Carolina Lomelí is the founder of Turista Local, a platform that collects, organizes, and curates travel knowledge from leading local creatives. But her impact extends far beyond just travel—she’s also a passionate community builder, nurturing safe spaces that spark deep conversations and compassion.
Carolina holds a degree in International Business and has completed various programs and diplomas in entrepreneurship, community-building, leadership, marketing, PR & social communication from top universities like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford.
T. Turista Local is an innovative platform that connects travelers with local
creatives. What inspired you to start this initiative, and how do you see it
evolving in the next few years?
C. Turista Local is the heirloom of my superpower: my curiosity. Curiosity has guided me to discover worlds both externally and internally, and it’s one of the core guiding principles in Turista Local. I want to invite people to connect with their inner curiosity and allow themselves to be open to meet new people, concepts, and places even within their own neighborhood or city, and through these experiences, grow in their sense of understanding, connection, and community. Turista Local invites locals to become tourists within their own cities and invites tourists to discover and enjoy from the local perspective. I believe it’s crucial that we nurture our curiosity to understand more about the people that surround us, that we learn about the intention behind the places that we visit, and that we evolve through a deeper understanding and sense of connection with each other. Comprehension leads to compassion, compassion leads to connection, and connection leads to a greater sense of mutual care and progress as a society. That’s where I see Turista Local growing into, becoming a platform that allows individuals to find more people, places, and concepts that inspire them to become a more curious, connected, and expanded version of themselves.
T. You have a strong background in community-building. What do you believe are the key elements in creating a successful and engaged community, both online and in real life?
C. Community has been an ever-present force in my career. I’ve noticed that small, or large, communities have the power to positively transform people’s lives, companies, neighborhoods, and even countries. Indeed, it’s the only way possible.
There are different theories on the key components in a community, but the most important one is a common sense of shared interest(s) and a mutual care for each other. The core of communities is ultimately connected to some of the most powerful human necessities: the need to belong (different from fitting in), the need to be seen, recognized and validated, having a sense of purpose, and serving others.
As Brené Brown says “connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” Other crucial aspects of communities, as I learned from mentors like Carrie Melissa Jones & Charles Vogl, are: rituals, boundaries, initiation, values, inner rings, and temple (a safe space to come together).
T. How have your experiences at MIT, Harvard, and Stanford shaped your approach to entrepreneurship and leadership? Is there a specific insight or method that has been particularly impactful for you?
C. I’ve loved learning from some of the brightest minds in these realms. What has profoundly resonated with me is the motivation to cultivate the purpose of raising the bar for what’s possible for humanity, together. I appreciate how thought leaders spearhead conversations that put compassion, transcendent leadership, and the purpose of serving others on the forefront of leadership & entrepreneurship. I appreciate how they invite us to deeply question our sense of purpose and urge us to challenge and redefine our approaches in the relentless pursuit of creating a better reality for all.
T. What’s a piece of advice you’ve received that you often reflect on or find yourself sharing with others?
C. Poetry and quotes have always been present for me as a support mechanism to find wisdom, motivation, and courage through complex & evolving times. But on the last few years, I’ve learned to listen more deeply to my inner guidance to illuminate my path forward. So, each year, I come up with an intention I want to practice, embody, and share with others, and this year’s intention is “to create with joy and share with love, and to create with love and share with joy.” This is the phrase I constantly go back to this year.
Complementary to this, I do find myself reflecting a lot these past few months on yogic & Vedic wisdom (like choosing where to put your attention & focusing on the present moment), meditative practices, and the compassionate communication methodology (also known as “non-violent communication”).
T. Who are 5 people you admire? What do they do?
C. I admire:
1) 1) My husband, Carlos: He’s not only my best friend, and life partner, but he is the human being that continuously amazes me at every life stage. I admire his capacity to be an ever-evolving person, who is capable of going deep inside his self, in conversations with others, and open his soul and his heart to continuously ask himself how can he evolve, and as he does so, bring light, joy or well-being to those that surround him. I admire how he is a partner, deeply committed in devotion and love to me and to our family, how he enjoys being a father, how he is a transcendental leader in his company, and how -wherever he goes- he seeks to connect with others in ways that positively impact their lives.
2) My parents: Now as a mother, I can recognize and appreciate much more all the effort, dedication, and fierce love they have given, and continue to give, to our family. Even now, more than ever, as grandparents, they continue to generously give, try to always be present (even at distance), and care for us. They were able to create a different and more positive reality than their parents and have overcome so many obstacles rooted in their profound love for our family.
3) Sarah Blakely: I adore how she sets an example of being a wholehearted & feminine entrepreneur. I celebrated so much when I learned from her how she stood up against the status quo of “how to be a business leader” that promoted a leader’s attitude to be aggressive and competitive and went against the use of war vocabulary and mentality in creating a business. For me, she’s an example of what it means to lead with the heart, from her authentic self, her feminine essence. She continuously seeks to inspire others from a fun, elevating & cheerful attitude of pushing forward. She was able to build a billion-dollar company, without external investors and without the aggressive mentality while being also able to raise a family and nurture life-long friendships.
4) Brené Brown: She’s a beacon in my intellectual, emotional, and spiritual life. Ever since I discovered her research on vulnerability, relationships, and wholehearted leadership, she opened for me another worldview of what’s possible. I love how she brings a fresh attitude of what it means to be a down-to-Earth leader. She’s fiercely authentic, open, and cares about enabling people –at every level- to build purposeful & meaningful lives, full of joy & thriving connections.
5) Esther Perel: She has brought a lot of healing and cherished insights into my life, especially into the realms of my marriage, relationships & sexuality. She debunks SO many myths with courage, savviness, and collective wisdom. She’s able to address many taboos from multiple perspectives and brings to light many topics that people don’t normally feel comfortable sharing out loud. I also love how her feminine leadership is bold, grounded, and focuses on bringing healing insights for people to thrive in their relationships, starting with themselves.
Bonus 5: Five friends, wild & wonderful women, that inspire and elevate my soul with their open & generous heart, creativity, sensibility, and the way they live life FULLY: @annavanzani_, @valeriacatan, @lorevazquezs, @marianasdemis & @vanessaguckel
T. If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self just starting out in your career, what would it be?
C. I would advise my younger self to cultivate a nurturing and evolving inner sense of self. After a high learning curve, I have learned that true fulfilment comes from an inner sense of self-worth, wholeness, integrity, and self-love, and not from an external source of recognition or material achievement. Reflecting on pivotal concepts, I would encourage myself to look deeply into the power of consciousness, self-love, self-leadership, compassionate communication, the art of relationships, and the importance of reaching out to people who embody values that you admire (and reshuffle what I deemed as admirable at my young age). I’d also emphasize the importance of positive self-talk and awareness to overcome negative thought patterns and emotions, to pave the way for a more peaceful and satisfying life.
T. Looking ahead, what personal dreams or aspirations are you excited about pursuing?
C. I am excited to continue to meet and connect with inspiring people who elevate my consciousness and ability to contribute meaningfully to every moment. My aspiration is to become an example of what’s possible for other women, by embracing and expressing my whole self. I aim to broaden Turista Local’s influence in the way people evolve and connect through travel.
I am committed to fostering communities where women celebrate, support, and uplift each other, and to influencing in the evolution of education through innovative projects. By deepening my understanding of consciousness and humanity, I strive to expand my inner and outer worlds in ways that support and uplift those around me.
Instagram: lomelicaro
