Today we’d like to introduce you to Sola Osunsan.
Hi Sola, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Sola Osunsan, and I was born and raised in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. I attended Texas Tech University, where I majored in Industrial Engineering for undergrad and Data Science for my Master’s. I am the founder of Thaler Vault, our Money Machine — the first business to convert a vending machine into an ATM.
In Nigerian culture, during weddings, baby showers, and birthdays, there is a money dance where we spray the celebrants with money, usually $1 bills here in the US. During my own wedding, a lot of people showed up and sprayed me, but I felt like more money could have been made. The industrial engineer in me started trying to improve the process. I remember right after a church service, the problem statement came back to mind, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed a soda vending machine. I thought to myself: what if you used a vending machine for the change table at weddings? I pulled my wife aside and asked her, and after about 20 seconds of pondering, she said, “That’ll work.” That was back in September of 2023, and Thaler Vault was born.
Thaler Vault is both a services and tech company. We provide a differentiated experience for money handling at events and we create technology to improve the experience
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?
The journey has been far from smooth. As a business owner, every day brings a new business problem to solve. I started with sourcing — it was my first time sourcing a machine, and I’ve bought the wrong sizes and bought too many machines. I’ve had to design the experience from the ground up, work with developers, and navigate slipped timelines. I’ve dealt with theft and loss. I’ve had to learn supply chain and logistics. I’ve worked through customer experience issues, and because we’re considered a fintech, I’ve handled a lot of regulatory hurdles. Staffing, scaling, transportation — you name it. I’ve worn many hats: designer, electrician, marketer, salesperson, and so much more. We have dealt with the threat of competition and copy cats.
Bringing something out of nothing is not an easy task, but every time we execute an event for our customers, it always feels worth it. I feel like I’ve positively impacted my community and made an experience a little better.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Thaler Vault?
A lot of people ask us what does our name mean. The Origin word for Dollar is Thaler, so our name means Dollar Vault.
Thaler Vault is a service and technology company that’s reimagining how money is handled at traditional celebrations. We are the first company to convert a vending machine into a cash-dispensing machine built specifically for events — what we call our Money Machine. Our core market is the African “money spray” tradition, where guests shower the celebrants with bills during weddings, baby showers, and birthdays, but the experience we’ve built translates to any culture or event where cash plays a role in the celebration.
What we specialize in is taking a beloved cultural ritual and removing all the friction around it. Before Thaler Vault, hosts had to plan ahead — going to multiple banks, ordering small bills weeks in advance, assigning a family member to sit at a “change table” all night, and worrying about loss or theft. We solved all of that. Guests walk up to our Money Machine, swipe a card, and instantly receive crisp bills ready to spray. The host doesn’t have to lift a finger, and the celebration keeps moving.
Our vision is for hosts never needing a money table.
What sets us apart is that we’re not a vendor showing up with a stack of bills — we’re a category creator. We retrofitted the hardware, designed the user experience, navigated the fintech landscape, and figured out the logistics of moving and operating these machines safely at events.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is it works! Not just the machinery but the operations as well, we deliver vaule to our customers. The feeling of seeing something that was just a concept out in the wild and it works is priceless. People light up when they see the Money Machine. We’ve taken something deeply cultural and made it feel modern, premium, and effortless. We have competitors flooding the market which is fine and anticipated. We intentionally built our own transaction rail and we own the IP.
What I want your readers to know is that Thaler Vault is more than a machine — it’s an experience. Whether you’re planning a wedding, a milestone birthday, a baby shower, or a corporate event, we’d love to be part of what makes your celebration unforgettable.
What makes you happy?
When a good plan comes together, I try to be as proactive and intentional with my decisions and plans so that when it works, I’m excited! My mantra in life is to live an optimized life; I don’t want anything less or more than what God has for me. I also LOVE vacationing with my wife.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thalervault.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thalervault/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thalervault
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thaler-vault
