Grit keynotes for Charlotte’s banking and finance teams
Charlotte is one of the largest banking centres in the US and home to Bank of America’s headquarters. Paris brings The Grit Code to its teams.
Pressure is part of the job
Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina and a major US banking centre, with Bank of America headquartered in the city.
Finance teams work under constant pressure. Paris has spoken for Durlston Partners in London and runs Grit Deconstruction workshops that map where teams break.
He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Who Paris speaks to in Charlotte
Banking
Resilience keynotes for financial teams.
Leadership
Sessions for senior leaders.
Sales kick-offs
Openers for teams with big targets.
Motorsport
Talks for teams in a sport built on endurance.
Where Charlotte meets
The Charlotte Convention Center hosts conferences in Uptown, near the city’s banking towers.
- Charlotte Convention Center – Uptown Charlotte
- Uptown hotels – in the city centre
Ways to book Paris in Charlotte
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 →
Why audiences believe him
5 days, 21 hours, 51 minutes
The time it took Paris to run 7 marathons on 7 continents: Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami.
More than £150,000 raised
For marine conservation, by rowing 4,800 km across the Pacific in 2023.
Read the Durlston Partners recap. Durlston Partners recap · The Grit Code keynote
Speaking in Charlotte, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Charlotte, 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 Charlotte 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.
Charlotte’s economy and who the talk is for
Charlotte has a population of about 964,784 (2025 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Charlotte include Bank of America (International Standard Industrial Classification), Honeywell (aerospace industry), Curtiss-Wright (aerospace industry), Babcock & Wilcox (industrial manufacturing), Nucor (iron and steel industry) and Duke Energy (electricity generation).
Banking and financial services (Bank of America and Truist Financial). 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.
Aviation, transport and logistics (Honeywell and Curtiss-Wright). Logistics and transport audiences understand relentless schedules. Paris’s past clients include DHL, and the keynote draws on what it takes to keep going when every hour counts.
Manufacturing and engineering (Babcock & Wilcox and Nucor). 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.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of Charlotte’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as Johnson C. Smith University and Queens University of Charlotte. 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 →
Other large venues in Charlotte
Beyond the main conference halls, Charlotte also has large venues for major events, including Bojangles Coliseum.
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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte
Organisers in Charlotte usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- 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 is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- 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 Charlotte?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in Charlotte, in person or virtually.
Has Paris spoken to finance audiences?
Yes. He spoke for Durlston Partners in London, and tailors the keynote to financial teams.
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 Charlotte industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Charlotte it suits banking and financial services, aviation, transport and logistics 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 Charlotte?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Johnson C. Smith University and Queens University of Charlotte, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Charlotte?
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 Charlotte?
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.
Bring grit to your next Charlotte event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact