When networking is all fun and games
Sleepaway camp is trending for savvy professionals
TWO summers ago, Gary Nealon decided to attend Camp Maverick in the Berkshire mountains of Kent, Conn., purely out of curiosity.
“I didn’t go to camp as a child,” says the entrepreneur and owner of RTA Cabinet Store. “This is my adult version.”
Amid an agenda full of roasted marshmallows, tightrope walking, early morning yoga and a human version of Hungry Hungry Hippos, the Battery Park City resident attended seminars taught by “camp counselors” consisting of thought leaders, business owners, authors and experts. Subjects included financing startups, online advertising and travel safety, led by a former CIA agent.
Heading into his third camp this month, Nealon explains that “a few years ago I met somebody who ended up being a very good friend. He was a speaker, we hung out, bonded over beer and stayed in touch ever since.”
Nealon says that as an entrepreneur it can feel somewhat isolating, and the opportunity to learn from experts who’ve been there, done that makes it worthwhile.
“Instead of sitting in a hotel [at a conference] in Las Vegas, this seems different. It’s laid back, you still learn something, you get great speakers and people’s guards are down more,” he says.
His only gripe? “It could last an extra day or so with that many good speakers. I always take something out of each session. And it’s also about the fun side of it, like a ‘Gong Show.’ Get- ting into that child side of your personality and letting loose instead of being uptight business people.”
Camp founder Yanik Silver says that’s the whole point of the annual experience. “You get to know these people [in a way] that’s so different from a traditional conference,” he says.
The concept is based on Maverick1000, a highperforming entrepreneurial group he launched 10 years ago. “We create ‘sandboxes’ for entrepreneurs and thought leaders — grow yourself, grow your business, make a difference in the world and have fun.”
The camp itself is by no means rustic, with air-conditioned cabins, maid service and catered food provided by culinary academy students. And it’s not cheap. The cost for three nights is $4,495, and is limited to the approximately 175 entrepreneurs who make up the Maverick community. Members of the general public can apply and get admitted “based on what you bring to the campfire,” Silver says.
At camp, you can choose your own adventure, he adds. On tap this year? Creepy circus soirée. “We’ll do things to break people out of their comfort zone.”
This includes encouragement to go tech-free. Campers can drop off their phones and wear a badge stating “me no phony.” This also entitles them to receive clues he calls “Easter eggs” — namely directions to water guns hidden in the forest with which to blast other campers.
Chris Kuenne, co-author of “Built for Growth” (Harvard Business Review Press, out now), says truly unplugging is important to get the most out of the experience. “Sure, you’ll suffer a bit of withdrawal, but if you merely change your location and remain in the thick of the battle via your iPhone, you have missed the point.”
Plus, camp is beneficial when it’s not just another thing on your to-do list, notes Hugh Blane, author of “7 Principles of Transformational Leadership” (Career Press, out now).
“It’s primarily about pulling away from the highly scheduled and stressful day-to-day.”
Bianca Posterli, a senior social strategist at Twitter, enjoys escaping the daily grind at Camp No Counselors in the Adirondacks. The camp’s open to everyone and the campers have an average age of 30.
The Union Square resident says: “The moment I went to camp, I had a new set of friends.” The friendships continued back in New York. “We started a monthly breakfast before work to keep each other accountable for goals and projects, professional or personal interests,” she says.
Adam Tichauer originally created Camp No Counselors to disconnect from work and reconnect with his best friend. Now he has sites throughout the US and Canada and about 250 campers paying up to $699 each for a four-day event, which run throughout the year. The camp enables adults to create genuine friendships through shared experiences.
“Do we like the same activities? Do we have a shared experience with tug of war? If you can start a relationship from genuine fundamentals, it’s so much easier creating a business relationship out of that rather than ‘Oh, he works in X, he can probably help me,’ ” says Tichauer.