From Passion to Purpose: Tripulse's Path to Fitness, Sustainability, and Community.

Welcome to another captivating episode of "Pre-Zero Sports Talk," the podcast that explores the fascinating intersection of Sports, Events, Innovation, and Sustainability.
In this episode, we have the incredible privilege of delving into the inspiring journey of Tripulse. This revolutionary activewear brand seamlessly integrates Fitness, Sustainability, and Community.
Join our host, Sid Bensalah, as he sits down with the visionary founder and CEO of Tripulse, Franziska Mesche. With a background in management consulting and B2B sales within the tech industry, Franziska's expertise has led her to create Tripulse. This brand offers sustainable activewear and serves as a beacon for aspiring fashion entrepreneurs seeking to embed sustainability into their DNA.
This episode reveals the personal narrative behind Franziska's foray into sustainable fashion. Her unwavering commitment to fitness and sustainability ignited the inception of Tripulse, and her journey inspires women aspiring to enter the sustainable fashion space.
Franziska shares her vision of empowering individuals to lead healthy, impactful lives while fostering a robust global community that embraces diversity and positive change. Drawing inspiration from trailblazers like Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx and Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, Franziska's story epitomizes the role of women in entrepreneurship.
As sustainability takes centre stage in our world, Tripulse embraces a holistic approach that spans the entire lifecycle of its products, supply chain, and business operations. Ethical and social practices are seamlessly integrated, ensuring transparency at every step.
Delve into Tripulse's pioneering innovations in sustainable activewear, including their groundbreaking Eucalyptus Fiber Innovation. Franziska sheds light on the environmental impact of eucalyptus fibre and how Tripulse ensures sustainability and traceability in its production.
The episode further explores Franziska's long-term goals for Tripulse—aiming to influence the sports industry toward sustainability and inspire positive change in consumers' mindsets and

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Transcript

Sid: 0:04

welcome to another exciting episode of the Pre-Zero Sports Talk, the podcast where we explore the fascinating intersection of sports events, innovation, and sustainability. I'm your host, Sid Bensalah, and today we have an incredible story to share with you. In this episode, we have the honour of diving deep into the remarkable journey of Tripulse, a brand and that has revolutionized activewear by seamlessly integrating Fitness, Sustainability, and Community. I'm thrilled to introduce our special guest Franziska Mesche, the visionary founder and CEO of Tripulse, and a trailblazing entrepreneur in the sustainable fashion industry. Franziska, is not only our first female guests on the show, but also a testament to the incredible achievements of women in entrepreneurship.

Franziska: 0:52

I generally have this mindset, and I think that comes from, my background as a salesperson and in sports, I'm used to, let's say, rejections and I I have noticed that rejections and tough times make you always stronger.

Sid: 1:05

With a background in management consulting and a B2B sales within the tech industry, she has leverage her passion for sustainability, sports, and health to create Tripulse, an activewear brand that not only offers sustainable clothing, but also serves as a guiding light for aspiring fashion entrepreneurs, looking to embed sustainability into their DNA. Welcome to the show Franziska.

Franziska: 1:31

Thank you so much. Happy to be here. Sid!

Sid: 1:33

Before we delve in into Tripulse's, remarkable journey, tell our listeners about your background and what inspired you to start this innovative company.

Franziska: 1:41

Yeah, it's funny. I actually don't have any background in fashion or textiles. so I used to work in IT management consulting, basically totally changed my career path because I was, more and more getting frustrated, with a very clothes I used to. Wear day in and day out, and that are usually workout clothes because I train a lot. I love to, to do sports and fitness. and I got more and more aware that, I developed rashes on my skin. I got very itchy skin and I also had to wash my clothes, especially my shirts very often because when I try and sweat a lot, they usually smell also much faster or quite fast. And, what I did, was I started to look at the label, getting curious what is actually in the very clothes that I'm wearing. And, I noticed that they are a hundred percent made from synthetics, mostly polyester, and, uh, then I learned a whole bunch about it. I'm sure we dive into that a little bit later. But basically, often times they include more harmful substances that can make, for example, your skin itch, they are more likely to grow bacteria, which make the cloth more smelly very fast, and they also, release microplastics every time we wash them and even through the air, and, I couldn't believe there is, are no alternatives out there in the market. And everything I could buy was polyester recycled polyester, basically. And so that was the moment when I decided I want to create the solution for myself, but for everybody else, who I talked to and basically for the whole world.

Sid: 3:17

Great. How did your journey in fitness inspired you to start Tripulse?

Franziska: 3:22

Yeah, so that is, I would say a little bit similar to what I said. I did sports since I was very young. I always loved to, to work out. I believe it's, it makes me a better person. It helps me to overcome any challenges mentally, physically, just to be overall healthy. And, yes, as part of that means of course, that I'm wearing training clothes all the time, and because of the things I just mentioned, the itching, the microplastic and all that, I felt, I want to use sports and make sports much more, or particularly sport clothing, much more sustainable, much more healthy for the planet and the people and through the area of sports and fitness.

Sid: 4:07

What key sustainability principles guide Tripulse's approach to activewear production?

Franziska: 4:12

So the way I see sustainability is from a very holistic level, so not only product, but really at the whole company. And, yeah, so that basically means, that we look at the interface of the environment, of the health, of the functionality of the clothing and people. So these four areas, they need to be basically interfacing and so we always wanna make sure whatever we create and produce it is good for the environment, it is good for people's health. It has very good design fit functionality, and it's also made an ethical way that doesn't harm anyone in the supply chain.

Sid: 4:52

What were some of the unique challenges you encountered as an entrepreneur in the activewear industry, specifically as a woman?

Franziska: 5:01

That's also a really good question. So of course being an entrepreneur, starting a business, not having done it before, not coming from the industry, of course, there are a lot of challenges, I'm faced with and I have been faced with and continue to be. So, we're now at a stage that we are looking for to scale. and so that means we're also looking for, we open our first funding round, and that is also a whole new field looking for potential investors, angel investors, and, that has been very tough. I'm a female founder. I'm a solo founder, so that's, of course, a lot, to carry also being basically where a lot of companies have. Several founders I'm one. I don't want to use these things as an excuse. I really don't believe in that, but I do feel having now interacted on different events with different investors, and also particularly spoken with other female entrepreneurs, that it is very hard. maybe particular also right now, to get, sufficient funding, and that is of course, even, if you compare to our male counterparts, they usually are much more successful in raising the funds, they need. And I think there are a lot of reasons for that. But, I would say particularly in the fundraising, that's the biggest challenge. Ok!

Sid: 6:19

And, uh, when it comes to your values, ideas and value proposition within the business, particularly with your sustainable product, have you found it easy to convince potential investors considering the unique design process of creating an innovative and sustainable solution? And how respective have investors been to understanding and supporting your product?

Franziska: 6:44

I think of course over the month, I'm refining my pitch and I get feedback and so I implement that. Um, and I don't think the issue is really in making under them understand what I'm doing, the value proposition or that they see the value in it. I think it's more, you hear of course different, argumentations. One of them just being. Of course, always when you start, you need to have, ideally an investor would already like to have the company super big, making a lot of revenue, which is of course tricky when you just started and when you basically bootstrap the company up to this point. So I think sometimes the argumentation could be in the numbers. Sometimes it's about the outlook or even investors not having experience from the industry, so they cannot really understand perhaps even the, the potential, the opportunity versus the risk. I feel when investors interact with women, the questions are much more focused on what are the risks. Versus when they're talking to men. That is very generalized now, but when they talk to men, of course they also have huge risk in their businesses, but their, the conversation goes more into what are the opportunities. And, so that is very interesting, and again, I hope, I always try to steer the direction a certain con uh, direction. But it's, that's definitely challenging. Yeah.

Sid: 8:08

And Franziska, how do you navigate some of the challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth?

Franziska: 8:14

I generally have this mindset, and I think that comes from, my background as a salesperson and in sports, I'm used to, let's say, rejections and I I have noticed that rejections and tough times make you always stronger, right? So if they don't put you down, as long as you always get up again, you will always rise stronger, and so in a way, even though it's not always nice and it's not always comfortable and the fastest and best ways, I always try to see the silver lining and to, to understand what of that should I insert and actually change, but also some things I don't believe, I should change. I always reflect and re-evaluate the feedback I receive But there is sometimes there's some, valid arguments to be made, and so next time, for example, I would then pitch to a person. I would already address it, certain objections they might have. So I always try to learn from previous feedback, but also I think having gone through a certain cycle, I get more confident also and more, let's say less, Less personally hit by perhaps harsh feedback. So I also think that I grow as a person through all of this experience, which I think is beautiful, which I think is great.

Sid: 9:32

and what advice would you offer to other inspiring women entrepreneurs? Who are considering entering the sustainable fashion industry. Based on your experiences and journey. What key insights or recommendations would you share to help them navigate and succeed in this space?

Franziska: 9:49

Now we focus a little bit more on the female entrepreneur side. I know there is a lot of conversation about female entrepreneurship and female taking the lead, and like I just mentioned a few of them. There are definitely challenges, but, even, given all these challenges and yes, I would say some areas they're definitely tougher than compared to men. But please don't get discouraged. I think. It's easy to sometimes use these things as an excuse to not even get started because We know this is gonna be so hard, almost impossible. But I really want to encourage women to nonetheless, take the step if they feel they want to create a business, a brand, this should never be the reason why they would not dare it. There are tons of positive role models. Luckily examples of successful female entrepreneurs as well. So this, I would say, as a baseline, for any woman, don't, let your, the fact that you're a woman stop you from creating a business absolutely not.

Sid: 10:48

Um, can you share an example or a story of how Tripulse has positively impacted woman's life?

Franziska: 10:54

The ambition to, to make much better clothes or workout clothing that are better for our bodies, for our health, and of course also for the environment. but so the way we design at Tripulse is that we always do together with our users and athletes, and so we have basically implemented a lot of feedback and input from a lot of women before we put our products out. And so that means now that a lot of women wear our products, they're super happy with the way they look, the way it fits on their body, just that they feel better, more beautiful in the clothes. I heard that a lot, but then what I feel is especially amazing is that, we have a lot of women also, actually a lot of people worldwide, I think it's 60% have actually sensitive skin without maybe even knowing it. And so we also had a lot of women reaching out to us that in their leggings, usually they get itchy skin. It doesn't feel good again. It smells very fast. And by then using our product, these issues go away or they don't exist. They don't develop, and that is very beautiful to see and very, very happy about that.

Sid: 12:05

That's great. Please provide our listeners with an overview of the production process and the complete supply chain involved in creating Tripulse activewear.

Franziska: 12:15

Yeah, so I try to not go into too much detail because the, what is beautiful about fashion industry or making a product is that it's quite complex and there's so many steps, which in my knowing now about it makes a garment really valuable. Basically if you take a product per se, let's say a t-shirt, you have the first stage is the raw material, right? In our case, the raw material comes from, um, so we use, certified wood fiber, primarily eucalyptus, that comes from, uh, sustainably, uh, managed, uh, forests and is also a byproduct. Uh, What is not used for furniture that is used for this fabric And so that's where basically, and for, let's say polyester, that is petroleum, right? So that is oil. Mm. Um, so that's the raw material stage. Then you have the stage where fiber is being made out of the raw material. Um, in our case, this is done in a circular process, free from any harmful chemicals. Uh, what's great about it, that it only requires water and solvent, and these resources can be reused over and over again at a rate of 99. 5%, and so this way significantly reduces waste as well. so that's the second stage. And then, it's about making the yarn and the knitting. so you make actually the fabric out of the fiber. fiber, we do that, by the way, all in Europe, um, or in E.U in Portugal. The knitting is being done there. You also do the dyeing. we don't apply any finishings. only natural ones actually. Enzymes. and then the last stage is of course, sewing the garment together, taking the fabric and making a t-shirt out of it. So also for us, that's done in Portugal as well. And, then there is of course the use the user face where, where you or me are, are, uh, wearing the product hopefully as long as possible. We, we designed for timelessness for really durability longevity. So hopefully people can wear it for a very long time. And then there is the end of life where the product could either, it's actually compostable, so you could. literally put it in your garden compost and over time it would compost. or, it could be potentially also be recycled, but that is always the least, preferred option, so we always want that. It's in use as long as possible or being reused.

Sid: 14:42

Yeah. Good. And how about the feedback from your clients and customers?

Franziska: 14:47

Yeah. So, that's, You can imagine when I first started, I was super nervous. I did not make clothing before, and, we, we launched through crowdfunding campaign and, we, we iterated, we put a lot of effort into product development, but of, and we did testing, but of course it's something else when a person actually pays, for your products. And I expect of course, only, you know, I want only the best. And but it was the first time, so of course I was nervous. What will actually customer say? Luckily we got overwhelmingly beautiful feedback, especially when we launched and fulfilled our Kickstarter orders from crowdfunding. People loved it, after wearing it for a while, they pointed out really the major. Let's say benefits over regular synthetic cloth was really the breathability, the feel, the fact that they don't have to wash it all the time because it doesn't smell. People who had itchy skin didn't suffer from that anymore. So that's really amazing. But of course, having said that, there are always things we, we aim to improve. So we do get, you know, at sometimes little, you know, here the seams could be different, so, Um, we always, when we do the new batch of clothing, we always implement also the, the constructive customer feedback, basically to make our, products even better in the next round.

Sid: 16:08

Do you often get customers inquiries or concerns regarding the sustainability aspect of your products? And if yes, how do you address these questions and ensure customers are well-informed about the sustainability features and practices incorporated into Tripulse activewear?

Franziska: 16:26

Yes, we have some customers or potential customers in our community who, which I think is really cool, ask really detailed questions. it can be about anything. It could be about the supply chain, where exactly we produce, what are things made out of in detail? Um, so sometimes we get really detailed questions. Um, but we try to already share a lot of that also on our website, we have a big sustainability section where really try to be quite, detailed about what we do. But I personally love when our customers are curious and ask questions because I think that's number one thing that also holds brands accountable. And, I, I would want more customers to ask actually tough questions as well.

Sid: 17:10

And how do customers typically respond to the pricing of Tripulse activewear? Considering the sustainable materials and practices involved in the production. Do you find that customers are satisfied with the pricing and see the value in investing in sustainable products?

Franziska: 17:26

That is also I think, a huge, or very interesting, let's say, discussion point. We could have another episode on that, I think. Yes, and I think it always comes down to the value. So the moment the customer understands the value and a lot of what you. What we do and the value is actually not just visible on a web shop image. Right? And our job is to deliver the value as in the best way as possible. I would lie to you if I would say everybody, you know, immediately, always buys and price is never an issue. We have some customers who say, yeah, at the first site, that is more expensive, and that is totally true. If you compare to, your regular activewear leggings, they cost more. But there is so much reason why it costs more, because everything we do in terms of sustainability, social supply chain, because I really wanted to make sure when I create a business that nobody has to suffer, neither the workers, not the planet and that still cost money. I think when you can scale more, when you have a little bit more means and can, you know, go with bigger productions, that might then become a little bit cheaper, and some technologies and materials might also become cheaper over time. But as a business, we could unfortunately not exist if we would make it cheaper. And so then it's always the question. Can we, you know, we continue with these prices for the moment, trying to always optimize, of course, without compromising, you know, the quality, uh, with who we work together, the ethical side and the environmental side. But, or do we have to close down because Um, We are forced to reduce the prices, but that would make our business totally financially unsustainable. And I think our job is also, and I think we could do an even better job actually, to explain to the customer why the product costs so much and you know, how everything is, um, built up because I, I'm also in a lot of networks with other small brands. They all face the same issues. Usually sustainable fashion brands are more expensive than your regular fast fashion, obviously counterpart, and so of course when you're just a regular consumer, you don't have much time, a lot of people are simply driven by price, And then they're opt for the cheap fast fashion item, which is a shame. I'm very passionate about this, um, topic and I really hope we can find a good solution there also for the consumers to understand, buy less but buy better. That means investing a little bit more money. But you can also usually wear that for a longer time. The style wont be out of fashion after just a couple of months and, yeah, we can eventually stop fast fashion. That, that is really my dream. I hope to at least, you know, get this ball rolling even stronger. Yeah.

Sid: 20:11

You mentioned earlier that triples takes a holistic approach to sustainability covering the entire product life cycle. Can you provide more details on the ethical and social practices implemented and the significance of maintaining transparency throughout your operations?

Franziska: 20:28

Yeah, so, um, like said, that is something really dear to me. I want to ensure that nobody in our supply chain has to suffer, and so for that, um, to start with, we have, our factories are in Europe or in the E.U, We put the garments together. Um, in, in Portugal, it's also a"G.O.T.S" certified, um, company or factory that means they have higher standards than even provided by E.U law, which is already quite acceptable and high compared to, let's say Asia. The same holds true for our, um, material makers. Then we have our fabric is, provided by Lenzing. So it's called Tencel, but the company behind is Lenzing it's an Austrian company, and they also have, um, they do audits, they do external audits where, they check basically that high social standards are a tier two. So in that sense, by producing, having the supply chain in Europe, in the E.U, and by having on top of that certain certifications that give, to be honest, you can never say a hundred percent because even certifications, they have that loopholes. We know that, right? But we need to do as good as some as possible. And so I think we can already have a much better conscience than if we would produce and in the Far East where most people don't even get a living wage. And for us, for example, we also got the confirmation from all of our suppliers that are in the supply chain that, all their workers get above the living wage salary that's appropriate for their country. Uh, so that means with that they could, you know, have quite a good life, get every, all the basic needs and even some extra money, let's say, to go on a holiday. So these kind of things, we have an assurance, but again, yeah. And then on top of that, we also, I just came last week from Portugal, seeing the factories and meeting actually the workers in person and that having this personal insight and meeting the people face-to-face is, I think also super important.

Sid: 22:38

You explained the challenges of creating high, performing, comfortable, sustainable sports clothing. Can you explain or give us an insight into how Tripulse addresses these challenges and ensures that your products meet the criteria of performance, comfort, and sustainability.

Franziska: 22:57

One thing is of course the, we, we are doing something very new. So we're using a new material and we are in an area of sports and activity, which of course is, requires more technical or performance features than just everyday wear. And so using basically natural materials, for that is already a challenge in itself because, let's say up until recently, and, know, natural and synthetic, you cannot compare their origins are very different, and then also partially their performance is different and just the way they work and, um, the chemistry behind that is very different. So it requires, first of all, that you understand these materials, what their natural features are, and to also understand what are you designing for what kind of activities, what kind of product is it? And so it took me a while, again, not coming from the industry, not having the background to get this basic understanding. And given that we use such a new material as well. And the challenge was really then to find also a perfect composition that would tick all our design and performance boxes. Which required a lot of testing, putting the product on many different people, with slightly different requirements. So we had to collect a lot of data to say, okay, this fabric or fabric composition doesn't work. That is too thin. It will break too easily, for example. Um, but again, after all this testing and sorting out what works, what doesn't, we, we arrived at a very amazing piece, uh, of, uh, clothing or a collection, uh, which I'm very, very confident about. But of course we need to also, um, let's say instruct our, educate our customers how to use the product properly. Like you could ruin it if you would put it in a dryer, for example. Um, so there are certain things, um, that are specific to this fabric we use that the customer needs to know about and stick to, otherwise, that could of course, ruin the garment, which would be really bad of course, nobody wants that. Um, and then of course, on a higher scale, what we talked a little bit before is doing sustainable fashion. There's always, usually a higher price point to it. And that is basically then, you know, sharing, educating, inspiring the customer, why it costs more, why this item is really valuable, and, um, just finding the right, you know, way of communication in a world where, people hardly take a second to look at any content and to deliver that, you know, shortly concise and to the point that people understand immediately, that's really difficult. That's really not easy. so, so there are definitely challenges, but it's just a matter of learning, iterating and making some changes. so that we get better and better at that.

Sid: 25:47

And are there any ongoing research or development initiatives at Tripulse to further enhance sustainability in your products?

Franziska: 25:55

So when it comes to further sustainability in the product, so we, like I said, we are currently using the TENCEL, which is an amazing fabric. my dream is to, to use also, Uh, and we have a zero waste shop, by the way, also. Where we are selling, uh, clothes that have small blemishes or prototypes. So first of all, we don't want to create any waste and, um, we have not make this, you know, it's just in development, but there are ideas about, um, extending the lifespan of our product also so more people can wear our clothes or different people can wear our clothes. So we're exploring that, but also, um, using recycled versions of our materials once they've become, uh, very good from a performance and durability perspective as well, because of course, I'm aware that the less, um, new resources we need to, or virgin resources we can use the better. I don't believe in recycled polyester. I think I mentioned before because that still spills microplastic that still has these substances that can, you know, harm your body. Um, but if we can do that with other materials, um, that would be amazing

Sid: 27:08

And, uh, what's the carbon footprint of your products and how do you measure and mitigate the environmental impact throughout the production process to minimize the emissions, the carbon emissions.

Franziska: 27:20

Yeah, I think having now been in this area for a little bit, it's very hard. You would of course say it depends. It depends on which product you're referring to, and so we have not done a life-cycle analysis for each and every one of our products, in terms of carbon footprint. But the way we approach this whole topic is that we use low impact materials and we try to keep the CO2 emissions low from the very get-go based on what I told you, um, already before, and our idea holistic approach to sustainability. But as part of still making products, uh, we always still, um, are, yeah, creating CO2 emissions. And that is something we want to of course, uh, reverse. Uh, we want, we want, want to have a negative impact on the environment. So this remaining CO2 emissions, we basically offset. So we partnered already now it's the third cycle of certification where they're, um, measuring our scope one, two, and three emission of the entire brand, including product. But even if we go on business trips and doing flight, all that is put into the equation, and based on that, um, we have basically a score, our Emissions we need to offset. we already have offset that by investing into projects that avoid deforestation.

