Emily Couture already had a small headband-making business when she learned about a friend’s sister who had a brain tumor. After having to shave some of her hair the sister had taken to wearing headbands and wanted to order one from Emily, who promptly donated two headbands to her. Emily took this practice to a new level after reading Blake Mycoskie’s Start Something That Matters, MSU’s common reader. Inspired by the challenge to use her business to help others, Emily started Headbands for Hope.
“‘Headbands for Hope’ is a headband company where I custom design and make a headband for $20 and then for every headband I sell I will donate one to a cancer patient,” writes Emily, “Because every woman, every young girl deserves to feel beautiful even if they’ve lost their hair.” The morning after she launched her new business on Facebook, Emily had already wracked up over 130 “likes” on her page and more than 20 new orders. You can learn more about Headbands for Hope at her Facebook page, or at her Etsy shop by the same name.
Emily is living the public affairs mission through ethical leadership and her dedication to improving our community. We are proud to honor as December’s Public Affairs Student Spotlight.