Most people look at Solid Ground today and see a premier St. Louis empire—sleek steel frames, high-end composite decks, and a brand that breathes authority. But if you ask Tommy and Tara Holstein, they’ll tell you the real story is much messier. It’s a story about a spiral-bound notebook that almost capped their growth, and a marriage that had to learn a new language to survive the build.
On the latest episode of the Builders of Authority podcast, Tommy and Tara didn’t just give an interview; they gave a confession.
The Man Who Was “100% Against It”
It’s hard to believe now, but in 2008, Tommy Holstein was the biggest skeptic of his own talent. When he and his father built a deck in his own backyard, his wife Tara saw something he didn’t: a world-class craftsman. Tommy was unfulfilled in sales and actually argued against starting the business, convinced that “nobody would pay a professional for this.”
Tara knew better. She bet on the talent Tommy was trying to ignore, and Solid Ground was born.
Killing the “Rain Man” Bottleneck
For years, the “brain” of Solid Ground lived in Tommy’s back pocket—a physical, spiral-bound notebook. Tommy had a near-photographic memory for every doodle and measurement, but as the business grew, that notebook became a cage. The company couldn’t scale because the information only existed in one man’s head.
The true pivot didn’t happen when they bought better tools; it happened when they “killed the notebook.” Transitioning to a digital engine was an identity crisis for a craftsman who had to learn to trust a system as much as he trusted his own hands.
“I trust that he understands the build… and he trusts that I understand the business. That foundation of trust allowed us to scale without losing our minds.” — Tara Holstein
The Partnership: “Partner or Spouse?”
How do you build a multi-million dollar company with your spouse without losing the person you love? Tommy and Tara are refreshingly honest about the friction. They share a specific “hack”—a single question they ask each other before a hard conversation—that draws a line between business and home.
| Role Feature | The Visionary (Tommy) | The Integrator (Tara) |
| Primary Focus | Creative soul and big-picture dream. | Organizational backbone and fiscal operations. |
| Key Mindset | A “Daydreamer” who pushes boundaries. | An operator who makes a vision actionable. |
Why This Conversation Matters (The Brief)
| Time | The “Authority” Milestone |
| 13:45 | The Pivot: Why high-volume was killing their creative soul. |
| 22:10 | The Marriage Hack: The one question that sets boundaries. |
| 34:50 | The Digital Shift: Why Tommy had to “get out of his own head.” |
| 45:15 | Hiring the Heart: Why they prioritize character over hammer skills. |
The Unfiltered Truth: Are You Ready to Scale?
We’ve only scratched the surface. If you’ve ever felt like your business is a “referral trap”, or that your personal life is paying the price for your professional growth, you need to hear the rest of this story.
Before you get back to the job site, ask yourself:
- Do you know the exact realization that finally forced Tommy to stop fighting his own success and embrace the vision?
- Are you interested in the specific phrasing of the “Marriage Hack” that keeps a business argument from destroying a household?
- How do you navigate the “nightmare” of hiring family without creating a permanent rift at the dinner table?
The answers to these questions—and the raw blueprint of the Solid Ground empire—are waiting for you in the full episode.
If you are building a business, a marriage, or a dream, Tommy and Tara offer a perspective on what is truly possible when you stop building a job and start building an authority.
Listen to the full story on the Builders of Authority Podcast!
- Visit Us: solidgroundstl.com | Our Team
- Follow the Journey: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Connect with Tara and Tommy:
- Tara’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraholstein/
- Tommy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommy-holstein-79606379/
