Resilience keynotes for Boston’s biotech, tech and education leaders
Boston runs on long-term bets: research that takes a decade, companies built on science, and the oldest annual marathon in the world. That makes it a city that understands grit.
A marathon city that thinks long-term
Boston is home to the Boston Marathon, first run in 1897 and the world’s oldest annual marathon. For a speaker who ran seven marathons on seven continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, it is a natural audience.
The Boston area, including Harvard and MIT in neighbouring Cambridge, is one of the world’s leading centres for higher education, research and life sciences, with a dense cluster of biotech companies around Kendall Square.
Research and drug development demand years of perseverance through setbacks. The Grit Code gives those teams a framework for staying motivated when results take time.
Who Paris speaks to in Boston
Biotech and pharma
Resilience sessions for R&D, clinical and commercial teams.
Universities and schools
Talks for students and staff; Paris also runs The Grit Generation schools programme.
Technology companies
Kick-offs and all-hands for fast-moving teams.
Asset management
Offsites for investment teams working under pressure.
Where Boston meets
Boston hosts large medical, scientific and education conferences, and the Boston Marathon each April.
- Boston Convention and Exhibition Center – in the South Boston Seaport
- Hynes Convention Center – in the Back Bay
Ways to book Paris in Boston
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 →
Tested at sea, on the ice and on stage
7 marathons, 7 continents
Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Rowed the Pacific
4,800 km in 2023, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Paris’s schools programme, The Grit Generation, brings the same stories to students, and he has spoken to students at Horizon International School and Caucasus University. The Grit Generation schools programme · Horizon International School recap
Speaking in Boston, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Boston, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
See also keynote speaker in the USA, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Boston’s economy and who the talk is for
Boston has a population of about 675,647 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Companies headquartered in Boston include State Street Corporation (financial services), Bain & Company (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), Fidelity Investments (financial services), International Paper (pulp and paper industry), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (biotechnology industry) and Liberty Mutual Insurance (insurance).
Banking and financial services (State Street Corporation, Fidelity Investments and Liberty Mutual Insurance). 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.
Technology and software (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Parametric Technology Corporation and Iron Mountain Incorporated). For software and tech companies, the talk focuses on resilience during constant change, including the shift to AI. As CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company, Paris speaks from inside that change rather than about it.
Manufacturing and engineering (Bain & Company and International Paper). Manufacturing and engineering audiences value process. The Grit Code breaks grit into habits that can be practised on a production line or a project site, using the discipline of a 4,800 km ocean row as the example.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of Boston’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as Boston College, Northeastern University and University of Massachusetts Boston. Paris’s talks for students and graduates focus on grit as a skill that can be learned, using his own expeditions as evidence.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
How a Grit Code session works
- Each booking begins with a call about the audience and what success looks like after the event.
- The talk turns the 7-marathon challenge and the Pacific row into habits teams can use on Monday morning.
- A virtual version of 30–45 minutes is available for distributed teams.
The content is shaped around Boston 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 Boston
These are typical Boston events for The Grit Code:
- Leadership offsites and strategy days, where senior teams need energy for a hard year ahead.
- Sales kick-offs and annual conferences, where the talk resets ambition and stamina.
- Awards nights and staff celebrations, where Paris can speak or host.
- Graduation, alumni and entrepreneurship events.
Credentials at a glance
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Boston?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, offsites and company events in Boston and Cambridge, in person or virtually.
Does Paris speak to universities and students?
Yes. Through The Grit Generation, Paris speaks to students, and he has given talks at schools and universities.
How far ahead should we book a Boston event?
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead. Shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is always worth asking.
Which Boston industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Boston it suits banking and financial services, technology and software and manufacturing and engineering audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in Boston?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Boston College and Northeastern University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Boston?
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 Boston?
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.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact