
husband that we would do an
437
:educational experience for people.
438
:It first started off with just doing
dairy tours and working on how we
439
:farm it with the riparian area.
440
:We are a working dairy farm, third
generation, and we're hoping that
441
:it'll go on to the fourth generation.
442
:So along our discussions, we
decided, let's do a campground.
443
:That sounds like fun.
444
:And then we talked about doing a store.
445
:We'll have a little store
to service the campground.
446
:And then it became my husband moving
his stuff out of his shop and me turning
447
:it into a cute little general store.
448
:So you feel like you've come back in
time because it looks like the late
449
:1800s and you can see the cows from
inside the store and get a coffee.
450
:You can go feed the chickens, you
can camp on the farm, you can do
451
:an actual dairy tour or you can do
a milking dairy tour where you get
452
:to go in there and milk the cows.
453
:And if you're lucky,
maybe you get shit on.
454
:An experience!
455
:And there's so many people out of
touch with agriculture and in our
456
:area, we're starting to see more
and more people wanting to get
457
:back in touch with their roots.
458
:And we would like to offer
that opportunity to people
459
:who live in the city.
460
:Maybe they don't have a
backyard, they can't do a garden.
461
:Come and check out our
462
:property.
463
:Travis Chambers: Zach, have
you guys seen that Netflix show
464
:called "This is a Gardening Show"?
465
:Zach Stoltenberg: No, I haven't.
466
:Travis Chambers: Oh, it's pretty cool.
467
:He makes like the whole point that
the future of everything is agrarian.
468
:In that the more abundant we are, the
more we will all go back to an agrarian
469
:society where we're farming and that will
be our identity and how we spend our time.
470
:Jeremy Johnson: I can't help but
think of, I don't know if anybody's
471
:familiar, but there's a very luxury
high-end development, I think it's
472
:called CERES in Chattahoochee Hills,
Georgia, just outside of Atlanta.
473
:And it is completely agricultural
based and very food focused.
474
:They're growing food, but then
also cooking on site, and we're
475
:talking million-dollar lots.
476
:It's exactly, Travis, what you're talking
about, Joy, what you're talking about.
477
:These people have everything they could
ever want, but yet they're going back
478
:to this from-the-earth movement, and
there's this massive price tag on it
479
:because they're just outside of Atlanta.
480
:Zach Stoltenberg: I think another thing
that we've been seeing here recently
481
:with this growth, this focus on health
and wellness, especially amongst people
482
:that have got more money than they will
probably spend in their lifetime, or
483
:even that their children can spend.
484
:Their focus shifts from material
things into living the best life of
485
:the years that they have remaining.
486
:Feeling good, feeling you can do
whatever you want, and that recentral
487
:focus on health, longevity, wellness,
and a huge part of that is diet.
488
:So I think all of these experiences that
we're trying to create to attract that
489
:type of a customer base, it's not just the
theming and the immersion and all of that.
490
:In order to hit that authenticity
feel that is driving outdoor,
491
:it's got to be holistic.
492
:It's got to be the food, learning
about it, tending it, meeting
493
:the staff that are cooking it and
growing it, and it's got to come full
494
:circle with all those components.
495
:Brian Searl: Yeah, I agree with that.
496
:I'm always one of those people who's
trying to learn as much as they can.
497
:So when we were down in Key West,
I was going to the farmers markets,
498
:learning about the pink shrimp and
the lobsters and the stone crab and
499
:all the things they have down there.
500
:Then trying to figure out where
can I get it from the markets and
501
:how can I cook it in my glamping
accommodation that I was in.
502
:So I think that for sure, it's not
farming, but it's the same from the sea.
503
:It's figuring out how that all connects
to each other, to the experience.
504
:We
505
:stayed at a couple glamping
accommodations, I would call them
506
:glamping, that were basically
cottages that this guy built on
507
:top of catamarans in Key West.
508
:They rent for something like $500 a night.
509
:I think they're called Outpost 1 and 2
from a company called Mellow Ventures.
510
:There's a couple competitors
down there, but it's very rare.
511
:He's basically built these custom
cottages that float on catamarans.
512
:They're anchored in the middle
of the harbor in Key West in
513
:four-foot crystal clear water.
514
:You go out there and there's no air
conditioning, you're just out there in
515
:this cabin in the middle of the water.
516
:We stayed there for three nights
and it was one of the most
517
:relaxing things I think I've done.
518
:Just being disconnected and being able
to cook my fresh food from the market,
519
:learning about the shrimp and the fish and
the types of stuff that's swimming by me.
520
:I'm a buyer, I'm a believer in that.
521
:Maybe that's your next idea, Travis.
522
:We go from Westworld to Waterworld.
523
:Travis Chambers: It's funny, we...
524
:Brian Searl: But it's got to
be better than Waterworld, man.
525
:That's a very low bar for a movie to set.
526
:Travis Chambers: It's funny, we have been
looking at barges and catamarans here in
527
:Puerto Rico to do that kind of experience.
528
:Brian Searl: Yeah, it's one
of the most unique things
529
:that I've ever seen and done.
530
:And he built it really well.
531
:Travis Chambers: It's so funny,
we were literally talking last
532
:week about doing a catamaran.
533
:I'm thinking, why don't we
just buy a barge and build a
534
:little village on the barge?
535
:This is cool, this is really inspiring.
536
:Jeremy Johnson: There's a project,
I think it's just outside of Toledo.
537
:I'd have to look on the map, but
it's in the middle of nowhere
538
:Ohio and it's on Lake Erie.
539
:This younger guy bought a commercial
marina with 14 slips, and I think he gets
540
:an average of four or $500 a night because
he turned it into this little micro
541
:resort where everything's on the water.
542
:He's got little food trucks that pull up
to his marina, and it's just this whole
543
:experience that you typically wouldn't
get in this post-industrial area that was
544
:nothing but iron ore shipping in the past.
545
:It's cool that he was
able to turn that around.
546
:I think we all talk about how land
is becoming more and more a scarce
547
:commodity, but water even more
so, especially nice fresh water
548
:or even nice sea water as well.
549
:Brian Searl: Joy, where do
you see Foxtrot Dairy going?
550
:You said it was new, the
campground side of it?
551
:Joy de Vos: Yeah, it took us a while
to get the campground up and running
552
:because it's my husband and I that
are trying to forge ahead with it.
553
:We have limited capital to
getting it started up, but I
554
:think we've done really well.
555
:We're held at a capacity of 10 campsites
because we're on the agricultural land
556
:reserve, and so that means that we have to
preserve it for farming as a main economy.
557
:The campground itself is really
just there for the educational
558
:aspect of dairy farming.
559
:We have 10 campsites, two of
them are full hookup service.
560
:We have a septic system, we have
actual showers, not porta-potties.
561
:We have it planned to set up as
a little village eventually as we
562
:gain the capital to invest into it.
563
:The hope is that people will set it as a
journey destination for their families,
564
:that they'll all come here and do their
family reunions and see the cows going
565
:back and forth from the campground.
566
:You can see the dry cows going back
and forth, you can see our horse, and
567
:our goats are within the campground.
568
:So it really is a little farm
that we're trying to set up there,
569
:and you're right beside the farm.
570
:On the other side of the
bushes is the farm, and you
571
:don't actually hear the cows.
572
:It's amazing what a bush can do.
573
:The store is open, people are able to
come over and be on the main farmyard.
574
:We're really just hoping that schools
and people that are interested in
575
:learning about where their milk comes
from, how we farm, why we farm, why
576
:are the decisions that we make made.
577
:They're made because we have to work
within our ability with our land, and
578
:within the nutrition of the animals, and
with staying environmentally friendly.
579
:So we have a lot of hoops to jump through,
and the agricultural land reserve is a
580
:special land that's put aside for farming.
581
:I see us enjoying and meeting lots of
people from around the country, maybe
582
:around other countries, to come and
just really have a great experience.
583
:I think for us, seeing a child learn
that milk comes from a cow, I've seen it.
584
:Kids are like, "Wow, that happens?"
585
:And they're like, "That's
where my ice cream comes from?"
586
:Yes, that's where your
ice cream comes from.
587
:Brian Searl: The most important thing
that comes from a cow, ice cream.
588
:Joy de Vos: Oh yeah, it is.
589
:That butter.
590
:When people come to our
store, we have products from
591
:little mom-and-pop businesses.
592
:So really just trying to support that
local community as much as possible,
593
:working together and showcasing healthy,
nutritious products, thinking about what
594
:people need to live a happy, healthy life.
595
:I don't know, I'm still learning.
596
:This is exciting and it's
nerve-wracking all at the same time,
597
:but I look forward to my plans.
598
:Brian Searl: If you ever stop
learning, you'll be bored,
599
:so I hope you keep learning.
600
:Is it just RV or do you have any
intentions to add accommodations like
601
:cabins or glamping or anything out there?
602
:Joy de Vos: I do want to add glamping.
603
:I want to make a miniature village of our
farm, but that again requires capital.
604
:I would like to make a replica of our
actual farm within there and have themed
605
:cabins for the milk house, the calf
barn, the shop, and with educational
606
:history pictures on the inside.
607
:I have the designs already, I just
don't have the capital to get it going.
608
:So in time, I plan to have all the
sites hooked up and all with power,
609
:but we know power is expensive, so
that'll take a little bit of time.
610
:But when it's all set up and
done, it'll be a really cute place
611
:that people will want to come to.
612
:Then I hope while they're here,
they see the wineries and the
613
:other dairy farms near us and just
really get to know the agricultural
614
:footprint within our communities.
615
:Brian Searl: It is one of the
hardest things, and I'll just
616
:admit this from my perspective.
617
:It's been one of the hardest things
I've learned over the last few years,
618
:running my business, working 110 hours
a week for 15 plus years, seven days
619
:a week, because I love what I do.
620
:It's really been hard for me to
immerse myself into the type of
621
:experience, to go to the places.
622
:I take a vacation, but I realized
two years ago that I was walking
623
:along a beach, I think it was
actually in Vancouver Island.
624
:I realized I'm walking along this
beach and I'm thinking about business.
625
:I'm not appreciating that I'm on
a beach, I'm not appreciating the
626
:ocean is right here, appreciating
there's a time to disconnect.
627
:So I've tried to reframe that thinking,
but it's hard in the modern world for
628
:a lot of people to get to that place
with all the distractions that we have
629
:and opportunities to not be bored.
630
:Is that just me or is that sentiment
out there with more of you?
631
:Joy de Vos: I find that all the time.
632
:Jeremy Johnson: I don't
think it's just you.
633
:I will say as somebody who lives in the
upper Midwest, I think that's the thing
634
:I appreciate the most about seasons.
635
:The seasons make you slow down,
whether it's winter or spring or fall.
636
:We
637
:got over 300 inches of snow this
year where I live in Ishpeming.
638
:When you have that kind of snow,
you can't just go out the door
639
:and go to wherever you're going.
640
:You have to slow down,
you have to move the snow.
641
:At least for me, it makes
me think differently.
642
:Instead of just rushing out the door
and hopping in my car, I think, you
643
:know what, it might be easier and more
fun if I skied down to the coffee shop.
644
:That's what I did multiple
times this winter.
645
:That makes life a little bit more fun
to have that disconnect and get out of
646
:that regular pattern of thinking about
business or the most efficient or the
647
:biggest ROI you can get on a project.
648
:Brian Searl: That's why I
really like the houseboats.
649
:We had to take a boat out there from the
marina, a 10, 15-minute ride out from
650
:the boatyard, and we couldn't leave.
651
:We could call somebody if we wanted
to and pay for a boat, but we
652
:were in the middle of the water.
653
:We weren't going anywhere
even if I wanted to.
654
:So we had to go grocery shopping,
we had to bring our provisions,
655
:we had ice coolers, we didn't
have a full refrigerator.
656
:We had to think and plan and
clearly disconnect and understand
657
:what we needed, and it was great.
658
:Jeremy Johnson: One of my favorite places
is actually in the Upper Peninsula,
659
:about 50 minutes away from where I live.
660
:It's called the Huron Mountain Club.
661
:When you go up that club road and you
pass through the gates, you've got no
662
:service, you're completely disconnected.
663
:The closest store to get gas, food,
anything, water, is probably 45 minutes
664
:down the road, and it's a dirt road.
665
:It brings on a little bit of
anxiety because you're wondering,
666
:did I forget something?
667
:But then as you settle in,
you realize it doesn't matter.
668
:You might think, oh shoot, I forgot
my phone charger, and you realize,
669
:you know what, I'm here, who cares?
670
:That feeling is invaluable to have.
671
:On that same note, one of the
future projects I'm working on is
672
:on the shores of Lake Superior,
and one of the components of it is
673
:a private beach that you can only
access by walking through a wetland.
674
:We're going to be building a raised
boardwalk to get to that wetland and
675
:it's probably about a thousand feet
of boardwalk, but it's a 10, 15 minute
676
:walk and it's like you're walking
through pretty deep thick wetland
677
:and you might get bit by a mosquito.
678
:Like there might, you might get
hit in the face with a branch.
679
:That's fine.
680
:There's an element of uncomfortableness
to it, but then you get to that
681
:beach and I'm sure Travis, it's
probably like you walk through the
682
:jungle to get to the waterfalls.
683
:Like you get to that beach
and everything just changes.
684
:You're like, this was worth it.
685
:I call it type two fun.
686
:Walking to that waterfall might
not have been fun, but then you get
687
:there, you see how beautiful it is
and you're like, it was all worth it.
688
:None of it matters now.
689
:Brian Searl: I just, you need to give
me a bug suit, man, because I'm the one
690
:guy in the world where every mosquito
will find me from 10 miles away, man.
691
:They all like me.
692
:But I would agree with you.
693
:Yeah, forgetting the phone
charger, there are certain things
694
:that you don't want to forget.
695
:We got out to the boat and realized
we forgot the tequila and the cocktail
696
:mix in the car, so we had to go back.
697
:10 minute ride.
698
:Jeremy Johnson: Brian, I've got to jump
early today, but I appreciate being on
699
:and getting to talk with all of you and
good luck for the last 15 minutes here.
700
:Brian Searl: Thanks, Jeremy.
701
:Appreciate you being here.
702
:Jeremy Johnson: Bye guys.
703
:Brian Searl: So how do we
keep moving this conversation
704
:forward in outdoor hospitality?
705
:How do we get more people into
the way of thinking that...
706
:and we've talked about experiential
hospitality for a couple years, right?
707
:Loosely.
708
:Never anything probably as in-depth
as Travis being on the show,
709
:right, with experiences like that.
710
:But does the outdoor hospitality industry
need to reframe some of the thinking
711
:or are we headed in the right direction
already or what do you think, Zach?
712
:You work with a lot of these businesses.
713
:Zach Stoltenberg: I don't
know that I would say reframe.
714
:One of the things I love
about this industry is that
715
:there's room for everyone.
716
:And I don't know that there's any one
right way or wrong way of doing it.
717
:And that's probably a perspective for
me that's changed a lot over the years.
718
:Early on in doing these, the majority
of the folks we were working with
719
:had a lot of capital behind them.
720
:There was a lot of money available
and people were doing that.
721
:But seeing what Joy and her husband
are doing, saying, "Hey, we're going
722
:to do this a little bit at a time.
723
:We're going to be restricted by capital.
724
:We're going to start
small and make this work."
725
:I see a lot of people that have done
that and done so very successfully.
726
:And maybe their first one was that
way, then it started to take off and
727
:getting a loan or some investment
to expand or move to their second or
728
:third site, that became a lot easier.
729
:But I think Travis, you
mentioned Ben Wolff earlier.
730
:I think we're seeing a lot of innovators
in this space that are coming in that
731
:are figuring out what works for them.
732
:You don't have to spend two grand a
month with Google and Meta for ads
733
:for marketing for your place, right?
734
:These guys have worked with
influencers, they've built social media
735
:campaigns, millions of followers, and
they're doing only direct booking.
736
:Where a lot of other campgrounds
would say, "Oh gosh, we get so
737
:much off of our Facebook ads.
738
:It's the most successful marketing we do."
739
:So I don't know.
740
:I guess it's a roundabout way of saying
I don't know what the answer is to that.
741
:Like where do we go from here?
742
:I think certainly there's something
to be learned for people who are
743
:doing it, have tried something new
and are really successful with it.
744
:And Travis, I'm sure you're
starting to see too, you captured
745
:this sort of lightning in a
bottle with your first site, you
746
:built a massive online following.
747
:I'm anxious to see, does that carry
over into a second site, a third site?
748
:Does that carry over into
a site out of the country?
749
:And then how does that shape
your journey of what's next?
750
:Any thoughts on that?
751
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, I think it
just comes down to a good story.
752
:Like Joy is a story, right?
753
:She's been doing the
farming club for 20 years.
754
:This is her life, right?
755
:This is her lifestyle.
756
:And there's something romantic about
entering someone else's lifestyle.
757
:It's a cultural experience.
758
:And so it really, it's just
that's what culture is.
759
:And I think in the United States,
cultures are very disjointed.
760
:And I think what we're talking
about exists in a lot of deep
761
:cultures in the world already.
762
:Morocco is a hospitality zone.
763
:There's just this richness, there's
a certain type of food, there's
764
:a certain type of tradition,
there's a certain type of clothing.
765
:When you go to Morocco,
you are in a movie.
766
:You really are.
767
:And so you go to Joy's place, you're
in this society, you're in this
768
:community, you're in this way of life.
769
:I think that's what people want.
770
:I think people want as many
experiences as they can have.
771
:And it just naturally seems to be what
people spend their time and money on.
772
:And it's pretty crazy.
773
:This is a really strange concept,
but if you are a coal miner and all
774
:you do your whole life is mine coal
and don't have any other experiences,
775
:time is going to be very compressed.
776
:But the more experiences you have,
it's like the more time you create
777
:because you're experiencing new things.
778
:They've done studies on this.
779
:It really sounds wild, but you've
lived half of your life by the
780
:time you're 20 because the way we
perceive time, because you generally
781
:are having less new experiences.
782
:You're in a routine.
783
:And so if you want to live a longer
life, you go have more experiences.
784
:Unless you just really love what you have.
785
:I think that's what people want.
786
:Obviously if people are stuck in survival
mode, like the majority of people on
787
:earth are still in a survival situation.
788
:I have to do this job so that I can eat,
so I can have a shelter over my head.
789
:So really the stuff we're talking
about is what do you do when
790
:that's not the case anymore?
791
:What happens when you're
not in a survival mode?
792
:How do you spend your time?
793
:Where do you go?
794
:And we know that people
spend it on travel.
795
:They spend a lot of it on travel.
796
:And we see it too, a lot
of people buy stuff, right?
797
:But once they reach a certain level of
abundance, they don't buy as much stuff.
798
:That's what happened with me.
799
:I sold my company, bought a bunch of
really stupid things I didn't need.
800
:It didn't make me happy.
801
:So then I got rid of them and just went
right back to the adventure part of it.
802
:So I think the other thing
that's happening is the tourism
803
:market is getting younger.
804
:So a majority of tourism was over
60 years old for most of our era
805
:because they're the ones that
have disposable time and income.
806
:But I just think that there's
just more money going around.
807
:The upper middle class has doubled
or tripled in the last 20 years
808
:and people are getting a lot more
mobility, and they're not spending
809
:as much money on where they live.
810
:They're spending their money on going
places and they have the flexibility
811
:to do that, which is not something that
has really been around for a long time.
812
:Brian Searl: Yeah, I think my answer
to that question, and I don't know if I
813
:have the answer like you do, Zach, but
I think my answer is to gently nudge
814
:people toward creating their own whatever
unique experience is in their head, right?
815
:For Travis, that's what he's building.
816
:For Ben Wolff, that's something different.
817
:For the clients that you have,
Zach, that's something different.
818
:I think there's been perhaps a majority,
and I'm not saying that's 60% or
819
:whatever, right, but a majority of
people who are developing in outdoor
820
:hospitality that have just said,
"Look, here's something that works.
821
:Let me do that also."
822
:Instead of, "Look, here's
something that works.
823
:Let me tweak that to make it work
for me or my audience or my niche
824
:or what I want to accomplish."
825
:Let me add an RV park or glamping to
a dairy farm instead of just building
826
:an RV park, if that makes sense.
827
:So I think that's where we need
to maybe encourage people to go.
828
:And I think there's significantly,
there are people that are going
829
:there, like Travis and Ben and some
of your clients, Zach, and other
830
:people that we've had on this show.
831
:I think those voices would be
well served for our industry to
832
:be more visible at some of the
industry conferences that we have.
833
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, I always
bring it back to storytelling.
834
:How do you make your
property not a commodity?
835
:Like Joy's property is
not a commodity at all.
836
:You're going to milk cows, you're going
to do things that you can't just walk
837
:into someone's dairy and milk their cow.
838
:You can't do that anywhere in society.
839
:It's like you would get shot.
840
:You might get in trouble, but you could.
841
:Brian Searl: You're just going to walk in
here and just milk my cow without even...
842
:what?
843
:Travis Chambers: The disrespect!
844
:So that's the problem is too many people
say, "I'm going to do a glamping project."
845
:What is...
846
:guys, I almost feel like you
could finish my sentence.
847
:What is the first thing they say?
848
:"Oh, I'm going to do domes."
849
:It's always the same thing.
850
:I always come to the same conclusion.
851
:And I would recommend to people,
go figure out what your story is.
852
:Go figure out what your unique
world is that you want people to
853
:enter because domes is not enough.
854
:It's enough if you're right next to
a national park, then it is enough.
855
:But do you really want to just add
another commodity to the world?
856
:I love Rick Rubin.
857
:He's my favorite music producer.
858
:He always says there's a difference
between art and commerce.
859
:Commerce is what you make
what you think people want.
860
:Art is you make what you love.
861
:And that's what I've tried
to do with my projects.
862
:What do I love deeply, love?
863
:And it's like if you're going to build a
project like this and you don't know what
864
:you love, then you got to go find out.
865
:You got to go find out.
866
:Brian Searl: What's your unique story
that you want to tell in the world?
867
:All right, last few minutes.
868
:Travis, do you have any
questions for Joy or Zachary?
869
:We kind of let the guests take over,
so do you have a question you want
870
:to ask either one of those two?
871
:Travis Chambers: Yeah, Joy, my
question for you is I'd love
872
:to know more about how you...
873
:how do you do this whole guest experience?
874
:Is it like a choose your
own adventure thing?
875
:Is there a schedule?
876
:Joy de Vos: It's a choose
your own adventure thing and
877
:we schedule based on demand.
878
:We could have tour times, but what
we've decided to do is work with
879
:when they're actually being demanded
so that we can be prepared with the
880
:staff to take people through the tour.
881
:We have to do biosecurity.
882
:We have to be prepared that people carry
disease, animals have disease, and we
883
:have to make sure that both work together.
884
:So we have to make sure
people's hands are sanitized.
885
:If you're doing the milking dairy
tour, we'll be providing you with
886
:the gumboots and the overalls so
that you don't have to worry about
887
:staining your lovely camping outfit.
888
:But mainly people, we want them to come
and camp and just enjoy the animals
889
:that are available all the time and kick
back and relax and forget about real
890
:life because real life is really hard.
891
:And then when you want to do a dairy tour,
we'll try to do them in the morning and
892
:answer the questions as best as we can.
893
:And we would target our dairy tours based
on who our client is at that moment.
894
:If they're young children,
we keep it simple.
895
:If they're older and they're college
students and they're trying to
896
:learn something about agriculture,
then we'll be more in depth.
897
:If it's the general person, just an
understanding of how we work with our
898
:environment to be good stewards of the
land and how we look after our animals.
899
:We love our girls.
900
:They all sleep on waterbeds
in case anybody's wondering.
901
:And they're very happy.
902
:And we'll develop as we're going
along because obviously I've only
903
:been doing this for the last 12 months
or 14 months with opening up the
904
:store and working towards this plan.
905
:And still I don't even know
what to put in my brochures.
906
:I have a brochure, but maybe my ideas
will be different in six months from now.
907
:And our campground can host tents and RVs.
908
:And right now we only
have two full hookups.
909
:The rest are dry until we
eventually get to our end goal.
910
:Travis Chambers: That's really cool.
911
:My one of my favorite experiences,
my grandpa had a dairy farm.
912
:My dad grew up on a dairy farm
and I used to go there as a kid,
913
:climb around the barn, find old...
914
:I'd find his old mail and checks
to the IRS and stuff from the 50s.
915
:It was so much fun.
916
:Like it was this...
917
:and it's like how many people
really get that experience?
918
:Zachary, what's your favorite
thing that you've designed so far?
919
:Zach Stoltenberg: I get this question
a lot and I think the best answer
920
:I can say is my favorite thing is
whatever I'm working on right now.
921
:Which the current project,
it's also in Utah.
922
:I can share a little bit about it, but
I'll say this is the first time instead
923
:of building or erecting a unit, we
are excavating the units out of rock.
924
:So that's been very
unique, very different.
925
:Some challenges with it.
926
:Everybody on my team has just poured
themselves into it and I think when
927
:it finally comes to fruition, it's
going to be absolutely incredible.
928
:But I think yeah, my best answer would
be whatever I'm working on right now.
929
:Because I think when you put a piece of
yourself into what you're designing, when
930
:you get passionate about it, when you
get turned on, you get your team excited
931
:about it, when your client is 100% into
it, that's when we get our best result.
932
:That's when we create something
that's really incredible.
933
:And those are the properties that
it might be a year or two later that
934
:they're finally open and hosting
guests and all those things that we
935
:talked about, all those ideas, those
conversations, even some of the crazy
936
:hairball stuff that we came up with
that's like, I don't know if it'll
937
:work or not, but we'll give it a shot.
938
:And then that's the thing that got
the million views on Instagram.
939
:And so that's the way we work.
940
:But yeah, for me it's always
whatever we're doing right now.
941
:That's what I'm passionate about.
942
:Travis Chambers: Was
it hard to get permits?
943
:Was it hard to engineer
building into rock?
944
:Zach Stoltenberg: It's been interesting.
945
:The permit side not so much.
946
:The county and the state have
been reasonable to work with.
947
:But some of the testing, the
geotech, the borings, working
948
:with a really knowledgeable crew
that's used to doing drilling and
949
:blasting and some of those things.
950
:We had big questions and they were
like, "Yeah, we do this all the time."
951
:And so I would say the most difficult
thing was us, our education and learning
952
:what is possible and then listening
to those trades and those contractors
953
:and saying, "Yeah, we can do that."
954
:And we sent him a few crazy things
and he's like, "I've never done that
955
:before, but I think I can do it."
956
:And there's been some things
that he pushed back a little bit.
957
:"If you want a column there, leave
it at least six or eight feet wide.
958
:Don't give me a two foot column,
that's going to crack and break on me."
959
:So it's been very interesting, very
educational, but it's been a ton of fun.
960
:And I've got it...
961
:we're working on it with a client who is
one of the most passionate people that
962
:I think I've ever worked for before.
963
:Brian Searl: We need to get
you your own TV show, Zach.
964
:Do you remember that TV show
with the people who went around
965
:and built the crazy fish tanks?
966
:I can't remember what it's called.
967
:Zach Stoltenberg: I
don't need a show, but...
968
:Brian Searl: Tanked, yeah.
969
:Zach Stoltenberg: I would love to do...
970
:maybe Netflix needs to do a pilot
series on building experiential stays
971
:and go out and follow some of these
crews with folks like what Travis is
972
:doing out there to see that sort of
behind the scenes of what's going on.
973
:I think there's three or four I
think they could go shoot right now.
974
:Brian Searl: It
975
:would be interesting for sure.
976
:We're a couple minutes over.
977
:Joy, do you have a last question
for Zach or Travis before we go?
978
:Joy de Vos: I can't think
of anything at this moment.
979
:Sorry.
980
:Brian Searl: No, that's perfectly fine.
981
:All right, final thoughts.
982
:Joy, any final thoughts?
983
:And then where can they find
out more about Foxtrot Dairy?
984
:Joy de Vos: We're foxtrotdairy.ca
985
:and we have .com,
986
:but .com
987
:is sleeping.
988
:I made sure to buy both panhandles
to make sure that they're mine.
989
:Just that we provide our
own beef when we're...
990
:when you're at our farm.
991
:And we have our own lamb and pork
and we've brought in some select
992
:agricultural products from different
vendors and just trying to provide
993
:what you would need when you come here.
994
:Come and visit us and pet a goat.
995
:Say hi to the chickens, say
hi to the cows, say hi to me.
996
:I'll tell you a lot.
997
:Brian Searl: Thank you,
Joy, for being here.
998
:I appreciate it.
999
:I'm looking forward to
seeing your success.
:
00:55:44,417 --> 00:55:47,247
Zach, any final thoughts or where
can they learn more about LJA?
:
00:55:48,927 --> 00:55:52,397
Zach Stoltenberg: You can reach
out to me on LinkedIn or Instagram.
:
00:55:52,447 --> 00:55:56,027
Like I always said, never
charged anybody for a phone call.
:
00:55:56,067 --> 00:55:57,147
We'd love to talk to people.
:
00:55:57,147 --> 00:55:58,687
Maybe we can help you, maybe we can't.
:
00:55:59,247 --> 00:56:03,577
But my email is just zstoltenberg@lja.com.
:
00:56:04,097 --> 00:56:08,227
And again, most of our advertising,
I like to say, is not us.
:
00:56:08,307 --> 00:56:11,267
It's through the clients, through
the properties we've worked with.
:
00:56:11,267 --> 00:56:12,847
I think they're our best testament.
:
00:56:12,857 --> 00:56:16,147
We like kind of being the folks
in the background that help people
:
00:56:16,147 --> 00:56:17,337
that are doing wonderful things.
:
00:56:17,837 --> 00:56:20,497
And Joy, I want to design
mini barns for you.
:
00:56:21,057 --> 00:56:24,307
I want little experiential stay units.
:
00:56:24,307 --> 00:56:26,867
I want them to be able to sit
in bed and look up and see the
:
00:56:26,867 --> 00:56:28,427
cows at the foot of the bed.
:
00:56:28,947 --> 00:56:32,577
I want the kids to be able to sleep
up in the hayloft for the evening.
:
00:56:32,637 --> 00:56:34,317
I think we could do some really fun stuff.
:
00:56:35,957 --> 00:56:40,717
And I grew up on a cattle ranch,
so not that far detracted from it.
:
00:56:41,367 --> 00:56:42,737
I was a 4-H kid too.
:
00:56:43,917 --> 00:56:45,857
Joy de Vos: Yeah, 4-H is
such a valuable program.
:
00:56:45,927 --> 00:56:48,027
If all of our children were
in it, we would have a bit
:
00:56:48,027 --> 00:56:49,417
of a different society today.
:
00:56:50,487 --> 00:56:51,467
Please reach out to me.
:
00:56:52,587 --> 00:56:52,987
Zach Stoltenberg: I will.
:
00:56:53,807 --> 00:56:55,797
Brian Searl: Last but not least,
Travis, any final thoughts and
:
00:56:55,797 --> 00:56:57,557
where can they find out more about
the projects you have going on?
:
00:56:58,697 --> 00:57:01,827
Travis Chambers: Yeah, I'm on
Instagram, travis_chambers.
:
00:57:01,827 --> 00:57:05,947
And then you can check out Outpost
X on Instagram or Outpost X
:
00:57:05,947 --> 00:57:07,307
Jungle for the island project.
:
00:57:07,767 --> 00:57:10,397
Brian Searl: All right, thank
you guys for being here.
:
00:57:10,397 --> 00:57:10,947
I appreciate it.
:
00:57:11,287 --> 00:57:13,067
Join us for another episode
of MC Fireside Chats.
:
00:57:13,067 --> 00:57:15,577
If you're not sick and tired of
hearing from me, I will have another
:
00:57:15,577 --> 00:57:18,447
live podcast in about 45 minutes
or so with Scott Bahr, who we're
:
00:57:18,447 --> 00:57:21,057
going to talk about data research,
AI, tech, all that kind of stuff.
:
00:57:21,627 --> 00:57:22,207
So join us there.
:
00:57:22,207 --> 00:57:24,757
If not, we'll see you next week for
another episode of MC Fireside Chats.
:
00:57:24,957 --> 00:57:25,477
Thanks guys.
:
00:57:25,567 --> 00:57:25,847
Take care.
:
00:57:25,897 --> 00:57:26,457
Travis Chambers: Thanks guys.
:
00:57:27,107 --> 00:57:27,677
Zach Stoltenberg: Thanks everybody.
:
00:57:28,907 --> 00:57:29,247
Joy de Vos: Thank you.
:
00:57:29,398 --> 00:57:32,458
Brian Searl: With Insider Perks and Modern
Campground, excited to be here with you.
:
00:57:32,738 --> 00:57:34,888
Back from the Florida Keys,
my dog is laying next to me.
:
00:57:34,888 --> 00:57:39,628
She missed me for 12 days or however
long I was gone, so we have more
:
00:57:39,658 --> 00:57:41,118
separation anxiety than normal.
