Resilience keynotes for Long Beach’s port and maritime teams
Long Beach runs one of the busiest container ports in the United States, on the ocean Paris rowed across. He brings The Grit Code to the city.
A Pacific port
The Port of Long Beach is one of the busiest container ports in the United States.
The RMS Queen Mary has been moored in Long Beach since 1967.
In 2023 Paris rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Who Paris speaks to in Long Beach
Port and shipping
Talks for maritime and logistics teams.
Aerospace
Resilience for engineering teams.
Universities
Keynotes for students.
Conferences
Opening keynotes.
Event venues
The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center hosts conferences by the water.
- Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center – on the waterfront
- The Queen Mary – moored in the harbour
Ways to book Paris in Long Beach
Most Long Beach organisers book the 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote. Teams that want depth add a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day, remote audiences get a 30–45 minute virtual version, and Paris can also host and moderate full-day events. 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.
Watch the film of the row. 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film · Keynote speaker Los Angeles
Booking for Long Beach
Available for in-person events in Long Beach, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead, and shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is worth asking.
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 Long Beach 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.
Long Beach’s economy and who the talk is for
Long Beach has a population of about 466,742 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Long Beach include Relativity Space (space industry).
Manufacturing and engineering (Relativity Space). 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
Long Beach’s universities, including California State 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 →
How a Grit Code session works
- Before the event, Paris speaks with the organiser about the audience and the outcome they want.
- On the day, the 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote mixes adventure film, stories and practical tools.
- Afterwards, teams can go deeper with a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day.
The content is shaped around Long Beach 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 Long Beach
Organisers in Long Beach usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- 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
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- 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.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
Questions from Long Beach organisers
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Long Beach?
Yes. Organisers in Long Beach can book him in person or for a virtual session.
Does Paris speak about the ocean?
Yes. The 2023 Pacific row is central to the keynote.
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 Long Beach industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Long Beach it suits 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 Long Beach?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as California State University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Long Beach?
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 Long Beach?
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 Long Beach
Send the basics and Paris’s team will reply, or book a call.