How I Made $1M in One Hour… And The Mistake That Nearly Cost It All

Dec 17, 2025

Lindsey Carter, founder and CEO of Set Active, discusses her journey of building an athleisure brand that cashed in $1M in just one hour. She opens up about facing public backlash, including a recent donation misstep, and how these challenges fueled her growth as a leader. Lindsey shares valuable lessons on accountability, the dynamics of entrepreneurship with friends, and the importance of staying authentic to build a loyal community. Her experience offers insights into navigating the highs and lows of a rapidly growing business.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Mistakes As Fuel For Continuous Growth

Lindsey views mistakes as essential to personal and company growth and refuses to stop building publicly.
She accepts ongoing errors as part of a continuous development process with no finite endpoint.

ADVICE

Lead With Empathy, Not Fear

Aim to be an empathetic, approachable leader rather than someone who makes employees scared.
Prioritize approachability, motivation, and understanding to unlock better team creativity and performance.

INSIGHT

Controversy Can Raise Sales But Tests Values

Bad press didn't hurt Set's sales; controversies can increase visibility and enable more giving.
But Lindsey values doing the right thing over sales gains from press.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Set Active founder Lindsey Carter opens up about how to build a cult-like activewear brand for gen-z and millennial women that can do $1M of sales in an hour built on the back of an authentic founder-led brand.

Lindsey isn't afraid to face the controversies and challenges that followed her brand’s rise - including TikTok backlash in 2023 and the recent breast cancer donation misstep. She shares hard-earned lessons on accountability, female business mindset, and why building a company with friends can cost more than it’s worth.

Known for her entrepreneurial spirit, Lindsey built Set Active from the ground up, navigating the highs and lows of building a business in the public eye while offering valuable insights on success, leadership, and personal growth.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Intro

[02:37] Hustling at 8: Lindsey’s First Deal

[04:36] Becoming An Entrepreneur

[05:45] Lindsey’s Identity Struggle: Living for Herself, Not Dad

[06:59] Dad Controlling Her Money

[08:23] Money, Power, and the Dynamic with Her Husband

[10:37] Set Active: Before the Brand

[11:49] Lindsey’s Biggest Challenge as a Founder

[12:58] 2023: The Year Lindsey Almost Quit

[15:45] Dealing with Backlash And Online Criticism

[18:32] Why Mistakes Are Essential for Growth

[20:54] Making Workers Scared Of Her

[22:49] Want to Grow as a Founder? Here’s What You Should Do

[23:53] Facing Harsh Online Feedback: How Lindsay Deals with It

[26:27] The Breast Cancer Donation Backlash

[29:27] Bad Press: Does It Hurt or Help a Brand?

[31:04] Building a Cult Following with Authenticity

[33:46] Forbes 30 Under 30: What It Really Takes

[35:31] $1 Million in One Hour: How It Felt & What She Learned

[37:46] Lessons from Making $1M in an Hour

[39:25] The ‘Drop’ Model: Lindsey’s Strategy for Success

[40:30] Flopping Drops: The Risks of 2023’s Bold Moves

[40:51] Trends & Brand Building

[42:04] Lindsey’s Entrepreneurial Superpower

[42:46] Advice for Struggling Founders: How to Overcome Hard Years

[43:55] Friendship & Business: Why Lindsey’s Circle Is Tight

[48:01] How to Keep Business Relationships Collaborative, Not Competitive

[49:41] Business and Friendship: Lindsey’s Boundaries

[52:28] Losing Friends While Growing a Business: The Reality

[54:08] What’s Next for Set Active: The Dream Moving Forward

[55:15] Rapid Fire Questions

[57:35] Where To Follow Lindsey and Set Active

⸻

Hot Smart Rich: Join 250,000+ angels and subscribe to the Hot Smart Rich newsletter: https://hotsmartrich.com/subscribe Hot Smart Rich Money Mindset: https://shorturl.at/pJWLc Merch: https://hotsmartrich.shop/YouTube: https://shorturl.at/IXXFZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotsmartrich/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotsmartrich

Maggie Sellers Reum:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiesellersreum/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maggiesellersreumLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellersmaggie/Locker: https://www.wantlocker.com/users/maggiesellersShopMy: https://shopmy.us/maggiesellersAmazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/maggiesellers

⸻

Follow Lindsey Carter & Set Active :

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseycarter/?hl=en

Website: https://setactive.co/

⸻

Hot Smart Rich is your place to hear unfiltered conversations with the people shaping the future of culture, creators, startups and community. Hosted by Maggie Sellers Reum, investor and media powerhouse, and guests breaking the mold, you’ll get the real deal as it relates to navigating the startup fast lane, leveling up your life or becoming your hottest, smartest, richest self. New episodes weekly on Wednesdays.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices