Resilience keynotes for New Orleans conventions
New Orleans is famous for jazz and Mardi Gras, and for rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Paris brings The Grit Code to its conventions.
A city that rebuilt
New Orleans, on the Mississippi River, is known as the birthplace of jazz. It rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Resilience is not abstract here. The Grit Code shows how teams keep going through setbacks.
Paris tells stories from 39 days on the Pacific and 7 marathons on 7 continents.
Who Paris speaks to in New Orleans
Associations
Keynotes for national conferences.
Energy and ports
Resilience for operations teams.
Healthcare
Sessions for clinical leaders.
Hospitality
Talks for hotel and tourism teams.
Where New Orleans meets
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is one of the largest convention venues in the US.
- Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – on the Mississippi riverfront
- French Quarter hotels – in the city centre
Ways to book Paris in New Orleans
Choose the flagship Grit Code keynote (45–60 min), a Grit Deconstruction workshop (90 min to half day), a 30–45 min virtual keynote, or Paris as host and MC for the day. 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.
Read Paris’s article on resilience in times of crisis. Resilience during a time of crisis · The Grit Code keynote
Speaking in New Orleans, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in New Orleans, 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 New Orleans 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.
New Orleans’s economy and who the talk is for
New Orleans has a population of about 383,997 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in New Orleans include Entergy (energy company).
Energy and resources (Entergy). Energy teams live with long project cycles, price shocks and safety-critical work. The Grit Code gives operations and project leaders a shared language for staying steady when a plan meets reality, which is the same discipline that kept four rowers moving across 4,800 km of the Pacific.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of New Orleans’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as Tulane University, LSU New Orleans and Loyola University New Orleans. 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 New Orleans
Beyond the main conference halls, New Orleans also has large venues for major events, including Sisters of the Holy Family and Human Performance Center.
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
- 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 New Orleans 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 New Orleans
Organisers in New Orleans usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- Annual company conferences and town halls.
- Change and transformation programmes, including AI adoption.
- Safety, wellbeing and performance days for operations teams.
- Charity dinners and community events, which Paris knows well as an ambassador for Gulf for Good.
Credentials at a glance
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- 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.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in New Orleans?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in New Orleans, in person or virtually.
Can the keynote address recovery after a hard year?
Yes. The Grit Code is about keeping going through setbacks, tailored in a briefing call.
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 New Orleans industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In New Orleans it suits energy and resources audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in New Orleans?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as Tulane University and LSU New Orleans, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in New Orleans?
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 New Orleans?
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 New Orleans event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact