Happy Thanksgiving! As a Brit living in Canada, I was working away at this dispatch while you were tucking into your dinner. I hope the contents are every bit as juicy as the turkey you’re undoubtedly still recovering from.

This week, we’re talking idea generation. Specifically, how to generate ideas for your glamping business.

You have a ton of great ideas in you. It’s simply a matter of teasing them out.

I have a lot of ideas myself. In fact, my ideas document for Posh Outdoors is almost 45,000 words long.

Some of these ideas will never see the light of day. Others, I firmly believe, will generate Posh millions of dollars in value. (If any of my co-founders are reading this, you can hold me to that)

In this dispatch, you’ll learn where my best ideas come from and how you can create those lightbulb moments of your own. 

The Glamping Insider, reporting for duty.

An Idea Without a Note Is Like a Man Without a Head

My dear old Grandad gave me many life lessons. He taught me how to kick a football (that’s a real football, not the oval-shaped monstrosity!); introduced me to the joys of Frank Sinatra; and instilled a work ethic that continues to this day.

One of his favourite phrases was “A document without a date is like a man without a head”. It feels a little outdated in the digital world, so today I’m freshening it up.

An idea without a note is like a man without a head. If you have an idea and don’t immediately write it down, you may as well not have had the idea in the first place.

Glamping sites take years from conception to completion. You may have a genius marketing idea three days into figuring out what your glamping site will be. It’s far too early to put that idea into practice now, but writing it down means it’s preserved for when you’re ready.

If there’s one thing I want you to take from this dispatch, it’s to write down your ideas. You won’t regret it.

Right, let’s get into it. Here’s how to generate ideas that will take your glamping business to the next level.

Consume Content

The internet is a wonderful thing. It gives you unprecedented access to experts at the top of their field, whenever you want. 

No longer do you have to fill your commute with crappy radio ads, or skim through boring magazines in the dentist’s waiting room. Instead, you can listen to the best glamping operators share their secrets on a podcast, or read a valuable newsletter that takes your mind off the scary dentist. 

Surrounding yourself with the best in the business by consuming their content is a surefire way of generating great ideas of your own.

Here are some of the subscriptions that keep me sharp:

• Behind the Stays podcast - Interviews with the entrepreneurs creating the coolest unique stays

• Masters of Moments podcast - More hotel-oriented, but great insights into how larger deals get put together

• Good Morning Hospitality podcast - Perfect for keeping up to date with the latest news in hospitality

• Experiential Hospitality newsletter - Isaac French’s newsletter. I read this every week without fail

• Unique Stays Blueprint - Ben Wolff’s newsletter. I loved this week’s email on ‘Where the puck is going’ in hospitality. Read it here

• This newsletter and my podcast, obviously!

Don’t forget books, either. Unreasonable Hospitality is a must-read for anyone in this business.

Travel Widely

Most business ideas start with “How could this be better?”. The same applies to glamping.

The more time you spend at glamping sites, the more you’ll see things that you’d improve on your own site. It’s often tiny things, like the placement of an electrical outlet, or the size of a stovetop. 

It also lets you experience what other operators do well. A moment that takes your breath away can be noted down for later.

You shouldn’t restrict your travel to glamping sites only. Hotels, Airbnbs, even campsites can be sources of inspiration or frustration. 

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when starting a glamping business. Observing what works and what doesn’t at other destinations is a great way of raising your quality levels.

Look Inward

Hobbies and passions are often the source of our greatest ideas. And incorporating them into business is extra fun.

If you’re passionate about something, consider making it a core part of your offering. 

Love yoga? Make your site a wellness retreat.

Wine connoisseur? Create a wine list and let your guests pick that evening’s bottle.

Ask yourself what gets you going, and figure out a way to share that excitement with your guests.

Relax!

Trying to be creative while stressed is like trying to get a Californian glamping project approved - nearly impossible. 

When I’m relaxed, it’s like a tap is turned on, and the ideas won’t stop flowing. When I’m grumpy, I can’t focus on anything other than what’s pissing me off in the moment.

Make time for the little moments that bring you joy, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the ideas come. For me, a slow Sunday morning run with a good podcast is where I’m hit with brainwave after brainwave. For you, it could be when you’re cooking dinner or spending time with the kids.

P.S. Voice notes are a lifesaver if you get an idea when your hands are busy. You look a bit silly talking to Siri on your run, but you shouldn’t let embarrassment stop you from saving that million-dollar idea.

Start Doing

You can listen to a thousand podcasts, stay at a million glamping sites and be the happiest person on earth, but it all means nothing if you don’t make that glamping idea a reality.

Not only does working on your glamping project get you closer to your goal, it generates ideas that only arrive when you’re working at the coalface. A podcast might start a train of thought, but actively working on it will put it to the test. You’ll run into limitations that will force you to adjust the idea, or apply it in a different context.

Most of the 45,000 words in my Posh Outdoors ideas document have been written during the daily grind. Inspiration comes during calls with my co-founders, visits to the property, and even while writing this newsletter. 

Stop thinking, start doing, and the ideas will flow.

💡Idea of the Week - Night Sky Alerts

My good friend and podcast co-host Connor Schwab must have stolen a draft of this week’s newsletter, because he’s responsible for a brilliant Idea of the Week. 

In our last podcast recording, he recommended that glamping site owners in areas with clear skies should sign up to a service like Night Sky Alerts. This gives you advance warning when cool stuff like meteor showers are due to happen.

If you have space in the booking calendar and receive a ping about a solar event, a simple Instagram post sharing the news could be enough to fill the space.

📰 The Posh Report

This was a HUGE week for Posh Outdoors. We received two pieces of great news.

First, the building permit application for our Looking Glass mirror cabins was accepted. This gives us the green light to place them at our first location, Skyridge Glamping.

Second, we received our first completed Looking Glass unit. It’s now in a temporary location so we can capture some pretty pictures.

We’re now getting the marketing cogs turning, and we’ll be open for business in Spring 2025. More to come on this.

Want to learn about investing in Posh Outdoors? Schedule a call or reply to this email.

🎧️ On the Pod

Nobody in glamping understands social media algorithms better than Derry Green of Secret Garden Glamping. 

He joined me on The Unique Hospitality Podcast to break down his recipe for social media domination. His insights on why you should test on TikTok before posting to Instagram are particularly brilliant.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube.