Set Active CEO forgoes holiday sales to fix delivery delays

Lindsey Carter is skipping the biggest shopping days of the year. The 35-year-old CEO of Set Active announced on Oct. 19 that the company will cancel its Black Friday and Cyber Monday product launches until further notice. Carter wrote on Instagram that the brand will not release new items until they arrive at its Los Angeles warehouse, a decision that puts a projected $10-plus million in sales at risk.

The company generated eight figures in net sales in 2025 and is profitable, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Carter started the athleisure brand in May 2018 after taking on $20,000 in personal credit card debt. She filled her home with inventory and managed production from her dining room. Carter noted that she is "walking away from a hefty revenue number" but believes the customer comes first. "I'd rather make it right with the customer than hit a revenue goal," she said.

Set Active faces stiff competition in a slowing market. Women's activewear spending in the U.S. increased 2% between October 2025 and September 2026, down from 7% in the prior year, according to Circana. However, the sector still accounts for 30% of U.S. apparel spending. Kristen Classi-Zummo, an apparel industry analyst at Circana, said shoppers are favoring casual outfits and loungewear over performance gear. Carter’s brand sells color-filled sets designed for everyday wear, such as sitting on pickleball courts or in Paris, rather than strict workout attire.

Carter identified a gap in the Los Angeles market after struggling to find matching sets for errands and remote work. She partnered with a production professional and used a permanent marker to mark up samples at her dining room table before sending them to designers. The brand differentiates itself by avoiding traditional yoga-centric aesthetics. Carter said she wanted products that did not force customers into specific poses.

Growth has come with personal and professional challenges. Carter had two children after launching the company and has never taken maternity leave. She described experiencing postpartum depression symptoms in 2023 and called the lack of leave a major mistake. The company also struggled to deliver orders on time in 2026. Carter declined to specify all reasons for the delays but said the issues were varied. The timing of the cancellation puts pressure on the brand ahead of the holiday season.