# Firelight Camps

Luxurious, Stylish, and Social Glamping Experiences!

## Elevator pitch
Firelight Camps develops and operates luxury campgrounds that combine the best elements of a boutique hotel and a campground with plush beds, tended campfires, and resort amenities. Our pilot location in Ithaca has operated successfully for over seven years and our second location, planned for 80 tents, is under contract in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Firelight has been featured in 75+ press outlets including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Vogue Magazine.

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/firelight.camps
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:62060
- Last updated: 2026-06-07T05:02:08Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-08T01:45:04Z

## Quick facts
- 💰 $4M+ in revenue. 35,000+ happy guests. 4.5/5 stars on Tripadvisor.
- 💸 Raised $1.5M+ from industry-leading angel investors.
- 💪 Team experience includes $230M+ of real estate development.
- 🏕 35% Return on Cost in our pilot location proves the profitability of our business model.
- 🗞 Featured in Vogue, the NYT, the WSJ, Forbes, Architectural Digest, Curbed, Thrillist, Jetsetter.
- 📈 40M+ Americans go camping each year; glamping is projected to grow at 12.5% annually through 2026 to $5B+.
- 👩‍🍳 Co-founder’s cookbook “Feast by Firelight” nationally distributed in Target, REI, L.L.Bean, Orvis.
- 📊 2021 seasonal revenue +137% over 2020 as of June. 2020 revenue +31% over same period 2019.

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:35405: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)

## Story
Traditional camping is uncomfortable and a hassle. Firelight meets the enormous demand for an easy, luxurious way to spend the night outside in nature. We've proven our model with $4M+ in revenue at our pilot location and are poised for rapid growth.We have generated a 25% Return on Cost in our pilot camp in Ithaca, proving the exciting economics of our low development costs, strong rates, and robust demand.There is magic in waking up to birdsong and wind in the trees while snuggled in a plush bed. Our huge safari tents are perched atop hardwood platforms and set back in the woods around a central common area. Nightly campfires, a full bar program, locally-sourced breakfast, and onsite activities like wild foraging and yoga create an immersive, social experience. Now more than ever, Americans want to escape to the outdoors—and that isn’t changing any time soon. The glamping industry is projected to grow at 12.5% annually through 2026 to $5B+, and we’re poised for success in this growing market.Our executive team has deep experience in real estate development, the glamping industry, hotel operations, and F&B. More importantly, we're passionate about what we do. Firelight has been featured by press outlets including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Vogue Magazine, and more.We get more people outside, encourage reverence for nature, and serve as an example of light-footprint development. Our camps pioneer low-impact infrastructure and natural landscaping that helps sustain rural and wild properties while providing guests with opportunities to explore the natural beauty of their surroundings. We believe there is a place for a firelight camp in the weekend getaway markets of nearly every major city in the USA. We’ve proven our model with 35% Return on Cost in our pilot location, and we’re confident that we can continue to grow and make Firelight Camps a household name. Our second location, Firelight Phoenicia in New York state, is already in the planning stages! And your investment will help us make it a reality. Take a look:Everyone should experience the timeless traditions of gathering around a campfire and sleeping under the stars… and truly connect with themselves, each other, and nature. Help us make this possible!Check out our IG Live with Wefunder's Joy Li in their Sustainability Series:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CRXBgnLpmSS/!

## FAQ
1. **How has the pandemic affected your business?**
   - Hi Judah - thank you for reaching out. We saw a huge increase in demand this season due to the pandemic; people are eager to get out of the city and view an airy tent as a safer lodging option than a traditional hotel room. While our occupancy has always been strong, we saw a huge bump this year from 69% in 2019 to 94% this season 2020. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions! Cheers.
2. **"Over the three months prior, revenues averaged $192,366.38/month, cost of goods sold has averaged $4,781.96/month, and operational expenses have averaged $63,901.21/month." How are your yearly net loses so high if your monthly margins are so high? something isn't adding up**
   - Hi Nate - thanks for reaching out! Last year we made the difficult decision to abandon a proposed project in Sullivan County, NY on which we had been working for nearly two years. The write-off of the engineering, architecture, legal, and other pre-development expenses for this project constituted the bulk of our 2019 loss. In other words, we are operationally profitable in our Firelight Ithaca location, but we spend over and above those profits in our expansion efforts and the overhead ...
3. **Got it, thank you for the quick response Robert. One additional question after reviewing your financials-- what is rooms expense? Everything else looks solid!**
   - Hi Nate - rooms expenses include everything in the rooms department, the largest expense being labor including housekeeping and front desk. Also included are laundry, guest supplies, operating supplies, etc. Thanks.
4. **Robert I think it's a great business idea and I like that your first glampground is already operational and profitable. I just have two sets of questions for you: 1. Why did you choose to abandon the Sullivan County project? Could similar circumstances result in the company ab...**
   - The primary factors that led us to abandon our Sullivan County project were related to the permitting process and site infrastructure complications. We have indeed learned a lot from that experience, and as a result we are less likely to have those specific issues on the projects that are now in our pipeline, like Firelight Phoenicia. That said, permitting and infrastructure feasibility, particularly with respect to water supply and wastewater, are often unknowns in the early stages of the de...
5. **It seems you are raising over $6mm for the Phoenicia location. Are there individual investors in each Underlying project and Firelight develops and operates each site?**
   - Hi Ethan - thanks for reaching out. We expect our phase 1 budget for our Phoenicia project to be $6.6m. We intend to fund internally about 10% of that budget, and also have $350K in debt in place, so we will be on the market for roughly $5.5M in equity once the project is fully ready to go under construction, which we anticipate to be this spring. You are correct about the structure; we expect each new property like Firelight Phoenicia will have additional equity investors, and our compa...

## Team
- Robert Frisch (Co-Founder and CEO)
- Matthew Moss (Chief Development Officer)
- Emma Frisch (Co-founder and Head of Food, Beverage, and Brand)
- Jason Smith (General Manager, Firelight Ithaca)

## Recent posts
- Thank you! (2021-09-14T14:11:08Z)
- CAMPAIGN CLOSING TODAY AT 11PM ET! (2021-09-06T13:44:06Z)
- $500k milestone reached! Instagram Live investor Q&A today at 4pm ET. (2021-09-02T17:35:18Z)
- One Week Countdown! (2021-08-30T19:28:55Z)
- New lobby rendering for Firelight Phoenicia! (2021-07-27T20:48:35Z)
- Feast by Firelight now in REI stores nation-wide! (2021-06-25T17:12:39Z)
- 2021: Firelight's strongest season yet! (2021-06-17T21:33:48Z)
- BIG news about Firelight Phoenicia! (2021-06-11T19:12:03Z)
- Firelight Camps on Cheddar's 'Opening Bell' program! (2021-03-29T17:02:31Z)
- Bobby's update March 4th (2021-03-04T17:50:53Z)
- I've been getting a lot of questions about our growth plans - see below for a slide that explains our strategy! (2021-02-26T17:29:16Z)
- We are featured on the front cover of the International Glamping Business Magazine! Thanks for the coverage and we are honored. (2021-02-11T20:33:44Z)
- Bobby's update #2. Happy holidays and 2020 numbers! (2020-12-23T17:49:58Z)
- Feast by Firelight featured by the Parks Project! (2020-12-02T21:07:19Z)
- Site plan for Firelight Phoenicia (2020-11-19T22:16:59Z)

