Hume Christian Camps & Retreats
From Fragmented Marketing to Measurable Growth
When Brian Mount became COO of Hume Christian Camps in 2020, he faced a familiar challenge: too many marketing activities without a unified strategy, and a property that was consistently running in the red. Hume New England, the ministry’s East Coast camp, had been struggling even before COVID. As a new leader, Brian knew he needed results, not just ideas.
“It felt like the old saying—we were doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We had lots of activities, but no real plan,” Brian recalls.
Hume’s previous consultant offered good brainstorming but no execution, and lacked the camp background Brian considered essential. What he wanted was a full-featured marketing partner who could bring both strategy and execution, while being held accountable for results.
Strategic Partnership with Inspiring Growth
Brian turned to Inspiring Growth. He already knew Mark P. Fisher, and their relationship was the catalyst for launching the partnership. Mark and his team focused first on Hume New England, introducing a dedicated virtual sales professional who specialized in camp bookings. They shifted the sales structure from salary to incentive-based pay, ensuring accountability and results.
“Every decision Inspiring Growth made was intentional and strategic. Not just activity for activity’s sake,” Brian explains. “I could hold them accountable, and that was a big value add.”
The results came quickly. Guest group sales at Hume New England jumped from $523,214 in 2021 to $1.2 million in 2023 and to $1,475,000 by 2025. The camp that once struggled in the red found new traction and financial stability.
Beyond New England: California Expansion
The turnaround in New England was so profound that Hume expanded Inspiring Growth’s scope to include its California ministries. While Hume’s West Coast camps already had strong demand, Brian saw an opportunity to modernize their marketing approach and extend the impact to Hume’s Joshua Wilderness Institute, a 9-month gap year program for college-aged students focused on discipleship and leadership.
Inspiring Growth’s projects included:
Virtual Sales Support
implementing a proven process to strengthen group bookings.
Meta and Google Ads
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Improving organic visibility so churches and families could easily find Hume online.
Google Grant Management
Joshua Wilderness Institute Campaigns
Inspiring Growth rebranded the Joshua logo, rebuilt Joshua’s website, and ran an email campaign for the Joshua program. These efforts helped maximize enrollment to a full class of 50 students for the 2025/26 program.
Emmanuel Pines Virtual Tour
Joshua Wilderness Institute at Hume Lake Rebrand
Building Trust and Capacity
As a new COO, Brian faced skepticism from staff members in New England, especially when introducing an outside team. But Mark bridged the gap by being present at Hume New England, walking the property, meeting with staff, and demonstrating that Inspiring Growth wasn’t just an agency at arm’s length.
“Mark was present, real, and invested. That made all the difference with our team,” Brian shares.
At the same time, Inspiring Growth invested in teaching and equipping Hume’s internal marketing staff, ensuring that capacity and skills grew inside the organization. “Our people grew in their internal marketing capabilities because of IG’s commitment to teaching alongside execution,” Brian explains.
A Sustainable Philosophy
For Brian, one of the most refreshing aspects of working with Inspiring Growth was their commitment to sustainability.
This wasn’t a vendor looking to stay on retainer forever. It was a partner committed to building a sound marketing strategy for growth. “They’ll be with you as long as you need them, and when you don’t, they’ll wrap things up. I love that philosophy,” Brian explains.
That approach gave him confidence that every dollar spent was an investment, not an expense.
The Inspiring Growth team delivered results, taught Hume’s staff new skills, and positioned them to carry the momentum forward.
Looking back, Brian considers the decision to bring on Inspiring Growth one of the strongest leadership moves of his tenure. What started as a risky step for a struggling property turned into a lasting framework of strategy, accountability, and personal service.
A model that not only stabilized Hume New England but also influenced how Hume approached growth across its entire ministry.
Key Takeaways
SERVICES
- Executive Coaching
- Website Redesign
- Email Marketing
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Google Ads
- Meta Ads
Today, Hume Christian Camps is thriving with stronger systems, measurable growth, and modernized marketing.
New England achieved a complete financial turnaround, and California is now leveraging professional marketing strategies that align with its reputation and reach.
Hume’s story demonstrates the power of data-driven marketing paired with personal presence: the right partner can transform not only results, but also trust, culture, and capacity.