Laura Kaschak Small Business Series
How Laura Kaschak Turned Mystery Bundles into The Curio Cabinet VA
A one-woman shop of whimsy, gothic charm and tiny shrunken heads proves that being yourself is a business strategy.
Laura Kaschak never set out to build an online business. She was getting ready for a craft market, putting together a few mystery bundles for her table, when a handful of videos showing what might be inside took off online. Soon the messages were piling up, all asking the same thing: how can I order one?
That little experiment became The Curio Cabinet VA, a shop that sells curated mystery bundles to customers across the country. Laura runs every part of it herself.
Built Around Her Own Energy
Laura has spent years selling weird, slightly spooky creations at oddities and craft markets. Running her own business also solves a practical problem. She lives with AuDH and endometriosis, which makes a traditional 9-to-5 structure a real challenge.
“Having a business I can build around my own energy flow has been incredibly important,” she says. “It gives me flexibility to work when I’m able to and, just as importantly, gives me an outlet for the constant stream of odd ideas in my head.”
A Bundle Made for You
The Curio Cabinet VA blends whimsy with gothic style, and the experience is the main attraction. Instead of picking products off a shelf, customers share a few clues about themselves: things they love, their aesthetic, favorite colors or animals. Laura uses those clues to build a bundle just for them.
The contents are an eclectic mix. Some items are practical, some purely decorative, and some fit into witchy or spiritual practices. Think tarot decks, natural stones, themed stationery, jewelry and odd little treasures.
Making Weird Things Real
Many of the products are Laura’s own creations. To make them at scale, she relies on a resource many small business owners overlook: her local library’s maker space, which has equipment like a sublimation printer and heat press. “They have equipment that would be a pretty significant investment for a small business to purchase outright,” she says. “It’s an incredible resource that I wish more small business owners knew was available to them.”
For items she doesn’t make, she hunts for unusual finds, often starting with something she has loved and used herself, like her favorite tarot deck, before buying in larger quantities to share with customers.
Her favorite origin story is the tiny shrunken heads in one of her pre-made bundles. She first made one to hang from her car mirror, just to make herself smile. “People kept commenting and asking where I got it, so I thought, ‘well, apparently other people need tiny shrunken heads in their lives, too,’” she says. “They’re one of my favorite things to create because each one ends up with its own personality.”
The Weird Girls’ Club
Laura describes her customers as part of the same “weird girls’ club,” quirky people drawn to the strange and unusual. What she hears most is that they feel seen.
“Anyone can buy a couple things you like online in minutes, but having someone say, ‘Tell me who you are and I’ll find some things you’ll love’ creates a completely different experience,” she says. “People let me know it makes them feel special and cared for when they open their bundle and it’s filled with items that are perfect for them.”
Growth Through Authenticity
Laura started on Instagram, then expanded to TikTok and Facebook, which grew her audience significantly. She stays consistent by sharing customer orders, works in progress and behind-the-scenes moments. The biggest driver, though, has been showing up as herself.
“I’m not trying to create a polished version of what I think a business owner is supposed to look like,” she says. “I’m a little weird, I get excited about the strange things I’m making, and I genuinely love the process of putting these bundles together.” Much of the growth has come from people sharing her videos. For Laura, “social media works best when it feels less like advertising and more like inviting people into the strange little world I’ve created.”
What’s Next, and Advice for Fellow Founders
Laura doesn’t have a five-year plan, and she’s fine with that. She wants to keep finding new ways to make the experience fun for customers and let the business grow naturally, following the ideas that excite her.
Her advice for anyone starting a small business:
- Make something you love. “Create something you wish existed. If something appeals to you and you can’t find it anywhere else, there’s a good chance there are other people out there looking for it too.”
- Start small. It gives you room to experiment, learn what people respond to, and make mistakes that don’t become expensive ones.
- Stay open to new paths. Laura’s business began as bundles for a local market and now ships nationwide. “Sometimes your customers will show you an opportunity you never thought to look for.”
Follow The Curio Cabinet VA on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to see what’s inside the next bundle.
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