## Q&A
- Q: Robert I think it's a great business idea and I like that your first glampground is already operational and profitable. I just have two sets of questions for you: 1. Why did you choose to abandon the Sullivan County project? Could similar circumstances result in the company abandoning another potential glampsite in the future, or were there lessons learned that would reduce the likelihood of abandoning a potential future project? If you are unable to or prefer not to get into the details, it would be helpful to understand your process for evaluating and undertaking potential new projects. 2. In what way to do see investors generating a return on their investment? It sounds like you and your group are passionate about the business, so I would guess that you aren't planning to sell the company, at least not for a very long time. I would guess then that you are planning to pay dividends on the preferred stock at some point in the future. If my guess about the dividends is not correct, could you please indicate what you perceive the potential exit strategies to be? If I am right about the dividends, when do you think the company might pay them? (How many profitable glampsites would have to be up and running and how many years do you think that might take?) Thank you for your attention and assistance with my questions.
  - A: The primary factors that led us to abandon our Sullivan County project were related to the permitting process and site infrastructure complications. We have indeed learned a lot from that experience, and as a result we are less likely to have those specific issues on the projects that are now in our pipeline, like Firelight Phoenicia. That said, permitting and infrastructure feasibility, particularly with respect to water supply and wastewater, are often unknowns in the early stages of the development process and initial new-project expenditures remain risky. Focusing on existing campgrounds, like the one we are in contract to purchase for Firelight Phoenicia, and projects that connect to town water and sewer, like another project in our pipeline, will help mitigate these risks.You are correct to say that we do not have any plans to sell our company in the near term, but a sale is possible in the medium or long term. Such a sale could be made to a traditional hotel company, a glamping competitor, or a real estate firm or fund - there really is no established path in our new segment of the hospitality world. Although our management business should be profitable very quickly, we expect to reinvest in our real estate / development growth and in building out our team for the next several years and see dividends as unlikely in that timeframe. We think the first dividends might be paid in about four years, but the large dividends are more likely to be triggered by the sale (or refinancing) of an individual project (hopefully with Firelight retaining the management contract) than by hitting a threshold number of sites - and we expect such an event could happen starting in about five years. Thank you for the question and please let me know if I can answer anything else for you! Cheers.
- Q: Hi what is the exit strategy for investors? How can I receive a return on my investment?
  - A: Hi Raymond; thanks for reaching out! We can't guarantee a return on your investment... that said, we expect to be a good target for acquisition by a larger hospitality firm, a real estate group, or a private equity company once we have multiple properties open and operating. Another strategy that could produce a substantial return on your investment would be the sale or refinancing of individual properties, rather than the whole company. In that scenario, our intention is that Firelight Camps would retain a long term management contract on each property, even after a change in ownership. Lastly, at some future point we may begin distributing dividends to investors. Thanks and please let me know if you have any other questions!
- Q: Got it, thank you for the quick response Robert. One additional question after reviewing your financials-- what is rooms expense? Everything else looks solid!
  - A: Hi Nate - rooms expenses include everything in the rooms department, the largest expense being labor including housekeeping and front desk. Also included are laundry, guest supplies, operating supplies, etc. Thanks.
- Q: can you provide a copy of the audited financial statements?
  - A: Hi Larry, thanks for reaching out. There is a link to download the financials at the bottom of the 'financials' section on our campaign page, just above where it says 'risks'. Please feel free to reach out directly with any more questions once you have had a chance to review: Bobby@firelightcamps.com. Thanks.
- Q: How has the pandemic affected your business?
  - A: Hi Judah - thank you for reaching out. We saw a huge increase in demand this season due to the pandemic; people are eager to get out of the city and view an airy tent as a safer lodging option than a traditional hotel room. While our occupancy has always been strong, we saw a huge bump this year from 69% in 2019 to 94% this season 2020. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions! Cheers.
- Q: Robert & Emma, I really love what you guys are doing with Firelight Camps. I’m going to invest in your company based on your idea, current traction and long-term potential as well. I’d be very interested in helping you secure more camp sites nationwide & globally. I’m already helping dozens of developers with financing of these similar land projects. Do you plan on buying more land in multiple camps? Or do some sort of franchise licensing? Both would be profitable. 😍😍💪💪🤑🤑🙏🏻🙏🏻 #MoneyNeverSleeps
  - A: Hi Sean, thank you for your kind words and vote of confidence! Yes, we do plan to expand our brand through the US, mainly through purchasing or leasing properties. We may consider a franchising structure at some point in the future, but that is not our current focus. Thanks again and feel free to reach out directly: bobby@firelightcamps.com. Cheers.
- Q: How do I know my investment went through ? I did not receive any confirmation and the money hasn’t been withdrawn from my account
  - A: Hi Anne Marie - you should have at least received an email confirmation from Wefunder. If you didn’t, please try to go through the prompts again. Thank you!
- Q: Do you plan to look at building sites in the Northwest?
  - A: Hi Dona, thanks for your question. Right now we are focused on growing regionally here on the east coast. Building out our team and maintaining service quality at each location will be smoother with a regional expansion, but once we have a larger company we will certainly look to expand to other regions, including the Northwest! Thanks, Bobby
- Q: I have been trying to invest but not sure how? Is there anyone who can assist?
  - A: Hi Barbara - I see that your investment has come through, so I think you figured it out, but if not, just go to www.wefunder.com/firelightcamps and click on the 'INVEST' button on the right hand side, then follow the prompts. THANK YOU for investing and please let me know of any other questions! Cheers, Bobby
- Q: What is the 2020 revenue and profit/loss?
