Maddie Tolbert (20Ox, 22C) still remembers the way her preschool teachers worried about her. At one point, during a conference with Tolbert’s parents, her instructors expressed an unusual concern: Tolbert drew too much on scraps of paper and did not spend enough time on the computer.
Even as a child, Tolbert craved connection to places and people while the world around her became increasingly digitized. Now, two decades later, Tolbert continues to channel her love for tangible connection and memory-making to create Pi9eon, an app that turns digital images into postcards.
From Milton, Ga., Tolbert’s desire for a small community drew her to Emory University’s Oxford College, where she sought to build on the policy knowledge she gained from a high school internship with the local government.
Tolbert began at Oxford in the fall of 2019. After taking her first few Emory classes, she realized she wanted to study both global and national politics, so she decided to major in international relations, taking advantage of what she saw as “limitless” avenues for study and extracurricular activities.
“I became more interested in learning about different cultures and how that interacts with the political context of different countries and how that has to do with history, too,” Tolbert said.
But just as she was beginning her journey at Emory, Tolbert’s plans, like the rest of the world, were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. To stay connected to the Emory community, Tolbert served in a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion position in the Oxford Student Government Association, which, along with helping her stay attached to peers in a world forced to social distance, solidified her interest in exploring other cultures.
“It was awesome,” Tolbert said. “I got to learn about different cultures, put on a lot of events, which was so fun, given that [during] COVID, everyone was doing the social distancing, and it gave me the opportunity to connect with people.”
While Emory classes were remote, Tolbert decided to travel to and study in Arizona. While in Arizona, Tolbert noticed that, like her, her peers’ addresses kept changing, making connections purely digital. Eventually, after graduating from Emory, Tolbert took her passions for policy and human connection to Hawaii. She participated in AmeriCorps’ Volunteers in Service to America program, working on renewable energy projects and building on her Emory education. During her time in Hawaii, Tolbert continued to keep her friends updated on her travels through postcards.
After her year with AmeriCorps concluded, Tolbert decided to delve deeper into international politics by beginning a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (Mass.).
During her time at The Fletcher School, Tolbert continued to travel, spending a semester in Spain at IE University, where she studied international business. Through her travels, she once again noticed how difficult it was to stay connected to her loved ones and how postcards' tactile nature elicits a different emotional response than a text.
“It's more meaningful to receive a postcard than a DM,” Tolbert said. “My friends, when they receive a postcard from me, they send me a picture, and they're like, ‘Oh my gosh, thank you so much.’ I don’t get that response when I send someone 10 Reels in their DMs.”
At The Fletcher School, Tolbert also met her peer Sanford Glickman. Tolbert bonded with Glickman over their mutual desire to bridge the physical divides between people.
After graduating from The Fletcher School this May, Tolbert began traveling around Southeast Asia, making an effort to absorb unfamiliar cultures as best she could. Still, Tolbert struggled to share her experiences with people back home due to the inefficiencies of sending mail abroad. One postcard she sent from Indonesia this August did not arrive until November.
“I always want to stay connected with people, and I don’t know how to,” Tolbert said. “I send a lot of postcards back home, but navigating the international mail system is awful.”
During a conversation between Tolbert and Glickman, the pair discussed the difficulty of sending postcards to friends half a world away. Glickman wondered aloud if they could bring postcards to a digital format.
Tolbert fell in love with the idea and soon thereafter, Pi9eon was born. Glickman built out Pi9eon’s software in under a week, and Tolbert flew to Glickman’s home in Washington, D.C., where the pair spent two weeks finishing development.
To use Pi9eon, users upload an image from their camera roll to the app and add a note. Then the company prints the digital postcard and sends it to the recipient within seven to 10 days, according to Tolbert.
Although she does not describe herself or her co-founder as “techy” people, Tolbert said building the app allowed her to return to her creative side as she applied the business knowledge she gained during her time at IE University. Tolbert currently works for Lincoln Room Strategies, a consulting firm that specializes in transportation policy. Still, she appreciates the freedom that comes with being an entrepreneur and having autonomy over her business decisions.
Looking to the future, the duo has grand plans for Pi9eon: As they prepare to talk to investors, Tolbert envisions a world where the app’s name is a part of people’s everyday vernacular.
“That’s our big goal,” Tolbert said. “We’ve made it if people are saying, ‘Oh my gosh, Pi9eon that.’”
Beyond widespread recognition, Tolbert hopes the app may remind the business world of the value of physical modes of connection.
“Gen Z, especially after COVID, are trying to connect with the real world,” Tolbert said. “Our goal is to set a trend, really, that other companies start valuing tangible items.”
Although far from her preschool self, Tolbert still finds comfort in the tangible. Whether stepping foot in a new country or speaking to communities about energy and transportation policy, Tolbert will keep sending postcards and continue building Pi9eon, meshing two distinct worlds — paper postcards and real connections.
Hunter Buchheit (he/him) (28B) is majoring in U.S. History and Business. He loves writing about music, Emory events and politics, and in his free time enjoys playing piano, running and spending hours crafting the perfect Spotify playlist.
