How One Sustainability Leader Is Replacing Plastic Forever

Summary

Living Your Legacy – “How One Sustainability Leader Is Replacing Plastic Forever”

Podcast: Living Your Legacy

Host: Rudy Mawer (guest host: Ray Gutierrez)

Guest: Lila Carlson, Global Director of Sales and Marketing at Nant Biorenewables

Date: July 3, 2026

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Overview

In this episode, Ray Gutierrez sits down with Lila Carlson, a pioneering sustainability strategist and entrepreneur who is at the forefront of eliminating plastic waste through innovative packaging solutions. The conversation weaves together Lila’s career journey, philosophies on leadership, her upbringing, and practical insights on embracing opportunity, discipline, and positive influence—all within the context of her mission to drive both business success and environmental change.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lila’s Sustainability Vision and Journey

• Mission Statement:
  • "We want to do good for people and good for the planet." (A, 00:00/02:14)
  • Nant Biorenewables is actively developing sustainable, circular packaging solutions.
• Self-Belief & Grit:
  • “You can do anything you set your mind to. It's not just America, but the whole world is opportunity. I can teach anyone how to sell. I can teach anyone technical things. I cannot teach them grit.” (A, 00:30/08:34)

2. Backstory: Upbringing and Family Influence

• Lila credits her mother for instilling confidence and the art of positive thinking:
  • “I think I've always been that way.“ (A, 02:39)
  • “I learned it from my mom.” (A, 02:41)
• Positive, ambitious upbringing fostered happiness and work ethic:
  • “I had a very happy childhood, very accomplished family. So we learned work ethic and happiness.” (A, 03:13)

3. Crafting a Legacy & Women in Power

• Lila discusses the importance of outlook and support systems:
  • “You have to always look for the positive in people. I think so many people are negative nowadays that there’s always a positive angle. You just have to find it.” (A, 03:44)
  • She attracts positive energy authentically, “like a magnet” (A, 04:02).
• The impact of community and one’s circle:
  • “You are the five people you surround yourself with.” (A, 05:08)

4. Resilience, Self-Awareness & Discipline

• The importance of discipline, flexibility, and readiness for opportunity:
  • “Discipline and preparation meet opportunity every day. It’s all about execution.” (A, 07:15/07:21)
• Approaching new opportunities with comfort and confidence—even against larger competitors (describing her company’s success at global sustainability awards) (A, 04:13/04:53).
• The role of intuition and grit in entrepreneurship:
  • "I cannot teach them grit. Or intuition within." (A, 08:34)
• Notable personal history: Growing up in the entertainment industry, but choosing a different path (A, 06:30-09:12).

5. Taking Unconventional Career Choices

• Describes a pivot after university—opting for an adventurous sales job in Mexico, rejecting the family’s entertainment route:
  • “When I graduated, they offered me a job selling condominiums in Acapulco. Timeshares. Tough. But it was a great experience.” (A, 09:28)

6. City Living, Tranquility, and the Power of Place

• Lila contrasts life in LA/NY and life now in West Texas:
  • "But now I live in El Paso, out in sleepy West Texas. And there’s something to be said for that tranquilo pace of life." (A, 10:35–10:47)
  • She values the ease of global travel and the peacefulness she finds in her current home.

7. On Social Media, Branding & Modern Business

• Lila’s take on leveraging LinkedIn as a brand tool:
  • “You don’t realize that is a bulletin board for you, for you and for your business.” (A, 13:38)
• Advocates for intentional self-presentation online and in virtual calls:
  • “Your brand should be in full display. You should be at center attention, center screen.” (B, 14:08)
  • Pet peeve: people not turning on their Zoom camera (A, 14:13/14:15)

8. Perspectives on AI and Teamwork

• Lila is an early adopter of AI for packaging design and workflow:
  • “I’ve been using AI for several years, packaging design. And you know, there’s more than 50,000 AI programs... For sure, it can do all the routine things, so my brain is free to do the creative things that only a human can do.” (A, 14:42/14:52)
  • "You can have a very small team and get a lot accomplished." (A, 14:59)
• Acknowledges anxieties around AI, but sees it as an empowering technology.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Resilience and Execution:
  • “Discipline and preparation meet opportunity every day. It’s all about execution.” – Lila Carlson (A, 07:15/07:21)
• On Grit and Mentorship:
  • "I can teach anyone how to sell. I can teach anyone technical things. I cannot teach them grit." – Lila Carlson (A, 08:34)
• On Opportunities:
  • “It’s not just America, but the whole world is opportunity.” – Lila Carlson (A, 08:00)
• On Perspective and Positivity:
  • “You attract it like a magnet.” – Lila Carlson (A, 04:02)
• On Social Media Strategy:
  • “You don’t realize that is a bulletin board for you, for you and for your business.” – Lila Carlson (A, 13:38)
• On Team Size and AI:
  • “You can have a very small team and get a lot accomplished.” – Lila Carlson (A, 14:59)
• Unique Miami Metaphor:
  • “When you come to Miami to film it, don't film it as a protagonist, film it as an antagonist... you have to understand that the frequency is backwards. So I have actually appreciate folks that have understood that, and they comprehend that there's a city full of antagonists and we just kind of do things backwards here.” – Ray Gutierrez (B, 11:40)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00]–[02:21]: Lila's introduction and mission in sustainability
• [03:04]: Reflections on legacy and upbringing
• [04:13]: Attending a global sustainability award—building credibility as an “outsider”
• [07:15]: Discussion on discipline, execution, and entrepreneurial fears
• [08:34]: “I can teach anyone... I cannot teach them grit.”
• [09:28]: Early career pivot—selling in Mexico “opened her view”
• [10:35]: Life in El Paso versus big cities (tranquility)
• [13:38]: LinkedIn as a branding platform
• [14:42]: Early adoption and perspective on AI for sustainable business

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Tone and Style

The dialogue is candid, energetic, and peppered with personal anecdotes, reflections on legacy, and motivational asides. Lila exudes positivity and confidence, focusing on real-world execution and resilience, while Ray brings a playful curiosity and deep appreciation of culture and entrepreneurial hustle.

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for those interested in sustainable entrepreneurship, personal branding, and actionable leadership. Lila’s journey and insights offer not just inspiration but several practical blueprints—whether you’re interested in building a legacy, transitioning careers, or harnessing the new tools of business like AI and digital branding.

Transcript

[A]

I am very active in the sustainability space. We want to do good for people and good for the planet. We attended a sustainability awards ceremony and we were a nobody. We were up against dupont and Henkel and all these big companies. Our company was, out of a thousand entries made the top five finalists.

[B]

Lila Carlson is a sustainability strategist, entrepreneur and the global director of Sales and Marketing at Nant Biorenewables. She helps organizations accelerate growth by advancing sustainable packaging solutions and circular economy strategies that drive business performance and environmental impact.

[A]

You can do anything you set your mind to. It's not just America, but the whole world is opportunity. I can teach anyone how to sell. I can teach anyone technical things. I cannot teach them grit. Discipline and preparation meet opportunity every day. You know, it's all about execution. I think you have to always look for the positive in people. I think so many people are negative nowadays that there's always. It spans the globe like a super high cold Internet.

[B]

Elvis Presley.

[A]

Today, Apple is going to reinvent the farm.

[B]

It's not over until I win. The Living youg Legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy. That's extraordinary. The impossible has happened. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan, open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream. Welcome back to another episode of the Living youg Legacy podcast. For Inside Success, I am Ray Gutierrez. Joining me today, moments before we film our episode for Women in Power is Lila Carlson, another great visionary, another great entrepreneur, and she's joining us today. Welcome to Miami.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Happy Wednesday.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

What brings you to good old south

[A]

beach to come work with you? All right on get some tape for our future of marketing efforts.

[B]

Right on, dude. I love it. I love the spirit. We're about to film your episode for Women in Power, and I feel like we live in an age where it takes a good storyteller to run an amazing company. I feel like you have an amazing story inside you and I can't wait to learn more. Let's just take this moment to give us the preview of what we'll learn in your episode today.

[A]

Sure. So I am very active in the sustainability space. We want to do good for people and good for the planet.

[B]

Wow. Simple. How does one get that message so refined and so. So confidently polished? How many years of practice and layers upon layers of resilience does it take to just go, this is what I want. Here's what requires it.

[A]

Boom.

[B]

There you go.

[A]

I think I've always been that way.

[B]

Really?

[A]

I learned it from my mom. Nice.

[B]

Let's talk about mom. Do you mind?

[A]

Sure.

[B]

We usually have a story script. We kind of have some insight on your background, but we're doing things a little differently here. We're authentically just learning as we go. If your mom was watching and what do you think she'd say of watching you sit here speak about what you do?

[A]

I think she would say she's proud of the course that I've charted.

[B]

What is that course that you charted? Was it through power, pain, suffering, or happiness?

[A]

Pure happiness, really. Wow. I was very fortunate. I had a very happy childhood, very accomplished family. So we learned work ethic and happiness.

[B]

It's funny, like, once you immerse yourself into a successful culture, successful tribe, especially when you start a family within that tribe, it always takes a village. Great, amazing things happen to your legacy. I feel like, based on your energy, you wear that legacy very proudly. What does it truly take to be a woman in power and also crafting a legacy?

[A]

I think you have to always look for the positive in people. I think so many people are negative nowadays that there's always a positive angle. You just have to find it.

[B]

I just got a sneak peek that you've been traveling a lot. Are you looking for this positive energy? Everywhere you go, it finds you.

[A]

You attract it like a magnet.

[B]

How does it work? Like, you know, give it. Walk me through your Tesla coil. Like, how are you magnetizing this positivity? And how you. How do you know that you're being called in the right direction?

[A]

I think just being authentic. We were in the Netherlands last week and we attended a sustainability awards ceremony. Our company was, out of a thousand entries, made the top five finalists.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And we were a nobody. We were up against dupont and Henkel and all these big companies. My marketing manager, Barbara Schreiner, did a great job on our entries. And we walked into a room with a thousand people, and we didn't know any of them.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

And by the time we left a couple times, a couple hours later, everyone knew you. Yep.

[B]

Awesome. How does it feel to. To walk into that reality and just kind of know? Eh, no big deal. I got this. A thousand. I see a million. But we'll start here. How does that feel?

[A]

Comfortable.

[B]

Isn't that bizarre? Comfortable, like you come from a place of warmth and positivity, you know, how do you preach and teach folks that are a little less fortunate or traveled a different path?

[A]

I think most of your personality, it's been said, is formed by the time you're five years old. So I just try to surround myself with positive people. People that aren't. Don't stay right on how, you know, they say you are the five people you surround yourself with. Right.

[B]

Whoever this they are. Sounds pretty magical to me. When did you. When were you so self aware that reality is almost like a big TV show? That it's really. There's always constant. There's these cameras, but then there's the other cameras behind those cameras constantly. When did you realize that? Was it just that five, or was it like five seconds into the reality called life? When were you self aware of the who?

[A]

Good question. Probably in my early 20s.

[B]

Really? Okay. Yeah. My early 30s.

[A]

I didn't think about those things much.

[B]

Yeah. I feel like our brains weren't really designed for that sort of fun stuff. Like, I didn't. Like I was speaking to you all earlier offline. I was born and raised in Miami, but I left to the barrier, you know, and my 25, I was. I don't know how that was in 2008, but it was just like a different version of me was just in this reality. But everything that I learned and was born in Miami gave me the unknown resilience and the guidance that just like dodge and weave all the San Francisco nonsense and be like, this is how you all operate in California. And it just. Within six, six, six months I was working at places.

[A]

I think growing up, my dad was in the entertainment industry. Yeah. And they'd be shooting a show and he'd bring Bette Midler or John Denver home. Forget her. When they had a break, he's like, I don't want to eat Craft services. We live five minutes from the studios. So to me, it was just normal.

[B]

Dude, did you just kick it with arrow fling? Like, dude, that. That if my grandma were to you, where she'd be like. Like wigging out. That's amazing. That positive energy needs to be always constant. But at the same time, having that energy is. It takes a lot of discipline. I know where I'm just floating. I just know that there's a moment that I can lose it all. So I'm always trying to grip for straws going. I've worked this hard to get here in this mindset. Now how hard do I have to work to stay in this mindset?

[A]

Well, I think discipline and preparation meet opportunity every day.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

It's all about execution.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

And that's where I think a lot of people struggle.

[B]

What's the fear of the execution? Isn't it. Is that it? I would Say so. Like, it's almost like you're asking me. Like, there's a part of me where that wants to execute, but there's this just underlining fear of, like, great.

[A]

You.

[B]

You step into this reality now. You're opening yourself up to all of these doubts, all of these frequencies.

[A]

Be careful what you want, you might get it.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So it's like, how do you turn on the Batman to navigate? Is that what you do day to day? Meet folks like me and go, you are awesome. You. You're gonna make it. What. What is your day?

[A]

Absolutely. And you can do anything you set your mind to.

[B]

That easy.

[A]

You know, it's not just America, but the whole world is opportunity.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

You just have to not be afraid.

[B]

What is your day to day, North Star? What do you do every day when you wake up? Do you log in and check your email? Do you. What. What is your. Your. Your superstitions? Walk us through your ice baths, your journaling.

[A]

I just wake up and start doing it, you know?

[B]

That's awesome. What is it for you? What is your it?

[A]

I think always playing to win.

[B]

You're so whimsical. I was like, I'm talking to a storybook. I'm like, I'm going to figure this out. Like, look, what is.

[A]

I just think it's something that's within you for sure. You know, I can teach anyone how to sell. I can teach anyone technical things. I cannot teach them grit.

[B]

No.

[A]

Or intuition within.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So let's talk about your intuition. I think you can learn through experience.

[B]

Absolutely. Let's talk about your theater background. You said your dad is a performer.

[A]

No, he wasn't. He was in the television business.

[B]

Oh. Even a completely different producing. Absolutely. Different craft, as we call it these days. A predator. Editor, Producer. We call them predators. Fighting for the story, creating and building. Always. Where do you fall into play in

[A]

your only person in the family that did not go in the entertainment business?

[B]

I was just gonna say, did you jump? Did you jump into entertainment or to take the other way? Why do you think you went the other way? What was it? Was it Mom? Was it that one bully? What was.

[A]

The Disney character just left me, you know, led me that way.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What was that pivot moment for you?

[A]

You know, when I was in university, I had some friends that were from Mexico. When I graduated, they offered me a job selling condominiums in Acapulco. Timeshares.

[B]

Tough.

[A]

Yeah, tough. But it was a great experience.

[B]

Oh, sure, sure, sure.

[A]

And I think A lot, A lot of times, people that stay within a little cocoon, no, you know, their view is pretty narrow.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I see that now. Being born and raised in Miami, most folks don't leave. And now that everyone has arrived in Miami the other way around, everyone that's lived here is freaking out. They're like, I'm like, this has been happening all around for, for decades, finally here. And everyone's like, what do. How do I do? You got to catch up. Like, this is why you have to leave, girl, and come right back.

[A]

Not a bad place to live.

[B]

It definitely is not. But it's very noisy and mean that just not through traffic, just the frequencies and how we're all leveled out here. There's just a lot of aggression and folks just need to my myself, it's been quite the journey to just go, you're Latino. Let's not impulsively react to the first thing that appears in your third eye. It's not that important. Let's just chill out and take a bath.

[A]

Well, that's interesting because I grew up in Los Angeles, in New York, Big city.

[B]

Oh my God, my dream city.

[A]

Lived in Acapulco, Mexico City. But now I live in El Paso, out in sleepy West Texas.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

And there's something to be said for that tranquilo pace of life.

[B]

Yes, ma'.

[A]

20 minute drive from the airport and I can go anywhere in the world. I come home and it's just tranquilo. It's very tranquil.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. I actually enjoy the fact I live right next to the airport. So I. When I encourage folks to kick at my place and shoot content and create art, I tell them, you can come to Miami and you'll be in real Miami, old Miami, not this Disney Miami that we've all Vegas out. It's still within the noise of Miami, Florida.

[A]

And those motels.

[B]

Oh, dude, they still exist, man. Those things are. They're still a thing up in North Miami Beach. They're. They're preem. And I love the energy now.

[A]

They're boutique hotels.

[B]

They're very boutique. And until this day. I remember my grandmother and my grandfather taking me out because they raised me to the beach and me performing with my do my toys in the back seat to people driving behind us. Something fascinating about Miami and maybe other cities, maybe LA LA is a good example. In New York. Have you ever traveled clearly you sat in a car and looked at the rearview mirror and see the city moving backwards.

[A]

No, I haven't.

[B]

Have you ever noticed how it's A different image to me. It always reflects to me. Like when you shoot Miami and when you come to Miami to film it, don't film it as a protagonist, film it as an antagonist. You cannot move forward in this reality to be a Miami, and you have to understand that the frequency is backwards. So I have actually appreciate folks that have understood that, and they comprehend that there's a city full of antagonists and we just kind of do things backwards here. But in reality, it's forward. And when I talk about things like that, some folks kind of understand. I'm hoping you kind of understand my gift, my. My guff here, and some others don't. My question to you, for. My question to you is, do you feel that in la, do you feel that in New York? That there's two realities, there's two things happening all at once?

[A]

When I look in the rearview mirror, I've got a ranch in Mexico. It's about an hour away from El Paso. And when I go down there for the day to take care of things, I come back and there's always awesome sunsets in the rearview mirror. So I'm watching the whole sunset as I'm driving the hour back.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. But isn't that crazy that you live in this reality that you've. You've created this and is this something you teach and preach now? Is this something.

[A]

I think you never know where life will take you. We were just talking about that this morning.

[B]

Right on that.

[A]

You know, people make all these plans and life doesn't go according to plan, for sure.

[B]

So how do people learn more about you? How do people discover you? Do you have books? Is there a website? Do you have a social media handle? Are you quietly famous on TikTok? How do people find people?

[A]

Find me through LinkedIn.

[B]

Okay. LinkedIn's the bomb. How are things on LinkedIn, by the way?

[A]

They're great for me.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What's your. What's your guff? There any feedback of. Because I always like the. The LinkedIn avatar is different from the. Clearly, the Twitter avatar, whatever it's called. Now, how is Instagram like? The LinkedIn is so, so clean. It's still like the modern Facebook. Of what?

[A]

I don't know. It depends on whose profile you look at.

[B]

There you go. There is. There is.

[A]

You don't realize that is a bulletin board for you, for you and for your business. They don't realize that.

[B]

Oh, they need to realize that. I even preach that and coach that when. When I take zoom calls and I. I immediately go why is your zoom shot? First of all, it shouldn't be a digital background. It should be a. A sanctuary, a display of who you are. Your colors, your brand should be in full display. You should be at center attention, center screen. Your father knows broadcast. There's a way you dominate the frame and how you speak on a zoom call. Now, that needs to be taught.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You don't do zoom calls like this. Who the hell is going to demand a sale like that?

[A]

Or I love the people that they don't turn the camera on.

[B]

Oh, my God. The worst. I'm like, dude, we live in the future. And that's just. Come on. How is anyone going to generate a connection for a sale or for coaching without the digital way of doing things? What's your feedback here?

[A]

I think during COVID when everybody went to video meetings, I think it really changed business a lot.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Positive for some people, not positive for others.

[B]

And it's happening now with AI. You know, I'm kind of curious. What's your take on AI?

[A]

Well, it's kind of interesting. I've been using AI for several years, packaging design.

[B]

Right on.

[A]

And you know, there's more than 50,000 AI programs, and everyone thinks of ChatGPT.

[B]

Yeah. No, dude.

[A]

And I love it. You know, for sure, it can do all the routine things, so my brain is free to do the creative things that only a human can do.

[B]

Bingo.

[A]

Yeah. You can have a very small team and get a lot accomplished.

[B]

Yes, ma'.

[A]

Am. But people are afraid of it.

[B]

Yeah. Welcome to Inside Success. Are you crowded here with staff members and people that don't need to be in this room? No, that's very streamlined, very quiet in that piece. It's by design, really. We did that intentionally. We understand that the folks that come into these halls have multiple voices, multiple frequencies going on through their brain patterns. The last thing they need to worry about is this on. You know what I mean? My love, thank you so much for your time and energy. I'm so eager to sit you down in our Inside Success studio. In Studio one, you and I, and we're going to continue this journey. So do you, my love, thank you so much for. For doing the thing with me.

[A]

All right. Thank you.

[B]

My pleasure. And we are waywear Inside Success.