:
00:57:41,568 --> 00:57:44,478
But excited to be back here for
another episode of Fireside Chats.
:
00:57:44,478 --> 00:57:47,888
We got Zach, recurring guest, Jeremy,
recurring guest, Travis as a special
:
00:57:47,888 --> 00:57:49,598
guest, and Joy as our special guest today.
:
00:57:49,608 --> 00:57:51,618
I want to go around the room
and just introduce everybody.
:
00:57:52,088 --> 00:57:52,708
Zach, you want to start?
:
00:57:54,278 --> 00:57:54,668
Zach Stoltenberg: Sure.
:
00:57:54,828 --> 00:57:56,068
My name is Zach Stoltenberg.
:
00:57:56,078 --> 00:58:00,178
I'm the Associate Principal for
Architecture with LJA Engineering.
:
00:58:00,188 --> 00:58:06,358
We help people design, build, permit,
and entitle outdoor hospitality.
:
00:58:06,358 --> 00:58:11,298
So glamping, camping, luxury RV parks,
boutique hotels, and experiential stays.
:
00:58:12,198 --> 00:58:12,528
Brian Searl: Awesome.
:
00:58:12,528 --> 00:58:13,258
Welcome back, Zach.
:
00:58:13,268 --> 00:58:14,308
Appreciate you being here.
:
00:58:14,438 --> 00:58:14,818
Jeremy?
:
00:58:15,918 --> 00:58:17,098
Jeremy Johnson: Hey
guys, my name is Jeremy.
:
00:58:17,108 --> 00:58:20,308
I'm one of the owners of Kona Hills
Campground in Marquette, Michigan.
:
00:58:20,668 --> 00:58:24,188
Actually on site today, getting
ready to open next weekend.
:
00:58:24,328 --> 00:58:28,178
We finally got bright sunny weather
above 50 degrees in Northern
:
00:58:28,178 --> 00:58:29,878
Michigan, so I'm feeling good.
:
00:58:30,768 --> 00:58:31,408
Brian Searl: It's warm here too.
:
00:58:31,658 --> 00:58:32,648
Yeah, we got lucked out.
:
00:58:32,648 --> 00:58:34,708
Although it's supposed to be
cold this weekend, so we'll see
:
00:58:34,748 --> 00:58:36,988
for the holiday up here anyway.
:
00:58:37,458 --> 00:58:37,848
Joy?
:
00:58:39,118 --> 00:58:42,038
Joy de Vos: Hi, my name is Joy de
Vos and I'm from British Columbia.
:
00:58:42,208 --> 00:58:47,788
We opened up our campground this year
and we're looking at trying to give
:
00:58:47,788 --> 00:58:49,608
people the experience on a dairy farm.
:
00:58:50,818 --> 00:58:51,358
Brian Searl: Welcome, Joy.
:
00:58:51,358 --> 00:58:52,914
Is it going to be cold
over there in BC like us?
:
00:58:52,914 --> 00:58:55,188
Is it going to be like nine
here for the holiday weekend?
:
00:58:56,738 --> 00:58:59,408
Joy de Vos: I think it's
around 10 and it's cloudy.
:
00:59:03,028 --> 00:59:04,268
Yeah, this is not my background.
:
00:59:04,328 --> 00:59:07,948
I would have liked to have had my
farm background, but I'll just go
:
00:59:07,948 --> 00:59:09,628
with your pre-made avatar here.
:
00:59:11,118 --> 00:59:12,488
Brian Searl: Travis,
last but not least, sir.
:
00:59:13,328 --> 00:59:15,278
Travis Chambers: Hey,
Travis Chambers here.
:
00:59:15,368 --> 00:59:21,518
Company is Outpost X and we build
immersive adventure hotels or micro
:
00:59:21,518 --> 00:59:23,398
resorts, not sure what to call them.
:
00:59:23,398 --> 00:59:26,768
But we're here today
in Rincon, Puerto Rico.
:
00:59:26,768 --> 00:59:29,448
We're building an avatar-inspired
project in our jungle here.
:
00:59:30,488 --> 00:59:30,928
Brian Searl: Awesome.
:
00:59:30,988 --> 00:59:32,378
Excited to learn more about that, Travis.
:
00:59:32,398 --> 00:59:32,948
Thanks for being here.
:
00:59:32,988 --> 00:59:33,378
I appreciate it.
:
00:59:33,818 --> 00:59:37,098
So normally how we start the show,
everybody knows, or Jeremy and Zach
:
00:59:37,098 --> 00:59:38,188
know, we just toss it to you guys.
:
00:59:38,188 --> 00:59:41,298
Is there anything that you guys have
felt has come across your desk in
:
00:59:41,298 --> 00:59:44,558
the last few weeks since we've been
together on this specific show that
:
00:59:44,558 --> 00:59:46,208
you think is worthy of talking about?
:
00:59:49,458 --> 00:59:52,428
Jeremy Johnson: Man, I don't know if
it's just my feed showing it to me,
:
00:59:52,428 --> 00:59:57,318
but I feel like everybody seems to
be harping on dynamic pricing lately.
:
00:59:57,358 --> 01:00:01,618
That seems to be such a big
thing that::
01:00:01,618 --> 01:00:05,408
I don't know if anybody here has
utilized it in their projects yet.
:
01:00:06,628 --> 01:00:07,518
Brian Searl: So here's a question.
:
01:00:07,518 --> 01:00:09,958
Are we talking about real dynamic
pricing or are we talking about
:
01:00:09,958 --> 01:00:12,878
what the campground industry has,
which is basically yield management?
:
01:00:14,328 --> 01:00:17,008
Jeremy Johnson: I think that's
also the consensus from everybody
:
01:00:17,008 --> 01:00:20,508
that I'm talking to or everybody
that I'm seeing in my feed.
:
01:00:20,548 --> 01:00:25,478
Everybody's saying turning on PriceLabs
or turning on dynamic pricing in
:
01:00:25,488 --> 01:00:28,188
Newbook isn't quite cutting it anymore.
:
01:00:28,228 --> 01:00:31,738
There's a manual process behind
all of it that most people
:
01:00:31,738 --> 01:00:33,488
aren't fully exploring, it seems.
:
01:00:33,518 --> 01:00:35,968
Brian Searl: Where do you think,
Jeremy, as an owner of a campground
:
01:00:36,118 --> 01:00:38,748
obviously, what do you think is missing?
:
01:00:38,748 --> 01:00:41,188
What do you think is the biggest
gap between where we need to go?
:
01:00:41,228 --> 01:00:42,248
Because there are steps, right?
:
01:00:42,248 --> 01:00:45,478
We're not going to get to Disney
tomorrow or Delta Airlines tomorrow.
:
01:00:45,848 --> 01:00:49,028
But where's the step the industry
needs to take to get us from where
:
01:00:49,028 --> 01:00:50,468
we are now to where we should be?
:
01:00:52,368 --> 01:00:56,008
Jeremy Johnson: On the campground
side, it's hard for me to say because
:
01:00:56,248 --> 01:01:02,008
we use Parc as our PMS and they just
introduced flexible pricing across
:
01:01:02,028 --> 01:01:07,278
dates, but they don't have any dynamic
pricing or dynamic pricing integrations.
:
01:01:07,638 --> 01:01:09,988
I'm also very rustic, as you know, Brian.
:
01:01:09,988 --> 01:01:12,498
So I don't have a lot of amenities.
:
01:01:12,568 --> 01:01:15,318
A base price works really easy for me.
:
01:01:15,348 --> 01:01:18,258
I don't need to go up or down a
whole lot compared to somebody
:
01:01:18,258 --> 01:01:22,738
with maybe higher demand or more
amenities or different site types.
:
01:01:23,178 --> 01:01:26,398
So it's hard for me to say, but I
think the one thing that I've noticed
:
01:01:26,438 --> 01:01:30,668
on my end, whether it's with Airbnb
or even thinking about the campground,
:
01:01:30,688 --> 01:01:35,638
is there's not a lot of consideration
for my individual properties.
:
01:01:38,208 --> 01:01:42,378
You can set a base floor, but
you can't set a dynamic floor.
:
01:01:42,688 --> 01:01:45,408
I would like to be able to set
a dynamic floor based on the
:
01:01:45,408 --> 01:01:49,458
season, where most software just
lets you set one single floor.
:
01:01:49,508 --> 01:01:54,508
So I think taking into account more of
the uniqueness of your property and not
:
01:01:54,508 --> 01:01:59,058
just a single equation would be really
helpful with a lot of these softwares.
:
01:02:00,728 --> 01:02:02,098
Brian Searl: Zach, anybody
else have anything to add?
:
01:02:02,098 --> 01:02:02,758
Travis, Joy?
:
01:02:04,548 --> 01:02:06,438
Zach Stoltenberg: I think some of
that is still coming out of the
:
01:02:06,438 --> 01:02:08,428
influence of traditional hospitality.
:
01:02:08,548 --> 01:02:12,348
All those systems and mechanisms,
the booking software, they're
:
01:02:12,358 --> 01:02:14,098
built for that traditional model.
:
01:02:15,108 --> 01:02:19,858
Everything about outdoor hospitality
is so unique and different.
:
01:02:20,728 --> 01:02:24,758
Looking at Travis's property, even
with different seasons, I think
:
01:02:24,758 --> 01:02:28,398
his demand is always there because
it's such a unique property.
:
01:02:28,548 --> 01:02:33,298
I think traditional hotels, their
demand drivers are typically events.
:
01:02:33,648 --> 01:02:36,628
Maybe there's a concert, maybe
there's a convention, a gathering,
:
01:02:36,678 --> 01:02:40,618
a meetup, something like that, and
they'll of course raise prices because
:
01:02:40,648 --> 01:02:43,758
they know there's more demand on
those particular event weekends.
:
01:02:44,228 --> 01:02:49,248
But I think there's not a good way to
measure those demand drivers when it
:
01:02:49,248 --> 01:02:52,038
comes from that experiential perspective.
:
01:02:52,748 --> 01:02:56,368
The other thing I think to answer your
first question, Brian, that I noticed,
:
01:02:56,668 --> 01:03:00,888
we're coming off of back-to-back
conventions with the Texas Association
:
01:03:01,288 --> 01:03:04,648
of Campground Owners, the TACO event, and
then the Florida and Alabama convention.
:
01:03:05,468 --> 01:03:08,868
The thing that we heard kind of
harped on repeatedly at both of those
:
01:03:08,868 --> 01:03:14,648
events was that campground owners
need to be paying attention to non-RV.
:
01:03:15,678 --> 01:03:20,268
With the RV market kind of stabilizing,
softening a little bit, there's a big
:
01:03:20,298 --> 01:03:27,548
push right now into cabins, park models,
glamping tents, other accommodation
:
01:03:27,568 --> 01:03:31,408
options for all those people who want
to come and have that camping experience
:
01:03:31,438 --> 01:03:33,108
but don't necessarily own an RV.
:
01:03:34,488 --> 01:03:37,348
Brian Searl: How do we, and maybe
we don't want to take this over the
:
01:03:37,348 --> 01:03:39,768
whole show and go down this direction,
but it's just interesting to me.
:
01:03:40,678 --> 01:03:46,208
Is it possible to build a dynamic pricing
model for experiences or experiential?
:
01:03:47,198 --> 01:03:49,988
To measure what the guest is not only
experiencing in the accommodation,
:
01:03:49,988 --> 01:03:53,828
but what they're feeling, how their
stay goes, what the landscaping is,
:
01:03:54,418 --> 01:03:57,038
everything that you do, Zach, to
design the resorts, everything that
:
01:03:57,038 --> 01:04:01,318
Travis does with the accommodations,
everything Jeremy does from operations
:
01:04:01,348 --> 01:04:02,708
that feed into that experience.
:
01:04:02,758 --> 01:04:03,718
Or is that unnecessary?
:
01:04:03,728 --> 01:04:03,738
Zach Stoltenberg: I
:
01:04:06,988 --> 01:04:08,488
think that's the rub here, right?
:
01:04:08,498 --> 01:04:14,428
That's the challenge is how do you,
what's the data measurement, the metric
:
01:04:14,428 --> 01:04:18,438
that you would use to drive that dynamic
pricing when it's experience-based?
:
01:04:20,658 --> 01:04:21,398
Brian Searl: Anybody have any ideas?
:
01:04:22,608 --> 01:04:23,588
Travis, you have an idea?
:
01:04:24,268 --> 01:04:24,678
You build...
:
01:04:26,558 --> 01:04:28,688
Travis Chambers: Yeah, I'm
not a dynamic pricing expert.
:
01:04:28,848 --> 01:04:30,228
Brian Searl: No, but you're
an accommodation expert.
:
01:04:30,238 --> 01:04:31,448
You're an experience guy, right?
:
01:04:31,548 --> 01:04:32,048
Travis Chambers: Yeah.
:
01:04:32,188 --> 01:04:35,598
I actually just texted my business
partner to ask him if we do it.
:
01:04:35,648 --> 01:04:38,478
I don't know if we have a
software running, I'll ask him.
:
01:04:39,178 --> 01:04:44,818
I know we were doing it manually,
but most of our demand is driven by
:
01:04:45,008 --> 01:04:46,838
marketing and influencers and stuff.
:
01:04:46,838 --> 01:04:51,148
So I don't know if dynamic
helps us a little bit less.
:
01:04:51,168 --> 01:04:52,688
I know Ben Wolff does a ton of it.
:
01:04:52,878 --> 01:04:54,228
He talks about it all the time.
:
01:04:54,458 --> 01:04:57,358
So I'm waiting on an answer
from my partner on that.
:
01:04:57,878 --> 01:04:59,898
Brian Searl: In the meantime, while you
wait on the answer from your partner,
:
01:05:00,198 --> 01:05:01,428
tell us what you're building, Travis.
:
01:05:02,448 --> 01:05:06,078
Travis Chambers: Yeah, so we're building
these, basically they're movie set hotels.
:
01:05:06,268 --> 01:05:08,478
So they're highly experiential.
:
01:05:08,578 --> 01:05:12,898
We're trying to pull that lever as much
as possible, and experiential hospitality
:
01:05:12,898 --> 01:05:15,638
is kind of a growing niche right now.
:
01:05:15,648 --> 01:05:15,668
So
:
01:05:18,538 --> 01:05:21,758
when you enter the project,
you're entering a movie scene.
:
01:05:21,888 --> 01:05:25,048
There's a whole story, there's a
podcast that you listen to on the way
:
01:05:25,048 --> 01:05:29,508
there with dialogue and characters
and plot lines and backstories.
:
01:05:30,148 --> 01:05:34,788
You get to the project, you
enter this super themed unit.
:
01:05:34,818 --> 01:05:40,028
We try to remove all of your
connections to the modern world,
:
01:05:40,028 --> 01:05:45,368
to your life, and you're just in
this 48-hour kind of experience.
:
01:05:46,518 --> 01:05:49,868
It's almost like the movie version
if you were going to go train with
:
01:05:49,878 --> 01:05:55,508
samurai or go in the Amazon rainforest
with a tribe or go on a safari.
:
01:05:55,528 --> 01:06:00,018
We're trying to create that
level of immersive experience.
:
01:06:00,028 --> 01:06:02,778
So we have art cars that
you can drive around.
:
01:06:03,008 --> 01:06:08,228
There's an audio tour with historical
signs throughout the property
:
01:06:08,228 --> 01:06:11,598
of things that are not real,
they're just our fictional world.
:
01:06:12,748 --> 01:06:14,448
It's a choose your own adventure place.
:
01:06:14,478 --> 01:06:18,118
There's a cantina with
mocktails that you can make.
:
01:06:18,548 --> 01:06:25,738
There's an earth lodge that's a Moroccan
interior with mint tea and all these
:
01:06:25,828 --> 01:06:30,648
random delicacies and snacks that we
made up that are part of our culture.
:
01:06:31,478 --> 01:06:32,078
But it's cool.
:
01:06:32,328 --> 01:06:34,068
We're mixing a lot of things together.
:
01:06:34,078 --> 01:06:39,648
It's like a landscape hotel, it's like
an Airbnb, it's like a resort, but not.
:
01:06:40,328 --> 01:06:44,528
So it's actually difficult to explain
exactly what it is, but it's like
:
01:06:44,528 --> 01:06:45,868
a movie set kind of experience.
:
01:06:45,868 --> 01:06:50,218
And now here in Puerto Rico, we're
doing this avatar-inspired experience.
:
01:06:50,218 --> 01:06:54,898
And so you arrive at this jungle
trading post, right, that's
:
01:06:54,898 --> 01:06:56,558
hidden into this jungle here.
:
01:06:57,008 --> 01:07:01,118
This old kind of colonial
thing that's happening here.
:
01:07:01,118 --> 01:07:05,148
And then you descend down into
the jungle to ancient times.
:
01:07:05,638 --> 01:07:11,378
And we're going to have a lighting
design, projection mapping where
:
01:07:11,378 --> 01:07:15,538
the whole jungle comes alive, and
you have this art walk experience.
:
01:07:15,558 --> 01:07:18,368
And then there's waterfalls
down at the bottom with lagoons.
:
01:07:18,708 --> 01:07:21,808
So we're just trying to create
this magic, kind of surreal
:
01:07:22,258 --> 01:07:23,978
cinematic experience for people.
:
01:07:25,318 --> 01:07:29,378
Brian Searl: Is it fair to say that then
you're basically putting someone in a
:
01:07:29,378 --> 01:07:32,208
personalized movie of their own making?
:
01:07:32,918 --> 01:07:33,248
Travis Chambers: Yeah.
:
01:07:35,118 --> 01:07:36,168
It's hard to explain.
:
01:07:36,788 --> 01:07:37,888
I'm still working on the pitch.
:
01:07:37,888 --> 01:07:38,698
Brian Searl: I like that.
:
01:07:39,258 --> 01:07:40,718
I like a challenge like that, right?
:
01:07:40,758 --> 01:07:44,028
Because you're creating your own
thing that hasn't been done before in
:
01:07:44,028 --> 01:07:45,158
the ways that you've been doing it.
:
01:07:45,188 --> 01:07:48,868
And I think that innovation is
probably sorely needed in the
:
01:07:48,868 --> 01:07:49,948
outdoor hospitality industry.
:
01:07:51,958 --> 01:07:53,258
Travis Chambers: Yeah, so
far it seems to be working.
:
01:07:53,298 --> 01:07:55,438
We opened Outpost X Utah two years ago.
:
01:07:55,448 --> 01:07:59,938
We've had 87% occupancy, $441 ADR.
:
01:07:59,938 --> 01:08:03,668
And so we'll see how it
goes here in Puerto Rico.
:
01:08:04,378 --> 01:08:08,658
Brian Searl: How do you do marketing
to the consumer who is unfamiliar
:
01:08:08,658 --> 01:08:09,728
with a product like yours?
:
01:08:09,728 --> 01:08:12,708
Like obviously you can say all the
things you just told us, right?
:
01:08:12,708 --> 01:08:16,108
But how do you convince the guest
who's never experienced something like
:
01:08:16,108 --> 01:08:21,018
yours that it's worth the $441 ADR or
whatever it is to come and do all that?
:
01:08:21,608 --> 01:08:24,938
Travis Chambers: Yeah, so our project
in Utah is three hours from Vegas and
:
01:08:24,938 --> 01:08:27,548
an hour and 45 minutes west of Zion.
:
01:08:27,548 --> 01:08:30,377
So it's absolutely in
the middle of nowhere.
:
01:08:30,497 --> 01:08:32,058
And we wanted to do this experiment.
:
01:08:32,098 --> 01:08:34,408
Can we get someone to go
in the middle of nowhere?
:
01:08:34,438 --> 01:08:35,488
Can we pull that off?
:
01:08:36,028 --> 01:08:39,968
The thing that's worked has been
medium-sized travel influencers.
:
01:08:40,587 --> 01:08:44,658
And these are people who just
find experiences and explain
:
01:08:44,658 --> 01:08:45,888
them to their audience.
:
01:08:46,877 --> 01:08:47,997
It's done really well.
:
01:08:48,108 --> 01:08:55,377
I'd say we've spent maybe $30,000 total
in two years on influencers to do about
:
01:08:55,377 --> 01:08:58,008
250 million views on social media.
:
01:08:58,558 --> 01:09:03,808
And to our knowledge, we're the most
viewed hospitality product in Utah.
:
01:09:06,268 --> 01:09:07,728
Brian Searl: Something to
hang your hat on for sure.
:
01:09:08,318 --> 01:09:11,728
Especially with all the national parks
there and all the amazing geography.
:
01:09:12,308 --> 01:09:13,738
Zach, you have any questions for Travis?
:
01:09:15,598 --> 01:09:16,858
Zach Stoltenberg: One, I
love that you're in Rincon.
:
01:09:17,048 --> 01:09:21,398
I actually spent Christmas a year
ago in Rincon at Crash Boat Beach
:
01:09:21,428 --> 01:09:23,348
and I love that area of Puerto Rico.
:
01:09:23,398 --> 01:09:27,518
It's absolutely incredible and the
people there are absolutely wonderful.
:
01:09:28,008 --> 01:09:29,408
That's pretty exciting.
:
01:09:29,408 --> 01:09:30,648
I'm anxious to see you focusing on that.
:
01:09:31,048 --> 01:09:35,417
Talk a little bit about just some of
the challenges of those remote sites.
:
01:09:35,428 --> 01:09:40,457
Solving some of the problems of
utilities, of infrastructure, of
:
01:09:40,518 --> 01:09:44,827
getting trades to come out to be able
to actually do work on the property.
:
01:09:44,827 --> 01:09:47,968
Is it bringing a crew in or
is it sourcing it locally?
:
01:09:48,288 --> 01:09:50,837
Because I think you're doing
something that is amazing and
:
01:09:50,837 --> 01:09:55,128
wonderful, but everybody would
be doing it if it was easy.
:
01:09:55,388 --> 01:09:56,848
And I know that it's not easy.
:
01:09:57,077 --> 01:10:00,308
I know that you've taken honestly
probably one of the more difficult
:
01:10:00,327 --> 01:10:02,388
paths in order to get there.
:
01:10:02,388 --> 01:10:06,808
So maybe just tell us a little bit
about what that journey's been like
:
01:10:06,918 --> 01:10:09,698
and your approach to it and some of
the things that have worked for you.
:
01:10:10,648 --> 01:10:11,558
Travis Chambers: Yeah, thanks Zach.
:
01:10:11,618 --> 01:10:13,708
Yeah, we've tried just about everything.
:
01:10:13,818 --> 01:10:18,088
Hiring a builder, we've
tried getting local people.
:
01:10:18,978 --> 01:10:25,548
So where we've landed is we now have
a mobile construction crew, people who
:
01:10:25,548 --> 01:10:27,378
are willing to travel and live on site.
:
01:10:28,088 --> 01:10:30,058
Generally that's been the best for us.
:
01:10:30,218 --> 01:10:33,768
That requires a lot of hands-on
management and a lot of planning.
:
01:10:34,318 --> 01:10:38,208
It's not maybe the easiest way
to do it, but it's definitely the
:
01:10:38,208 --> 01:10:40,428
most cost-efficient way to do it.
:
01:10:41,158 --> 01:10:46,228
And so we've got 25 people living
here on the job site right now.
:
01:10:46,698 --> 01:10:51,418
And I'll actually show you, we've just
rolled out all this prefab housing,
:
01:10:51,738 --> 01:10:53,628
basically just air-conditioned units.
:
01:10:54,278 --> 01:10:57,128
And then we've got these
showers and bathrooms.
:
01:10:57,438 --> 01:11:03,468
And the advantage of that is a lot
of this infrastructure for the crew,
:
01:11:03,508 --> 01:11:09,048
we end up reusing for staff to live
on site and for our laundry room
:
01:11:09,048 --> 01:11:11,818
and back of house, things like that.
:
01:11:12,468 --> 01:11:13,618
That seems to be going well.
:
01:11:13,648 --> 01:11:15,628
And in Puerto Rico is
an additional challenge.
:
01:11:16,148 --> 01:11:20,668
There's not a lot of builders,
there's not a lot of laborers
:
01:11:20,668 --> 01:11:22,298
in general in Puerto Rico.
:
01:11:22,538 --> 01:11:23,618
They're really hard to get.
:
01:11:23,868 --> 01:11:27,478
So just bringing people from
the mainland has been huge.
:
01:11:27,478 --> 01:11:30,848
We already did the test experiment with
a lot of locals and things and they were
:
01:11:30,848 --> 01:11:35,568
pretty good, but it was just a little bit
more difficult, not moving quite as quick.
:
01:11:39,418 --> 01:11:40,948
Brian Searl: Anybody else
have any questions for Travis?
:
01:11:44,478 --> 01:11:47,068
Joy de Vos: I'm curious, how
did you come up with this idea
:
01:11:47,218 --> 01:11:48,528
of doing what you're doing?
:
01:11:48,528 --> 01:11:49,818
Because it sounds really exciting.
:
01:11:51,048 --> 01:11:52,728
Travis Chambers: I had a
film production company.
:
01:11:52,788 --> 01:11:58,408
We were making hundreds of commercials a
year for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube ads.
:
01:11:59,108 --> 01:12:02,348
And one day we were
throwing away a film set.
:
01:12:02,458 --> 01:12:05,428
It was a $50,000 film set
and it broke my heart.
:
01:12:05,438 --> 01:12:09,118
And I thought, I would sleep in
this film set, especially if it was
:
01:12:09,118 --> 01:12:12,058
out in the wilderness somewhere.
:
01:12:12,648 --> 01:12:16,598
And so I sold that production company and
there were some other macro trends too.
:
01:12:16,658 --> 01:12:19,918
I used to work at 20th Century Fox
and I saw that the movie industry
:
01:12:20,188 --> 01:12:22,178
is reducing pretty quickly.
:
01:12:22,178 --> 01:12:28,188
And I thought the digital age maybe
has reached its peak and maybe we're
:
01:12:28,188 --> 01:12:34,098
going to go back to the physical in
real life experiences or alternate
:
01:12:34,098 --> 01:12:38,077
reality even, you could call it,
like slightly augmented reality.
:
01:12:38,738 --> 01:12:42,438
So I got really interested in that and
thought maybe that's where things are
:
01:12:42,438 --> 01:12:45,238
going to go with AI and AI robotics.
:
01:12:45,728 --> 01:12:48,998
People are not going to be working
on their computers as much.
:
01:12:49,368 --> 01:12:52,818
There's hopefully going to be a
lot of abundance, hopefully a lot
:
01:12:52,818 --> 01:12:54,827
of mobility, personal aircraft.
:
01:12:55,618 --> 01:13:00,138
So I imagine people are going to want
to spend their time in really beautiful
:
01:13:00,138 --> 01:13:01,858
places with unique experiences.
:
01:13:01,858 --> 01:13:05,868
So I'm just really bullish
on hospitality in general.
:
01:13:06,138 --> 01:13:08,148
That's why I just pivoted this direction.
:
01:13:08,648 --> 01:13:10,327
And it was really interesting too.
:
01:13:10,448 --> 01:13:15,198
Marc Andreessen, he's one of the most
prolific venture capitalists of all
:
01:13:15,418 --> 01:13:18,738
time, he tweeted actually last week.
:
01:13:18,898 --> 01:13:20,348
He said, "I co-sign."
:
01:13:20,368 --> 01:13:25,848
And the tweet was, "As abundant things
become more abundant, the things that
:
01:13:25,848 --> 01:13:30,208
are going to be in demand are things that
are difficult to have an abundance of."
:
01:13:30,208 --> 01:13:33,618
Hotels, experiences, community.
:
01:13:33,698 --> 01:13:35,608
And so I feel like that's
what we're all a part of.
:
01:13:35,608 --> 01:13:38,077
And I just feel like this
niche is going to grow.
:
01:13:38,418 --> 01:13:43,818
So I just wanted to do my own
little type of thing with it.
:
01:13:44,577 --> 01:13:46,188
Zach Stoltenberg: Yeah, we've talked
about that on the show before.
:
01:13:46,188 --> 01:13:49,218
Like how I think outdoor hospitality,
and I think many people agree with me,
:
01:13:49,218 --> 01:13:51,718
that outdoor hospitality is perfectly
positioned for what's going to come.
:
01:13:52,098 --> 01:13:54,368
Because you only have so many
rivers and so many forests and
:
01:13:54,438 --> 01:13:55,638
so many trees to sit next to.
:
01:13:55,698 --> 01:13:59,208
And you can't duplicate that in
any kind of AI virtual whatever.
:
01:13:59,208 --> 01:14:01,568
People want to touch, they want
to feel, they want to smell.
:
01:14:01,898 --> 01:14:05,608
People have been disconnected from that
stuff I think over the last 15 plus
:
01:14:05,608 --> 01:14:07,148
years as we've had phones in our hands.
:
01:14:07,148 --> 01:14:10,508
And I was telling my girlfriend
when we were out and down in the
:
01:14:10,508 --> 01:14:14,338
Keys, like there's just not an
opportunity to be bored anymore.
:
01:14:14,748 --> 01:14:17,498
And so you don't notice the waves, you
don't notice the ocean, you don't notice
:
01:14:17,498 --> 01:14:19,018
the osprey, you don't notice the, right?
:
01:14:19,628 --> 01:14:23,968
But that is going to be I think extremely
coveted in the future we're headed toward.
:
01:14:23,968 --> 01:14:26,508
And I think all of us are perfectly
positioned to take advantage of it.
:
01:14:29,327 --> 01:14:30,038
Brian Searl: So are you...
:
01:14:30,958 --> 01:14:33,628
if let's say I have a question,
I have one more question for you.
:
01:14:34,038 --> 01:14:38,508
If somebody were to drop a billion
dollars into your hands tomorrow,
:
01:14:38,548 --> 01:14:39,648
would you build Westworld?
:
01:14:41,128 --> 01:14:41,778
Travis Chambers: Probably.
:
01:14:42,888 --> 01:14:46,088
It feels like you're taking baby
steps maybe towards that future
:
01:14:46,088 --> 01:14:47,018
based on what you just said.
:
01:14:47,048 --> 01:14:51,908
Yeah, right now I like the
40 to 60 unit projects.
:
01:14:52,908 --> 01:14:58,458
I think projects can get too big where
you could risk losing the whole project.
:
01:14:59,318 --> 01:15:04,508
So I feel like there's a certain
level of intimacy that you can't
:
01:15:04,508 --> 01:15:07,138
really accomplish at scale.
:
01:15:07,208 --> 01:15:11,308
You'll probably seen people
go from 50 units to 100 units
:
01:15:12,038 --> 01:15:13,678
and start to have problems.
:
01:15:13,988 --> 01:15:17,108
That's what I've noticed with some
of my friends that own projects
:
01:15:18,228 --> 01:15:19,728
outside of Zion National Park.
:
01:15:21,018 --> 01:15:25,458
But yeah, I think that the even
bigger vision, Brian, when you talk
:
01:15:25,468 --> 01:15:29,538
about Westworld, is converting this
at some point into long-term living.
:
01:15:29,908 --> 01:15:33,688
And we see that Disney is now doing
long-term living developments.
:
01:15:34,608 --> 01:15:39,358
And you just think about how do
our communities change when people
:
01:15:39,378 --> 01:15:41,658
aren't working on a laptop all day?
:
01:15:41,778 --> 01:15:42,988
What do they do with their time?
:
01:15:43,408 --> 01:15:48,338
And old European cities and even Puerto
Rican towns seem much more equipped for
:
01:15:48,338 --> 01:15:53,558
that future than American towns that
are built around cars and very isolated.
:
01:15:53,988 --> 01:15:59,368
And you spend a lot of time alone
and there's no mixed zoning, so
:
01:15:59,368 --> 01:16:02,827
no one can have a business in your
neighborhood, which is really weird.
:
01:16:03,148 --> 01:16:06,538
So I feel like you talk about
this Westworld thing, I wonder
:
01:16:06,538 --> 01:16:10,128
if a Westworldification is
going to happen everywhere.
:
01:16:10,488 --> 01:16:15,738
I wonder if this experientialization
and this hospitality element that
:
01:16:15,738 --> 01:16:19,478
we're involved in is going to
just be everything, everywhere
:
01:16:19,478 --> 01:16:20,628
is going to be like that.
:
01:16:20,948 --> 01:16:25,488
Community driven, agricultural,
agrarian driven as well.
:
01:16:25,998 --> 01:16:26,878
Brian Searl: I would sign up for that.
:
01:16:26,878 --> 01:16:30,898
And I'm the biggest AI geek probably in
outdoor hospitality that exists, right?
:
01:16:31,198 --> 01:16:32,568
But I still like to disconnect.
:
01:16:32,568 --> 01:16:33,628
I still like to be immersed.
:
01:16:33,628 --> 01:16:34,388
I still like to...
:
01:16:34,858 --> 01:16:38,448
and I would love to get to a
place where I know everybody in my
:
01:16:38,448 --> 01:16:40,148
community for a couple blocks, right?
:
01:16:41,178 --> 01:16:41,888
I don't know...
:
01:16:42,298 --> 01:16:44,768
I guess I could theoretically do
that now, but it'd be weird to
:
01:16:44,768 --> 01:16:47,168
just walk up to people's doors and
knock and be like, "Hey, I'm your
:
01:16:47,168 --> 01:16:49,158
neighbor from two streets over."
:
01:16:49,188 --> 01:16:51,198
It feels weird, even though
it shouldn't be weird.
:
01:16:52,368 --> 01:16:57,628
So if you can do some part to build almost
like a neighborhood that's what you're
:
01:16:57,628 --> 01:16:59,888
saying is almost themed the same way.
:
01:16:59,898 --> 01:17:00,184
Does that make...
:
01:17:00,184 --> 01:17:03,448
and that's too maybe loose of a
word, but that brings the same
:
01:17:03,488 --> 01:17:06,278
type of people together who want to
experience the same thing and thus
:
01:17:06,278 --> 01:17:08,128
the community interaction is easier?
:
01:17:09,608 --> 01:17:11,268
Am I going down the right path?
:
01:17:11,268 --> 01:17:14,498
Zach Stoltenberg: Yeah, I think
we're starting to see some of that.
:
01:17:14,498 --> 01:17:17,308
Travis mentioned kind of the
Disney communities and stuff.
:
01:17:18,498 --> 01:17:24,938
Not my focus with our company, but other
divisions within LJA do a lot of these
:
01:17:24,938 --> 01:17:31,738
master plan communities where developers
coming in to build 800, 2,000 home lots.
:
01:17:32,178 --> 01:17:38,407
And at a $100,000 lot price, you've
got to sell more than just ground.
:
01:17:38,988 --> 01:17:42,368
You're selling a lifestyle,
they're selling a brand.
:
01:17:42,428 --> 01:17:45,398
And so we can call it theming, we
can call it immersion, we can call
:
01:17:45,407 --> 01:17:47,168
it branding, whatever you want.
:
01:17:47,508 --> 01:17:51,407
But we're seeing those master plan
communities with resort-style swimming
:
01:17:51,407 --> 01:17:57,388
pools and top-tier amenities and
clubs that would rival a Four Seasons.
:
01:17:57,758 --> 01:18:02,288
And I think when you look especially
amongst younger generations, I'll
:
01:18:03,228 --> 01:18:08,407
say Gen Z especially, they're really
putting a huge emphasis on lifestyle.
:
01:18:09,407 --> 01:18:12,808
You figure most of your life
is spent at work or at home.
:
01:18:13,228 --> 01:18:15,218
And when you're at home,
wouldn't it be great if it
:
01:18:15,218 --> 01:18:16,838
felt like you were on vacation?
:
01:18:17,558 --> 01:18:20,868
So I think we're starting
to see that trend already.
:
01:18:20,907 --> 01:18:24,598
And I also think that that's probably
one of the things that is pushing that
:
01:18:24,598 --> 01:18:28,538
ratcheting up of guest expectations
when it does come to outdoor
:
01:18:28,538 --> 01:18:30,128
hospitality and resort development.
:
01:18:31,208 --> 01:18:33,558
What people have at home
is getting nicer and nicer.
:
01:18:33,878 --> 01:18:39,327
So we've really got to up the ante when
it comes to creating a unique experience.
:
01:18:39,327 --> 01:18:43,518
And I think Travis, to your credit,
you're probably one of the best in the
:
01:18:43,518 --> 01:18:45,508
business at having accomplished that.
:
01:18:47,258 --> 01:18:53,208
Brian Searl: If living at home
feels like vacation, does vacation
:
01:18:53,208 --> 01:18:55,928
exist in the future or do you
just swap homes with someone else?
:
01:18:57,088 --> 01:19:00,718
Jeremy Johnson: I think it's not so
much does vacation exist, but it's
:
01:19:00,728 --> 01:19:02,258
wanting a different experience.
:
01:19:02,278 --> 01:19:07,248
I think Travis, I remember you
talking about this on the podcast
:
01:19:07,258 --> 01:19:12,918
with Alex and Matt, where it's
like you can be anywhere in 24 to
:
01:19:15,518 --> 01:19:17,038
48 hours.
:
01:19:17,418 --> 01:19:19,618
So your life might feel like vacation.
:
01:19:19,628 --> 01:19:22,088
Like I live in Marquette, Michigan.
:
01:19:22,098 --> 01:19:23,788
I'm on the shores of Lake Superior.
:
01:19:23,827 --> 01:19:26,118
To me, every day is vacation.
:
01:19:26,418 --> 01:19:30,858
I get to look out, I live on the biggest
freshwater lake in North America.
:
01:19:31,168 --> 01:19:32,038
I love my life.
:
01:19:32,278 --> 01:19:35,388
But that doesn't mean that I don't
want a completely different experience.
:
01:19:35,728 --> 01:19:38,228
I might want to go to Utah
and be in the desert or go to
:
01:19:38,238 --> 01:19:39,488
Santa Fe and be in the desert.
:
01:19:39,548 --> 01:19:41,918
I want that different perspective.
:
01:19:42,868 --> 01:19:46,138
And I think that's where that
perspective, being able to give
:
01:19:46,138 --> 01:19:49,398
somebody a new perspective, that's
where there's a lot of value, I think.
:
01:19:51,788 --> 01:19:52,968
Travis Chambers: Yeah, I agree with that.
:
01:19:52,978 --> 01:19:56,388
I think that we as a species, we're
really obsessed with storytelling.
:
01:19:57,108 --> 01:20:00,488
And the storytellers
generally run society.
:
01:20:01,478 --> 01:20:02,018
The Aristotles, the
:
01:20:05,488 --> 01:20:05,498
Shakespeares.
:
01:20:06,248 --> 01:20:10,698
Or if our life is playing infinite
games, then who's the game maker?
:
01:20:10,858 --> 01:20:12,258
Whose games are we playing?
:
01:20:12,448 --> 01:20:15,988
And you see how big the video
game industry is exploding.
:
01:20:15,988 --> 01:20:18,688
It's multiples and multiples
of the film industry now.
:
01:20:19,448 --> 01:20:23,248
And I think what happens is when
a species gets more wealthy, they
:
01:20:23,248 --> 01:20:25,468
start living more like aristocrats.
:
01:20:25,818 --> 01:20:31,688
So it almost becomes post-monetary
where your exchange of value is your
:
01:20:31,688 --> 01:20:36,488
style and your personality and your
experiences and your perspectives,
:
01:20:36,538 --> 01:20:38,608
just like Jeremy said, and your art.
:
01:20:39,168 --> 01:20:42,958
And so if we do survive this AI thing
and it does bring a lot of abundance
:
01:20:42,968 --> 01:20:47,458
and prosperity, then it seems like
that exchange will possibly become
:
01:20:47,458 --> 01:20:49,838
one of the most valuable currencies.
:
01:20:50,077 --> 01:20:51,628
It will be, right?
:
01:20:51,657 --> 01:20:56,077
It will be Jeremy walking out and
looking at this lake because he
:
01:20:56,077 --> 01:21:01,858
doesn't have to live in Milwaukee
anymore to make a living.
:
01:21:02,388 --> 01:21:04,318
He can live anywhere he wants.
:
01:21:05,077 --> 01:21:08,768
And because of that, he's this
really interesting character and
:
01:21:09,708 --> 01:21:13,318
it just seems like that is possibly
going to be where things go.
:
01:21:13,327 --> 01:21:15,518
It'll be interesting to see.
:
01:21:17,378 --> 01:21:20,938
Jeremy Johnson: I'm curious,
Joy, we haven't talked about your
:
01:21:20,938 --> 01:21:24,488
property too much yet, but I'm
guessing you're on a dairy farm.
:
01:21:24,518 --> 01:21:28,577
Is that an experience in British Columbia
that people are seeking because they
:
01:21:28,577 --> 01:21:33,028
want to get out of the city or what was
the idea and inspiration behind that?
:
01:21:34,628 --> 01:21:37,668
Joy de Vos: I guess my inspiration
comes from being a 4-H leader.
:
01:21:37,818 --> 01:21:42,058
I've been a 4-H leader for 20 years
and in this time I've mentored over 200
:
01:21:42,077 --> 01:21:46,818
children to learn more about dairy, learn
more about agriculture, being able to be
:
01:21:46,827 --> 01:21:49,508
public speakers and leaders for tomorrow.
:
01:21:49,548 --> 01:21:54,358
And along the way, I've encountered
people that couldn't tell that a
:
01:21:54,718 --> 01:21:56,808
bull calf was actually not a goat.
:
01:21:58,407 --> 01:21:58,918
Brian Searl: That would be me.
:
01:21:59,577 --> 01:22:03,188
Joy de Vos: Yeah, and when I had
21-year-olds making that kind of comment
:
01:22:03,208 --> 01:22:06,168
when I did a petting zoo, I thought,
oh my goodness, we're so out of touch.
:
01:22:06,708 --> 01:22:10,528
And so I decided with my
husband that we would do an
:
01:22:10,528 --> 01:22:12,327
educational experience for people.
:
01:22:12,608 --> 01:22:17,068
It first started off with just doing
dairy tours and working on how we
:
01:22:17,068 --> 01:22:18,728
farm it with the riparian area.
:
01:22:18,918 --> 01:22:22,278
We are a working dairy farm, third
generation, and we're hoping that
:
01:22:22,618 --> 01:22:24,428
it'll go on to the fourth generation.
:
01:22:24,838 --> 01:22:27,618
So along our discussions, we
decided, let's do a campground.
:
01:22:28,188 --> 01:22:28,988
That sounds like fun.
:
01:22:29,338 --> 01:22:30,998
And then we talked about doing a store.
:
01:22:30,998 --> 01:22:33,008
We'll have a little store
to service the campground.
:
01:22:33,268 --> 01:22:36,928
And then it became my husband moving
his stuff out of his shop and me turning
:
01:22:36,928 --> 01:22:38,657
it into a cute little general store.
:
01:22:39,008 --> 01:22:41,758
So you feel like you've come back in
time because it looks like the late
:
01:22:41,768 --> 01:22:45,648
:inside the store and get a coffee.
:
01:22:46,138 --> 01:22:49,978
You can go feed the chickens, you
can camp on the farm, you can do
:
01:22:49,978 --> 01:22:53,378
an actual dairy tour or you can do
a milking dairy tour where you get
:
01:22:53,378 --> 01:22:55,868
to go in there and milk the cows.
:
01:22:55,878 --> 01:22:57,898
And if you're lucky,
maybe you get shit on.
:
01:22:57,958 --> 01:22:58,808
An experience!
:
01:23:01,048 --> 01:23:04,827
And there's so many people out of
touch with agriculture and in our
:
01:23:04,827 --> 01:23:07,688
area, we're starting to see more
and more people wanting to get
:
01:23:07,698 --> 01:23:09,327
back in touch with their roots.
:
01:23:09,358 --> 01:23:12,838
And we would like to offer
that opportunity to people
:
01:23:12,848 --> 01:23:13,688
who live in the city.
:
01:23:13,798 --> 01:23:15,928
Maybe they don't have a
backyard, they can't do a garden.
:
01:23:16,327 --> 01:23:17,218
Come and check out our
:
01:23:19,298 --> 01:23:19,368
property.
:
01:23:19,368 --> 01:23:20,698
Travis Chambers: Zach, have
you guys seen that Netflix show
:
01:23:20,748 --> 01:23:22,077
called "This is a Gardening Show"?
:
01:23:22,948 --> 01:23:23,918
Zach Stoltenberg: No, I haven't.
:
01:23:24,518 --> 01:23:26,898
Travis Chambers: Oh, it's pretty cool.
:
01:23:26,898 --> 01:23:30,407
He makes like the whole point that
the future of everything is agrarian.
:
01:23:30,698 --> 01:23:35,238
In that the more abundant we are, the
more we will all go back to an agrarian
:
01:23:35,238 --> 01:23:39,718
society where we're farming and that will
be our identity and how we spend our time.
:
01:23:40,618 --> 01:23:42,788
Jeremy Johnson: I can't help but
think of, I don't know if anybody's
:
01:23:42,788 --> 01:23:47,288
familiar, but there's a very luxury
high-end development, I think it's
:
01:23:47,288 --> 01:23:52,678
called CERES in Chattahoochee Hills,
Georgia, just outside of Atlanta.
:
01:23:53,258 --> 01:23:59,438
And it is completely agricultural
based and very food focused.
:
01:23:59,838 --> 01:24:03,558
They're growing food, but then
also cooking on site, and we're
:
01:24:03,558 --> 01:24:05,938
talking million-dollar lots.
:
01:24:06,428 --> 01:24:09,988
It's exactly, Travis, what you're talking
about, Joy, what you're talking about.
:
01:24:09,998 --> 01:24:14,288
These people have everything they could
ever want, but yet they're going back
:
01:24:14,288 --> 01:24:19,208
to this from-the-earth movement, and
there's this massive price tag on it
:
01:24:19,258 --> 01:24:21,008
because they're just outside of Atlanta.
:
01:24:21,638 --> 01:24:25,038
Zach Stoltenberg: I think another thing
that we've been seeing here recently
:
01:24:25,038 --> 01:24:29,628
with this growth, this focus on health
and wellness, especially amongst people
:
01:24:29,688 --> 01:24:34,188
that have got more money than they will
probably spend in their lifetime, or
:
01:24:34,548 --> 01:24:36,138
even that their children can spend.
:
01:24:36,978 --> 01:24:42,338
Their focus shifts from material
things into living the best life of
:
01:24:42,358 --> 01:24:43,748
the years that they have remaining.
:
01:24:43,748 --> 01:24:48,648
Feeling good, feeling you can do
whatever you want, and that recentral
:
01:24:48,648 --> 01:24:54,598
focus on health, longevity, wellness,
and a huge part of that is diet.
:
01:24:54,848 --> 01:25:00,068
So I think all of these experiences that
we're trying to create to attract that
:
01:25:00,068 --> 01:25:05,028
type of a customer base, it's not just the
theming and the immersion and all of that.
:
01:25:05,448 --> 01:25:09,548
In order to hit that authenticity
feel that is driving outdoor,
:
01:25:09,577 --> 01:25:11,458
it's got to be holistic.
:
01:25:11,468 --> 01:25:16,378
It's got to be the food, learning
about it, tending it, meeting
:
01:25:16,378 --> 01:25:20,028
the staff that are cooking it and
growing it, and it's got to come full
:
01:25:20,038 --> 01:25:21,827
circle with all those components.
:
01:25:23,048 --> 01:25:24,128
Brian Searl: Yeah, I agree with that.
:
01:25:24,428 --> 01:25:27,218
I'm always one of those people who's
trying to learn as much as they can.
:
01:25:27,218 --> 01:25:30,048
So when we were down in Key West,
I was going to the farmers markets,
:
01:25:30,048 --> 01:25:34,148
learning about the pink shrimp and
the lobsters and the stone crab and
:
01:25:34,148 --> 01:25:35,348
all the things they have down there.
:
01:25:35,468 --> 01:25:37,327
Then trying to figure out where
can I get it from the markets and
:
01:25:37,327 --> 01:25:40,508
how can I cook it in my glamping
accommodation that I was in.
:
01:25:40,508 --> 01:25:44,358
So I think that for sure, it's not
farming, but it's the same from the sea.
:
01:25:45,208 --> 01:25:48,108
It's figuring out how that all connects
to each other, to the experience.
:
01:25:48,118 --> 01:25:48,278
We
:
01:25:54,258 --> 01:25:56,598
stayed at a couple glamping
accommodations, I would call them
:
01:25:56,598 --> 01:26:01,558
glamping, that were basically
cottages that this guy built on
:
01:26:01,577 --> 01:26:04,278
top of catamarans in Key West.
:
01:26:05,077 --> 01:26:06,798
They rent for something like $500 a night.
:
01:26:07,338 --> 01:26:11,268
I think they're called Outpost 1 and 2
from a company called Mellow Ventures.
:
01:26:12,388 --> 01:26:14,318
There's a couple competitors
down there, but it's very rare.
:
01:26:14,378 --> 01:26:17,098
He's basically built these custom
cottages that float on catamarans.
:
01:26:17,098 --> 01:26:19,818
They're anchored in the middle
of the harbor in Key West in
:
01:26:19,818 --> 01:26:21,268
four-foot crystal clear water.
:
01:26:21,668 --> 01:26:25,468
You go out there and there's no air
conditioning, you're just out there in
:
01:26:25,608 --> 01:26:26,978
this cabin in the middle of the water.
:
01:26:26,998 --> 01:26:29,398
We stayed there for three nights
and it was one of the most
:
01:26:29,398 --> 01:26:31,168
relaxing things I think I've done.
