Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Nhi Pham.
Hi Kate Nhi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My Story — From Burned Out Pharmacist to Building My Own Empire
For over a decade, I worked as a pharmacist and pharmacy manager. It was a respected, stable career — the kind of job people work their whole lives to get. But behind the counter, day after day, I felt burned out, exhausted, and unappreciated. I was working long hours, dealing with constant pressure, and building a life that didn’t feel like my own.
As a retail pharmacy manager for Walmart, I was very good at what I did. I especially excelled at immunizations. Our store in Burton, Michigan became known regionally and even nationally within the company as one of the top performing stores for immunizations. I worked incredibly hard. I would even skip my lunch breaks just to get permission to give more vaccines because I cared about doing a good job and helping as many people as I could.
I was amazing at what I did.
But no matter how hard I worked, I was still just a number.
That realization slowly changed me.
When my son was two years old, I started thinking differently about my life and my time. I was driving one hour to work and one hour back every day. That was two hours a day I would never get back. And I realized something:
I didn’t just want more money. I wanted time freedom.
I wanted to be there while he was little.
I wanted to build something for my family.
I wanted to work for my last name, not someone else’s.
So I made a decision that a lot of people didn’t understand.
My decision was doubted and judged — even by my own friends and family. People told me I was crazy. They told me I was dumb for leaving such a prestigious pharmacy career to become “some sort of carpenter” and “change people’s bedsheets.”
But what they didn’t see was the bigger picture.
I wasn’t trying to become a carpenter. I was trying to become free.
During this time, I slowly started drafting my dream. I had a vision of a beautiful place filled with domes where people could escape, relax, and watch the stars from their beds. A place with hot tubs, nature all around, peaceful and quiet — but still only minutes away from town and conveniences. A place where people could disconnect from the busy world and reconnect with each other.
That dream would later become Dome Haven.
I didn’t start completely from nothing — I bought a dome plan. But a plan on paper and building something in real life are two very different things. I’ve always been very good with my hands, and I’ve always loved puzzles and problem solving. Building that first dome was like one giant puzzle that I had to figure out piece by piece.
I built my very first dome in my backyard, and it took 2.5 months to finish. That first dome was my prototype — my test, my learning experience. I made mistakes, redid things, and learned everything through trial and error. Today, that very first dome still stands, but now it serves as my pool house — a reminder of where this entire journey started.
When I first started building the campground, I was working endless hours, literally building it from the ground up, while also working my new job from home as a prior authorization pharmacist. That job was extremely monotonous, but more than that, it was discouraging. Every day, I had to review cases and deny people coverage for medications they truly needed — sometimes life-saving medications.
One day, a coworker told me something that I will never forget:
“We are in this profession to deny people, not approve them.”
I remember feeling completely distraught hearing that. I went into healthcare to help people — not to spend my days finding reasons why they couldn’t get the help they needed. That was the moment I knew deep down:
This career was not for me anymore.
To build this business, I took huge risks. I sold off my rental properties, took on large debts, and put everything I had into this vision. It was terrifying. There were moments of doubt and sleepless nights. But I had a vision, and more importantly, I had a very strong belief that I would make it.
And that belief carried me through the hardest days.
After 1.5 years of operating, something incredible happened —
the dome income exceeded my pharmacist salary.
Not long after that, when United Healthcare decided to terminate my contract, I took it as a sign. The career I once loved had changed, and I had changed too.
So I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.
I decided it was time to retire from the career I once loved and focus 200% on my own dream.
What started as one dome in my backyard slowly turned into more domes… then land… then a campground… then a business… then a brand.
Somewhere along the way, I realized:
I wasn’t just building domes. I was building a life with freedom.
I traded a 2-hour commute for mornings outside.
I traded corporate pressure for building something with my own two hands.
I traded burnout for bonfires and starlit nights.
I traded building someone else’s company for building my own.
