More and more women are starting businesses in the United States every year and the RV, camping and outdoor industry is no exception. From show vendors and seminar speakers to campground owners and RV educational rally organizers, here are few examples of women entrepreneurs bringing value to the camping community.
RV Show Vendor: Holy City Suds
Ryan Dennis, Holy City Suds
RVs aren’t the only thing for sale at Good Sam RV Shows. In fact, many camping enthusiasts come for the vendor booths packed with camping gear, RV accessories, and anything else the discerning camper might need. This is where Ryan Dennis and Holy City Suds comes into play. Ryan has always enjoyed camping with her family and an RV show was a natural fit. She recently attended the Good Sam RV show in Greenville, South Carolina, to test some of her new products, including soaps that are a perfect fit for your camper’s bathroom.
Ryan, a stay-at-home mom to three beautiful children, started her business creating eco-friendly products to soothe eczema. She makes soaps, soaks and scrubs with organic oils and all-natural ingredients. Named after her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, nicknamed the Holy City, Ryan hopes her products capture the essence of the area.
Julie Chickery shares camping strategies at an RV event. Photo: Chickery’s Travels
RV Show Seminars: Chickery’s Travels
Julie Chickery has been living and traveling full-time with her husband in their fifth-wheel RV since 2014. After both serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, they knew they wanted to keep moving and experience even more of this beautiful nation. Julie manages an informational website, Chickery’s Travels, and shares her knowledge at Good Sam RV & Camping Shows around the nation. Her seminar topics include everything from how to choose the right RV to finding the best campgrounds and DIY RV maintenance tips.
Julie is passionate about RV travel and personal finance. She authored a book, “Full-Time RV Finance,” and shares her budgeting expertise with those interested in the full-time RV lifestyle at a variety of RV rallies and conferences throughout the year.
Full-Time Freedom Week founders (from left) Liz Wilcox, Julie Chickery, Lindsay McKenzie and Camille Attell
RV Education: Full-Time Freedom Week
Full-Time Freedom Week is an annual educational and inspirational event run by a partnership of four women entrepreneurs. Powerhouse RV bloggers Camille Attell of More Than a Wheelin’, Julie Chickery of Chickery’s Travels, Lindsay McKenzie of Follow Your Detour and Liz Wilcox of The Virtual Campground joined forces to create an annual mega-event that has both an online and in-person component. Their goal is to reach the greatest number of people and show them that the open road is for everyone.
More Than a Wheelin’ co-founder Camille Attell working in her RV.
Sponsored by Gander RV & Outdoors, the third-annual four-day mega event in November 2019 brought together more than 30 speakers to cover a full range of topics such as Building your RV Toolbox, Finding Community on the Road, DIY RV Solar, and even RVing Outside the Country. They are already planning Full-Time Freedom Week 2020 for the fall with an entirely new line-up of industry experts and speakers.
Photo: Thomas Galler
Campgrounds: 4 Paws Kingdom
Connie and Sandy are two more women entrepreneurs dedicated to the camping industry. They own and operate a pet retreat and camping oasis called 4 Paws Kingdom Campground and Dog Retreat. This one-of-a-kind campground is located in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, and is designed to cater to dogs. It is an adult-only RV resort with no breed restrictions that offers a fully fenced-in swimming pond, multiple off-leash play parks, an agility park, hiking trails, doggie bathhouse with grooming station and more.
Located in the scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, 4 Paws Kingdom is the first and only campground that expressly caters to canines and their adult human companions. Here, dogs come first and the owners are passionate about creating a true retreat for their fur babies!
Photo: Fishing-Spinners
Outdoor Gear Rental: Arrive
Want an outdoor experience, but aren’t ready to purchase all the gear? That’s where Arrive, an outdoor experience company comes in to save the day. Co-founded by woman entrepreneur Rachelle Snyder, she and her husband Ross Richmond wanted to make it easier to experience the joys of camping without the cost of purchasing all the required gear. They partner directly with premium outdoor gear brands and offer their gear for rent on the Arrive platform.
You simply visit the website, order the gear, and have it delivered to your home, hotel, vacation rental or any FedEx location near your destination. The best part is once your trip is complete, you ship it back with no storage, no washing and no hassle involved.