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I can't wait for you to meet my long-time friend, Jackie. We met back in 2009 in a personal development program called Samurai Camp. Neither of us would have imagined that either of us would be doing what we're doing outdoors now.
Jackie Banas had it all. A lucrative career in mortgage collection. A steady paycheck. Financial stability. And a slowly eroding soul.
Every day, she'd walk into her office, ready to face another barrage of heart-wrenching stories. Cancer diagnoses. Job losses. Family tragedies. All culminating in the same outcome: Jackie taking away people's homes.
It was soul-crushing work. Initially, Jackie tried to empathize...to care. But the constant onslaught of misery took its toll. She found herself becoming jaded and cynical - Doubting every story. It was easier to believe everyone was lying than to face the harsh reality of her job.
This wasn't the Jackie her friends and family knew. The high-energy, happy, trusting person was disappearing, replaced by someone she barely recognized in the mirror.
Something had to change.
Enter: a family vacation and a chance encounter with a campground owner. This woman seemed to have it all - a thriving business, time with her family, and a genuine smile. It was a stark contrast to Jackie's corporate grind.
The seed was planted. What if?
Fast forward, and Jackie, along with her then-husband, found themselves proud owners of a KOA campground. No experience. No clue. Just a burning desire for change and a willingness to leap into the unknown.
Talk about a career pivot.
Here's where Jackie's story gets interesting. And relevant for every entrepreneur out there.
Instead of trying to appeal to every Tom, Dick, and Harriet with a tent, Jackie zeroed in on a specific demographic: camping moms.
Why? Because she was one.
Remember that old adage about entrepreneurs solving problems they've experienced? Bingo. Jackie knew firsthand the challenges of camping with young kids. The exhaustion. The endless planning. The struggle to keep everyone entertained. The cold pool water turned excited kids into blue-lipped whiners within minutes.
She'd lived it. Now, she was determined to fix it.
Jackie's campground became a haven for tired moms everywhere. Heated pools. Safe playgrounds. Jumping pillows for different age groups. Every decision was made with the camping mom in mind.
The result? A campground that went from half-empty to bursting at the seams. Every. Single. Weekend.
But here's the kicker: Jackie didn't just create a successful business. She created a solution to a problem she intimately understood. A problem she'd lived through herself.
Jackie's success wasn't just about adding fancy amenities. It was about truly understanding her ideal customer.
She knew their pain points:
The exhaustion of constant kid-wrangling
The desire for a vacation that actually felt like a vacation
The need for safe, engaging activities for kids of all ages
She knew their desires:
A chance to relax
Quality family time
Memories that didn't involve tantrums and tears
And she tailored every aspect of her campground to meet these needs.
The lessons from Jackie's journey extend far beyond the realm of s'mores and sleeping bags.
Know Your Customer. Really know them. Live in their shoes. Understand their struggles, their desires, and their secret wishes. Then, build your business around solving their problems.
Solve a Problem You've Lived. Your experiences are your superpower. They give you insights no market research can match.
Don't Be Afraid to Pivot. Jackie went from foreclosing homes to creating family memories. Sometimes, the best path forward is a complete 180.
Details Matter. Heated pools. Age-appropriate play areas. These small touches made a big difference for Jackie's target customers.
Continuous Improvement. Jackie didn't stop innovating after initial success. She kept listening, learning, and improving.
Jackie Banas didn't just change careers. She changed lives - including her own.
By focusing on a specific customer - the camping mom - and dedicating herself to solving their problems, she created a thriving business. More importantly, she created a place where families could relax, bond, and create lasting memories.
Not bad for someone who started with zero camping industry experience.
So, the next time you're brainstorming business ideas, take a page from Jackie's book. Look at your own experiences. What problems have you faced? What solutions do you wish existed?
Your next big idea might be closer than you think. Maybe even as close as your last frustrating family vacation.
Here is the full link! From Mortgage Collector to Campground Queen: Jackie's KOA Campground Journey
That doesn't mean this area has to always be empty. When you start reviewing camping options, your history will display here to help compare sites and find the best stay. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account.
Make checkout easy by booking all your reservations at once. Add your sites from different campgrounds into your shopping cart* and then choose checkout.