Sometimes I regret not starting sooner. I regret not believing in my vision earlier. But everything I went through — the burnout, the long hours, the risk, the doubt — it all led me here.
And now, when guests come to stay in the domes, sit by the fire, relax in the hot tub, and look up at the stars — I know I built this place. I created a place where people come to rest, reconnect, and make memories.
And that is something no job title could ever give me.
This isn’t just a campground.
This is my freedom.
This is my empire.
This is Dome Haven.
And this is only the beginning.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building Dome Haven was not a smooth or easy journey. In fact, there were many times when I wondered if I had made the biggest mistake of my life.
I took on huge financial risk. I sold off my rental properties and took on large debts to build something that, at the time, was just an idea in my head. There was no guarantee it would work. There were nights I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about loans, bills, construction costs, and whether or not anyone would even book a dome.
I was working two jobs while building the campground — working from home as a prior authorization pharmacist during the day, and then working outside building, hauling materials, solving problems, and figuring things out until it got dark. There were many days I was physically exhausted and mentally drained, but I kept going because I believed in what I was building.
There were also a lot of things I had to learn the hard way.
Things broke.
Materials were wrong.
Weather didn’t cooperate.
Projects took longer than expected.
Everything cost more than I planned.
And there was always another problem to solve.
People see the finished domes now, but they didn’t see the mud, the mistakes, the stress, the fear, and the endless to-do lists in the beginning.
There were moments when people doubted me, and if I’m being honest, there were moments when I doubted myself too. When bookings were slow in the beginning, I wondered if I had made a huge financial mistake. When unexpected expenses came up, I felt overwhelmed. When I was out there working alone, tired and sore, I questioned how much more I could handle.
But every time something went wrong, I treated it like a problem to solve — like a puzzle. And I just kept moving forward, one problem at a time, one dome at a time, one improvement at a time.
What people don’t understand is that when you build something like this, you are not just investing money — you are investing your time, your energy, your sleep, your comfort, and sometimes your sanity.
There were no guarantees.
No safety net.
No one telling me what to do next.
Just a vision, a lot of risk, and a decision to not quit.
The first year was the hardest. The second year was still hard, but I started to see that maybe — just maybe — this crazy idea might actually work.
And when the income from the domes finally exceeded my pharmacist salary after 1.5 years, that was the moment I knew all the risk, all the doubt, all the long days, and all the sleepless nights were worth it.
Because the biggest thing I gained was not just income.
It was freedom.
As you know, we’re big fans of Dome Haven Campground LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Please tell us more about your business or organization. What should we know?
I am the owner and founder of Dome Haven Glamping, a luxury glamping campground near Lake Michigan. We offer private geodesic dome stays that combine nature with comfort — what I like to call “camping without sacrificing comfort.” Each dome includes cozy beds, heat, air conditioning, private hot tubs, fire pits, and a peaceful outdoor setting where guests can relax, unplug, and reconnect with nature and each other.
Dome Haven was built to be an escape from busy life. Many of our guests come to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, engagements, or just to get away from the city and slow down for a few days. We are surrounded by nature, but still only minutes from downtown, restaurants, and Lake Michigan beaches, which makes the location very unique.
This business started with one dome that I built as a prototype in my backyard, and it has since grown into a full glamping campground and hospitality business.
What do you do, what do you specialize in / what are you known for?
We specialize in romantic getaways, cozy stays, and unique lodging experiences. We are especially known for:
Private hot tub glamping domes
Romantic and celebration packages (birthdays, anniversaries, proposals)
Cozy, aesthetic interiors
A peaceful nature setting
Personalized customer service
Cleanliness and attention to detail
A small, family-owned business feel rather than a large corporate resort
Many guests tell us that staying in the dome and looking at the stars from bed is one of the most memorable parts of their stay.
We focus heavily on the experience, not just the place to sleep. Everything is designed to feel cozy, peaceful, and memorable.
What sets you apart from others?
