Resilience keynotes for Memphis logistics and healthcare leaders
Memphis is the headquarters of FedEx and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Paris brings The Grit Code to its conferences and teams.
On the Mississippi
Memphis sits on the Mississippi River and is the headquarters of FedEx.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is based in the city.
Long, uncertain challenges are what grit is for. In 2023 Paris rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Who Paris speaks to in Memphis
Logistics
Keynotes for operations teams.
Research hospitals
Talks for clinical and research staff.
Music and culture
Sessions for creative organisations.
Conferences
Opening keynotes.
Rooms and stages
The Renasant Convention Center hosts conferences in downtown Memphis.
- Renasant Convention Center – downtown
- Beale Street area venues – in the city centre
Pick the format
Options: keynote, 45 to 60 minutes · workshop, 90 minutes up to half a day · virtual session, 30 to 45 minutes · host or MC for your event. 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.
Read how Paris spoke at the Kraft Heinz leadership convention. Kraft Heinz leadership convention recap · 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film
On stage or on screen
Available for in-person events in Memphis, 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 Memphis 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.
Memphis’s economy and who the talk is for
Memphis has a population of about 633,104 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Memphis include FedEx (logistics), International Paper (pulp and paper industry), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (research), AutoZone (automotive industry), First Horizon Bank (financial services) and First Horizon National Corporation (financial services).
Banking and financial services (First Horizon Bank and First Horizon National Corporation). 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 (FedEx). 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 (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 Memphis’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as Christian Brothers University. 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 Memphis
Beyond the main conference halls, Memphis also has large venues for major events, including Pyramid Arena and University of Memphis School of Law building.
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
- 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 Memphis 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 Memphis
In Memphis, the most common bookings fall into a few groups:
- 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
- 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.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Memphis?
Yes. He is available for Memphis conferences, offsites and leadership events, on site or online.
Is the keynote suitable for healthcare audiences?
Yes. Each talk is tailored in a briefing call to your audience.
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 Memphis industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Memphis 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 Memphis?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Christian Brothers University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Memphis?
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 Memphis?
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.
Planning an event in Memphis?
Tell us about the room and the date. You can also book a call.