What is your name?
Laura Sumner
What is your title?
Co-Founder, Retreat Leader, Yoga Instructor
What is your business name?
Camino Yoga Retreats
What is your website URL?
www.caminoyogaretreats.com
What is your Instagram handle?
@caminoyogaretreats
What is your LinkedIn URL?
linkedin.com/in/laura-sumner
Where are you based? How did you end up there?
I live in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It’s home, and I’ve built my personal and professional life here.
Tell us more about your company! What do you do and what pushed you to start?
Camino Yoga Retreats was born from my personal journey to find balance in a fast-paced world. We offer immersive retreats in Spain, blending hiking, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness in nature. Our retreats help women recharge, reconnect, and rediscover themselves. After walking the Camino de Santiago in 2016—a 500+ mile journey—I realized the transformative power of stepping out of your comfort zone and wanted to create similar experiences for other women.
How have you grown within your personal and professional life due to the success of your business?
Starting Camino Yoga Retreats in 2024 has been transformative. I’ve developed resilience, adaptability, and new skills in areas like social media, website design, and AI. This journey has deepened my mindfulness practice and reinforced gratitude for the experiences I’m creating for others, even in the early stages of the business.
What is your definition of success? How do you know when you’ve reached it?
Success is multifaceted: perseverance, personal growth, creating impact, and witnessing others thrive. It includes advancing professionally despite challenges, raising kind children, completing marathons, and seeing retreat participants grow in confidence. I know I’m successful when I can reflect on meaningful milestones, personal growth, and the positive influence I’ve created in others’ lives.
Tell us about your most transformational moment as an entrepreneur.
One pivotal moment came during my corporate career when I was promoted to manage a team. Watching my employees grow and succeed taught me the power of leadership and mentorship—lessons I bring to running retreats and guiding others.
What was one of your biggest challenges in business?
Managing Camino Yoga Retreats required mastering multiple skills: technology, marketing, social media, and operational systems. Transitioning from a hands-on approach to leveraging tools and platforms effectively was a steep learning curve but strengthened my ability to adapt and learn continuously.
How has being a Boston Business Women Inner Circle member positively influenced your life + business?
It’s been incredibly supportive. The community fosters encouragement and mentorship, providing a space where women cheer for women.
Tell us about your most proud moment in your career.
My proudest moment was retiring from my corporate job on my own terms after years in a high-pressure environment. It marked the end of a chapter I had navigated with resilience, determination, and grace, allowing me to fully pursue my passions on my own terms.
Who is the woman behind your business? What does she like? How does she spend her free time? What does she value?
I’m a co-founder shaped by corporate burnout and a health scare, which made me refocus on what I love. I thrive on challenges, love outdoor activities, traveling, reading, and learning new skills like Spanish. I value growth, mindfulness, and stepping outside my comfort zone.
What makes you stand out from others in your field? What do you do differently?
We offer a personal, hands-on approach. Sarah and I co-lead every retreat, ensuring intimate, customized experiences. Integrating yoga and mindfulness with hiking allows participants to grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our small size ensures each guest feels supported, heard, and part of a community—a level of personalization larger companies cannot offer.
Where can we keep up with you? What social media platforms do you use the most?
Facebook and Instagram