How to live your freedom as entrepreneur, positive mindset & sustainable fashion with Nils Wagner

Kat’s Podcast – Episode no. 21

In this episode I’m talking to Nils Wagner: founder and CEO of Paprcuts as well as co-founder and owner of Badaga. Both are Berlin-based companies creating sustainable fashion and accessories. Nils is one of the young entrepreneurs trailblazing a new, sustainable “Made in Germany” and “Made in Europe”, producing regionally and carefully sourcing the material for his products.

Nils stood out to me, because he manages to live and keep his freedom while running two innovative companies. 

The conversation here is a two-parter: We’re starting with Nils’ personal story and experience that led led him to walking a different path. We’re also talking about how his perception of freedom changed during lockdown and how we can make the most of these times.

In the second part of the conversation we’ll dive into sustainable production and consumption, as this is really the core of Nils’ business. You’ll get Nils’ view on the questions “Can we do everything right?” and “How can we consume more mindfully?” from both an entrepreneurial and a personal perspective. Nils walks us through his experiences in the fashion world and in specific through his scouting process for new, sustainable materials. He also takes us through the evolution process of the new Paprcuts sneakers.

This is a refreshing and highly motivating conversation. Nils got an amazingly positive mindset, so if you’re in need of a dose of positive motivation or need a good shot of “Just do” attitude, tune in!

Enjoy!

We talk about: 

Part 1: Freedom Lifestyle

• • How being overworked led him to his freedom lifestyle
  • How his perception of freedom changed during Covid and lockdown 
  • Focusing on less as a form of freedom 
  • His entrepreneurial spirit: going from longboards and olive oil to trendy, sustainable  fashion and accessories
  • The crucial difference between working a lot for yourself or working a lot for others
  • How the idea for his company Paprcuts was born 
  • His companies Paprcuts and Badaga 
  • Sustainability in fashion: How he produces ethical and eco-friendly surf and sports wear from fishing nets and thrown-away plastic bottles
  • His mindset of “Just do” – a must-listen for all overthinkers!
  • Trailblazing a new, sustainable ‘Made in Germany’ 
  • Anything is possible: Finding great solutions not based on the status quo but on what you wanna achieve
  • From his role as employer: Always bring out your best! 
  • Victim or hero? Empowerment on and from a work level
  • Tips on positive mindset from Nils’ employer perspective
  • His no. 1 insight: How he keeps his freedom while running a company
  • How this secret “ingredient” really helped his companies during Covid lockdown and transitioning into homeoffice work
  • The power of people that inspire us & the person who helped him personally to a new perception of the world
  • Radical positivity

  Part 2: Sustainable consuming & creating sustainable fashion

  • True vs. superficial change and the potential it holds
  • Improvising and being creative as key to going through Covid times with a positive mindset
  • Sustainability: Can we do everything right? Nils’ view on it from both an entrepreneurial and a personal perspective
  • His biggest problem when it comes to living sustainably
  • His reason and emphasis on regional/European production and selling
  • Conscious consuming, sustainable products: What to take into consideration when buying + a whole world that stands behind each product
  • Why ‘vegan’ isn’t always the best choice: leather, manufacturing, environmental burden
  • Good shoes: How the latest Paprcuts sneakers are produced, which material is used + the “evolution” that stands behind them
  • It’s all a process: not looking for the perfect solution, but the best there is
  • A glimpse into alternative, eco-friendly fabrics and production chains
  • Buying less, emphasizing quality
  • Process vs. perfection: Doing the best we can, always evolving – must-listen for anyone struggling getting into action or who’s blocked by perfectionism
  • His thoughts on a entering the US market
  • Inspiration for life after Covid

Episode resources:

• Nils’ instagram – here you can also find the links to Paprcuts & Badaga 
• Paprcuts website & online shop: https://www.paprcuts.de
• Exclusive rebate code for listeners: ‘kat10’ – get 10% off your purchase at Paprcuts (even on top of the sneaker pre-order deal), valid until September 15, 2020
• Badaga: https://badaga.de/ 
• Related podcast episodes: ep. 18 Introduction to the 2. Freedom Lifestyle Series + ep. 9 ‘Freediving as Mirror: Why Relaxing Completely is Key to Inner Freedom with Jesper Stechmann’ 
• My email if you like to reach out & give feedback 
• My newsletter
• My Instagram if you wanna follow along

• music (Intro/Outro): Thanks to Analog By Nature. Credits: cdk – Sunday by Analog By Nature (c) copyright 2016 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Thank you so much for listening!

Did you like this show? What helped or inspired you most? Let us know by sending an email to hello @kathrinhecht.com or commenting on instagram. And if you’re listening on Apple/iTunes: I’m super thankful for a 5-star-rating and a review so we can empower more people out there!