So………just before we cross over to the new year I am going to share why I created this business of a Cash Gift Registry, OurNuptialChest.com and some background jist (#wink) to some of the features launched in November.

So, my brother got married in 2013 to an absolutely wonderful woman (seriously she is a great human), and for some reason I still cant explain till date why all of their wedding gifts ended up in my house.

Five years after, some of the items still remain unwanted. Not that they don’t appreciate the gifts but they are simply not useful to them. So I got thinking, how about if they had received the cash instead and used the cash received for items they truly wanted as gifts? Say for example down payment for a car, or a house, or an all expense paid honeymoon experience or investments for the future. 

A combination of the ideation and my experience within the digital space gave birth to Ournuptialchest.com   – a technology platform that provides access to gifting cash to brides & grooms to-be  towards whatever big ticket item they want.  

I tried out the idea using my friend’s wedding friend (thanks RnR for being my Guinea Pig) and that began the journey of the existence of the wedding registry for cash gift only.

Other sources validated my idea:  awakening of couples and industry experts to the need for a service like mine:

As months went on and I received feedback (directly and from market trends) a couple of changes were made. Some with  back stories to them. Let me share:

Receive Cash Gift from across  globe: This was already there but limited to the Nigerian Niara only. There is now the option of  receiving the cash gift in American Dollars or British Pounds. This was an opportunity that presented itself. I simply grabbed it.

A Private Chest:  My Friends would laugh and say they can already tell why I did this. I have always been known to be the coded one. I think I have been afraid of my Village people too much. I love the opportunity the internet brings but I also have a fierce believe (to be honest, not sure where it stems from) in keeping everything non career and business related off the internet. For this reason plus the market trend of Celebrities keeping their family life private, we created a feature that allows you to create a chest with a password generated that is totally off the net but accessible  on the website to the individuals you share the link and password with only.  Very ideal for Celebrities and highly placed individuals who want to keep the wedding and the details private. And Coded private persons like myself.

Service Fee Paid by the “Gifters”: Is there a word like Gifter? Not sure but hopefully you got the point. This came from some feedback I got. Couples want to have the gift all to themselves. Nothing personal but just as they would have received the boxed items (being in the storage for many years after is irrelevant) without having to pay fees, they would like to receive 100% of the funds gifted to them. That means we pass on the cost to the friends and family giving. Lets see it as the cost associated with going to the store or spending time online to find the perfect gift for the couple.

Cupid Story: Now this one is all me. I blame the many hours of hiding around the house reading one of my numerous Mills and Boons books. I just love “Love Stories” , Boy sees girl across the room, Girl has also noticed boy but fakes ignorance, boy approaches girl and she dismisses him while hoping he pursues her……etc. I guess I just love the drama and the diversity of the stories. Some not so dramatic but some very much so. For the couples creating a chest, it is more about sharing that special moment cupid played a fast one with friends and family. Especially friends who you have met when your significant other was already in your life.

Gift History: Transparency is everything where a service related to money is concerned. Our Nuptial Chest is not any different. It is important for couples with a chest on the site see every penny, as it comes (time , date, amount, name  of the giver and contact). It is important to me every couple is assured every transaction is visible to them.

E-Invite/Save the Date: Not sure about you but I cringe when I receive wedding invite over text message or whatzapp message. For me it just says “you are one of the many we have invited to our special day.  You are just a number If you are there or not”. I know I might be taking it a tad overboard #coversface.  Now when we send an E-invite we make it beautiful. When you create a chest on the site (Private or Public) your friends get to read up on your cupid story, see the wedding date, venue and time, a message from you to them and of course the tab that gives them the access to gifting cash.

There are a lot more features I would like to add on but one day at a time…..

The journey so far has been “interesting”. Some days I think “Anu, what have you gotten yourself into” and of course other days when there is some level of success I get excited and I get a new zest of energy to keep going. But one thing is sure, I am in for the long hurl. Everyday I would “show up” until OurNuptialChest become the must have for most bride and groom to be.

On a final note, I think (I am seriously thinking) I might need a Tech Partner. Not employee but Partner. The Tech Partner does all the techie stuff and I do all the non techie stuff. You game or know anyone?

You are here so let me tell you about the Cash Gift Registry for newlyweds. Our Nuptial  chest  is helping every couple receive cash gifts from their friends/family. If you are getting married or know someone who is, then send  them over to OurNuptialChest!

We all know the world is a global village aka there are no more boundaries to the opportunities or market size we have access to.

Let me start this with a Caveat. Please do not expect money to start rolling in right from day 1. But if you are ready to put in the required work and you are consistent, it would pay off. Meaning money happens after you do the hard work up front.

I am a case study for this Passive Income drive because I have  a goal to visit the beautiful city of Santorini in Greece as my next vacation spot. Once the passive Income is able to pay for this trip, you shall be seeing pictures of me here:

 I would advise you  set a goal that would spur you anytime you don’t feel up to getting things done

So lets get on with it;

E-books –

Before you think, “I really have nothing to write about” you are wrong.  It can be a subject that has already been written about but guess what your perspective brings a difference to it. No one else could have lived your own life experience and that brings a newness to the subject.

I am going to use an example of my Friend, Anurika Azubuike. She who wrote a book “CUSTOMER ATTRACTION: How to Attract and keep more paying customers in Business”  while working  a  9-5 job as a Marketing & Branding consultant. Is the subject new? Nope. Are there are a thousand and one books available on the subject? Yes. But her perspective and experience is different.

So imagine a business owner in Australia or Singapore paying for her e-book while she sleeps in her home in Lagos. Btw – I did read the book and has helped me in my own business.

If you need ideas of what subject to write, here is one below

If you are a home manager, you can consider writing about life as a House manager/Mom/Wife. Trust me your perspective is what makes the difference. No one is looking for perfection. Make it real and witty as you can manage.

Just in case you think your e-book subject is not good enough. Here is a reason you should do a rethink. A book on how to grow a beard selling for £4.87.

You can check out  answerthepublic.com, keywordtool.io  or neilpatel.com to search questions people are seeking answers and possibly tailor your subject to them..

A note of caution – write for the global citizen. Use examples and stories that are relatable to everyone. Except of course you are writing specifically about a particular culture or to a specific audience.

Sell a Course Online:

If you are an expert in a given subject (everyone is really), this could potentially be one for you. Especially if it is an area not many people are experts.

An example would be an animator doing a 5 series 20 mins video of how to create an animated logos. First video would be free and subsequent videos would require you to pay to watch.  All you need do is integrate a payment platform and go to bed. Literally.

Timeless asset because you can edit as updates happen within the industry and people still pay for the content no matter the year. One way to distribute it might be working with a social media influencer to promote it and you share revenue or you simply pay the Influencer a flat fee to promote it.

So many subjects you can teach on! Find the niche and get to work.

Online Consulting:

Let me use this example of my friend (yes I have a diverse bunch as friends). When I found my self  with terrible skin condition because of weather change, I chatted up my friend Ronke Adeoye, an Oxford International College of Beauty  trained skin care specialist. She asked me a couple of questions and sent me list of things to buy. They worked magic.  We were in different parts of the world, I didn’t need to call her and she didn’t need to see me.

She is the reason for the caramel like skin you see below.

But I could chat her up because I know her in person. Imagine if someone had the same problem and had a platform they could reach her for the same consultancy?

So Ronke is launching her Webpage (once its live, I would edit this) where she would share skin care tips, do a couple of video series on skin care and be available for online chat/consultancy. You might be sitting in Lille in France, access her page online and be able to reach out to her in whatever part of the world she finds herself. I see a number of skin care brands working with her in the future.

By the way, she has a 9-5 job as well.

A number of people use Social Media Platforms as the place to document your “CV”. Great choice but that limits it to persons who are social media followers plus social media platforms companies makes changes outside your control. I would say use social media as support channels not the main one.

Online Identity/Resume –

I would call this one prepping for your 15 mins of fame.  That moment when  heaven smiles down on you and you suddenly become an internet sensation.

Before you read on, please go on google and type in your full name. What popped up? Does it represent who you are and what you would like people to associate with your name?

There are thousands of people (me inclusive and recruiters these days), who do a Google search when meeting a new person. I do so I can potentially define areas of common interest or get an insight into your person.

Please be very deliberate about what goes online against your name. If you ever wondered how people get speaking paid gigs, its because they have done a good job of creating that profile of being a thought leader in a subject. (plus the right network of course) I know someone who got a speaking gig in Lagos from Canada (all expense paid) because they saw his online profile and liked what they saw.  Viola!

Start a blog, Write articles on Medium or Quora, be deliberate about your comments and content on social media (it pops up in a Google Search), become a guest editor on an online magazine (loads to choose from). Set up a Google Alert on your name so you get notifications when you name pops up on the internet.

You are potentially opening up yourself to paid speaking engagements, expert opinions on TV shows or write ups.

There are other digital assets you can build but  I personally don’t like overly long articles. Would share more some other time plus my Santorini Pictures. #wink

You are here so let me tell you about the Cash Gift Registry for newlyweds.

Our Nuptial  chest  is helping every couple receive cash gifts from their friends/family. If you are getting married or know someone who is, then send  them over to OurNuptialChest!