Scrappy, Self-Funded, and All In: What It Really Takes to Build a Brand Without a Clear Plan with Lindsey Carter, Founder of SET Active

May 19, 2025

47:38

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Lindsey Carter is the Founder and CEO of SET Active, a cult-favorite activewear brand known for its elevated athleisure, monochrome sets, and community-driven approach.

Lindsey was just about to finish her degree in elementary education when she realized—she didn’t actually want to be a teacher. She shifted her path completely, dove into social media, hustled her way into NBC Universal, and went on to build her own agency from the ground up. While helping other brands build online communities, she had a lightbulb moment to build her own brand. In 2018, Lindsey started SET Active from her apartment, with no outside funding and $20,000 in credit card debt. She was determined to create a brand for the “everyday girl” who wanted activewear that looked as good as it felt. Fast forward to today, SET is a multi-million-dollar business with a cult following, and Lindsey still owns 100% of it. She’s become known not only for her signature monochrome sets, but for her honest take on entrepreneurship and her mission to uplift other women founders.

In this week’s episode, Lindsey shares her unexpected journey from wanting to be a kindergarten teacher to building a high growth activewear brand. With zero experience in fashion or manufacturing, she opens up about how she scrappily self-funded SET, found her first production partner, and the make-or-break lessons that came with it. We talk about the early wins that kept her going, how she used social media to build real community, and what it really took to scale the business. Lindsey also gets candid about navigating mental health as a founder, how motherhood changed her leadership style, and why staying authentic—even when it’s hard—is what’s kept her grounded through it all, and so much more.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Lindsey about:

* How childhood shaped Lindsey’s independence and drive. [00:24]

* From an aspiring teacher to working in entertainment. [05:17]

* Breaking into entertainment with zero experience. [10:59]

* Trusting her gut from a young age. [13:20]

* The vision and intention behind SET Active. [16:41]

* Building the brand from her apartment, hands-on and scrappy. [20:26]

* Self-funding SET Active. [23:28]

* Finding her first production partner. [24:04]

* What leadership and partnership taught her. [25:57]

* Early signs of business growth. [28:57]

* How social media fueled brand awareness. [31:26]