What happens when an eight-figure entrepreneur sells his company and jumps into an industry where he admits he has a lot to learn? On this episode of Between Two Stops, Niki Acosta sits down with Grant Baldwin, founder of Best Day Pools and host of the Pool Pro Podcast, to talk about starting over, buying pool routes, and building a modern pool service business from the ground up. Before entering the pool industry, Grant founded and led The Speaker Lab, growing it into an eight-figure business that helped thousands of entrepreneurs build successful speaking careers. After selling the company, he went looking for his next challenge—and found it in pool service. Grant shares what it’s like to enter a completely new industry, from acquiring his first pool routes and riding along with technicians to learning directly from successful pool service operators. He also explains how he’s applying lessons from entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, sales, and operations to build Best Day Pools, a customer-first pool service company growing through acquisitions and organic growth in Middle Tennessee. Niki and Grant dig into the strategy behind acquiring pool businesses, including Grant’s decidedly human approach to finding potential sellers. Rather than treating an acquisition like a quick transaction, he focuses on relationships, trust, consistent follow-up, and playing the long game. They also explore why owner’s intent matters, what makes a business more valuable and sellable, how to surround yourself with people who complement your strengths, and why you don’t need to have every answer before taking the first step. As Grant puts it, it’s harder to steer a car in park. Sometimes you have to get moving, learn quickly, and course-correct along the way. Whether you’re a one-pooler, actively acquiring routes, or thinking about how to build a healthier and more valuable pool service business, this episode offers a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship, calculated risk, growth, and building something worth owning. 🎧 Follow Grant: Listen to The Pool Pros Podcast, where Grant talks with pool industry operators about the business side of pool service, including operations, hiring, growth, marketing, sales, and finance. Best Day Pools: https://bestdaypools.com The Pool Pros Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51L5wInWBz3AZqEZcgPjqU
