Putting the 2018 in Snail Mail
It’s no surprise that in 2018, some companies are skipping the website phase and conducting business solely with an app.
Meet @PunkPostCo, a virtual boutique greeting card shop. In an age of texting and ecards, founders Santiago Prieto and Alexis Monson realized that receiving a hand written card has an unmatchable sentimental value, and there is a market out there that agrees. Prieto quit his full time job to develop a program for their business after receiving a handwritten card from his wife, Monson. Soon after he took the leap, Monson followed and left her job.
They now focus all of their time on building a start up from their one-bedroom condo in San Francisco. At the beginning, they talked about getting a separate work space so they could disconnect from business at home, “But when you’re starting a business, you never really do disconnect anyways,” Monson said. Plus, they’d rather reinvest their money into building a better company. This allows them to get their wishlist items (another letterpress and a company-branded postal truck) sooner than if they had to pay for workspace.
DIGITAL APP
Conducting all business through an app and employing freelancers also allows them to keep costs low. Customers can order a custom card, which is then written and illustrated by a lettering artist (referred to as a scriptist) and sent by the artist, too. You can also add photos, confetti, and ship internationally for just a little extra!
While most companies are focused on future innovation, PostPunk is going back in time before texting, reviving the excitement you get with snail mail. Friendly or formal, the personalization of sending and receiving something handmade is really resonating with people, allowing the PunkPost company to take off and expand.
What are your thoughts on starting a business with only an app?
* PunkPost opened a website version of their app in March 2018, four years after their start in 2014
Category: Business Spotlight