What sets Dome Haven apart is that this place was designed and built by the owner from the ground up, not by a large company or developer. Every dome, every layout, every detail was thought through from the guest’s perspective because I built this place myself and I manage it myself.
We are not a hotel.
We are not a large resort.
We are a small, family-run business where we truly care about our guests’ experience.
What also sets us apart:
Private hot tubs at every dome
Quiet, nature-focused environment
Modern rustic luxury design
Close to Lake Michigan and downtown
Personalized celebration packages
Direct communication with the owner
Unique stays that you cannot get at a traditional hotel
We try to create a place where people can escape, unwind, and make memories.
What are you most proud of brand wise?
What I am most proud of is that Dome Haven was built from a simple idea and a lot of hard work. This brand represents freedom, independence, and building a life on your own terms.
Brand-wise, Dome Haven stands for:
Escape from busy life
Unplug and unwind
Nature + comfort
Cozy and romantic atmosphere
Memory-making experiences
Small business with heart
Family-built, not corporate-built
I am proud that when people come here, they are not just booking a place to sleep — they are booking an experience.
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc?
I want people to know that Dome Haven is more than just a place to stay. It is a place to slow down, reconnect, and breathe.
We live in a world where everyone is busy, stressed, and always on their phones. Dome Haven was created to give people a place to step away from that — even if just for a night or two.
Whether someone is celebrating something special or just needs a break from life, we try to create a space where they can sit by the fire, relax in the hot tub, look at the stars, and remember what it feels like to truly relax.
At the end of the day, we are in the memory-making business.
People may forget what the room looked like, but they will remember how they felt when they were here. And that is what we try to create at Dome Haven — a feeling.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
One thing I learned on this journey is that mentors don’t always come in the traditional way people think. I didn’t have one official mentor. Instead, I learned from many different people — contractors, small business owners, podcasts, YouTube videos, industry events, guests, and even my own mistakes.
I did a lot of research on my own. I listened to podcasts like BiggerPockets, watched countless YouTube videos, and attended the Glamping Show America to learn everything I could about glamping, real estate, and running a hospitality business. When you don’t have a roadmap, you have to go out and find the information yourself.
But one of my biggest sources of learning actually came from my guests.
Each dome has a small notebook where guests write about their stay, their experience, and suggestions for improvement. I read every single one. I also pay very close attention to private feedback messages. That feedback has helped me improve the domes, the layout, the amenities, and the overall guest experience. In many ways, my guests have helped shape Dome Haven into what it is today.
Networking for me did not happen at formal networking events. It happened naturally by:
Talking to other property owners
Talking to builders and tradespeople
Talking to guests
Talking to other Airbnb and glamping hosts
Talking to local business owners
Talking to people at hardware and supply stores
Attending industry shows and conferences
You would be surprised how much you can learn just by asking people, “How did you do this?” or “What would you do differently if you did it again?”
Another big thing that helped me was learning to do things myself first, so that when I talked to professionals, I could ask better questions and make better decisions.
I also think a lot of who I am today comes from my childhood. I grew up as a Girl Scout in Vietnam, and I learned a lot about the outdoors, resilience, independence, and hospitality from a young age. Being outdoors, building things, and taking care of people is something that feels very natural to me, and I think that played a big role in building Dome Haven.
And through all of this, I have to say that my dad is my biggest hero, and my husband is my biggest supporter. Starting a business and taking big risks is not something you do alone. You need people who believe in you, especially during the times when things are hard and uncertain.
So my advice for finding mentors and networking is this:
Be curious
Ask questions
Listen more than you talk
Learn from everyone
Do your own research
Talk to people who are doing what you want to do
And most importantly, listen to your customers — they will tell you exactly how to make your business better
Because at the end of the day, you don’t need one perfect mentor.
You need to be willing to learn from everyone and everything around you.
Pricing:
- $200-249/ week night
- $250-349/ weekend.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.domehavenglamping.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Dome-Haven-Glamping-61574709912291/
