Resilience keynotes on San Diego’s Pacific coast
San Diego looks out over the ocean Paris rowed across in 2023. He brings The Grit Code to the city’s conferences, defence and life-science teams.
The ocean on the doorstep
San Diego is home to a major US Navy presence and a large biotech and life-sciences cluster. The San Diego Convention Center hosts Comic-Con International every year.
In 2023 Paris rowed 4,800 km of the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
He has spoken for the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, on grit, resilience and leadership.
Who Paris speaks to in San Diego
Navy and defence
Leadership keynotes for military and defence-industry audiences.
Life sciences
Resilience for research teams on long timelines.
Marine and conservation
A Pacific row for marine conservation.
Conventions
Main-stage keynotes for groups meeting downtown.
Where San Diego meets
The San Diego Convention Center hosts Comic-Con International and medical, technology and defence conferences.
- San Diego Convention Center – on the waterfront downtown
- Harbour and bay hotels – around San Diego Bay
Ways to book Paris in San Diego
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 →
Endurance you can measure
A marathon on every continent
7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, from Antarctica to Miami via Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid and Fortaleza.
4,800 km of open ocean
The 2023 Pacific row, which raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Watch the film of the 39-day row. 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film · US Army at Fort Shafter recap
Speaking in San Diego, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in San Diego, 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 Diego’s economy and who the talk is for
San Diego has a population of about 1,386,932 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in San Diego include Jack in the Box (restaurant), Qualcomm (radio), General Atomics (aerospace industry), Illumina (biotechnology), Mad Catz (video game industry) and Realty Income Corporation (real estate investment trust).
Technology and software (Qualcomm, Illumina and Mad Catz). 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.
Retail and consumer goods (Jack in the Box). Consumer-goods and retail teams face constant targets. The Grit Code gives them practical tools for motivation that lasts beyond the conference day.
Aviation, transport and logistics (General Atomics). Aviation, transport and logistics teams work around the clock and against the clock. Paris has spoken for DHL and Dubai Airports, and his record-breaking marathon challenge, run to a tight timetable across seven continents, is a natural fit for operations audiences.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of San Diego’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as National University and California Miramar 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 San Diego
Beyond the main conference halls, San Diego also has large venues for major events, including Pechanga Arena, Viejas Arena, Jacob Weinberger United States Courthouse and Peterson Gym.
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 San Diego 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.
Credentials at a glance
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- 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.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in San Diego?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in San Diego, in person or virtually.
Does the talk connect to the ocean?
Yes. The Pacific row, 4,800 km in 2023, is at the heart of the keynote.
Which San Diego industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In San Diego it suits technology and software, retail and consumer goods and aviation, transport and logistics audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in San Diego?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as National University and California Miramar University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in San Diego?
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 Diego?
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 Diego event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact