We were lucky to catch up with Carol Carimi Acutt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carol, I appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

Do I take vacations? Yes, absolutely. And I’d argue that every person should. Our entire brand, LITO: Luxury in the Outdoors, is designed around the idea that time away from the grind and into nature is a necessity. Clearing the mind, relaxing and spending time with loved ones in a natural environment is beyond valuable. Stress clutters our minds with to-do lists and worries, all of which can distract us from our larger goals, personally and professionally. Oftentimes my most creative inspirations happen on a hike or a walk on the beach. These quiet moments are opportunities where we can expand our minds and our creativity, and that’s good for business. I believe everyone should have time to decompress and reset so when they return back to their work, hopefully refreshed, they can bring new insights into their work.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

LITO was born from one simple mission: make it easier for families to get outside in style. The inspiration came from years of our own adventures on the road.

I’ve spent over 20 years telling stories in television and documentary filmmaking as a producer, director, and editor. Storytelling is my passion—but so is the outdoors. Since the day my husband, Robin Acutt, and I met, we’ve been camping together, and we’ve had our two daughters along for the ride since they were babies. As a family, we’ve explored countless national and state parks, often in the company of other families. We love getting our kids outside and away from devices. We love that our kids aren’t afraid of getting dirty, exploring on their bikes, or jumping into a cold river. And we love that camping builds grit and lets their creativity soar.

But, after years of packing and preparing for our trips, I started looking for products to make my life easier. The first problem I set out to solve was the campsite tablecloth—none were durable or stylish. Tables at campsites are always filthy, and without fail, the wind makes its entrance at dinner time. After struggling with this dilemma during countless adventures, I decided to design my own solution and launch LITO: Luxury in the Outdoors.

First, I found the perfect durable material. Next, we carefully measured every national, state, and private campground we visited to find the perfect one-size-fits-all length and width. We added a storage backpack and straps to secure it when it’s windy. We then launched our first product, the LITOCLOTH, in 2022. Once you camp with our tablecloth, you’ll never want to cook or enjoy an outdoor meal without it.

Every LITO product is based on our personal camping experience. For example, our long light-up dog leash was developed after my daughter scraped her knee. We were enjoying an Easter weekend with several families and four dogs. The kids and the dogs were having a blast after dinner, playing around the campsite. It was a dark night, and my daughter tripped over one of the dog leashes and hurt her knee. As I wiped away her tears, the idea struck me: long leashes should light up at night. That’s when the light-up LITO leashes, harnesses, and collars were born.

We’re constantly expanding our product line to help our customers elevate their camping experience and add a little luxury while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. From tablecloths, we expanded into light-up pet gear, lightweight chairs, picnic sets, solar lanterns, outdoor rugs, and more—everything to make camping more comfortable.

I’m proud of the feedback we receive from our customers—people love our products and truly connect with what we’re building. We’ve grown LITO one product at a time, and it has always been a family affair. Our kids have input on all aspects of our new products, designs, photography, and videos. They even write blogs and sometimes help with shipping.

I’m deeply grateful for the support we’ve had along the way—from loyal customers and friends to the dedicated collaborators who’ve been part of the LITO family.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Years ago, I read <i>The Four Agreements,</i> by Don Miguel Ruiz, which significantly impacted the way I approach life and business. At first glance, his rules come across as obvious, but if you consciously apply them to your life, it makes you a better person and sharpens your ability to deal with the hardships.

The first rule is: be impeccable with your word. It’s easy to let excuses get in the way—‘I forgot’ or ‘I’ve been too busy.’ But everyone is busy, and everyone forgets. When I tell someone I’ll do something, I make my best effort to follow through, whether it’s meeting for coffee or sending information the next day. If I can’t deliver on time, I communicate the delay. Do I sometimes fall short? Of course. But I don’t like it when I do, and I work to make it right. The world is full of excuses and broken promises. At LITO, we hold ourselves accountable—our word matters, and if we miss the mark, we do our best to correct it.

The second rule is: don’t take anything personally. This one is tough—we all take things to heart when someone doesn’t follow through or consider us. But often, we don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes in someone else’s life or business. Reminding myself of that helps me move through challenges while keeping emotions in check. Instead, I focus on moving forward, communicating clearly, and trusting that what didn’t work out will eventually sort itself out.

The third rule is: don’t make assumptions. It pairs closely with ‘don’t take anything personally.’ When a deal falls through, communication stalls, or feelings get hurt, it’s easy to imagine the worst—and that can be deadly for business. Instead, I try to keep moving forward, stay friendly and optimistic, and resist jumping to conclusions. Most projects take longer than we’d like, and I’ll admit patience isn’t my strength—I prefer to get things done right away. But when I remember not to assume, the waiting feels lighter, and it often opens the door to opportunities I might have missed.

The fourth rule is: always do your best. This one is my favorite. We’re all going to make mistakes and fall short sometimes—but if I can look in the mirror and honestly say, ‘I did my best,’ then I can let go, learn from the experience, and keep moving forward. We’re human, and we’re fallible. But if we consistently show up and give our best effort, we not only grow ourselves—we also make the world a little bit better.

I recommend that everyone read <i>The Four Agreements</i> and apply the rules as best they can. It truly is a wonderful book of wisdom.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I launched LITO in the middle of the pandemic, all while juggling a busy TV production schedule and raising two teenage girls. Life was (and still is) full—delivering high-quality shows to the network, building partnerships for LITO, managing a household, cooking dinner. The list never ends, and at times it can feel overwhelming. It’s easy to get frustrated when there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. That’s the reality of entrepreneurship—especially for someone who is also a parent and balancing a full-time career.

My resilience comes from optimism—about LITO and its purpose in the world. Spending time in nature, slowing down, and appreciating her beauty is vital, especially for kids. With LITO, my goal is to remind people that you don’t have to rough it to be a true nature lover. You can head out in your car or RV, bring along creature comforts, and still experience the outdoors fully. It’s okay to sip wine from an elegant camping tumbler, to want a little luxury and style while surrounded by the wild.
For me, resilience also means focus—choosing the tasks that bring the most impact for the time I have. I constantly ask myself, “Will this action move my business forward?” If the answer is yes, I commit to it
As my grandfather always said, ‘Time will pass anyway—you might as well spend it chasing your dreams.’ That’s the spirit behind LITO.

Contact Info:

• Website: litoluxury.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/luxuryintheoutdoors
• Facebook: facebook.com/luxuryintheoutdoors
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lito-luxury-in-the-outdoors
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOs6PLFfzunHoTCwzRqfTbw

Image Credits
Robin Acutt & Carol Acutt of Safari Films Entertainment (safarifilms.com)