  - A: Hi Andras, Thanks for your question. Our Firelight Ithaca location had revenues of $834k in 2020, up from $731k in 2019. The EBITDA for Firelight Ithaca in 2020 was $244k, up from $119k in 2019. If you subtract out our $40k PPP loan, our 2020 EBITDA was $204k. Luxury Camping Inc., which employs our small corporate team and is working to expand the company, had no revenues in 2020 as in 2019, and had an EBITDA of -$147k in 2020, or -$199k if you subtract a $52k PPP loan. This compares to a 2019 EBITDA of -$228k. We also made development expenses for our Firelight Phoenicia project in 2020 as well as in another east-coast location. Those expenses are currently being booked as investments into those properties. Thanks and please let me know of any other questions! Cheers, Bobby
- Q: Hi there, really cool what you guys have achieved so far, congratulations. Keep it up :) I’ve got two questions I am hoping you could help me better understand. 1) you seen to have several comapatiënten set up. How does that structure work? Is it an OpCo/PropCo set up on each location and you pay the OpCo an annual management fee for managing the operations? 2) could you please walk me through how you have derived at the pre-money valuation of USD 8m. Many thanks and good luck :)
  - A: Hi Reinier, Thanks for the questions and for the words of confidence! 1) Yes, you are correct regarding our company structure following an OpCo/PropCo model. Your investment in this Wefunder round would be in Luxury Camping Inc. (“LCI”), our top line entity and operating company (OpCo). LCI currently owns the Firelight brand, our Ithaca operation, and Firelight Properties (our development company). We expect LCI to own a stake in each future location and to earn fees from each future location including development fees, management fees, and marketing fees. LCI will likely also earn a 'promoted interest' in each future location, allowing LCI to potentially share in the profits of the PropCo. 2) We considered a number of factors when setting our valuation for this equity crowdfunding round. Firstly, we used our last priced equity round as a starting point; we raised about $500K in August of 2018 from 17 accredited investors. Since then, our Ithaca operation continues to perform better and better each season, our pipeline of opportunities for future locations continues to expand, and the glamping industry in general has continued to perform very well. In addition, our second location is now under contract and under development. With those factors in mind, we negotiated a valuation first with our existing 17 investors, who were the first to commit funds for this equity crowdfunding round. Once we had initial commitments from those investors, we had confidence that we could be successful with the valuation you see on our campaign page. Please let me know of any other questions! Cheers, Bobby
- Q: How do you feel about AutoCamp launching a Catskills location in 2022? What separates the Firelight experience from the AutoCamp experience?
  - A: Hi Rob, thank you for your question. AutoCamp’s selection of a site in the Catskills, about 30 minutes from our site in Phoenicia, is a validation of the incredible demand for glamping in that market. With over 27 million people within a ~2.5 hour drive, there is more than enough demand to support both projects, and in fact, there are a number of other exciting boutique hotels and new restaurants in development in close proximity to our site. All this development will further cement the area as a desirable destination, and will also create a more vibrant and active labor market for the local hospitality industry, benefitting our project. The Firelight experience is centered around our huge, beautiful safari tents immersed in nature, while AutoCamp is all about airstreams. We think the retro and metallic look of the airstreams is cool too, but we love the magic of waking up under flowing canvas painted with the silhouettes of leaves. Our tents are much larger, as we are not limited to the footprint of a road-equipped chassis on wheels, and they are more private, with far more space between them. The Firelight Phoenicia social experience centers around our bar, inspired food program, and communal campfires, and our project is on riverfront property, with over a half mile of frontage on the Esopus, a wide, fast-flowing, fly-fishing river. Thanks again for the question!
- Q: I hope this finds you well. I have a few questions. 1. You are based in Upstate NY, is it safe to assume the season is ~7 months or are there all-season accomodations? If the season is limited, is looking at locations that can provide full year camping a priority? 2. Looking ahead, is Firelight going to focus on the campground site accomodations or will surrounding natural(ish) experiences be a requirement for future sites? 3. What is the industry standard for leases? Thank you and good luck with the raise.
  - A: Hi Eric, thank you for reaching out and for the thoughtful questions. 1. Regarding seasonality, our Ithaca location and forthcoming Phoenicia location are both seasonal, and have roughly 6-month seasons. This is due to weather, local laws surrounding campgrounds, and also seasonal demand levels. Looking forward, expanding to locations where we can operate with a longer season is certainly a benefit, and yes, we are starting to set our sights southwards for that reason. That said, we know we are able to establish successful locations even with a 6-month season, and see incredible unmet demand in the northeast. 2. We focus both on the onsite accommodations and on how the site as a whole fits within the local ecosystem. Having access to beautiful natural outdoor activities is key to the Firelight experience, and that is a main criteria we look at when evaluating new locations. 3. The glamping industry is still in its infancy, and therefore there are not yet any established standards when it comes to land leases. Thank you and please let me know of any other questions! Cheers.
- Q: I am a big fan of glamping and the Firelight Camp in Ithaca. My question is how was the company valued at 8 million before We Funder investments?
  - A: Hi Amy,Thanks for the question and thank you for all of your support and promotion of Firelight over the years!We considered a number of factors when setting our valuation for this equity crowdfunding round. Firstly, we used our last priced equity round as a starting point; we raised about $500K in August of 2018 from 17 accredited investors. Since then, our Ithaca operation continues to perform better and better each season, our pipeline of opportunities for future locations continues to expand, and the glamping industry in general has continued to perform very well. In addition, our second location is now under contract and under development.With those factors in mind, we negotiated a valuation first with our existing 17 investors, who were the first to commit funds for this equity crowdfunding round. Once we had initial commitments from those investors, we had confidence that we could be successful with the valuation you see on our campaign page.Please let me know of any other questions!Cheers,Bobby
- Q: Also how many sites are currently up and running?
  - A: Hi Joe, Currently Firelight Ithaca is our only operating location. Thanks, Bobby