Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassie Young.
Cassie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My love of summer camp started at age 4 at the VNSO park, which happened to be my front yard growing up. I was a camper at the Parks & Recs camp until I was 12 and then worked my way from a CIT to Director, but never considered it would be my career. I studied Sociology and Education, eventually getting my Masters in Social Welfare at UCLA and starting on the path to work with foster youth. Instead, I started working in the private camp field as a director for about 7 years while quietly envisioning what my own “dream camp” would be. In 2015, while grieving a death in my family, I took the leap to starting Wildfolk. It was a labor of love initially that required me to work so many side hustles to stay afloat. But eventually, word of mouth spread, our camp grew, and I was able to solely focus on camp. We were event able to expand beyond our small West Hollywood camp and add-on a bigger camp in Valley Village– and I was able to hire on some year-round staff to help my tiny team of one.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We’ve had so many struggles along the way, including my own health crisis (a breast cancer diagnosis in 2019 that forced me to skip one camp season) and then the pandemic, which hit the camp industry hard that first summer. But through it all, our camp community has gotten stronger than ever. The joy it instills in campers and staff alike inspires me to persevere.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Camp Wildfolk is a child-centered day camp with two locations in Valley Village and West Hollywood. Wildfolk is project-based and truly unique- offering a balanced blend of structure and choice, with activities campers go wild for. The spirit infused throughout camp feels “old school,” yet grounded in a mindful and intentional way of supporting and guiding children. Camp Wildfolk’s caring, silly, and wildly fun Guides are often cited as the #1 reason campers return year after year.
They offer a variety of programs to tailor many age groups- all within each camp. Their main camp hosts 1st-7th graders with exciting electives and teambuilding opportunities. Their specialized Young Folks program for rising Pre-K, TK, and Kinders sells out early every year. The Guides-in-Training (GIT) program offers leadership opportunities for tweens and teens (7th-10th grade). And a few Adventure Camps provide big thrills for kids looking to go on awesome field trips! All of this from two convenient locations.
Wildfolk offers Winter, Spring, and Summer camps!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding a mentor and community in LA can be challenging, especially in a niche business and everyone being so busy. I sought guidance and support in unconventional ways- not necessarily from leaders in my own industry. Instead, I’ve connected with a circle of other women-identifying small business owners. We may not know the ins and outs of each other’s businesses exactly, but the core values are aligned. And if something doesn’t already exist, create it yourself!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.campwildfolk.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/campwildfolk
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/campwildfolk
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/camp-wildfolk-west-hollywood-west-hollywood
Image Credits
Camp Wildfolk
