162 | From “Covid Coma” to 67 RV Rental Locations (in 18 Months!) with Garr Russell

Summary:

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with Garr Russell — serial entrepreneur, author of My His-Story, and champion for Christian entrepreneurs. Garr’s journey from a failed anniversary trip to leading a 67-location RV rental franchise is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and faith-driven business.

Together, they dive deep into:

• How a failed RV weekend and a Craigslist ad revealed massive untapped demand.
• Why RV rentals are about much more than camping—serving as housing for utilities, insurance claims, and events.
• The bear-through-the-skylight moments that taught Garr how to turn repairs and insurance claims into profit centers.
• His Covid comeback: quitting drinking, reclaiming sales and marketing, and scaling from 12 to 67 locations in under two years.
• How his passive owner model creates income, depreciation, and personal-use flexibility for investors.
• The mindset that drives it all: “Life happens for us, not to us.”

🕒 Timestamps

00:45 – Launch-day vibes; intro to Garr

03:57 – The Craigslist “proof of demand” moment

06:52 – Non-tourist use cases: utilities, insurance housing, events

07:38 – Why franchise (legal & strategic); early network effects

09:21 – The hard parts: repairs, claims… and a bear story

12:09 – From passive to explosive growth; “Covid comeback”

15:29 – Where to find Garr + free books

16:01 – Passive RV owner program & depreciation benefits

17:07 – Question for next guest: “Where is your hope?”

17:37 – Setback → blessing: fired in 2007 for sharing faith → legal entrepreneurship path

19:19 – My His-Story and reframing “to me” into “for me”

20:56 – Practical hope building: inventory your past comebacks

22:39 – Why 20–25 minutes wins for podcasts/YouTube

💬 Pull Quotes

“Life happens for us, not to us.”

“Hope is never lost—stack the times you already made it through.”

“We’re not just ‘camping.’ We’re providing homes-on-wheels for dozens of real-world needs.”

🔗 Connect with Garr Russell

• Instagram: instagram.com/garrjrussell
• Facebook: facebook.com/garr.russell
• YouTube: youtube.com/@garrjrussell
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/garrrussell
• Website: garrrussell.com — books, podcast, and franchise info

Book Mentioned: My His-Story

Rodric’s Book Plug: 100% of proceeds from Million Dollar Flip Flops go to Send a Student Leader Abroad.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

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Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader...