Networking Sounds Yucking But I Love Friends

Networking. LinkedIn. Working the Room. Personal Brand. 

I find these words to be gross. 

Building Relationships. Staying Connected. Meeting New People. Being Yourself. 

On the other hand this second set I love. 

Are they different? A little bit, maybe. For millennials, like me, we grew up in a time of sleazy internet trolls using the first list to abuse the system and get themselves ahead. The internet gave us the tools to create an internet version of ourselves and a real version of ourselves if we wanted to. It created distrust and dislike for the idea of networking. 

The reality is networking and relationship building is the best way for all of us to not only advance our careers and make more impact with kids but also increase the impact and effectiveness of our camps. 

After graduating from college, I got lucky. Laura Kriegel, my partner, and I decided to #vanlife and embark on a road trip. #vanlife for us was a 2000 Honda Civic, glamorous. What we thought would be 3 months turned into 2 years of visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. You can see more about our trip here, Camping Coast to Coast. We thought we were out learning about camps and how they worked. We were, but the best thing we were doing was an accident. We were building a network and a reputation as hard-working curious young people. 

What is Directors’ Camp?

I am beyond lucky. We stumbled into a huge network of camp people that I call all the time for help, advice, and thoughts on my wild ideas. If I had known we were “networking” when we left I probably would have hated the idea and done something else, but making friends with other passionate camp people? Count me in. 

If you are like me, you have a hard time with the idea of selling things, networking or coming off as disingenuous. I feel that. Now, I want to push you to change your mindset a little and reframe networking as relationship building and friendship making. That is what it can be if you stay true to who you are and are real with people. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you aren’t. In fact, pretending to be someone you aren’t is a terrible plan for long term networking. 

4 Ideas for Friendship Making in the Camp World

1. Directors’ Camp or The Summer Camp Society 

   I am biased here because I help facilitate these, but I help facilitate these because I believe in them. These are two camp “conferences” designed to put relationship building at the core. You will certainly leave with new ideas and tangible takeaways, but more importantly, you will leave with new connections and people you can call. 

   Directors’ Camp brings in some of the best camp consultants in the world. I tricked them into letting me come too... and you get to know them on a personal level while also connecting with like minded camp directors from across the US and Canada. This year it is in Michigan in September hosted by Scott Arizala, Steve Maguire, Sarah Kurtz McKinnon, Chris Thurber, and me. It tends to be a little less silly than The Summer Camp Society and brings in the big names like Steve, Chris, and Scott. Check it out here. Directors’ Camp. 

   The Summer Camp Society Semester - 4 years ago Kurtz and I got together to start The Summer Camp Society with the express goal of connecting young-ish camp people and creating a community. It was a roll of the dice and we weren’t sure how it would work. Today more than 70 people have joined us for our online and in-person semester and hundreds more for our online-only events. The Summer Camp Society Retreat is one of the highlights of my year. I have met many of my best friends in camp here. Learn more here. TSCS Semester. 

2. Host a Monthly Meet-Up

   What if once a month you gathered online to chat about some aspect of camp. Anyone can come or make it invite-only, but no presentations just discussion on something you are working on. Even better, are there enough people near you to have a beer and talk camp at a bar? I promise these relationships will easily pay for the time.

3. Host a Dinner at a Conference

   Are you headed to tristate, national, or a regional conference? Organize a dinner.

4. Visit Other Camps 

   I am a one-trick pony. This is how I started my career and I stand by it as the easiest way to build a network. Send out 20 cold emails and visit the closest 5 camps to you. Are you going on vacation next year? Add a day to visit a camp nearby. Camp people love bragging about their camps and love when people want to listen. 

Don’t network, make friends. Prioritize this as your professional development or the professional development of your new staff. It will pay off 100x what you put in. 

Directors’ Camp is a clear example of great networking and collaboration. Join us.

JACK SCHOTT
DIRECTOR CAMP STOMPING GROUND
CO-FOUNDER THE SUMMER CAMP SOCIETY
JACK@THESUMMERCAMPSOCIETY.COMSTOMPING GROUND ORIGIN STORY