Rebuilding Connections: My First Visit to nuCamp

I drove out to Sugarcreek, Ohio—Amish country—to visit the folks at nuCamp. If you’ve spent any time in the RV world, you’ve probably heard of them. They’re the ones behind the iconic T@B teardrop trailers, and let me tell you: their craftsmanship is no joke.

This wasn’t just a factory tour. This was a meeting that’s been a long time coming.

The Backstory

A while back, Isabella manufactured a couple of awnings for nuCamp’s teardrop trailers. It was a solid product. But somewhere along the way, as we relied on an importer to represent our brand in the U.S., the relationship with nuCamp faded. No hard feelings—just a gap in communication and alignment.

Meanwhile, nuCamp kept doing what great brands do: evolving. Their trailers changed, but our products didn’t keep up. The result? Incompatibility. We weren’t showing up for their customers the way we could have.

Why I Made the Trip

When we talk about “building Isabella USA,” it’s not just about marketing or logistics or SKU counts—it’s about relationships. It’s about sitting across the table from a partner and asking, “How do we make this better—for you, for us, and for the customer?”

That’s what this trip was about.

My goal was simple: Get their updated trailer design files so our team in Denmark could start building products that actually fit today’s T@Bs.

And I’m happy to say: Mission accomplished. They agreed to send the files before I even left the building.

A Small Fail, But a Win Overall

I also brought along an awning that we recently updated for a similar model in Europe. I thought, maybe, just maybe,we’d get lucky with a test fit. But in true product development fashion, we opened the box and—surprise—a part was missing. Classic.

We weren’t able to do a full fit test, and I had to take a slight hit to my pride; but they shrugged it off with me.

The Bigger Picture

Walking through nuCamp’s facility, I was struck by how much pride goes into every trailer they build. From the woodshop to final inspection, it’s clear these folks care deeply about quality. That’s something we have in common.

This visit was a reminder that business—at least the kind I want to build—isn’t just transactional. It’s human. It’s about showing up. Listening. Asking the right questions. And when things go quiet for a while, being the one to restart the conversation.

This is what building Isabella USA looks like.

More updates soon. For now, the design team has what they need—and we’re back in the game.

Feel free