About Us

Sandesa is an AAPI and female founded business based in New York and Seattle. We’re two friends who embrace the slow living lifestyle in the midst of our fast-paced everyday lives, and we love sending and receiving handwritten letters. There’s something special about a handwritten letter that feels so intimate and meaningful. 

We founded Sandesa to continue celebrating the art of handwritten letters. Sandesa is a stationery brand that’s crafted to celebrate art & playfulness, and we’re reimagining the handwritten letter experience for both senders and receivers. 

Sandesa means “message” in the Sanskrit language, one of the oldest languages in the world. As handwritten letters are also one of the oldest forms of communication, we want to continue celebrating this. We believe that words and messages have a great impact when it comes to cultivating deeper connections with one another, and in spreading love and kindness. 

Join us in embracing the (small but mighty) power of a handwritten letter, because small gestures can make the biggest difference. 

Grace & Jae

 

Grace Kim is the co-founder of Sandesa and she’s a big believer that everyone has a story to tell. Her love for handwritten letters and snail mail started back when she was writing letters back and forth with her cousins in Seoul, long before email was around. She’s kept all those letters to this day and is a proud hoarder of all the cards she receives! Born and raised in New York, Grace understands first hand how busy life can get, and is a big advocate for slowing down and taking the time to reflect. 

Prior to Sandesa, Grace led Marketing strategies and teams at tech startups. Her favorite part of being a small business owner is bringing playfulness and creativity to good ol’ snail mail! 

 

Jae Novack is the co-founder of Sandesa and has always advocated for creating a product, a place, a platform that fosters communication and connections between people. She believes something simple as a handwritten letter can truly represent the strong connection between the sender and receiver in its inherent meditative and intentional nature. In our modern day of instant texting and social media, bringing back the practice of writing a note, card, or letter to someone you care about, can help nurture meaningful relationships and enrich your own process through daily life. Through Sandesa, she wants to bring that power back to the individual, one letter at a time.

Prior to Sandesa, Jae was a producer, designer, theatre-owner, and an architect in both physical and digital mediums. Her favorite part of being a small business owner is the agency to create change, large or small.