Grit keynotes for Tulsa’s aerospace and energy teams
Tulsa was once called the Oil Capital of the World and now runs the world’s largest airline maintenance base. Paris brings The Grit Code to its stages.
From oil capital to aerospace
For most of the 20th century Tulsa was known as the Oil Capital of the World.
The American Airlines maintenance base at Tulsa International Airport is the city’s largest employer and the largest maintenance facility in the world.
The Greenwood district was home to Black Wall Street, one of the most prosperous Black communities in the US before the 1921 massacre.
Who Paris speaks to in Tulsa
Aviation maintenance
Resilience for engineering and maintenance crews.
Oil and gas
Keynotes for field and corporate teams.
Universities
Talks at the University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts.
Finance
Sessions for banking and finance teams.
Where Tulsa meets
The Arvest Convention Center and the BOK Center host Tulsa’s conventions and big events.
- BOK Center – a 19,199-seat arena downtown
- Arvest Convention Center – 275,000 sq ft downtown
Keynote, workshop or virtual
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.
See the keynote overview. The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Oklahoma City
How a booking works
Available for in-person events in Tulsa, 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.
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 Tulsa 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.
Tulsa’s economy and who the talk is for
Tulsa has a population of about 413,066 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Tulsa include Williams Companies (petroleum industry), ONEOK (public utility) and BOK Financial Corporation (bank).
Energy and resources (Williams Companies and ONEOK). For energy and resources businesses, grit is about consistency over decades-long assets. Paris shows how small, repeatable routines beat bursts of motivation, using the 7 marathons on 7 continents as the case study.
Banking and financial services (BOK Financial Corporation). 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
Tulsa’s universities, including University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts 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 →
How a Grit Code session works
- Paris starts with a short briefing call to understand the room, the sector and the challenge in front of it.
- The keynote uses film from his expeditions and TV work to make each idea concrete.
- Many organisers pair it with a Grit Deconstruction workshop or ask Paris to host the full day.
The content is shaped around Tulsa 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 Tulsa
These are typical Tulsa events for The Grit Code:
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
Common questions
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Tulsa?
Yes. Paris takes Tulsa bookings for keynotes, workshops and hosting, live or virtual.
Can the keynote suit aviation maintenance teams?
Yes. It can focus on discipline, safety and staying sharp through long, repetitive work.
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 Tulsa industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Tulsa it suits energy and resources 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 Tulsa?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Tulsa?
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 Tulsa?
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.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact