In a world where many founders believe they need to own space, inventory, or expensive infrastructure to build a real business, Taylor Nanz, founder of SolidGroundsCo., proves the opposite. She’s built a high-impact, event-driven brand by leveraging partnerships, shared spaces, and community—without ever owning the infrastructure herself.

SolidGroundsCo. is an end-to-end production company that operates without a traditional physical storefront. They leverage strategic collaborations with existing businesses and vendors to host impactful pop-up events – the kind that bring the community out and meaning to the function. Her approach not only drives traffic to partner space, but also helps build brand awareness while keeping overhead low. We spoke with Taylor about the mechanics of this model, and the lessons she’s learned that any founder can immediately integrate into their business strategy.

1. The Power of a "Vivid Vision" to Drive Decisions

The journey to an agile business model doesn’t just start with an event plan, but with a detailed exercise. Taylor's original vision was a physical coffee shop, but she quickly realized how expensive it was to own. The solution was to define the essence of her idea, allowing her to filter out non-essential elements.

The Lesson: Your business plan needs a "Vivid Vision"—a detailed, granular blueprint of what the business looks, smells, and feels like in three to five years. Here’s why:

  • The Intentional Filter: Having a clear vision acts as a filter to distractions. For Taylor, she realized her core value wasn't owning a coffee cart - it was about building community. This distinction allowed her to move away from a coffee shop model in favor of pop-ups, ensuring every opportunity is 100% authentic to the brand's core mission.
  • Finding Advocates: A crystal-clear vision makes it easy for others to understand your scope and interests. When people know exactly what you do, they are inclined to be your advocate, and are willing to speak about your work in rooms you're not in when future opportunities arise. Think of this as one part manifestation and one part marketing. Speak it to see it.  

2. Treat Instagram as a Strategic Research & Development Tool

In a lean-budget model, social media is more than a marketing channel; it’s an underutilized research tool for finding collaborators and expanding your network directly within your niche. For founders on a lean budget, social media is more than place to post - it’s the ultimate platform for research and relationship-building.

The Lesson: Look past vanity metrics and use Instagram to find strategic partners and collaborators.

  • The Deep Dive Strategy: When seeking a collaboration, don't just look at who is following the target brand, look at who that brand is following. This often reveals key intelligence: employees, social media managers, and other strategic partners that are aligned with their mission.
  • Slide into the DMs (Strategically): Taylor knows the value of sliding in the DM’s as a business owner. Doing so, she has successfully established relationships with partners that have turned into real revenue for SolidGroundsCo. As a founder, the research you complete during a deep dive of the brand provides the context you need to craft a pitch that’s aligned and shows your value.
  • Don't Gatekeep—Build a Bigger Table: Speaking of gatekeepers? Know this - true expansion comes from sharing knowledge and resources, not hoarding them. Taylor’s own journey was accelerated by a fellow entrepreneur who shared her successful grant application and event play-by-play. By working together, you expand the opportunities for the collective and ultimately create a seat at the table that might not have existed before.

3. The Art of the Creative Ask: Sponsorships Beyond Cash

Funding is an "evergreen consideration" for every founder, as Taylor shared. However, a lack of cash doesn't mean a lack of resources. The key to successful, low-overhead operations lies in becoming creatively relentless in how you secure what you need, even if it's not cash.

The Lesson: Maximize every partnership by pivoting your pitch and asking for creative, in-kind value.

The Sponsorship Approach

Taylor emphasizes a crucial step before any formal pitch: the initial kickoff call to determine the partner’s deepest needs.

  1. Get Crystal Clear on the "Why": Before sending a deck, ask the collaborator: What is the ultimate goal?. Is the event a marketing opportunity to bring in new customers, or a community engagement effort?.
  2. Tailor the Pitch: The insights you gain from a thoughtful approach and curiosity of brand strategy allows you to literally tailor your pitch deck to be exactly what they need, making the opportunity more compelling and increasing the chance of securing funds or resources.

The Creative Ask

If a potential sponsor declines your requested dollar amount, don’t stop there. Pivot immediately to creative in-kind requests that benefit your brand and its long-term growth. Ask for co-marketing, raffle prizes, free memberships, or a venue sponsorship. These requests offset costs and add value to the event without touching the company's cash budget.

  • In-Kind Value: Articulating ROI with Data: Success metrics extend beyond attendance. Get clear on your partner’s goal and collect specific data points to prove impact, such as:
    • The number of new waivers signed 
    • New memberships or sales gained by a vendor.
    • Testimonials and word-of-mouth feedback from partners and attendees

Final Takeaways for founders

Taylor's advice is a mandate for operating with strategic confidence:

  • Be Willing to Pivot Quickly: Instead of seeing a pilot that fails to secure funding as a complete loss, embrace the opportunity to pivot. Your ability to pivot quickly under pressure builds internal confidence and makes you a reliable investment in the eyes of future partners.
  • Know When to Outsource: You can’t host, manage, and record the event all at once. While you must take on the CEO and CMO roles, be intentional and honest about outsourcing key components like professional photography/videography to maximize impact.  
  • Documentation is Essential: Always ask for a sponsored photographer or videographer. Taylor considers this a must: "Propaganda is important". You need to capture and document the current level of activation to tell the story of your future ability to scale to investors and larger partners.
  • Start scrappy: Taylor reminds founders that it is okay to start small (even as a hobby) and test its sustainability before scaling. The same courage it takes to take the leap is the courage you'll need to stay in the game.