Grit keynotes for San Antonio’s military and civic teams
San Antonio, home to the Alamo and Joint Base San Antonio, is known as Military City USA. Paris has spoken for the US Army and brings The Grit Code to the city.
Military City USA
San Antonio is home to the Alamo and to Joint Base San Antonio, one of the largest military installations in the US Department of Defense.
Paris spoke to the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, with a keynote on grit, resilience and leadership.
The River Walk and the convention centre beside it make the city a regular host of national conferences.
Who Paris speaks to in San Antonio
Military and veterans
Leadership and resilience keynotes; Paris has spoken for the US Army.
Medical and healthcare
Talks for clinical and medical-education teams.
Conferences
Keynotes for associations meeting on the River Walk.
Universities
Sessions for students and staff.
Where San Antonio meets
The Henry B. González Convention Center hosts national association and trade conferences on the River Walk.
- Henry B. González Convention Center – on the River Walk downtown
- River Walk hotels – in the city centre
Ways to book Paris in San Antonio
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 →
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 to soldiers and leaders at Fort Shafter. US Army at Fort Shafter recap · The Grit Code keynote
Speaking in San Antonio, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in San Antonio, 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.
San Antonio’s economy and who the talk is for
San Antonio has a population of about 1,434,625 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Companies headquartered in San Antonio include Valero Energy (petroleum industry), USAA (economics of banking), Rackspace Technology (cloud computing), Clear Channel Outdoor (mass media), Taco Cabana (restaurant) and Frost Bank (economics of banking).
Banking and financial services (USAA and Frost Bank). Financial services teams often ask for a keynote that respects their intelligence. The Grit Code uses real numbers (5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes for 7 marathons; 4,800 km rowed) to show how high performers manage risk, fatigue and decision-making under pressure.
Energy and resources (Valero Energy). 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.
Technology and software (Rackspace Technology). Technology teams ship, fail, learn and ship again. Paris connects that loop to life on an ocean rowing boat, where a broken plan is normal and the crew that adapts fastest wins. It suits engineering all-hands, product kick-offs and AI transformation programmes.
Students, graduates and faculty
San Antonio’s universities, including University of Texas at San Antonio, University of the Incarnate Word and Trinity 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 →
Other large venues in San Antonio
Beyond the main conference halls, San Antonio also has large venues for major events, including Frost Bank Center, Bexar County Courthouse and Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse.
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 San Antonio 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 San Antonio
In San Antonio, the most common bookings fall into a few groups:
- 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
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- 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 San Antonio?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in San Antonio, in person or virtually.
Has Paris spoken to military audiences?
Yes. He delivered a keynote on grit, resilience and leadership to the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor.
Which San Antonio industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In San Antonio it suits banking and financial services, energy and resources and technology and software audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in San Antonio?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as University of Texas at San Antonio and University of the Incarnate Word, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in San Antonio?
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 San Antonio?
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 San Antonio event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact