letterjoy letter
letter being read
Ansel Adams letter

Our Values

Introduction
We are a for-profit enterprise. The reality of entrepreneurship is that the vast majority of new ventures fail. In order to grow and succeed, we cannot stray from that core goal. That said, I started this business with the intention of both doing well and doing good, which is why I have drafted the following guiding principles for Letterjoy. These are aspirational, and sometimes we will fall short, but they are our guidepost.

Devotion to Truth
In our curation, we will tell the true story without fear or favor. Sometimes truths are uncomfortable, but that doesn't make hiding them anything less than dishonest We will do our best to present the facts in a manner that is entertaining, but honest.

Fair Dealing
If a customer is unhappy, we will do everything reasonable to change that. In our advertising, our communications, and our marketing we will be honest about the product.

Support for Historic Research and Preservation
Where possible, as we grow we will pursue partnerships with institutions that preserve and present historical artifacts and documents. We will pursue partnerships that allow them to showcase their collections, and raise funds to further preserve and display those collections.

Socioeconomic Accessibility
If a potential customer is interested in our product, but due to difficult circumstances is unable to afford the product, we should be willing to work with that customer to see if there is a solution that would allow the customer to access our letters.

Diverse Voices
In gender imbalance, we as a company face a challenging conflict. Our mission in curating is to provide a window into the decisionmaking behind monumental historic events. We want to showcase the rationale behind things like the dropping of the Atomic bomb, the genesis of World War I, and landmark Supreme Court decisions, and given the realities of historical power distribution, that means sending more letters from men than women.

That said, there are so many great stories to tell of important women in history, even if they weren't necessarily the individuals in power. From Madam C.J. Walker to Mary Borden, there are countless stories worth telling. We have made it a fundamental goal of this company to present as many female voices as possible, while still meeting our mission of allowing our customers to see inside the minds of the decisionmakers of the time.

We will also focus on representing a variety of viewpoints and walks of life in the stories we tell, giving voice to historical figures of all political beliefs, nationalities, and religions.

Openness to Ideas
Every day we receive suggestions for new letters, collections, and approaches to story-telling. We cannot act on all of these, but we will give any constructive ideas a fair hearing, and we will respond to each one after careful evaluation.

Continuous Learning
As mentioned above, we learn from our customers every day. We will periodically update this document to reflect those learnings.