Sid: 28:41

And, uh, what are Tripulse's, longterm goals for driving sustainability? And how do you envision your brand's impact on shaping the future of sustainable activewear and inspiring change within the sports industry?

Franziska: 28:53

So first of all, my, my dream and my mission is really to set a new standard in activewear so that we can really inspire people to wear different kind of clothes, to show them that you don't have to be wrapped and plastic and, harsh, harmful chemicals To enjoy working out to have clothes that support you when you work out. so this is basically number one, to set the new standard and to hopefully also be able to create a ripple effect because we are just one company and I also know we need to be more, uh, that follows suit so that more and more people hopefully, uh, can adopt a different way of, new clothing when working out. So that is basically what I would love to see in the activewear industry and, and first, and with that comes, of course, stopping fast fashion, stopping this craziness of overconsumption having to have 20 different leggings for working out or, being told by brands that we need to have it for so, so, because I, I know that this is one of the biggest problems of the fashion industry in general. And um, yeah, I would love to, to have that changed

Sid: 30:02

Is your target to see a full circular, activewear product?

Franziska: 30:05

I absolutely believe in circularity and mm-hmm. I mentioned a few initiatives that we are already doing now. And, actually it is already circular. If you look at our T-shirts, they're fully compostable. Some on a biological cycle. They're already now, um, circular. Um, what's, what I said to even extend it longer would be to use recycled natural materials, um, or being able to recycle over and over again, and that is a big ask because I know even in synthetic active or clothing generally for now, you can only recycle a few times until the quality really suffers. But again, technology's getting better and better, so I think in the future, This will be possible. And so absolutely the more we can also even then recycle materials and reuse them, that would be great. But for me, I think the biggest point is to look at the entire life cycle, extend the usability as much as possible. And, I think recycling, is sometimes an excuse to continue to do fast fashion, because when you look at recycled synthetics, you can still make that very cheap and you still can sell very cheap recycled polyester clothing and not having to stop this craziness of producing, people throwing it away, or giving to charity, which will be dumped in Africa or South America. And that does not solve the core issue, which is overproduction, and so I think, there's always different sides to it when you say, I think the, if I would say one thing, it's actually about how we use it and to stop this massive over production. and the waste. I think that is actually the biggest problem.

Sid: 31:52

Yeah. Fully agree with you. Can you share your vision for Tripulse's expansion and growth beyond the women's activewear? Are there plans or considerations to extend your product offerings to cater to a broader audience without compromising the brand's commitment to sustainability and quality?

Franziska: 32:09

I felt we had to focus when we get started. And so we, we have now a basic, active recollection for women right now. Uh, we also have pre-order going on for our very first sports-bra on Kickstarter which is exciting, but we actually already developing a first workout shirt for men. So we will also go into men, because what I said in the beginning, I want the whole world to be able to wear better workout clothing. And I feel a lot of men come to me and they say, why? Only for women? And so let's see, how it goes once it's out, but I definitely also want to give men that solution. So we will also serve men. Yes.

Sid: 32:46

Very good. And do you have plans to expand three polls offerings to include sustainable active wear for kids I'm sure many parents will be interested in finding eco-friendly options for their children as well.

Franziska: 32:59

Yes. Um, actually I have also here a lot of parents reaching out to me and asking that. And here are my answers again. Definitely love to because I want the whole world to be able to work out better. It's of course a resource question and it goes in line with how we grow the company. Yeah. Here's a question again, the funding, because we need resources to, to do that, of course. Um, but my wish is, is to do that because I also believe kids, they're usually even more sensitive than grownups. so yeah, that is definitely also on the vision board.

Sid: 33:30

Excellent. Looking forward to that. How do you foresee Tripulse influencing the mindset and behavior of customers when it comes to their choices in activewear? In other words, what impact do you hope to have on how people think about and approach their active wear purchases, considering the importance of sustainability, and conscious consumption?

Franziska: 33:51

So, Besides just, you know, delivering our products and giving them to customers. We also try, or we do a lot of, um, education, raising awareness about the topics in different areas and be it blogs, be it through our social media channels. We always want to, uh, help, you know, share some interesting knowledge about fashion and sustainability and how to make better consumption choices, what to look out for when buying new. So we see also our role as being, let's say, educator sounds a little bit, uh, strict maybe, but hopefully inspiring people to make better consumption choices as well, and I mean, we actually had a few customers reaching out to us, for example, one thing we were talking about was PLOGGING. I don't know if you know it. It's very hot in Sweden, so basically we were, you know, making a challenge asking people to, to Jog, um, and then also pick up waste at the same time. This is like actually quite a big movement, across the world right now, and so since we were talking about it, we had some customers reaching out and saying, this is so cool. You shared that. I started doing that now when I go running and I, I love it. So they're picking up trash while they're also moving their bodies moving. Yeah. And it's just little things, but we try, you know, if that can already make a difference in one person's life, she will pass it on. And so, so yeah, we, we do this. Education, getting athletes who also share the missions in their circles. Um, and then of course through our products, we have that. Much less microplastics will be spilled in our waters, right? So we, we help people's bodies to be healthier by, they can have a good conscience that they don't have hormone disrupting substances on and in their bodies. So I think a lot of things they don't even notice. We also help them, so, yeah.

Sid: 35:45

Excellent now it's time for the lightening questions. Are you up for some speedy Q&A?

Franziska: 35:50

Yes. I love it.

Sid: 35:51

Let's get started. Who has been your most significant source of inspiration throughout your journey?

Franziska: 35:57

Right. So, um, it's, to be honest, maybe that's not the answer. What? It's hard to pinpoint the one. I know people always want to hear it, but I think it's a collection. Um, on the personal side to just give me the energy to get going and to motivate me. Also, when things got really tough, it's definitely my close family. It's my boyfriend to have seen me going through, through everything. And, you know, always motivate me to, to carry on and that has been very, very important for me. Also some of my very good friends. But then let's say the poll effect, because I always, I, I think it's important that we have role models in my case. It's something quite novel that I'm doing and I need to, or it helps me to have role models like female founders who actually successfully made it. So there's one called Sarah Blakely from Spanx, or even Yvon Chouinard from Patagonia. But anyhow, how they built their businesses. Sarah Blakely, especially because she comes from a very different industry. Um, but she just basically hustled and, you know, made, made her way up. Now it's a billion dollar company. Mm-hmm. So it shows me it's possible if you just have the grid perseverance. And so these kind of role models really played a big role too, to know it's just my mind that gives me the limit and nothing else.

Sid: 37:21

Good. What book movie or documentary do you recommend for people on sustainability?

Franziska: 37:26

I think what is very interesting, and that plays more to the social side or ethical side of the fashion industry, uh, maybe not sustainability in general, but fashion industry, um, it's the true cost. Uh, we are talking about prices of garments, but also it's the basic cost that. People and planet have to pay when they are buying very cheap clothes. And so that's a very well researched documentary. I recommend everyone, it doesn't matter if you're really interested in fashion or not, but just general knowledge. I think that's really good. And then I generally, like David Attenborough's, uh, documentaries, um, he had one with his planetary boundaries. Uh, There was Nine(9) boundaries that, you know, we start to go beyond them and the impact it has on us, our survival and um, I think it's just very nicely made, and so I think it's available on Netflix. Um, but David Attenborough I think is really interesting as well.

Sid: 38:23

What's the worst career advice you've ever gotten?

Franziska: 38:27

Um, uh, the worst career advice. Um, Now I'm doing obviously my own career and there's nobody, it's very different. Before I worked in big corporation. So there's all about creating your career path but I think generally this, this thing of, um, I suppose just telling people do this or do that just because you know it's fashionable or it's a guarantee for a good income. I think for me, the number one, why I also preserve on what I do is because I so much belief in that, that I see so much purpose and I think before taking on anything, it's always good to check in with yourself and see, is that actually where I can you know, imagine spending so much hours, so many hours of my life, how do I want to make a difference with that? What meaning does it give me? Meaning? Because I think we can only do a good job if we actually ask our staff these questions. I have so many friends and people in my network who have really well-paid jobs really good statuses, but they're very unhappy. And that is because they followed somebody else's is wise. They ignored their own voice and they opted for, and mean, there's nothing bad to it. I've done it myself, but it's just what, when I reflect back now, they opted more than for comfort and security versus what they truly want. But again, also, having said that, AI ChatGPT, they will disrupt everything. So we can never be secure even. Right. So I think it's a lot. Taking some time to think and to really reflect how you as a unique individual with unique strength and passions can make a difference. And I, for myself, I want to make a difference that also benefits the planet and people, and because I have a certain background, I have certain interests that then turned into Tripulse for me. But for somebody else, it might of course be something Different. Yeah. So that was a very long answer.

