When Ryan Miller came upon the skeleton site for Peaky Hat, he knew he had the chops to bring it to life. What had started as a drop-shipping business soon became an online shop with its own line of cap designs.

“We sell hats – traditional newsboys and flat caps with a modern approach,” shares Miller via email. “We aren’t saving lives or making a dent in the universe with captivating technology. But we genuinely hope to make people happy, to have more confidence, and to feel like they belong to something.”

Miller grew up in rural Ohio, outside the small town of Plain City. His ancestors hail from Scotland, Ireland, and England. His Irish forebears arrived in Ohio by way of Nova Scotia. These days, he lives in the city of Powell, OH with his wife and children.

Before launching his own business, he spent 20 years working in digital marketing and customer experience. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Miller was on the verge of burnout. For the sake of his mental health – and with the aim of spending more time with his family – he shifted his career trajectory.

“I have always had a burning desire to ‘do my own thing’ and build a lifestyle brand in the fashion and retail industry. At school, I studied psychology and sociology, with an emphasis on consumer behaviour. Marketing and brand positioning always fascinated me, especially when told through the lens of storytelling. I was excited to apply my years of experience to a small business – one that I could directly shape – to tell the story the way that I have always wanted.”

That story began over a year ago and, since that time, Miller has had to wear many hats, including those for technical support, design, marketing, and customer service.

While multitasking has its rewards, the job of stewarding the company solo is not without its’ fair share of challenges.

“It’s easy to start second-guessing every decision I make or don’t make. All the responsibility starts and ends with me,” he explains. That said, Miller is optimistic about the company’s future. “I am confident in my skills and my ability to apply my experience and I know the future is bright.”

The majority of Peaky Hat’s business comes from the United States, along with a sizeable chunk of customers in Canada and Australia. Miller largely relies on word of mouth to promote the shop, spurred on by his prioritization of customer service.

“Today, almost 90 percent of all the caps in our store we make ourselves and are own label: Peaky Hat. Quality products, incredible customer service, and affordable pricing has culminated into the growth we’ve experienced. Our attention to detail and willingness to push boundaries with our caps, coupled with our attentive approach to the customer, really sets us apart from the competition. The caps speak for themselves, but our approach to treat every customer like a close friend or family member is key to our success and brand.”

As far as Celtic-spired fashion goes, Miller sees it as an untapped market.

“Many forms of Celtic fashion and influence deserve their spot in mainstream marketplaces and will surely continue to grow. The Celtic influence, however, is deep-rooted in irreplaceable history and tradition. Modern day designers and retailers are finding ways to incorporate that into their forward-thinking fashion approaches, and it is exciting to witness and be a part of. We are playing a role in this movement and don’t take it lightly.” As such, he believes more businesses like this will emerge over the next decade.

As for his own company, Miller is excited about the upcoming prospects of Peaky Hat, “from new designs, new customer experiences, to new offerings.” He is already about 60 percent of the way to reaching the ideal he had initially envisioned.

“I will continue to learn and listen to our customers, finding opportunities to improve and to grow personally and as a business. I am hopeful that Peaky Hat can enter new partnerships, expand more into wholesale opportunities, and continue to refine our processes that will result in quality caps that our customers love.”

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@peakyhatstore