At A Glance

Unsatisfied with the options available on the market, Shawn Laughlin founded Caskata in 2007 as a design-driven dinnerware company. When COVID-19 disrupted the traditional business-to-business model, she pivoted to a direct-to-consumer approach – since entering the E-Commerce space, Caskata has tripled in size. Be inspired by how Shawn and her team are connecting with customers, helping them tell a personal story at the table and throughout the home.

Who is Shawn?

Meet Shawn Laughlin, Founder of Caskata!

About Caskata

Caskata is a woman-owned, design-driven company committed to making uniquely beautiful products for the home, including tabletop and gift products in porcelain, bone china, textiles and glass made to be used for both every day and special occasions.

Shawn’s Entrepreneurial Journey

Shawn Laughlin began her career as a TV commercial film producer but always had a deep passion for food and entertaining. After finding early success in designing paper goods, she set her sights on a more promising opportunity in home goods – specifically, dinnerware. “I didn’t think there was a broad range of choice,” she explains. “Everything was either plain white, basics, or very formal and old fashioned – not my style.”  In 2007, Shawn launched Caskata, a design-focused dinnerware company.

The Evolution of Caskata: From Business-to-Business to E-Commerce

At the time, the home goods market was primarily structured around wholesale and business-to-business sales. “We were selling to retailers like Bloomingdales and doing trade shows,” Shawn recalls. Although most ceramic manufacturing had shifted overseas, Caskata chose to partner with the few domestic manufacturers that remained, only to encounter challenges due to outdated business and production methods. Determined to overcome these hurdles, Shawn secured a loan to purchase an in-house kiln. “We hired skilled experts from Limoges, France to teach us how to operate the kiln. At one point, we had eight decorators in a studio in Massachusetts decorate porcelain. And we bought our components from domestic suppliers,” she explains.

Business was going smoothly for Caskata until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Domestic suppliers shut down, and retail stores stopped placing orders. In response to the rapidly changing global marketplace, the company shifted to overseas sourcing and began experimenting with a direct-to-consumer website. “Orders started to come in, Shawn remembers. “Our entry into E-Commerce was sort of accidental.”

Today, Caskata is three times the size it was in 2020, having expanded into new product categories including glassware and textiles. “We like to think of ourselves as a lifestyle brand – we were able to extend that aesthetic and put a whole look and feel together,” Shawn finishes.

Caskata’s Personal Approach to Customer Service

“Being able to talk directly to the customer who is buying the product is empowering, enlightening, and authentic,” Shawn reflects on Caskata’s transition into E-Commerce. Despite the company’s rapid growth in recent years, the core team remains small, with just five members. “We care a lot about what we are doing,” Shawn notes. “We have a consistent tone of voice and we’re able to take that all the way through our interactions with our customers. If you pick up the phone and call, you’re going to get one of us.”
As Caskata continues to scale, the company has found success using Gorgias to manage customer service efficiently.  “I think the most important thing is to care about your customers and being committed to actually making products that they are going to love,” Shawn says. With a 46% return customer rate, some shoppers have placed up to 60 orders, whether expanding their own collections or purchasing gifts for weddings and holidays.

Business Growth and Revenue Strategies

How COVID’s ‘Stay Home’ Initiative Impacted Caskata’s Growth

For many, staying home during COVID sparked a desire to create more aesthetically pleasing living spaces. As a result, Caskata’s distinctive and elegant designs quickly captured the attention of online shoppers. “We looked different than everybody else on the market in this particular arena,” Shawn explains. In addition to investing in digital marketing, Shawn, new to the world of E-Commerce, sought guidance from industry experts and ultimately partnered with an agency to strengthen the brand’s online presence.

How Caskata Prepares for Peak Season

To prepare for peak season – the holidays – the company leverages the talent of its team along with freelancers specialized in areas such as online retail merchandising, user experience (UX), conversion rate optimization (CRO), and search engine optimization (SEO). “We do our design and manage our manufacturing in-house – it’s baked into our daily operational activities,” Shawn adds.

Innovation and Adaptability

Looking Ahead: Leveraging Amazon, TikTok, and ChatGPT to Grow Business

Caskata launched its Amazon store and has seen sales grow by 350% over the past year. “It took us a while to understand that ecosystem,” Shawn says. “But it’s been an interesting avenue of growth for us.” After finding success on Instagram and Facebook, the company continues to explore social media as a sales channel and recently launched a TikTok Shop. “I’m really excited about the integration between ChatGPT and Shopify,” Shawn adds. “I think that’s going to be really powerful.”

Shawn’s Advice for Aspiring E-Commerce Entrepreneurs

Shawn believes that patience and a deep understanding of a truly unique product are essential for success in E-Commerce. “I would say to someone new, go slow – make sure that you have a really special product and that you can effectively talk about it.” Adapt business strategies to accommodate consumers’ current tastes and demands. She also emphasizes the importance of adapting business strategies to meet evolving consumer preferences. For instance, Caskata shifted away from traditional dinnerware sets, introducing bold patterns, vibrant colors, and mix-and-match options that empower customers to “tell their own story on the table.”

Shawn’s Biggest Challenge as a Leader

As an E-Commerce business owner and leader, Shawn says her biggest challenge is cash flow and securing investor support. “87% of our customers are women,” she says, revealing that most of the investors she talks to are men who don’t receive the products in the same way. “We are genuinely making a product we believe in and talking to people about it,” she continues. ‘My biggest challenge is figuring out who might be interested in working with us rather than a group of investors looking for the next E-Commerce phenomenon.”

Shawn’s Industry Outlook for Small Business

Like many E-Commerce companies, Caskata has felt the impact of international tariffs – costs for dinnerware have risen over 40%, and textiles are up 50%. In response, the company is reassessing its pricing strategy, product categories, and relationships with overseas suppliers. “New regulations at the SBA have made it more challenging to be in business,” Shawn says, adding that higher upfront costs due to tariffs often disqualify small and mid-sized businesses from accessing critical funding. She warns that without a policy reversal soon, many companies may be forced to shut down.