Breaking into the music and entertainment industry can often come down to ‘who you know’ instead of ‘what you know.’
That was a reality Nikki Sanz saw first-hand as she built up her career as a production assistant and tour manager across Nashville’s music and live events scene.
“Traditionally, opportunities in our industry circulated through informal networks—mentions in a group chat, posts on social media, and predominantly word-of-mouth referrals,” Sanz told Hypepotamus. “This system not only made it challenging to break into the field unless you had the right connections, but also made the hiring process incredibly inefficient for those of us trying to staff up tours or events.”
Without a standard way to submit resumes, freelancers like Sanz had to deal with the “inefficiency and exclusivity” of the hiring process in the live event space. So in order to streamline the process, she just launched Giggs.
“My vision was to forge a dedicated professional network that addresses the unique demands of our industry, offering a streamlined, equitable platform where talent meets opportunity.”
Giggs hosts nearly 300 job titles to help people find technical, logistical, or managerial roles needed to bring a concert to life. Jobs on Giggs fall into three main categories: touring, local hire, and non-touring positions. Touring jobs include band technicians, audio engineers, video techs, and lighting specialists who are ready to hit the road. The local hire category helps people find VIP assistants, production runners, video, and lighting directors nearby. Non-touring positions include things like operations, management, and booking agent roles.
On the other side of the marketplace are companies like Live Nation, Clair Global, VIPNation, PTP Live, Red Light Management, and Range Media, all of which need top talent to make sure their events go off without a hitch.
Getting “Giggs” Off The Ground
Before jumping into the startup world, Sanz worked for musical acts like Eric Church, George Strait, Blake Shelton, Weezer, and Lauv. Like most people in the industry, gigs often last a few months at a time. That means live event professionals are constantly job searching. With Giggs, she is hoping other live event professionals can more easily network to find their next position, while companies can more easily find vetted talent.
The public beta version of Giggs launched in November 2023. During the beta, Sanz said the platform saw 10,000 sign ups. VIPNation was able to successfully hire talent when the beta version rolled out.
“One major takeaway was the necessity of vetting—ensuring both individuals and companies meet high standards of quality and trustworthiness before they can become a member and participate on Giggs. This updated vetting process is a cornerstone of our platform, ensuring that everything on Giggs is credible and professional.”
She also got critical feedback from employers using the platform. That feedback led her to develop a separate employer platform that includes advanced filtering options so that they can more quickly find the right candidates.
The team has garnered some early success. Sanz pitched at 3686, Nashville’s Entrepreneurship Festival, last September. SANZ will next be seen on Season 11 of Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Elevator Pitch” series airing this winter.
“Looking forward, we’re excited to continue refining Giggs to keep our platform dynamic and responsive to the needs of our professional community,” Sanz added. “We value the feedback from our members immensely—it’s what drives every update and feature we develop. We’re here to serve our members and ensure that Giggs remains the go-to platform for connecting the live event industry’s professionals with the best opportunities.”