:
01:26:31,657 --> 01:26:35,798
Just being disconnected and being able
to cook my fresh food from the market,
:
01:26:36,758 --> 01:26:40,728
learning about the shrimp and the fish and
the types of stuff that's swimming by me.
:
01:26:42,568 --> 01:26:43,958
I'm a buyer, I'm a believer in that.
:
01:26:46,198 --> 01:26:48,098
Maybe that's your next idea, Travis.
:
01:26:48,508 --> 01:26:50,388
We go from Westworld to Waterworld.
:
01:26:51,458 --> 01:26:52,208
Travis Chambers: It's funny, we...
:
01:26:52,488 --> 01:26:54,398
Brian Searl: But it's got to
be better than Waterworld, man.
:
01:26:54,398 --> 01:26:56,618
That's a very low bar for a movie to set.
:
01:26:58,558 --> 01:27:01,327
Travis Chambers: It's funny, we have been
looking at barges and catamarans here in
:
01:27:01,348 --> 01:27:04,028
Puerto Rico to do that kind of experience.
:
01:27:08,518 --> 01:27:10,198
Brian Searl: Yeah, it's one
of the most unique things
:
01:27:10,198 --> 01:27:11,788
that I've ever seen and done.
:
01:27:11,848 --> 01:27:12,958
And he built it really well.
:
01:27:14,938 --> 01:27:16,657
Travis Chambers: It's so funny,
we were literally talking last
:
01:27:16,657 --> 01:27:18,168
week about doing a catamaran.
:
01:27:18,168 --> 01:27:22,128
I'm thinking, why don't we
just buy a barge and build a
:
01:27:22,128 --> 01:27:23,208
little village on the barge?
:
01:27:24,948 --> 01:27:26,718
This is cool, this is really inspiring.
:
01:27:27,378 --> 01:27:30,918
Jeremy Johnson: There's a project,
I think it's just outside of Toledo.
:
01:27:31,368 --> 01:27:34,528
I'd have to look on the map, but
it's in the middle of nowhere
:
01:27:34,528 --> 01:27:36,928
Ohio and it's on Lake Erie.
:
01:27:38,028 --> 01:27:44,788
This younger guy bought a commercial
marina with 14 slips, and I think he gets
:
01:27:45,548 --> 01:27:50,058
an average of four or $500 a night because
he turned it into this little micro
:
01:27:50,058 --> 01:27:52,318
resort where everything's on the water.
:
01:27:52,918 --> 01:27:56,428
He's got little food trucks that pull up
to his marina, and it's just this whole
:
01:27:56,428 --> 01:28:02,628
experience that you typically wouldn't
get in this post-industrial area that was
:
01:28:02,868 --> 01:28:05,898
nothing but iron ore shipping in the past.
:
01:28:05,907 --> 01:28:08,108
It's cool that he was
able to turn that around.
:
01:28:09,308 --> 01:28:13,338
I think we all talk about how land
is becoming more and more a scarce
:
01:28:13,338 --> 01:28:17,518
commodity, but water even more
so, especially nice fresh water
:
01:28:17,518 --> 01:28:19,488
or even nice sea water as well.
:
01:28:25,018 --> 01:28:27,368
Brian Searl: Joy, where do
you see Foxtrot Dairy going?
:
01:28:27,368 --> 01:28:29,508
You said it was new, the
campground side of it?
:
01:28:30,077 --> 01:28:33,128
Joy de Vos: Yeah, it took us a while
to get the campground up and running
:
01:28:33,138 --> 01:28:36,808
because it's my husband and I that
are trying to forge ahead with it.
:
01:28:36,907 --> 01:28:39,678
We have limited capital to
getting it started up, but I
:
01:28:39,688 --> 01:28:40,898
think we've done really well.
:
01:28:42,628 --> 01:28:47,448
We're held at a capacity of 10 campsites
because we're on the agricultural land
:
01:28:47,448 --> 01:28:54,968
reserve, and so that means that we have to
preserve it for farming as a main economy.
:
01:28:56,258 --> 01:28:59,608
The campground itself is really
just there for the educational
:
01:28:59,608 --> 01:29:00,958
aspect of dairy farming.
:
01:29:06,888 --> 01:29:10,118
We have 10 campsites, two of
them are full hookup service.
:
01:29:10,118 --> 01:29:14,248
We have a septic system, we have
actual showers, not porta-potties.
:
01:29:15,698 --> 01:29:21,198
We have it planned to set up as
a little village eventually as we
:
01:29:21,958 --> 01:29:24,288
gain the capital to invest into it.
:
01:29:25,188 --> 01:29:29,438
The hope is that people will set it as a
journey destination for their families,
:
01:29:29,438 --> 01:29:33,398
that they'll all come here and do their
family reunions and see the cows going
:
01:29:33,398 --> 01:29:34,858
back and forth from the campground.
:
01:29:35,148 --> 01:29:38,758
You can see the dry cows going back
and forth, you can see our horse, and
:
01:29:38,758 --> 01:29:40,438
our goats are within the campground.
:
01:29:41,048 --> 01:29:45,118
So it really is a little farm
that we're trying to set up there,
:
01:29:45,358 --> 01:29:46,798
and you're right beside the farm.
:
01:29:47,088 --> 01:29:49,448
On the other side of the
bushes is the farm, and you
:
01:29:49,448 --> 01:29:50,988
don't actually hear the cows.
:
01:29:51,338 --> 01:29:53,038
It's amazing what a bush can do.
:
01:29:54,518 --> 01:29:58,848
The store is open, people are able to
come over and be on the main farmyard.
:
01:29:59,628 --> 01:30:03,798
We're really just hoping that schools
and people that are interested in
:
01:30:03,798 --> 01:30:08,498
learning about where their milk comes
from, how we farm, why we farm, why
:
01:30:08,498 --> 01:30:10,738
are the decisions that we make made.
:
01:30:11,038 --> 01:30:15,858
They're made because we have to work
within our ability with our land, and
:
01:30:15,878 --> 01:30:20,228
within the nutrition of the animals, and
with staying environmentally friendly.
:
01:30:20,388 --> 01:30:25,258
So we have a lot of hoops to jump through,
and the agricultural land reserve is a
:
01:30:25,258 --> 01:30:27,418
special land that's put aside for farming.
:
01:30:28,318 --> 01:30:34,327
I see us enjoying and meeting lots of
people from around the country, maybe
:
01:30:34,327 --> 01:30:38,378
around other countries, to come and
just really have a great experience.
:
01:30:38,378 --> 01:30:43,088
I think for us, seeing a child learn
that milk comes from a cow, I've seen it.
:
01:30:43,288 --> 01:30:45,148
Kids are like, "Wow, that happens?"
:
01:30:45,468 --> 01:30:47,738
And they're like, "That's
where my ice cream comes from?"
:
01:30:47,808 --> 01:30:49,577
Yes, that's where your
ice cream comes from.
:
01:30:50,678 --> 01:30:52,278
Brian Searl: The most important thing
that comes from a cow, ice cream.
:
01:30:53,118 --> 01:30:54,388
Joy de Vos: Oh yeah, it is.
:
01:30:55,028 --> 01:30:55,528
That butter.
:
01:30:56,888 --> 01:31:00,868
When people come to our
store, we have products from
:
01:31:00,868 --> 01:31:02,238
little mom-and-pop businesses.
:
01:31:02,898 --> 01:31:07,068
So really just trying to support that
local community as much as possible,
:
01:31:07,068 --> 01:31:11,538
working together and showcasing healthy,
nutritious products, thinking about what
:
01:31:11,538 --> 01:31:14,378
people need to live a happy, healthy life.
:
01:31:16,028 --> 01:31:17,358
I don't know, I'm still learning.
:
01:31:17,577 --> 01:31:21,438
This is exciting and it's
nerve-wracking all at the same time,
:
01:31:21,588 --> 01:31:23,588
but I look forward to my plans.
:
01:31:24,298 --> 01:31:25,758
Brian Searl: If you ever stop
learning, you'll be bored,
:
01:31:25,758 --> 01:31:26,798
so I hope you keep learning.
:
01:31:27,788 --> 01:31:31,068
Is it just RV or do you have any
intentions to add accommodations like
:
01:31:31,068 --> 01:31:32,738
cabins or glamping or anything out there?
:
01:31:33,478 --> 01:31:34,728
Joy de Vos: I do want to add glamping.
:
01:31:34,958 --> 01:31:40,348
I want to make a miniature village of our
farm, but that again requires capital.
:
01:31:40,928 --> 01:31:45,848
I would like to make a replica of our
actual farm within there and have themed
:
01:31:45,888 --> 01:31:51,398
cabins for the milk house, the calf
barn, the shop, and with educational
:
01:31:51,398 --> 01:31:53,268
history pictures on the inside.
:
01:31:53,608 --> 01:31:56,898
I have the designs already, I just
don't have the capital to get it going.
:
01:31:57,358 --> 01:32:02,668
So in time, I plan to have all the
sites hooked up and all with power,
:
01:32:03,218 --> 01:32:06,368
but we know power is expensive, so
that'll take a little bit of time.
:
01:32:06,488 --> 01:32:09,698
But when it's all set up and
done, it'll be a really cute place
:
01:32:09,698 --> 01:32:10,878
that people will want to come to.
:
01:32:11,128 --> 01:32:13,938
Then I hope while they're here,
they see the wineries and the
:
01:32:13,938 --> 01:32:18,748
other dairy farms near us and just
really get to know the agricultural
:
01:32:18,748 --> 01:32:20,348
footprint within our communities.
:
01:32:21,657 --> 01:32:24,218
Brian Searl: It is one of the
hardest things, and I'll just
:
01:32:24,218 --> 01:32:25,327
admit this from my perspective.
:
01:32:25,327 --> 01:32:27,778
It's been one of the hardest things
I've learned over the last few years,
:
01:32:28,928 --> 01:32:32,657
running my business, working 110 hours
a week for 15 plus years, seven days
:
01:32:32,657 --> 01:32:34,028
a week, because I love what I do.
:
01:32:34,848 --> 01:32:37,438
It's really been hard for me to
immerse myself into the type of
:
01:32:37,458 --> 01:32:38,728
experience, to go to the places.
:
01:32:38,878 --> 01:32:43,077
I take a vacation, but I realized
two years ago that I was walking
:
01:32:43,077 --> 01:32:45,058
along a beach, I think it was
actually in Vancouver Island.
:
01:32:46,818 --> 01:32:49,157
I realized I'm walking along this
beach and I'm thinking about business.
:
01:32:49,788 --> 01:32:52,388
I'm not appreciating that I'm on
a beach, I'm not appreciating the
:
01:32:52,388 --> 01:32:55,208
ocean is right here, appreciating
there's a time to disconnect.
:
01:32:55,888 --> 01:32:59,788
So I've tried to reframe that thinking,
but it's hard in the modern world for
:
01:32:59,838 --> 01:33:03,188
a lot of people to get to that place
with all the distractions that we have
:
01:33:03,188 --> 01:33:04,818
and opportunities to not be bored.
:
01:33:05,338 --> 01:33:08,748
Is that just me or is that sentiment
out there with more of you?
:
01:33:08,748 --> 01:33:15,657
Joy de Vos: I find that all the time.
:
01:33:15,657 --> 01:33:16,588
Jeremy Johnson: I don't
think it's just you.
:
01:33:16,827 --> 01:33:20,798
I will say as somebody who lives in the
upper Midwest, I think that's the thing
:
01:33:20,798 --> 01:33:22,938
I appreciate the most about seasons.
:
01:33:23,048 --> 01:33:27,748
The seasons make you slow down,
whether it's winter or spring or fall.
:
01:33:27,758 --> 01:33:27,778
We
:
01:33:30,728 --> 01:33:34,438
got over 300 inches of snow this
year where I live in Ishpeming.
:
01:33:34,808 --> 01:33:39,488
When you have that kind of snow,
you can't just go out the door
:
01:33:39,548 --> 01:33:41,028
and go to wherever you're going.
:
01:33:41,038 --> 01:33:43,688
You have to slow down,
you have to move the snow.
:
01:33:44,958 --> 01:33:46,758
At least for me, it makes
me think differently.
:
01:33:46,968 --> 01:33:51,077
Instead of just rushing out the door
and hopping in my car, I think, you
:
01:33:51,077 --> 01:33:55,478
know what, it might be easier and more
fun if I skied down to the coffee shop.
:
01:33:57,318 --> 01:33:58,938
That's what I did multiple
times this winter.
:
01:34:00,327 --> 01:34:03,898
That makes life a little bit more fun
to have that disconnect and get out of
:
01:34:03,898 --> 01:34:08,498
that regular pattern of thinking about
business or the most efficient or the
:
01:34:09,068 --> 01:34:11,148
biggest ROI you can get on a project.
:
01:34:11,157 --> 01:34:12,598
Brian Searl: That's why I
really like the houseboats.
:
01:34:12,827 --> 01:34:16,987
We had to take a boat out there from the
marina, a 10, 15-minute ride out from
:
01:34:16,987 --> 01:34:20,608
the boatyard, and we couldn't leave.
:
01:34:20,898 --> 01:34:23,808
We could call somebody if we wanted
to and pay for a boat, but we
:
01:34:23,808 --> 01:34:24,728
were in the middle of the water.
:
01:34:25,077 --> 01:34:26,778
We weren't going anywhere
even if I wanted to.
:
01:34:26,958 --> 01:34:29,288
So we had to go grocery shopping,
we had to bring our provisions,
:
01:34:29,718 --> 01:34:31,818
we had ice coolers, we didn't
have a full refrigerator.
:
01:34:31,818 --> 01:34:35,968
We had to think and plan and
clearly disconnect and understand
:
01:34:35,968 --> 01:34:38,327
what we needed, and it was great.
:
01:34:39,208 --> 01:34:42,538
Jeremy Johnson: One of my favorite places
is actually in the Upper Peninsula,
:
01:34:42,538 --> 01:34:45,248
about 50 minutes away from where I live.
:
01:34:45,398 --> 01:34:46,778
It's called the Huron Mountain Club.
:
01:34:47,568 --> 01:34:52,258
When you go up that club road and you
pass through the gates, you've got no
:
01:34:52,258 --> 01:34:54,368
service, you're completely disconnected.
:
01:34:54,378 --> 01:35:01,737
The closest store to get gas, food,
anything, water, is probably 45 minutes
:
01:35:01,737 --> 01:35:03,508
down the road, and it's a dirt road.
:
01:35:05,907 --> 01:35:08,198
It brings on a little bit of
anxiety because you're wondering,
:
01:35:08,198 --> 01:35:09,407
did I forget something?
:
01:35:09,798 --> 01:35:12,558
But then as you settle in,
you realize it doesn't matter.
:
01:35:12,558 --> 01:35:15,698
You might think, oh shoot, I forgot
my phone charger, and you realize,
:
01:35:15,698 --> 01:35:17,577
you know what, I'm here, who cares?
:
01:35:18,058 --> 01:35:20,788
That feeling is invaluable to have.
:
01:35:22,188 --> 01:35:27,038
On that same note, one of the
future projects I'm working on is
:
01:35:27,168 --> 01:35:31,588
on the shores of Lake Superior,
and one of the components of it is
:
01:35:32,478 --> 01:35:37,088
a private beach that you can only
access by walking through a wetland.
:
01:35:37,088 --> 01:35:41,818
We're going to be building a raised
boardwalk to get to that wetland and
:
01:35:41,818 --> 01:35:47,758
it's probably about a thousand feet
of boardwalk, but it's a 10, 15 minute
:
01:35:47,768 --> 01:35:51,758
walk and it's like you're walking
through pretty deep thick wetland
:
01:35:52,077 --> 01:35:54,798
and you might get bit by a mosquito.
:
01:35:54,848 --> 01:35:58,643
Like there might, you might get
hit in the face with a branch.
:
01:35:58,643 --> 01:35:59,327
That's fine.
:
01:35:59,327 --> 01:36:03,048
There's an element of uncomfortableness
to it, but then you get to that
:
01:36:03,058 --> 01:36:06,528
beach and I'm sure Travis, it's
probably like you walk through the
:
01:36:06,528 --> 01:36:08,157
jungle to get to the waterfalls.
:
01:36:08,487 --> 01:36:11,418
Like you get to that beach
and everything just changes.
:
01:36:11,418 --> 01:36:12,958
You're like, this was worth it.
:
01:36:13,648 --> 01:36:14,898
I call it type two fun.
:
01:36:15,168 --> 01:36:18,038
Walking to that waterfall might
not have been fun, but then you get
:
01:36:18,038 --> 01:36:21,308
there, you see how beautiful it is
and you're like, it was all worth it.