Sid: 40:24

It's okay. It's okay What is the one thing you wish everyone knew about sustainability?

Franziska: 40:30

So choose one. One thing. One thing. Yeah. Right. That's a really good one. Mm. One thing they knew about sustainability. I mean, sustainability is such a vast area, so I think a lot of people get very drowned just hearing that word because they don't know how to apply it. I think, um, and it's also, again, almost in a green washing area right now because every company uses that, but instead see it as a thing, how can I. How can I provide a good future for the people and the environment? Um, and find your unique answer to that because in the end, it's, it's that we, we thrive on a, uh, that future generations are able to thrive on this planet. And so what is my role? How can I contribute to that? I feel sustainability, some people don't even know anymore what the goal or what it actually is. So, um, maybe just reconsider how to use that word and find some relevant meaning for yourself that actually helps you to take action on that. Yeah,

Sid: 41:35

I like that answer. Very good. What legacy do you hope to live through triples and your work in sustainable fashion industry?

Franziska: 41:44

I hope that I could create a ripple effect, that I could create a dent or like a change in direction in where the activewear industry is going, and I know that's a very huge ambition, giving the big players we have, I'm aware of that, but that is my ambition and that is my goal. I hope that I can inspire people to rethink what they wear, how they wear it, and to, to also start to be more critical towards information they get from, you know, shiny, flashy brands. Because I think knowledge is power. The real knowledge is power. And so, yeah, I hope with our work through Tripulse, with the interviews, what we do right now, this is very important to me. Um, through, yeah, just sharing my knowledge and point of view, I can, you know, change people's, uh, thoughts into that. Also, their behavior and actions.

Sid: 42:39

One piece of good advice for the listeners on any topic.

Franziska: 42:44

Ah, you asked really good questions, also a tricky ones Never Stop to be curious and to learn. I think learning and being curious how the world works. How about things work? How. How your shirt works, what it's made out of. Just having this general sense of curiosity, I think makes life so much more interesting, more fun, um, and so more rich. And through that, I'm very sure because I meet a lot of people like that they just also create beautiful things. Not always, but I think. If we are ignorant towards things and blank out a lot because we don't care, we don't wanna handle it or just total disinterest, I think it's very dangerous also for, for our future. And so by being curious, first of all, because it's fun, I think yeah, people generally would have a better and more fun life as well.

Sid: 43:44

Great Franziska, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your inspiring story. Thanks a lot.

Franziska: 43:51

Thank you so much, Sid, it was a pleasure In

Sid: 43:54

this episode of the Pre-Zero Sports Talk, we had the pleasure of diving into the inspiring journey of Tripulse, a brand that has revolutionized active wear by seamlessly integrating fitness, sustainability, and community. Our special guests, Franziska Mesche, the visionary founder and CEO of Tripulse, shared her story and insights into building a sustainable activewear brand, that empowers individuals and promotes positive changes. We explored Tripulse's, commitment to Fitness, Sustainability, and Community. As well as the challenges faced and the innovations driving their success. From Franziska's journey to the ethical and social practices implemented by Tripulse, we gained valuable insights into the world of sustainable activewear, and the importance of conscious consumer choices. It was an empowering conversation, illuminating the path to sustainable success in the activewear industry. As we conclude this episode, I want to thank Franziska Mesche for joining us and sharing her incredible story. Franziska's passion for sustainability, sports, and health is turly inspiring, and Tripulse is a shining example of how businesses can positively impact the planet and people. It's been a privilege to explore the intersection of fitness, sustainability, and community through the lens of Tripulse. Thank you for tuning to another exciting episode of the Pre-Zero Sport Talk, your home for open, straightforward and trilling conversations on the latest happenings in the world of sports. We are proud to lead the charge for carbon neutral sports and bring you the most engaging discussions on the airwaves. We hope you enjoyed today's episode and got inspired by Franziska's Mesche incredible journey with Tripulse. If you found value in our podcast, we'd gladly, appreciate your support in spreading the word. Please download, subscribe and leave a comment on your preferred platform. We also welcome suggestions for topics you would like us to cover in upcoming episodes. Stay tuned for more captivating and empowering conversations, as we continue to explore the fascinating intersection of sports events, innovation and sustainability. Thank you once again, for being part of the Pre-Zero Sports Talk. and remember to stay sustainable in all your choices Until next time take care and stay engaged.