Grit keynotes for San Francisco tech and start-up teams
In a city built on start-ups, pivots and moonshots, talent is everywhere. Grit is what keeps teams shipping when the roadmap and the market both move.
Where the plan always changes
San Francisco and the wider Bay Area are among the world’s leading technology centres. Salesforce is headquartered in the city, and its annual Dreamforce conference fills the Moscone Center.
Tech teams face constant change: new tools, reorganisations and, increasingly, AI taking on more of the work. Paris’s keynote variation, The age of AI needs more grit, argues that the skill that never goes out of date is the ability to keep going when the plan breaks.
He brings start-up credibility too: he has spoken to founders at Creative Zone and OPUS, hosted a Founders Dubai fireside chat on AI accountability, and pitched a new TV-and-AI idea at Upside’s pitch competition.
Who Paris speaks to in San Francisco
All-hands and kick-offs
Energy and a shared language for resilience at company-wide events.
Founders and investors
Talks for accelerators, founder communities and investor networks.
AI and change
The age of AI needs more grit: a keynote for teams adapting to new tools.
Leadership offsites
A practical framework for leading teams through constant change.
Where San Francisco meets
The Moscone Center hosts major technology conferences each year, including Salesforce’s Dreamforce.
- Moscone Center – the city’s largest convention and exhibition complex, in SoMa
- Hotel ballrooms and company campuses – across Union Square, SoMa and the wider Bay Area
Ways to book Paris in San Francisco
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 →
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.
Paris’s recent talks include a fireside chat on who is accountable when AI decides, and keynotes for founder communities. Founders Dubai AI fireside chat recap · Upside pitch competition recap
Speaking in San Francisco, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in San Francisco, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
See also keynote speaker in the USA, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
San Francisco’s economy and who the talk is for
San Francisco has a population of about 873,965 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in San Francisco include OpenAI (artificial intelligence), Uber (information technology), Anthropic (artificial intelligence), Neuralink (neurotechnology), Airbnb (tourism industry) and Levi Strauss & Co. (clothing industry).
Technology and software (Uber and Neuralink). For software and tech companies, the talk focuses on resilience during constant change, including the shift to AI. As CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company, Paris speaks from inside that change rather than about it.
Manufacturing and engineering (Airbnb and Levi Strauss & Co.). 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.
Banking and financial services (Wells Fargo). 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.
Students, graduates and faculty
San Francisco’s universities, including San Francisco State University, Golden Gate University and California Institute of Integral Studies, 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 Francisco
Beyond the main conference halls, San Francisco also has large venues for major events, including Chase Center and Kezar Pavilion.
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 Francisco 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 Francisco
Organisers in San Francisco usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- 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
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- 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.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in San Francisco?
Yes. Paris speaks at tech conferences, all-hands, offsites and founder events in San Francisco and the Bay Area, in person or virtually.
Does Paris have a talk about AI?
Yes. The age of AI needs more grit is a variation of The Grit Code about the human skills that matter as AI takes on more of our work.
How far ahead should we book a San Francisco event?
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead. Shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is always worth asking.
Which San Francisco industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In San Francisco it suits technology and software, manufacturing and engineering and banking and financial services audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in San Francisco?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as San Francisco State University and Golden Gate University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in San Francisco?
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 Francisco?
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 Francisco event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact