Husband and Wife Veterans Open Successful Camper Connection Branch

When Dathan Black returned from South Korea to the United States, it didn’t take long before he began camping in the Smokey Mountains near his home base in Huntsville, Alabama.

After serving his country for 10 years as a firefighter and in the US Air Force, an injury led to his honorable discharge and Dathan began serving as a civilian Assistant Fire Chief at USAG Redstone Arsenal, also known as the birthplace of NASA. With the surrounding Smokey and Telledega Mountains within easy reach, the Blacks purchased a pop-up camper in 2013 and discovered the fun of camping in beautiful Northern Alabama and neighboring Tennessee.

After moving up to a larger camper, Dathan and his wife, Billy, also a US military veteran, traded up and purchased a 37-foot 2018 Cherokee Grey Wolf for the family of five.

“Our kids were at the right ages to really enjoy camping,” said Dathan.

After purchasing the new trailer, Dathan discovered that people were renting out their campers and making enough money to pay them off. Some even bought second campers and grew their fleet to add additional income sources.

While researching camper rental on sites such as Outdoorsy and RVShare, Dathan crossed paths with Garr Russell, founder of The Camper Connection. Dathan had been asking questions and finding answers in RV Facebook groups, where he and Garr discovered they had much in common.

When Garr asked if he wanted to start a local branch of The Camper Connection, Dathan jumped at the opportunity.

“I knew right away that Garr was someone I wanted to work with,” said Dathan. “We had a lot of the same beliefs and ideas.”

Dathan had been looking for an interesting side hustle when the opportunity presented itself. With some of the country’s most beautiful state parks and campgrounds within easy reach, Dathan and Billy began their branch in their hometown of Huntsville, Alabama.

Located near the Tennessee border, the area has several gorgeous state parks. Dathan and Billy had been camping at several for years, including Rock Island State Park and Fall Creek Falls. While camping, The Black family regularly enjoyed outdoor activities such as kayaking, fishing, and much more.

Today, Dathan and Billy work together to run the Huntsville branch of The Camper Connection. Although Billy, a stay-at-home Mom, handles much of the advertising and administrative requirements, she also helps with driving and cleaning. The Blacks try to cover as much of the work themselves to keep costs down for the RV owners in their care.

When they aren’t helping other camper owners, Dathan, Billy, and their three kids spend time camping themselves. Their camper also serves as a rolling hotel room while their two daughters play volleyball at away games.

For many people, camping is a weekend activity and not much more. However, as Camper Connection branch operators, Dathan Black and his wife Billy spend most days doing what they love.

Whether you are a new camper owner, someone with business experience, or just looking for a great way to make some extra income, the camper rental business could be just what you’re looking for. To find out more, contact Garr Russell’s team at The Camper Connection today and become part of one of the fastest-growing business opportunities today.