A resilience speaker who has lived it
Resilience is not a personality trait. It is a set of skills. Paris Norriss, keynote speaker on grit and resilience, breaks it down using what he learned rowing the Pacific in 2023 and running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Resilience, broken into skills
Grit Mindset Mastery
What really drives performance when talent isn’t enough.
Grit Deconstruction
Resilience broken into skills teams can build.
Expert insights
Lessons from 25 of the world’s most tenacious high achievers.
Practical tools
Practical tools for teams under pressure.
Resilience for leaders and teams
Leadership resilience
Leading through change, pressure and long goals.
Teams in transition
Restructures, new strategies and hard years.
HR and wellbeing
Resilience your people can practise.
Conferences
Past stages include TEDx Amman, COP28 and Expo 2020 Dubai.
Choose the format
Keynote
The full keynote, live on stage, including Q&A.
Workshop
A hands-on session for leadership and sales teams.
Virtual keynote
The same message, delivered online.
From the organisers
I’ve had the privilege of witnessing Paris Norriss in action as a storyteller, motivator and a true catalyst for transformation. Through his powerful awe-inspiring adventures, he doesn’t just recount tales of endurance and grit, he lives them.
Paris is both captivating and uplifting. We appreciated his open, honest, and heartfelt journey. His raw and genuine account of his pioneering adventure underlines his resilience and grit against any obstacle he faced. His story is highly impactful and we found it inspiring to deliver more passion, energy and a collaborative spirit.
I had the pleasure of working with Paris during TEDxAmman, the largest TEDx event in the MENA region, where he joined us as one of our inspiring speakers. From the very start, he showed professionalism, positivity, and contagious enthusiasm that uplifted everyone around him.
Resilience tested in the real world
Paris’s view of resilience was not built in a classroom. In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, living in two-hour shifts on a small boat and raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation. Before that, he ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, starting in Antarctica and finishing in Miami.
Those challenges are the raw material for the keynote. Each story is used to explain one practical idea, such as how to keep going when the plan breaks, how a team shares load when everyone is exhausted, and why small daily routines matter more than big bursts of motivation.
Five resilience habits teams can use
- Shrink the horizon. Break a huge goal into the next shift, the next mile or the next meeting.
- Expect the setback. Plan for bad weather, lost sleep and broken kit, so a problem becomes a task rather than a crisis.
- Look after the crew. Resilience is a team sport, and the strongest teams notice when someone is struggling.
- Keep a reason in view. A clear purpose, like the marine conservation cause behind the row, keeps people moving when motivation fades.
- Recover on purpose. Rest is part of performance, not a reward for it.
Resilience keynotes for pressured teams
The talk is booked by leadership teams going through change, sales organisations facing tough targets, operations teams who work long shifts, and companies rolling out AI and new ways of working. Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
Paris also brings a business perspective. He is CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, and his TV shows, including Guy in Dubai, have been distributed in 123 countries.
People teams under change
Resilience bookings often come from HR and leadership teams going through change. Confirmed rooms include Kraft Heinz Middle East’s HR department, Dubai Airports, Dulsco and Nokia Middle East, alongside wider clients such as DHL, IHG, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
Common questions
What formats are available?
A 45 to 60 minute keynote including Q&A, a 90 minute to half-day workshop, or a 30 to 45 minute virtual keynote.
Does Paris speak outside the UAE?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences and company events worldwide, live or virtually.
Can the resilience keynote be tailored?
Yes. The keynote is tailored to your audience, industry and the challenge your team is facing.
How is a resilience keynote different from a motivational talk?
It focuses on practical habits for coping with pressure and setbacks over time, backed by real expeditions, rather than a short-lived lift on the day.
Can Paris combine the keynote with a workshop?
Yes. The Grit Deconstruction workshop runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the ideas into team actions.
Which challenges does Paris draw on?
Mainly the 2023 Pacific row of 4,800 km and the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
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.
Book a resilience keynote
Tell us the date, the audience and what you want them to walk out with. See the full Grit Code keynote.