Hot Smart Rich with Maggie Sellers Reum

What engagement rings are actually worth investing in through 2026? And is lab-grown worth it? Ring Concierge founder Nicole Wegman - who built a $100M+ jewelry brand with diamonds - joins Maggie to break down the trends shaping engagement rings right now, the lab-grown vs natural diamond debate, and why “engagement season” creates so much pressure. She also shares the real founder story behind Ring Concierge: starting with $2,000, bootstrapping to $100M+ in sales, and what it takes to scale from scrappy entrepreneur to CEO without losing the aesthetic, the community, or yourself. We also talk about the unspoken side of success - how money and reputation can change the people around you - and why Nicole built a nine-figure business without outside investment by designing around what women actually want: clarity, taste, trust, and a brand that feels like you. ⸻ Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:50 Why Engagement Season Feels So Intense 00:02:43 The Social Media Ring Pressure Nobody Admits 00:04:30 Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez & The New Ring Trends 00:06:12 Designer vs CEO: What Nicole Calls Herself 00:07:30 The Most Expensive Rings I’ve Ever Sold 00:08:14 The Ring Styles That Hold Their Value 00:08:34 Lab-Grown vs “Real” Diamonds: The Truth 00:11:36 The Real Average Cost of an Engagement Ring 00:12:28 How De Beers Shaped “Real” Diamonds 00:13:48 Engagement Rings Are Status Symbols (Let’s Be Honest) 00:14:31 How To Tell Your Partner You Want A Different Ring 00:15:46 Starting Ring Concierge In The Diamond District 00:17:05 Entering A High-Cost Industry Without Big Money 00:18:11 How Nicole Turned $2,000 Into $100M+ 00:19:18 Building 1M Followers On A Luxury Brand Account 00:21:09 Why I Didn’t Build A Personal Brand Until Now 00:23:00 Personal Brand: Honest, Unfiltered, And A Working Mum 00:24:17 How To Stay “Luxury” While Showing Real Life 00:25:18 Why You Should Test New Opportunities 00:26:30 Who Ring Concierge Is Really For (And Why It Works) 00:27:24 Beehiiv Ad Read 00:28:46 Influencer ROI: How We Choose Who To Work With 00:31:07 Why I Shared $100M Revenue (And What It Changed) 00:33:46 Bootstrapping & Why I Didn’t Raise Money 00:35:06 The Sacrifices No One Talks About (Including Kids) 00:35:59 The Real Advice: Hard Work, Luck, And Timing 00:37:06 Two Entrepreneurs, One Marriage: How We Make It Work 00:39:05 People Treated Me Differently After $100M Went Public 00:41:42 Taking Investment: Why Webster Capital Made Sense 00:43:15 When Men Started Treating Me Differently 00:45:00 I Don’t Have A Board… And That Might Be A Mistake 00:45:59 The Book That Made Me Start With $2,000 00:46:31 The Scaling Books I Recommend Now 00:48:40 The $500K Mistake I’ll Never Repeat 00:51:08 The Jessica Alba Lesson: Your Team Must Evolve 00:52:41 What I Look For In Every Hire: Grit, Pivot, No Ego 00:54:56 Rapid Fire Questions Sponsored by: Beehiiv: beehiiv.com/hsr Use code HSR30 for 30% off ⸻ 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/IXXFZ Instagram: 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/@maggiesellersreum LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellersmaggie/ Locker: https://www.wantlocker.com/users/maggiesellers ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/maggiesellers Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/maggiesellers ⸻ Follow Nicole Wegman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicolewegman Ring Concierge: https://ringconcierge.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Battersby has built a career around creating products that improve the lives of women. From launching Bumble in Australia, to building and selling her own tech company to Fanfix, and now becoming President of the largest women’s network for moms, all while 30 weeks pregnant, Michelle has consistently disproven the 86% of women who believe motherhood will jeopardize their career. Raised in a hyper-competitive household with Olympian parents, Michelle reflects on how her identity has been shaped by ambition and challenged by cultural expectations, tall poppy syndrome, and motherhood, while building apps for women, by women. Plus, Michelle brings her 7 week old baby, Bobby, on the podcast to live breastfeed to prove that yes, women really can do it all.  Michelle discusses: Tall Poppy Syndrome & Female Visibility: How cultural discomfort with ambitious women shows up as judgement, self-policing, and pressure to stay small - especially in Australia. Motherhood, Career & the Myth of ‘Having It All’: What pregnancy and postpartum taught Michelle about leadership, resilience, and why motherhood doesn’t weaken ambition - it sharpens it. Women’s Bodies, Confidence & Control: Why society sexualises women’s bodies but shames their biology - and why reclaiming ownership is an act of leadership. Why Naivety Can Be a Superpower: Michelle shares the strategies, mistakes, and mindset shifts behind her career. ⸻ Timestamps (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:13) Finding My Purpose Building for Women (00:04:19) Growing Up with Olympian Parents (00:06:06) How I Changed My Relationship with Failure (00:07:48) The Power of Naivety at Bumble (00:10:11) Building a Personal Brand Before You’re Ready (00:14:53) Tall Poppy Syndrome Explained (00:18:16) Did Moving to the US Change Me? (00:19:21) Being a Woman in Australia vs the US (00:20:32) Matrescence: Losing Yourself After Birth (00:26:17) BeeHiiv Ad[00:27:38] Why I Built a Business for Women (00:30:48) Sunroom: Pushing Boundaries Online (00:33:07) Posting My Body and Being Respected (00:34:38) Breastfeeding Live on a Podcast (00:37:07) The Fear of Pressing Upload (00:38:40) Investor Pushback? (00:39:28) Why Breastfeeding Is Still Shamed (00:40:49) Disclosing Pregnancy During Interviews (00:43:42) 3 Leadership Lessons from Motherhood (00:45:14) Pregnancy Didn’t Kill My Ambition (00:47:49) I Thought Being a Mum Would Ruin My Career (00:50:27) You Can’t Achieve with an Incompetent Partner (00:53:28) Man's Role In First 1000 Days of Parenting (00:56:46) How Motherhood Makes You Better at Work (01:01:20) Going From Founder to Employee (01:09:18) How Can Someone Be Like You? Final Advice (01:12:11) Quick Fire Questions Sponsored by: Beehiiv: beehiiv.com/hsr Use code HSR30 for 30% off ⸻ 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/IXXFZ Instagram: 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/@maggiesellersreum LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellersmaggie/ Locker: https://www.wantlocker.com/users/maggiesellers ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/maggiesellers Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/maggiesellers  ⸻ Follow Michelle Battersby: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellebattersby/ ⸻ 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

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

Mari Fonseca breaks down what it really takes to build a brand with no formal business education or understanding of finance – and why she walked away from a long, successful career as a model. Mari Fonseca is a former international model and the founder of Gente, a body care company focused on lymphatic drainage and wellness rituals - now Hailey Bieber’s favorite brand in this space. In this conversation, she shares why she dropped out of college at 16, how she became an entrepreneur, and the practical steps, mindset shifts, and challenges she faced turning her idea into a real business. Mari also opens up about her relationship with Drew from The Chainsmokers, and why building a business felt like the only path that truly aligned with her ambitions - rather than stepping into a more traditional role. ⸻ [00:00] Intro [2:19] Growing Up in Brazil & Leaving Home At 16 To Model [5:32] Reliving Your Childhood as an Adult [6:33] The Harsh Reality of the Modeling Industry [9:57] Breaking the “Pretty, Not Smart” Stereotype As A Model [11:27] From Cash to Equity: Rethinking How to Build Wealth [13:51] Why I Feel More Confident In My 30s Than I Did In My 20s [15:40] The Hardest Part About Leaving Modeling for Business [17:48] Why I Don’t Enjoy Modeling Anymore [18:17] How People Treat Me Differently as a Business Owner [19:38] Fundraising as a Female Founder: What I Learned [23:15] Why Big Followings Don’t Always Drive Sales [24:37] Hailey Bieber Favorite Brand: The Halo Effect [26:20] How Long It Takes to See Gente Lymphatic Results [27:30] My Lymphatic Drainage Routine & Glow Tips [29:08] Turning Gente Into a Self-Care Ritual [30:42] The Most Effective Way to Glow Up [31:49] How I Manifested My Beauty Brand Into Nordstrom [33:10] The Lows of Starting My Business [35:01] The Boundaries Every Business Owner Needs [38:47] Rapid Fire: From “I Didn’t Want a Wedding” to Latest Purchase [45:29] Gente Discount Code & Where to Follow Mari HSR Angels get 20% off at Gente with code HSR20 at gentebeauty.com ⸻ 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/IXXFZI nstagram: 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/@maggiesellersreum LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellersmaggie/ Locker: https://www.wantlocker.com/users/maggiesellers ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/maggiesellers Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/maggiesellers  ⸻ Follow Mari Fonseca & Gente Beauty: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariannefonseca Gente Website: https://gentebeauty.com/ Gente Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gentebeauty ⸻ 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, 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

Have you ever wondered what Alix Earle, AI, and Gen Z’s ‘Absurd Era’ Reveal About the Future of Business, Entertainment & Influence? Black Friday flopped. Booking.com became sexy. Dancing With the Stars is now a full-blown creator pipeline. And the average influencer? Officially over. In this week’s episode, Maggie and Katie break down the cultural chaos shaping 2026, from unhinged micro-trends to the new class system emerging from AI… and why the myth of overnight success is the most dangerous lie online. They explain: Why Black Friday felt flat even as it broke records How tweens and micro trends reshaped consumer behavior Why cultural relevancy beat traditional product launches The travel planning study every woman is sending her partner How Booking dot com became the most unexpected breakout brand The creator to reality TV to entrepreneur pipeline Why business shows struggle on video while Shark Tank still wins The new rules for storytelling in business and education The top AI predictions for 2026 and the HSR point of view Why Gen Z will become entrepreneurs by necessity How micro companies and tastemakers will shape culture Why human imperfection will become a trust marker Why analog living is emerging as a new luxury Chapters: 01:00 Black Friday was underwhelming but record breaking 03:00 Why cultural relevancy beat product drops 05:00 Tweens and absurd micro trends 06:00 The travel planning attractiveness study 08:00 Why Booking.dot com finally became cool 10:00 Dancing With the Stars and the new creator pipeline 11:00 Alex Earl, Brooke Nader, and the reality TV effect 13:00 Why business shows fail on video 15:00 Shark Tank works because it is emotional, not logical 17:00 What brands get wrong about content 19:00 The new rules of education and entertainment 20:00 Breaking down the top AI predictions of 2026 21:00 Gen Z forced entrepreneurship 23:00 Micro companies and the rise of taste makers 24:00 Personalised education and the end of the classroom 26:00 Human assisted services becoming luxury 27:00 The death of the average influencer 28:00 Trust premiums and human proof labels 29:00 Analog living becoming aspirational 31:00 Using AI to evolve your business 33:00 The myth of overnight success 34:00 Mashki’s decade long rise 35:00 Build to sell or build to keep 36:00 How founders should think about public building 38:00 Privilege, backlash, and the messy middle 40:00 Vulnerability as a competitive advantage 42:00 Why creators struggle to pull back 44:00 Sharing outcomes versus sharing in real time Hot Smart Rich: Join 250,000+ angels and subscribe to the Hot Smart Rich newsletter: https://hotsmartrich.com/subscribe Become an HSR Angel in the ⁠Global HSR WhatsApp channel:  https://shorturl.at/xzLPm Buy the Hot Smart Rich Money Mindset here: https://shorturl.at/pJWLc Buy Hot Smart Rich merch: https://hotsmartrich.shop/ YouTube: https://shorturl.at/IXXFZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotsmartrich/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotsmartrich Maggie Sellers Reum: Instagram: https://www... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices