Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Kim.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always believed that technology should bring people closer together — not just make life easier. That belief became the foundation for SodaGift, a global gifting platform that allows people to send local, meaningful gifts across borders instantly.
The idea came from a simple frustration: sending a thoughtful gift to someone abroad was surprisingly difficult. From currency barriers to delivery logistics, the process felt outdated and complicated. I wanted to make global gifting as seamless as sending a message.
Today, SodaGift connects over 350,000 users, enabling gifts to be sent to recipients in more than 15 countries. We’ve built partnerships with major brands and local merchants across Asia and North America to make gifting effortless and personal, wherever people are.
Based in Los Angeles now, my focus is on expanding SodaGift’s reach and connecting businesses and communities across regions. What started as a small idea about connection has grown into a platform that helps people and companies celebrate relationships globally.
The journey hasn’t been easy, but every milestone reminds me why I started — to make giving simple, emotional, and truly borderless.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all — the road has been full of challenges, lessons, and moments that shaped who I am as a founder.
Before SodaGift, our team actually started with a different idea — a global remittance service designed to make international money transfers faster and simpler. But the market turned out to be extremely competitive and heavily regulated, and we soon realized it wasn’t sustainable for a small startup at that stage. It was a tough realization, but it led us to pivot.
That pivot gave birth to SodaGift — a platform focused on emotional connection rather than financial transactions. Instead of sending money, people could now send gifts instantly across borders, in local form and currency, without the hassle.
Then the pandemic hit, and like many others, we faced a slowdown that forced us to make painful decisions, including restructuring our team. It was one of the hardest moments of my career — seeing talented people leave. But it also became a turning point. We learned to adapt, focus on sustainability, and rebuild with intention.
Now, we’re entering an exciting new phase. We’re evolving into a reward-tech platform, unlocking new ways for users and brands to connect through digital rewards and ad-based monetization. Looking back, every setback pushed us to become more resilient and innovative — and that’s what makes this journey so meaningful.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
SodaGift is a global digital gifting platform that makes it easy for people and companies to send meaningful gifts to recipients in other countries — with local delivery and instant convenience. Instead of shipping physical items across borders, SodaGift lets senders choose gifts that are locally sourced and delivered within the recipient’s country.
We bridge distance with technology, helping people celebrate moments that matter — birthdays, holidays, or even a simple thank-you — no matter where they are in the world.
Our platform serves both individuals and businesses. For consumers, we make international gifting effortless and personal. For companies, we provide digital gifting and reward solutions that help engage customers, partners, and employees across regions.
What makes SodaGift different is our focus on localization and emotional connection. Each gift feels personal because it’s relevant to the recipient’s local culture, brands, and experience — even if the sender is halfway across the world.
Today, SodaGift connects over 350,000 users and supports gifting in 15+ countries, partnering with global and local brands to make gifting simple and human. We’re also expanding into reward tech, creating new ways for people and companies to connect through digital rewards and brand engagement.
At its core, SodaGift isn’t just about giving — it’s about making distance feel smaller through the act of thoughtful connection.
How do you think about happiness?
When I first started, I was the CTO and focused entirely on building the product — coding late nights, solving technical problems, and experimenting with new ideas. Now, as CEO, the weight feels much heavier. There’s a deep sense of responsibility that comes with leading people and shaping a vision.
But at the same time, it’s incredibly exciting. Watching an idea that once lived only in my head turn into something real — something that connects people across the world — is a feeling that never gets old. Every day, I see our vision taking shape, and that makes all the challenges worth it.
What truly makes me happy, though, is hearing from users who tell us they were able to share love and care through SodaGift. Knowing that something we built helped someone express affection to a friend or family member thousands of miles away — that’s the kind of feedback that fuels me.
I also feel joy when I see our team members working with passion and purpose. Their energy reminds me why we do what we do. In the end, my happiness comes from knowing that our work contributes, even in a small way, to someone else’s happiness. I hope I can keep doing this kind of meaningful work for a long time.
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