Grit keynotes for the Potteries
Stoke-on-Trent is six towns joined into one city and the home of English pottery. Paris brings The Grit Code to its manufacturers and businesses.
Six towns, one city
Stoke-on-Trent was formed by federating six towns in 1910 and became a city in 1925.
Josiah Wedgwood cut the first sod of the Trent and Mersey Canal in 1766 and opened his Etruria works the same year. Wedgwood, Spode, Minton and Royal Doulton made the area famous as the Potteries.
Bet365, founded in the city by Peter Coates, is now one of its best-known employers. The Gladstone Pottery Museum keeps a working potbank in Longton.
Who Paris speaks to in Stoke-on-Trent
Ceramics and manufacturing
Keynotes for production teams.
Online and digital firms
Resilience for fast-growing teams.
Staffordshire University
Talks for students and staff.
Distribution
Sessions for operations leaders.
Event venues
The Cultural Quarter venues and the stadium host Stoke-on-Trent’s conferences and awards nights.
- Victoria Hall – the main concert hall in Hanley’s Cultural Quarter
- bet365 Stadium – home of Stoke City at Trentham Lakes
- Regent Theatre – in the Cultural Quarter
Ways to book Paris in Stoke-on-Trent
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 →
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 about The Grit Code. The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Manchester · Keynote speaker Birmingham
Booking for Stoke-on-Trent
Available for in-person events in Stoke-on-Trent, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book UK speakers about three months ahead, and shorter notice is sometimes possible, so it is worth asking.
See also keynote speaker in the UK, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Stoke-on-Trent’s economy and who the talk is for
Stoke-on-Trent has a population of about 249,008 (2011 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Stoke-on-Trent is the head-office city for organisations such as Goodwin Steel Castings (engineering).
Manufacturing and engineering (Goodwin Steel Castings). 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.
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 Stoke-on-Trent 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 Stoke-on-Trent
These are typical Stoke-on-Trent events for The Grit Code:
- 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
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- 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.
Formats, timing and next steps
Most organisers book a 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote with Q&A. Teams that want to go further add the Grit Deconstruction workshop, which runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the talk into habits and commitments the group can use on Monday morning.
A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences. Paris can also host the full day as MC, which keeps the tone consistent from the opening to the close. He is CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, so the briefing call covers both the audience’s goals and the practical run-of-show.
Past 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. The talk draws on the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, and on the 2023 Pacific row of 4,800 km that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
To book, share the date, venue or virtual platform, audience size and the outcome you want. Paris replies with a short outline tailored to your room, then joins a briefing call before the event.
Questions from Stoke-on-Trent organisers
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Stoke-on-Trent?
Yes. Organisers in Stoke-on-Trent can book him in person or for a virtual session.
Does Paris speak to manufacturing and ceramics teams?
Yes. He can talk about craft, routine and getting through difficult phases.
Can Paris speak to a fast-growing tech business?
Yes. The keynote covers change, pressure and staying focused.
Which Stoke-on-Trent industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Stoke-on-Trent it suits manufacturing and engineering audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Stoke-on-Trent?
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 Stoke-on-Trent?
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.
How far in advance should we book?
Most organisers book between four and twelve weeks ahead. Last-minute bookings are sometimes possible if the date is free, especially for virtual sessions.
Does Paris travel for in-person events?
Yes. He speaks at conferences and company events worldwide, in person or virtually, and shapes each talk around the local audience.
What does the briefing call cover?
Audience profile, the outcome you want, industry language to use or avoid, AV needs, and whether a workshop or MC role is part of the day.
Check a date for Stoke-on-Trent
Send the basics and Paris’s team will reply, or book a call.