From Red Bull to the Backcountry: Why Sam Degenhard Left a Dream Job to Build the Next Great Outdoor Hospitality Brand

2025-03-18

What does it take to walk away from one of the coolest marketing jobs on the planet—at a company so many would kill to work for—to go sleep in the dirt and build an outdoor hospitality brand from scratch? Today’s guest, Sam Degenhard, did exactly that. After a decade at Red Bull, where he helped shape the world of action sports marketing, Sam traded corporate prestige for the unpredictable wilds of entrepreneurship. He founded Campfire Ranch, a next-gen hospitality brand designed for adventure-seekers who crave nature but don’t want to deal with the hea...

What does it take to walk away from one of the coolest marketing jobs on the planet—at a company so many would kill to work for—to go sleep in the dirt and build an outdoor hospitality brand from scratch?

Today’s guest, Sam Degenhard, did exactly that. After a decade at Red Bull, where he helped shape the world of action sports marketing, Sam traded corporate prestige for the unpredictable wilds of entrepreneurship. He founded Campfire Ranch, a next-gen hospitality brand designed for adventure-seekers who crave nature but don’t want to deal with the headaches of traditional camping.

In this episode, Sam takes us inside his journey from Red Bull to the backcountry, revealing:

What Red Bull gets right about branding and experiential marketing—and how he’s applying those lessons to hospitality
Why most campgrounds and outdoor stays are fundamentally broken—and how Campfire Ranch is fixing them
How building a brand as an op-co, while letting others own the real estate, allows for faster, more sustainable growth
Why today's outdoor traveler demands more than just a campsite, and how Campfire Ranch is redefining the experience

If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your passion into a business, building a hospitality brand with soul, or simply want to know what’s next in outdoor travel, this one’s for you.

Sam@campfireranch.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdegenhard/

www.CampfireRanch.co

https://www.instagram.com/campfire_ranch

Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.

Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

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