Grit keynotes for Baltimore’s medical and maritime leaders
Baltimore is home to Johns Hopkins and one of the oldest ports on the East Coast. Paris brings The Grit Code and his ocean story to the city.
Harbour and hospital
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the centre of a port city founded in 1729.
Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital make the city a world centre of medicine and research.
In 2023 Paris rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Who Paris speaks to in Baltimore
Medicine and research
Resilience keynotes for clinicians and scientists.
Port and shipping
Talks for maritime teams.
Universities
Sessions for students and faculty.
Federal agencies
Keynotes for long-programme teams.
Event venues
The Baltimore Convention Center hosts medical and association meetings by the Inner Harbor.
- Baltimore Convention Center – near the Inner Harbor
- Harbourfront hotels – around the Inner Harbor
Ways to book Paris in Baltimore
The Grit Code keynote (45–60 min) · Grit Deconstruction workshop (90 min to half day) · virtual keynote (30–45 min) · event host and MC. Compare formats →
Stories with the miles behind them
Seven marathons in under six days
Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami: 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Across the Pacific by rowing boat
A 4,800 km row in 2023 that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Watch the Pacific row film. 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film · Keynote speaker Washington DC
Booking for Baltimore
Available for in-person events in Baltimore, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead, so an early enquiry gives the best chance of your preferred date.
See also keynote speaker in the USA, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
An adventurer with American chapters
Paris Norriss's biggest adventure ended in the United States. With the Brothers N Oars crew he rowed 4,800 km from California to Hawaii in 39 days, 4 hours and 28 minutes, as part of a self-supported, unassisted team in the World's Toughest Row. The row raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation, and Paris went on to live in Hawaii for three months.
In 2025 he delivered his keynote to the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, and he has spoken at Surfbreak in Honolulu. Miami was one of the stops when he ran seven marathons on seven continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
For Baltimore conferences, sales kick-offs and leadership offsites, The Grit Code turns those experiences into practical habits: purpose, vision, challenging limiting beliefs, adapting the plan and keeping a clear head under pressure. Organisers in the US typically book speakers three to five months ahead, and Paris also delivers 30 to 45-minute virtual keynotes in your time zone.
Baltimore’s economy and who the talk is for
Baltimore has a population of about 585,708 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Baltimore is the head-office city for organisations such as Under Armour (clothing industry), Johns Hopkins Hospital (hospitals and rehabilitation), Legg Mason (financial services), T. Rowe Price (asset management) and Laureate Education (educational system).
Banking and financial services (Legg Mason and T. Rowe Price). Banking and finance audiences respond to evidence. Paris frames grit as a measurable habit rather than a personality trait, and links it to the pressure of targets, regulation and market swings that finance teams face every quarter.
Manufacturing and engineering (Under Armour). For industrial and engineering businesses, Paris’s message is that resilience is built, not born. Safety days, operations conferences and leadership offsites are typical bookings.
Healthcare and life sciences (Johns Hopkins Hospital). Healthcare and life-sciences teams deal with high stakes and long hours. Paris’s talk on endurance, teamwork and purpose suits clinical leadership events and staff recognition days.
Students, graduates and faculty
Baltimore’s universities, including Morgan State University, Coppin State University and Notre Dame of Maryland University, make it a strong market for student, graduate and alumni events. Paris speaks to young audiences about effort, setbacks and choosing hard goals, and to faculty about building resilient teams.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
Other large venues in Baltimore
Beyond the main conference halls, Baltimore also has large venues for major events, including CFG Bank Arena, Reitz Arena and United States Post Office and Courthouse.
Paris is comfortable on any stage, from an arena to a boardroom, and can also host the main stage as MC. Event host and MC →
How a Grit Code session works
- Paris starts with a short briefing call to understand the room, the sector and the challenge in front of it.
- The keynote uses film from his expeditions and TV work to make each idea concrete.
- Many organisers pair it with a Grit Deconstruction workshop or ask Paris to host the full day.
The content is shaped around Baltimore organisations and their goals, so the room hears examples that match its own challenges. Paris presents as an adventurer and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, not as a theorist.
Where the talk fits in Baltimore
In Baltimore, the most common bookings fall into a few groups:
- Kick-off meetings for new financial years, projects or teams.
- Industry association conferences and trade-show main stages.
- Executive retreats that pair the keynote with a Grit Deconstruction workshop.
- Hybrid all-hands meetings with a virtual version for remote staff.
Credentials at a glance
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
Questions from Baltimore organisers
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Baltimore?
Yes. Organisers in Baltimore can book him in person or for a virtual session.
Can Paris speak at medical conferences?
Yes. The keynote is tailored to the pressures clinicians and researchers face.
Has Paris spoken in the United States?
Yes. He delivered his keynote to the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, in 2025 and has spoken at Surfbreak in Honolulu.
How far ahead should US events book Paris?
Organisers in the US typically book speakers three to five months ahead. Virtual keynotes can often be arranged at shorter notice.
Which Baltimore industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Baltimore it suits banking and financial services, manufacturing and engineering and healthcare and life sciences audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in Baltimore?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Morgan State University and Coppin State University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Baltimore?
Yes. The Grit Deconstruction workshop runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the keynote’s ideas into team habits and actions.
Can the keynote be delivered online for teams in Baltimore?
Yes. A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences, delivered in your local time zone.
Who has Paris spoken for?
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
Check a date for Baltimore
Send the basics and Paris’s team will reply, or book a call.