Based in Mill Valley, California, Veronica started Camp Funderblast in 2013. A sociology major with over two decades of camp experience, Veronica saw starting her own camp as an opportunity to test out an idea: “What if we created an environment where kids learned about the impact of positive energy? Would they feel more loved and safer?” Her hypothesis was right, and more parents and children were drawn in by this concept.
In 2018, the camp had already grown to three locations. However, the administrative work of three camps left Veronica with 18-hour days and no way to continue scaling her business. Veronica knew she needed to make changes if she wanted to continue with her work and reach more children. “It just wasn’t sustainable, and I knew I was beyond my limits,” she said.
Veronica’s Challenges
- Workload overcapacity.
- Manual registration and payment process that utilized spreadsheets.
- Difficulty finding administrative support.
- No time or resources left to grow the camp.
Why eCommerce for Camps Was the Answer
On the hunt for software that had the flexibility for the different types of registration abilities her camp needed, as well as an easy user experience for both self and parents, Veronica did demos with over 10 software companies before she found the right eCommerce for activities software. It was the only software where you could register for drop-in days along with offering the following must-have camp modules:
- Multi-item checkout so registering more than one kid for several activities is easy for parents.
- Flexible payment options, with online and offline options or the ability to set up personalized payment plans.
- More efficient billing and payment tracking, with automatic reminders sent to parents.
- The ability to set up your registration process in your own website so parents don’t have to navigate elsewhere to sign up.
The Impact of eCommerce
Veronica has been able to reach more communities and bring her amazing approach to new parents and children. The positive effect of automating repetitive day-to-day tasks is clear to Veronica: “it’s allowed our business to grow because I wouldn’t have been able to with the way I was working. I was at my capacity. It wasn’t scalable.” In addition, Veronica has seen the following benefits:
- Since transitioning to camp management software, Veronica saves an estimated five hours a day on administrative work.
- Camp Funderblast has increased the number of locations up to five camps, two after-school programs and one daycare.
- With an improved registration and financial reporting system, Camp Funderblast has been able to open two additional camps, representing 67% growth from 2018 to now.
- Thanks to the automation of daily tasks, Veronica can focus her team, time and resources on continuing to scale her business.
On top of allowing her business to scale, eCommerce also gives Veronica peace of mind that she has a tool she can rely on which helps create stability for her camp. No more pulling 18-hour days or struggling to find the administrative help she needs, because with eCommerce for camps, Veronica’s day-to-day has truly transformed.
A Fun Future Ahead
With Veronica’s incredible energy and leadership, the future is bright for everyone at Camp Funderblast. Equipped with the tools to help her grow, she looks forward to continuing to expand her camps to reach a wider community, welcome new campers and keep the positive mindset and energy work growing amongst the youth in her area.
See how you can run your camp smarter with tech and increase camper participation thanks to an eCommmerce platform!
