Stephanie Carter was on a trip visiting her husband’s family in Australia when she noticed her mother-in-law wearing a stylish, protective hat that kept her safe from the sun’s rays while she gardened. Back home in Colorado, Stephanie was inspired to use what she saw in Australia, as well as her lifelong love of hats, to create her own line. After meeting with a designer and manufacturer, Stephanie decided to launch her business, and in 1999, Wallaroo Hat Company was born. With considerable success of their own, they’ve got one more achievement under their belt: now, they’re a 2023 FedEx^® Small Business Grant program winner.

From the beginning, it was important to Stephanie to put the fight against skin cancer at the forefront of the Wallaroo Hat Company mission. According to the CDC, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and Wallaroo Hat Company, which is a certified B-Corp, donates 1% of their proceeds every year to skin cancer organizations. With Wallaroo Hat Company, “You can look beautiful wearing a hat, feel good about yourself, and stay protected from the sun,” Stephanie says.

Running a woman-owned business is also important to Stephanie, especially in a male-dominated industry. She’s served as board president of the Headwear Association, the first female president in the association’s 105-year history. “Crashing through those glass ceilings and setting the way for other young female entrepreneurs…to make inroads into things that are predominately male-owned,” is what’s important to her. “I like to be a trailblazer,” she says.