SpringHill Camps has experienced both sides of growth. Its traveling day camp program grew from roughly 3,000 campers to 19,000, creating incredible ministry opportunities while also revealing an important lesson: growth works best when the systems, margins, staffing, and quality behind it can grow too. Eric Bartz shares what SpringHill learned from that season, and how camp leaders can recognize when growth is creating healthy momentum versus stretching the organization too thin.

Those lessons shaped SpringHill’s next chapter. The organization made difficult decisions to refocus its programs and resources, invest in its Michigan property, strengthen pricing and margins, and rethink how it used its 1,600-bed capacity. Eric breaks down how to think differently about unused capacity, when it may be time to let go of a program, and why better margins can create room for better experiences. At SpringHill, that focus also helped substantially grow guest group revenue by putting previously unused capacity to work.

SpringHill also became more intentional about retention, using survey data, personalized texts, direct phone calls, and empowered staff to understand what was keeping families from rebooking. Combined with a continued focus on program quality, retention climbed from 52% to 61%. Camp leaders will come away with practical ideas for improving retention, evaluating growth opportunities, and building systems that support sustainable growth for the long term.

Mark’s Quick Camp Marketing Tip brings that same thinking to capacity: stop telling prospective campers you’re “full.” By capturing demand with a waiting list instead, camps can fill cancellations, redirect families to available weeks, and uncover growth opportunities hiding in the capacity they already have.

Keywords

camp growth, sustainable growth, camp leadership, camp capacity, camper retention, camp marketing, summer camp enrollment, retreat groups, camp pricing, customer engagement, camp revenue, SpringHill Camps

Sound Bites

“Bigger isn’t better.”

“No margin, no mission.”

“Not every bed is created equal.”

“A week up here shapes a lifetime out there.”

Hosts

Mark P. Fisher, Inspiring Growth
Carl Lefever, Improve & Grow

Guest

Eric Bartz, SpringHill Camps

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Growth had been strong at Bongiorno Conference Center coming out of COVID, but by 2025 the momentum was beginning to stall. For Executive Director Carl Redding, the challenge wasn’t simply generating more business. It was figuring out what needed to change, and being willing to act on it.

Rather than trying to solve everything internally, Bongiorno partnered with an outside digital marketing agency to take a fresh look at its growth opportunities. That process helped the team see both the potential ahead and the gaps that needed attention. From marketing and lead generation to inquiry follow-up and internal systems, Bongiorno began building a more intentional approach to growth. The result has been a stronger pipeline, more inquiries and bookings, and greater clarity about where the organization can go next.

Carl also shares the leadership work behind that progress: addressing unhealthy staff culture, inviting trusted leaders into important decisions, empowering team members to own their areas, and knowing when outside expertise can help you see something differently. As new opportunities emerge, Bongiorno is now thinking about the next constraints to growth, including staffing, meeting space, capacity, and long-term facility planning.

Carl Lefever’s Quick Camp Marketing Tip focuses on another important part of sustainable growth: keeping the guest groups you already have through proactive retreat coordination and a consistent rebooking process.

Keywords

camp growth, camp marketing, retreat center marketing, Bongiorno Conference Center, digital marketing, retreat bookings, lead generation, guest group retention, camp leadership, retreat coordination, organizational growth, Christian camping

Sound Bites

“Growth doesn’t simply happen because you want it.”

“You have to communicate, communicate, overcommunicate.”

“I want 100% retainment. I know it’s crazy to think like that, but why not?”

“When God changes a life, it’s forever and it’s eternal.”

Hosts

Mark P. Fisher, Inspiring Growth
Carl Lefever, Improve & Grow

Guest

Carl Redding, Bongiorno Conference Center

Resources

Retreat Coordination Process Article>

Church Event Planning Checklist>

Free Camp Growth Planner App >

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Camp technology often forces camps to change the way they work to fit the software. The team behind The One App took the opposite approach: learn how camps actually operate, then build technology around them.

Michael John Stanley (MJ), Alan Brown, and Lindy Pinkerton share how that process began with visits to 10 camps and expanded into conversations with roughly 60 camps, plus real-world beta testing. What emerged was a consistent problem: camps were stitching together registration systems, spreadsheets, calendars, contracts, emails, whiteboards, and staff knowledge just to keep operations moving.

Their response centers on what Lindy calls the Five C’s: contracts, calendars, communications, CRM, and coordinating. The conversation gets practical about guest-group registration, knowing who is actually on property, communicating between departments, coordinating meals and facilities, and giving staff access to the information they need without burying them in another complicated system.

Mark’s quick marketing tip also tackles WIIFM—“What’s In It For Me?”—and why camp marketing should focus less on what your camp has and more on what those features make possible for campers, parents, churches, and retreat groups.

Keywords

camp technology, camp management software, camp operations, camp registration, guest group registration, camp CRM, camp communication, operational efficiency, camp management systems, retreat center software, sustainable camp growth, The One App

Sound Bites

“Camping found me.” — MJ

“You’re basically running a city at a camp.” — Alan Brown

“Everything is fragmented.” — Lindy Pinkerton

“Get staff out from behind the desk and out doing mission.” — Alan Brown

Hosts

Mark P. Fisher, Inspiring Growth
Carl Lefever, Improve & Grow

Guests

Michael John Stanley (MJ), The One App
Alan Brown, The One App
Lindy Pinkerton, The One App

Resources

The One App — Learn more or schedule a demo.

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