Ever thought a farm field could turn into a five-star getaway? In this episode of Sales Leader Secrets, Amanda Downs chats with Joanne Collinge, a former teacher who traded the classroom for a life on the family farm in Lancashire. What started as a challenge to bring in extra income has grown into Little Oakhurst Boutique Glamping, a rural retreat with serious charm.

Joanne shares how she built the business from scratch, using creativity, second-hand materials, and sheer determination. With no background in sales or marketing, she learned as she went, often with her daughter by her side guiding her through social media.

Listen to hear how Joanne turned a side project into a standout brand, what it’s really like running a business with your family, and why keeping it personal has made all the difference.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Introduction

02:08 A career crossroads, from the classroom to the farm

05:14 Glamping begins: A naive idea, and taking a bold leap

07:58 Growing with grit: Building with scrap and story

10:32 Leading as a family: roles, respect, and Rr16:43 Standing out in sales: Marketing & ‘Four in a Bed’ fame

19:34 Values-driven leadership: respect, autonomy, and mistakes welcome

22:15 Looking ahead: vision, sustainability, and boutique growth

Join us each month between July and November for the Uspire webinar series “Become a Better Leader” and get valuable leadership frameworks and techniques to help you achieve sustainable growth that lasts. https://theuspiregroup.com/uspire-events/become-a-better-leader-webinar-series/

About Amanda Downs:

Amanda Downs is Uspire's Director of Commercial Leadership and a commercial training and coaching expert. She has worked extensively in Europe, EMEA, the US, and Asia and is an accredited Insights Discovery practitioner. She also leads Uspire's commercial leadership proposition.

She produces the popular Sales Growth Expert blog and is currently writing her first sales leadership book.

Connect with Amanda:

Website: theuspiregroup.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandadowns2/

About The Uspire Partnership:

Uspire challenge, energise and upskill leaders to set the stage for business transformation and commercial success. Members of the Uspire team are all industry professionals and have first-hand experience of the commercial challenges you face. We develop leadership skills and commercial capabilities; delivering profitable growth and a sustainable legacy of change.

Connect with Uspire:

Website: theuspiregroup.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uspire-ltd/

About Joanne Collinge

Joanne is a former teacher turned entrepreneur who left the classroom to create a one of a kind glamping site built from upcycled materials on her family farm. Passionate about sustainability and the great outdoors, Joanne's innovative retreat has won multiple awards and even been on TV. She thrives on connecting people with nature.

Find out more: https://www.littleoakhurst.com/