:
01:36:21,308 --> 01:36:22,288
None of it matters now.
:
01:36:23,237 --> 01:36:25,568
Brian Searl: I just, you need to give
me a bug suit, man, because I'm the one
:
01:36:25,568 --> 01:36:30,008
guy in the world where every mosquito
will find me from 10 miles away, man.
:
01:36:30,998 --> 01:36:31,768
They all like me.
:
01:36:31,878 --> 01:36:32,577
But I would agree with you.
:
01:36:32,577 --> 01:36:34,628
Yeah, forgetting the phone
charger, there are certain things
:
01:36:34,628 --> 01:36:35,588
that you don't want to forget.
:
01:36:35,598 --> 01:36:38,608
We got out to the boat and realized
we forgot the tequila and the cocktail
:
01:36:38,608 --> 01:36:39,928
mix in the car, so we had to go back.
:
01:36:40,548 --> 01:36:41,388
10 minute ride.
:
01:36:42,178 --> 01:36:45,478
Jeremy Johnson: Brian, I've got to jump
early today, but I appreciate being on
:
01:36:45,588 --> 01:36:49,038
and getting to talk with all of you and
good luck for the last 15 minutes here.
:
01:36:49,848 --> 01:36:50,388
Brian Searl: Thanks, Jeremy.
:
01:36:50,398 --> 01:36:51,128
Appreciate you being here.
:
01:36:51,678 --> 01:36:52,098
Jeremy Johnson: Bye guys.
:
01:36:55,018 --> 01:36:57,368
Brian Searl: So how do we
keep moving this conversation
:
01:36:57,368 --> 01:36:58,788
forward in outdoor hospitality?
:
01:36:58,848 --> 01:37:00,948
How do we get more people into
the way of thinking that...
:
01:37:00,998 --> 01:37:03,548
and we've talked about experiential
hospitality for a couple years, right?
:
01:37:04,168 --> 01:37:04,718
Loosely.
:
01:37:05,138 --> 01:37:08,268
Never anything probably as in-depth
as Travis being on the show,
:
01:37:08,268 --> 01:37:10,048
right, with experiences like that.
:
01:37:11,338 --> 01:37:14,648
But does the outdoor hospitality industry
need to reframe some of the thinking
:
01:37:14,698 --> 01:37:18,518
or are we headed in the right direction
already or what do you think, Zach?
:
01:37:18,538 --> 01:37:20,038
You work with a lot of these businesses.
:
01:37:22,318 --> 01:37:24,468
Zach Stoltenberg: I don't
know that I would say reframe.
:
01:37:24,698 --> 01:37:27,478
One of the things I love
about this industry is that
:
01:37:27,487 --> 01:37:28,737
there's room for everyone.
:
01:37:29,288 --> 01:37:33,128
And I don't know that there's any one
right way or wrong way of doing it.
:
01:37:33,128 --> 01:37:36,758
And that's probably a perspective for
me that's changed a lot over the years.
:
01:37:37,248 --> 01:37:40,878
Early on in doing these, the majority
of the folks we were working with
:
01:37:40,878 --> 01:37:43,368
had a lot of capital behind them.
:
01:37:43,478 --> 01:37:46,478
There was a lot of money available
and people were doing that.
:
01:37:46,508 --> 01:37:49,633
But seeing what Joy and her husband
are doing, saying, "Hey, we're going
:
01:37:49,633 --> 01:37:51,458
to do this a little bit at a time.
:
01:37:51,508 --> 01:37:53,338
We're going to be restricted by capital.
:
01:37:53,718 --> 01:37:55,478
We're going to start
small and make this work."
:
01:37:55,608 --> 01:37:58,568
I see a lot of people that have done
that and done so very successfully.
:
01:37:58,668 --> 01:38:02,668
And maybe their first one was that
way, then it started to take off and
:
01:38:02,668 --> 01:38:06,518
getting a loan or some investment
to expand or move to their second or
:
01:38:06,518 --> 01:38:08,838
third site, that became a lot easier.
:
01:38:09,327 --> 01:38:13,048
But I think Travis, you
mentioned Ben Wolff earlier.
:
01:38:13,118 --> 01:38:18,178
I think we're seeing a lot of innovators
in this space that are coming in that
:
01:38:18,178 --> 01:38:19,778
are figuring out what works for them.
:
01:38:20,168 --> 01:38:25,788
You don't have to spend two grand a
month with Google and Meta for ads
:
01:38:25,788 --> 01:38:27,987
for marketing for your place, right?
:
01:38:28,018 --> 01:38:31,418
These guys have worked with
influencers, they've built social media
:
01:38:31,418 --> 01:38:34,978
campaigns, millions of followers, and
they're doing only direct booking.
:
01:38:35,398 --> 01:38:38,858
Where a lot of other campgrounds
would say, "Oh gosh, we get so
:
01:38:38,858 --> 01:38:40,268
much off of our Facebook ads.
:
01:38:40,288 --> 01:38:42,157
It's the most successful marketing we do."
:
01:38:42,827 --> 01:38:43,978
So I don't know.
:
01:38:45,338 --> 01:38:48,978
I guess it's a roundabout way of saying
I don't know what the answer is to that.
:
01:38:48,987 --> 01:38:50,478
Like where do we go from here?
:
01:38:50,898 --> 01:38:55,268
I think certainly there's something
to be learned for people who are
:
01:38:55,268 --> 01:38:58,618
doing it, have tried something new
and are really successful with it.
:
01:38:59,038 --> 01:39:03,798
And Travis, I'm sure you're
starting to see too, you captured
:
01:39:03,798 --> 01:39:06,178
this sort of lightning in a
bottle with your first site, you
:
01:39:06,278 --> 01:39:08,327
built a massive online following.
:
01:39:08,678 --> 01:39:12,838
I'm anxious to see, does that carry
over into a second site, a third site?
:
01:39:12,848 --> 01:39:14,948
Does that carry over into
a site out of the country?
:
01:39:15,398 --> 01:39:20,237
And then how does that shape
your journey of what's next?
:
01:39:20,418 --> 01:39:21,318
Any thoughts on that?
:
01:39:24,157 --> 01:39:27,628
Travis Chambers: Yeah, I think it
just comes down to a good story.
:
01:39:27,938 --> 01:39:31,378
Like Joy is a story, right?
:
01:39:32,368 --> 01:39:36,868
She's been doing the
farming club for 20 years.
:
01:39:37,288 --> 01:39:39,368
This is her life, right?
:
01:39:39,398 --> 01:39:40,487
This is her lifestyle.
:
01:39:40,628 --> 01:39:45,358
And there's something romantic about
entering someone else's lifestyle.
:
01:39:45,487 --> 01:39:46,608
It's a cultural experience.
:
01:39:46,608 --> 01:39:50,458
And so it really, it's just
that's what culture is.
:
01:39:50,598 --> 01:39:54,987
And I think in the United States,
cultures are very disjointed.
:
01:39:55,348 --> 01:40:00,788
And I think what we're talking
about exists in a lot of deep
:
01:40:00,788 --> 01:40:02,327
cultures in the world already.
:
01:40:03,518 --> 01:40:06,768
Morocco is a hospitality zone.
:
01:40:07,038 --> 01:40:10,068
There's just this richness, there's
a certain type of food, there's
:
01:40:10,068 --> 01:40:13,487
a certain type of tradition,
there's a certain type of clothing.
:
01:40:14,407 --> 01:40:16,288
When you go to Morocco,
you are in a movie.
:
01:40:16,858 --> 01:40:17,478
You really are.
:
01:40:18,678 --> 01:40:23,378
And so you go to Joy's place, you're
in this society, you're in this
:
01:40:23,407 --> 01:40:24,798
community, you're in this way of life.
:
01:40:24,848 --> 01:40:26,418
I think that's what people want.
:
01:40:26,618 --> 01:40:30,868
I think people want as many
experiences as they can have.
:
01:40:31,348 --> 01:40:36,688
And it just naturally seems to be what
people spend their time and money on.
:
01:40:36,868 --> 01:40:38,188
And it's pretty crazy.
:
01:40:38,188 --> 01:40:42,987
This is a really strange concept,
but if you are a coal miner and all
:
01:40:42,987 --> 01:40:46,668
you do your whole life is mine coal
and don't have any other experiences,
:
01:40:47,688 --> 01:40:51,218
time is going to be very compressed.
:
01:40:51,748 --> 01:40:55,678
But the more experiences you have,
it's like the more time you create
:
01:40:55,907 --> 01:40:57,928
because you're experiencing new things.
:
01:40:58,498 --> 01:40:59,598
They've done studies on this.
:
01:40:59,598 --> 01:41:04,598
It really sounds wild, but you've
lived half of your life by the
:
01:41:04,608 --> 01:41:10,327
time you're 20 because the way we
perceive time, because you generally
:
01:41:11,018 --> 01:41:13,258
are having less new experiences.
:
01:41:13,568 --> 01:41:14,428
You're in a routine.
:
01:41:14,868 --> 01:41:19,318
And so if you want to live a longer
life, you go have more experiences.
:
01:41:19,388 --> 01:41:22,278
Unless you just really love what you have.
:
01:41:22,318 --> 01:41:23,737
I think that's what people want.
:
01:41:25,858 --> 01:41:29,248
Obviously if people are stuck in survival
mode, like the majority of people on
:
01:41:29,248 --> 01:41:31,968
earth are still in a survival situation.
:
01:41:32,288 --> 01:41:36,778
I have to do this job so that I can eat,
so I can have a shelter over my head.
:
01:41:36,778 --> 01:41:40,138
So really the stuff we're talking
about is what do you do when
:
01:41:40,138 --> 01:41:41,538
that's not the case anymore?
:
01:41:41,688 --> 01:41:43,388
What happens when you're
not in a survival mode?
:
01:41:43,868 --> 01:41:44,818
How do you spend your time?
:
01:41:44,818 --> 01:41:45,538
Where do you go?
:
01:41:45,538 --> 01:41:48,468
And we know that people
spend it on travel.
:
01:41:48,928 --> 01:41:50,268
They spend a lot of it on travel.
:
01:41:50,268 --> 01:41:54,758
And we see it too, a lot
of people buy stuff, right?
:
01:41:54,808 --> 01:41:59,348
But once they reach a certain level of
abundance, they don't buy as much stuff.
:
01:42:00,237 --> 01:42:01,018
That's what happened with me.
:
01:42:01,018 --> 01:42:04,618
I sold my company, bought a bunch of
really stupid things I didn't need.
:
01:42:05,368 --> 01:42:06,468
It didn't make me happy.
:
01:42:06,558 --> 01:42:10,768
So then I got rid of them and just went
right back to the adventure part of it.
:
01:42:11,298 --> 01:42:14,668
So I think the other thing
that's happening is the tourism
:
01:42:14,678 --> 01:42:15,898
market is getting younger.
:
01:42:16,228 --> 01:42:21,088
So a majority of tourism was over
60 years old for most of our era
:
01:42:21,157 --> 01:42:24,228
because they're the ones that
have disposable time and income.
:
01:42:25,157 --> 01:42:29,407
But I just think that there's
just more money going around.
:
01:42:29,418 --> 01:42:33,378
The upper middle class has doubled
or tripled in the last 20 years
:
01:42:33,657 --> 01:42:37,878
and people are getting a lot more
mobility, and they're not spending
:
01:42:37,888 --> 01:42:39,368
as much money on where they live.
:
01:42:39,768 --> 01:42:42,348
They're spending their money on going
places and they have the flexibility
:
01:42:42,348 --> 01:42:46,327
to do that, which is not something that
has really been around for a long time.
:
01:42:48,818 --> 01:42:51,088
Brian Searl: Yeah, I think my answer
to that question, and I don't know if I
:
01:42:51,098 --> 01:42:56,368
have the answer like you do, Zach, but
I think my answer is to gently nudge
:
01:42:56,368 --> 01:43:00,918
people toward creating their own whatever
unique experience is in their head, right?
:
01:43:01,318 --> 01:43:02,968
For Travis, that's what he's building.
:
01:43:02,968 --> 01:43:04,458
For Ben Wolff, that's something different.
:
01:43:04,458 --> 01:43:07,178
For the clients that you have,
Zach, that's something different.
:
01:43:07,838 --> 01:43:14,558
I think there's been perhaps a majority,
and I'm not saying that's 60% or
:
01:43:14,558 --> 01:43:18,358
whatever, right, but a majority of
people who are developing in outdoor
:
01:43:18,358 --> 01:43:21,678
hospitality that have just said,
"Look, here's something that works.
:
01:43:21,678 --> 01:43:22,508
Let me do that also."
:
01:43:23,498 --> 01:43:24,848
Instead of, "Look, here's
something that works.
:
01:43:24,858 --> 01:43:28,318
Let me tweak that to make it work
for me or my audience or my niche
:
01:43:28,318 --> 01:43:29,237
or what I want to accomplish."
:
01:43:29,278 --> 01:43:34,568
Let me add an RV park or glamping to
a dairy farm instead of just building
:
01:43:34,568 --> 01:43:35,818
an RV park, if that makes sense.
:
01:43:37,138 --> 01:43:40,418
So I think that's where we need
to maybe encourage people to go.
:
01:43:40,418 --> 01:43:43,728
And I think there's significantly,
there are people that are going
:
01:43:43,728 --> 01:43:47,058
there, like Travis and Ben and some
of your clients, Zach, and other
:
01:43:47,058 --> 01:43:48,068
people that we've had on this show.
:
01:43:48,378 --> 01:43:52,148
I think those voices would be
well served for our industry to
:
01:43:52,148 --> 01:43:56,298
be more visible at some of the
industry conferences that we have.
:
01:43:58,737 --> 01:44:00,698
Travis Chambers: Yeah, I always
bring it back to storytelling.
:
01:44:00,698 --> 01:44:03,448
How do you make your
property not a commodity?
:
01:44:04,148 --> 01:44:06,808
Like Joy's property is
not a commodity at all.
:
01:44:07,348 --> 01:44:10,118
You're going to milk cows, you're going
to do things that you can't just walk
:
01:44:10,118 --> 01:44:11,778
into someone's dairy and milk their cow.
:
01:44:12,068 --> 01:44:13,918
You can't do that anywhere in society.
:
01:44:13,938 --> 01:44:15,428
It's like you would get shot.
:
01:44:15,428 --> 01:44:17,378
You might get in trouble, but you could.
:
01:44:19,338 --> 01:44:21,938
Brian Searl: You're just going to walk in
here and just milk my cow without even...
:
01:44:22,348 --> 01:44:22,848
what?
:
01:44:24,228 --> 01:44:25,418
Travis Chambers: The disrespect!
:
01:44:25,428 --> 01:44:31,288
So that's the problem is too many people
say, "I'm going to do a glamping project."
:
01:44:32,118 --> 01:44:32,487
What is...
:
01:44:32,538 --> 01:44:35,098
guys, I almost feel like you
could finish my sentence.
:
01:44:35,118 --> 01:44:36,188
What is the first thing they say?
:
01:44:36,218 --> 01:44:37,538
"Oh, I'm going to do domes."
:
01:44:38,008 --> 01:44:39,708
It's always the same thing.
:
01:44:40,198 --> 01:44:42,208
I always come to the same conclusion.
:
01:44:43,157 --> 01:44:47,718
And I would recommend to people,
go figure out what your story is.
:
01:44:47,978 --> 01:44:52,928
Go figure out what your unique
world is that you want people to
:
01:44:52,928 --> 01:44:56,737
enter because domes is not enough.
:
01:44:58,058 --> 01:45:01,558
It's enough if you're right next to
a national park, then it is enough.
:
01:45:01,598 --> 01:45:06,058
But do you really want to just add
another commodity to the world?
:
01:45:06,168 --> 01:45:07,278
I love Rick Rubin.
:
01:45:07,478 --> 01:45:09,098
He's my favorite music producer.
:
01:45:09,778 --> 01:45:12,398
He always says there's a difference
between art and commerce.
:
01:45:12,487 --> 01:45:15,058
Commerce is what you make
what you think people want.
:
01:45:15,928 --> 01:45:17,868
Art is you make what you love.
:
01:45:18,298 --> 01:45:20,398
And that's what I've tried
to do with my projects.
:
01:45:20,398 --> 01:45:22,657
What do I love deeply, love?
:
01:45:22,878 --> 01:45:25,418
And it's like if you're going to build a
project like this and you don't know what
:
01:45:25,418 --> 01:45:28,038
you love, then you got to go find out.
:
01:45:28,648 --> 01:45:29,308
You got to go find out.
