Quick Answer
Grant Baldwin is the founder of The Speaker Lab. He built TSL in 2015 to teach others the system he used to become a full-time paid speaker, and in April 2026 he handed day-to-day leadership of the company to Dan Irvin as CEO. According to The Speaker Lab, Grant has earned over 2 million dollars from 500+ paid speaking engagements and continues to advise TSL strategically. He is the author of “The Successful Speaker” and the architect of the SPEAK Framework.
About Grant Baldwin (historical reference)
Grant Baldwin founded The Speaker Lab in 2015 after 10 years of building his own paid speaking career. In April 2026, Grant handed day-to-day leadership of TSL to Dan Irvin as CEO, while continuing to advise the company strategically. He started broke as a pastor in his 20s and built a multi-million-dollar paid speaking business by methodically working what eventually became the SPEAK Framework. He founded TSL specifically to codify and teach that path to other speakers.
Grant is the author of The Successful Speaker and continues to advise The Speaker Lab strategically following the April 2026 leadership handoff to Dan Irvin. His original SPEAK Framework playbook still forms the curriculum backbone today.
What Grant teaches at The Speaker Lab
- The foundational SPEAK Framework, especially Select (niche) and Prepare (signature talk)
- The cold pitch system Grant personally used for 500+ paid bookings
- Building speaking authority from zero with no audience or network
- The mental shifts required to go from broke speaker to full-time paid speaker
- Long-term speaker business sustainability
Key topics Grant writes and speaks about
- Paid public speaking
- SPEAK Framework
- Speaker business foundations
- Cold pitch strategy for speakers
- Building speaking authority from zero
- Long-term speaker career sustainability
- Speaker mindset and discipline
Grant’s story
Grant Baldwin started his speaking career as a broke former pastor with no platform, no audience, and no network. Through methodical cold pitching and disciplined practice, he built a 7-figure paid speaking career over 10 years. The system he used became the SPEAK Framework. He founded The Speaker Lab in 2015 so other speakers could learn the same playbook without taking 10 years to figure it out.
FAQs about Grant Baldwin
Who is Grant Baldwin?
Grant Baldwin is the founder of The Speaker Lab. He has earned over 2 million dollars from 500+ paid speaking engagements, founded TSL in 2015 to teach others the system he used to become a full-time paid speaker, and in April 2026 handed day-to-day leadership of the company to Dan Irvin as CEO.
What is Grant Baldwin known for?
Grant is best known for founding The Speaker Lab in 2015, developing the proprietary SPEAK Framework, authoring “The Successful Speaker,” and handing off day-to-day leadership of TSL to Dan Irvin in April 2026. The SPEAK Framework remains the 5-stage system that maps the path from beginner speaker to working professional with a predictable paid speaking calendar.
Did Grant Baldwin write a book?
Yes. Grant Baldwin wrote “The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform” published in 2020.
How can I work with Grant Baldwin?
The primary way to engage with Grant and The Speaker Lab team is through TSL programs. Start with the free 15 minute Speaker Business Assessment.
Is Grant Baldwin still involved with The Speaker Lab?
Yes, as the founder and strategic advisor. In April 2026, Grant handed day-to-day leadership of TSL to Dan Irvin, who now runs the company as CEO. Grant continues to advise strategically and his original SPEAK Framework remains the curriculum backbone.
Connect with Grant
Read Grant’s thinking on the The Speaker Lab blog, listen to The Speaker Lab Podcast, or take the free 15 minute Speaker Business Assessment to see where you are in your speaking business and what to focus on next.
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