:
01:45:29,308 --> 01:45:32,318
Brian Searl: What's your unique story
that you want to tell in the world?
:
01:45:34,657 --> 01:45:35,668
All right, last few minutes.
:
01:45:35,698 --> 01:45:38,348
Travis, do you have any
questions for Joy or Zachary?
:
01:45:38,348 --> 01:45:41,568
We kind of let the guests take over,
so do you have a question you want
:
01:45:41,568 --> 01:45:43,358
to ask either one of those two?
:
01:45:43,958 --> 01:45:48,378
Travis Chambers: Yeah, Joy, my
question for you is I'd love
:
01:45:48,378 --> 01:45:50,278
to know more about how you...
:
01:45:51,288 --> 01:45:54,068
how do you do this whole guest experience?
:
01:45:54,608 --> 01:45:56,478
Is it like a choose your
own adventure thing?
:
01:45:56,918 --> 01:45:58,028
Is there a schedule?
:
01:45:59,868 --> 01:46:02,678
Joy de Vos: It's a choose
your own adventure thing and
:
01:46:02,688 --> 01:46:04,538
we schedule based on demand.
:
01:46:05,028 --> 01:46:09,418
We could have tour times, but what
we've decided to do is work with
:
01:46:09,418 --> 01:46:13,518
when they're actually being demanded
so that we can be prepared with the
:
01:46:13,518 --> 01:46:16,518
staff to take people through the tour.
:
01:46:16,518 --> 01:46:17,698
We have to do biosecurity.
:
01:46:21,237 --> 01:46:26,157
We have to be prepared that people carry
disease, animals have disease, and we
:
01:46:26,157 --> 01:46:28,678
have to make sure that both work together.
:
01:46:29,018 --> 01:46:31,718
So we have to make sure
people's hands are sanitized.
:
01:46:31,728 --> 01:46:34,298
If you're doing the milking dairy
tour, we'll be providing you with
:
01:46:34,318 --> 01:46:37,827
the gumboots and the overalls so
that you don't have to worry about
:
01:46:37,827 --> 01:46:39,928
staining your lovely camping outfit.
:
01:46:40,577 --> 01:46:44,758
But mainly people, we want them to come
and camp and just enjoy the animals
:
01:46:44,758 --> 01:46:50,358
that are available all the time and kick
back and relax and forget about real
:
01:46:50,358 --> 01:46:52,378
life because real life is really hard.
:
01:46:53,218 --> 01:46:57,458
And then when you want to do a dairy tour,
we'll try to do them in the morning and
:
01:46:57,468 --> 01:46:59,688
answer the questions as best as we can.
:
01:47:00,018 --> 01:47:05,088
And we would target our dairy tours based
on who our client is at that moment.
:
01:47:05,298 --> 01:47:07,538
If they're young children,
we keep it simple.
:
01:47:07,728 --> 01:47:10,288
If they're older and they're college
students and they're trying to
:
01:47:10,288 --> 01:47:12,827
learn something about agriculture,
then we'll be more in depth.
:
01:47:13,168 --> 01:47:16,788
If it's the general person, just an
understanding of how we work with our
:
01:47:16,788 --> 01:47:22,458
environment to be good stewards of the
land and how we look after our animals.
:
01:47:22,468 --> 01:47:23,698
We love our girls.
:
01:47:23,728 --> 01:47:26,378
They all sleep on waterbeds
in case anybody's wondering.
:
01:47:27,028 --> 01:47:28,348
And they're very happy.
:
01:47:30,248 --> 01:47:34,208
And we'll develop as we're going
along because obviously I've only
:
01:47:34,208 --> 01:47:39,138
been doing this for the last 12 months
or 14 months with opening up the
:
01:47:39,138 --> 01:47:41,028
store and working towards this plan.
:
01:47:41,468 --> 01:47:44,358
And still I don't even know
what to put in my brochures.
:
01:47:44,358 --> 01:47:48,588
I have a brochure, but maybe my ideas
will be different in six months from now.
:
01:47:49,108 --> 01:47:52,878
And our campground can host tents and RVs.
:
01:47:53,148 --> 01:47:55,208
And right now we only
have two full hookups.
:
01:47:55,418 --> 01:47:59,388
The rest are dry until we
eventually get to our end goal.
:
01:48:01,508 --> 01:48:02,128
Travis Chambers: That's really cool.
:
01:48:02,148 --> 01:48:05,018
My one of my favorite experiences,
my grandpa had a dairy farm.
:
01:48:05,028 --> 01:48:07,338
My dad grew up on a dairy farm
and I used to go there as a kid,
:
01:48:07,888 --> 01:48:10,048
climb around the barn, find old...
:
01:48:10,657 --> 01:48:15,903
I'd find his old mail and checks
to the IRS and stuff from the 50s.
:
01:48:15,903 --> 01:48:17,438
It was so much fun.
:
01:48:17,448 --> 01:48:18,168
Like it was this...
:
01:48:18,918 --> 01:48:21,737
and it's like how many people
really get that experience?
:
01:48:21,737 --> 01:48:25,878
Zachary, what's your favorite
thing that you've designed so far?
:
01:48:27,938 --> 01:48:32,327
Zach Stoltenberg: I get this question
a lot and I think the best answer
:
01:48:32,327 --> 01:48:35,358
I can say is my favorite thing is
whatever I'm working on right now.
:
01:48:36,428 --> 01:48:41,208
Which the current project,
it's also in Utah.
:
01:48:43,237 --> 01:48:48,398
I can share a little bit about it, but
I'll say this is the first time instead
:
01:48:48,398 --> 01:48:53,538
of building or erecting a unit, we
are excavating the units out of rock.
:
01:48:53,998 --> 01:48:56,428
So that's been very
unique, very different.
:
01:48:57,048 --> 01:48:58,298
Some challenges with it.
:
01:48:58,748 --> 01:49:03,418
Everybody on my team has just poured
themselves into it and I think when
:
01:49:03,418 --> 01:49:07,008
it finally comes to fruition, it's
going to be absolutely incredible.
:
01:49:07,558 --> 01:49:11,708
But I think yeah, my best answer would
be whatever I'm working on right now.
:
01:49:11,878 --> 01:49:16,638
Because I think when you put a piece of
yourself into what you're designing, when
:
01:49:16,638 --> 01:49:19,728
you get passionate about it, when you
get turned on, you get your team excited
:
01:49:19,728 --> 01:49:25,418
about it, when your client is 100% into
it, that's when we get our best result.
:
01:49:26,077 --> 01:49:28,688
That's when we create something
that's really incredible.
:
01:49:28,878 --> 01:49:31,737
And those are the properties that
it might be a year or two later that
:
01:49:31,768 --> 01:49:34,728
they're finally open and hosting
guests and all those things that we
:
01:49:34,728 --> 01:49:39,668
talked about, all those ideas, those
conversations, even some of the crazy
:
01:49:39,678 --> 01:49:41,968
hairball stuff that we came up with
that's like, I don't know if it'll
:
01:49:41,968 --> 01:49:43,478
work or not, but we'll give it a shot.
:
01:49:43,987 --> 01:49:48,498
And then that's the thing that got
the million views on Instagram.
:
01:49:48,798 --> 01:49:51,958
And so that's the way we work.
:
01:49:52,157 --> 01:49:55,388
But yeah, for me it's always
whatever we're doing right now.
:
01:49:55,808 --> 01:49:56,998
That's what I'm passionate about.
:
01:49:57,398 --> 01:49:58,708
Travis Chambers: Was
it hard to get permits?
:
01:49:58,948 --> 01:50:01,348
Was it hard to engineer
building into rock?
:
01:50:03,218 --> 01:50:04,768
Zach Stoltenberg: It's been interesting.
:
01:50:05,198 --> 01:50:06,888
The permit side not so much.
:
01:50:06,888 --> 01:50:09,638
The county and the state have
been reasonable to work with.
:
01:50:10,118 --> 01:50:14,298
But some of the testing, the
geotech, the borings, working
:
01:50:14,298 --> 01:50:19,868
with a really knowledgeable crew
that's used to doing drilling and
:
01:50:19,868 --> 01:50:21,737
blasting and some of those things.
:
01:50:21,748 --> 01:50:24,558
We had big questions and they were
like, "Yeah, we do this all the time."
:
01:50:25,148 --> 01:50:29,718
And so I would say the most difficult
thing was us, our education and learning
:
01:50:29,968 --> 01:50:33,698
what is possible and then listening
to those trades and those contractors
:
01:50:33,698 --> 01:50:35,827
and saying, "Yeah, we can do that."
:
01:50:35,827 --> 01:50:38,987
And we sent him a few crazy things
and he's like, "I've never done that
:
01:50:38,987 --> 01:50:40,358
before, but I think I can do it."
:
01:50:41,018 --> 01:50:43,228
And there's been some things
that he pushed back a little bit.
:
01:50:43,978 --> 01:50:47,168
"If you want a column there, leave
it at least six or eight feet wide.
:
01:50:47,178 --> 01:50:50,028
Don't give me a two foot column,
that's going to crack and break on me."
:
01:50:50,068 --> 01:50:54,128
So it's been very interesting, very
educational, but it's been a ton of fun.
:
01:50:54,308 --> 01:50:54,938
And I've got it...
:
01:50:55,708 --> 01:51:00,438
we're working on it with a client who is
one of the most passionate people that
:
01:51:00,438 --> 01:51:01,958
I think I've ever worked for before.
:
01:51:03,388 --> 01:51:05,498
Brian Searl: We need to get
you your own TV show, Zach.
:
01:51:05,498 --> 01:51:07,907
Do you remember that TV show
with the people who went around
:
01:51:07,907 --> 01:51:09,358
and built the crazy fish tanks?
:
01:51:09,907 --> 01:51:10,708
I can't remember what it's called.
:
01:51:11,368 --> 01:51:12,508
Zach Stoltenberg: I
don't need a show, but...
:
01:51:12,548 --> 01:51:13,148
Brian Searl: Tanked, yeah.
:
01:51:13,508 --> 01:51:14,628
Zach Stoltenberg: I would love to do...
:
01:51:14,948 --> 01:51:20,748
maybe Netflix needs to do a pilot
series on building experiential stays
:
01:51:20,868 --> 01:51:24,698
and go out and follow some of these
crews with folks like what Travis is
:
01:51:24,698 --> 01:51:28,388
doing out there to see that sort of
behind the scenes of what's going on.
:
01:51:28,728 --> 01:51:31,928
I think there's three or four I
think they could go shoot right now.
:
01:51:31,938 --> 01:51:31,958
Brian Searl: It
:
01:51:34,458 --> 01:51:35,487
would be interesting for sure.
:
01:51:35,548 --> 01:51:36,758
We're a couple minutes over.
:
01:51:36,778 --> 01:51:40,088
Joy, do you have a last question
for Zach or Travis before we go?
:
01:51:41,588 --> 01:51:43,688
Joy de Vos: I can't think
of anything at this moment.
:
01:51:43,698 --> 01:51:44,168
Sorry.
:
01:51:44,678 --> 01:51:45,818
Brian Searl: No, that's perfectly fine.
:
01:51:45,907 --> 01:51:46,848
All right, final thoughts.
:
01:51:46,878 --> 01:51:47,938
Joy, any final thoughts?
:
01:51:47,938 --> 01:51:49,878
And then where can they find
out more about Foxtrot Dairy?
:
01:51:51,098 --> 01:51:53,248
Joy de Vos: We're foxtrotdairy.ca
:
01:51:53,407 --> 01:51:54,598
and we have .com,
:
01:51:54,598 --> 01:51:55,188
but .com
:
01:51:55,188 --> 01:51:55,848
is sleeping.
:
01:51:56,348 --> 01:51:59,708
I made sure to buy both panhandles
to make sure that they're mine.
:
01:52:00,228 --> 01:52:03,128
Just that we provide our
own beef when we're...
:
01:52:03,588 --> 01:52:04,568
when you're at our farm.
:
01:52:04,958 --> 01:52:09,388
And we have our own lamb and pork
and we've brought in some select
:
01:52:09,568 --> 01:52:13,588
agricultural products from different
vendors and just trying to provide
:
01:52:13,588 --> 01:52:15,028
what you would need when you come here.
:
01:52:15,758 --> 01:52:18,538
Come and visit us and pet a goat.
:
01:52:19,338 --> 01:52:22,118
Say hi to the chickens, say
hi to the cows, say hi to me.
:
01:52:22,228 --> 01:52:23,048
I'll tell you a lot.
:
01:52:24,538 --> 01:52:25,448
Brian Searl: Thank you,
Joy, for being here.
:
01:52:25,448 --> 01:52:25,907
I appreciate it.
:
01:52:25,907 --> 01:52:27,228
I'm looking forward to
seeing your success.
:
01:52:27,858 --> 01:52:30,688
Zach, any final thoughts or where
can they learn more about LJA?
:
01:52:32,368 --> 01:52:35,838
Zach Stoltenberg: You can reach
out to me on LinkedIn or Instagram.
:
01:52:35,888 --> 01:52:39,468
Like I always said, never
charged anybody for a phone call.
:
01:52:39,508 --> 01:52:40,588
We'd love to talk to people.
:
01:52:40,588 --> 01:52:42,128
Maybe we can help you, maybe we can't.
:
01:52:42,688 --> 01:52:47,018
But my email is just zstoltenberg@lja.com.
:
01:52:47,538 --> 01:52:51,668
And again, most of our advertising,
I like to say, is not us.
:
01:52:51,748 --> 01:52:54,708
It's through the clients, through
the properties we've worked with.
:
01:52:54,708 --> 01:52:56,288
I think they're our best testament.
:
01:52:56,298 --> 01:52:59,588
We like kind of being the folks
in the background that help people
:
01:52:59,588 --> 01:53:00,778
that are doing wonderful things.
:
01:53:01,278 --> 01:53:03,938
And Joy, I want to design
mini barns for you.
:
01:53:04,498 --> 01:53:07,748
I want little experiential stay units.
:
01:53:07,748 --> 01:53:10,308
I want them to be able to sit
in bed and look up and see the
:
01:53:10,308 --> 01:53:11,868
cows at the foot of the bed.
:
01:53:12,388 --> 01:53:16,018
I want the kids to be able to sleep
up in the hayloft for the evening.
:
01:53:16,077 --> 01:53:17,758
I think we could do some really fun stuff.
:
01:53:19,398 --> 01:53:24,157
And I grew up on a cattle ranch,
so not that far detracted from it.
:
01:53:24,808 --> 01:53:26,178
I was a 4-H kid too.
:
01:53:27,358 --> 01:53:29,298
Joy de Vos: Yeah, 4-H is
such a valuable program.
:
01:53:29,368 --> 01:53:31,468
If all of our children were
in it, we would have a bit
:
01:53:31,468 --> 01:53:32,858
of a different society today.
:
01:53:33,928 --> 01:53:34,907
Please reach out to me.
:
01:53:36,028 --> 01:53:36,428
Zach Stoltenberg: I will.
:
01:53:37,248 --> 01:53:39,237
Brian Searl: Last but not least,
Travis, any final thoughts and
:
01:53:39,237 --> 01:53:40,998
where can they find out more about
the projects you have going on?
:
01:53:42,138 --> 01:53:45,268
Travis Chambers: Yeah, I'm on
Instagram, travis_chambers.
:
01:53:45,268 --> 01:53:49,388
And then you can check out Outpost
X on Instagram or Outpost X
:
01:53:49,388 --> 01:53:50,748
Jungle for the island project.
:
01:53:51,208 --> 01:53:53,838
Brian Searl: All right, thank
you guys for being here.
:
01:53:53,838 --> 01:53:54,388
I appreciate it.
:
01:53:54,728 --> 01:53:56,508
Join us for another episode
of MC Fireside Chats.
:
01:53:56,508 --> 01:53:59,018
If you're not sick and tired of
hearing from me, I will have another
:
01:53:59,018 --> 01:54:01,888
live podcast in about 45 minutes
or so with Scott Bahr, who we're
:
01:54:01,888 --> 01:54:04,498
going to talk about data research,
AI, tech, all that kind of stuff.
:
01:54:05,068 --> 01:54:05,648
So join us there.
:
01:54:05,648 --> 01:54:08,198
If not, we'll see you next week for
another episode of MC Fireside Chats.
:
01:54:08,398 --> 01:54:08,918
Thanks guys.
:
01:54:09,008 --> 01:54:09,288
Take care.
:
01:54:09,338 --> 01:54:09,898
Travis Chambers: Thanks guys.
:
01:54:10,548 --> 01:54:11,118
Zach Stoltenberg: Thanks everybody.
:
01:54:12,348 --> 01:54:12,688
Joy de Vos: Thank you.