Heidelberg alumna speaks during Patricia Adams Lecture series

A Heidelberg University alumna spoke to students, staff and Tiffin community members Thursday evening about the hard lessons she learned while starting a business that she didn't learn in school. Beth Shissler, president and COO of Sea Bags, LLC, served as the keynote speaker for Heidelberg's Patricia Adams Lecture Series. She earned her bachelor degree in business administration and international studies in 1990 and is only the second alum to speak during the series. Shissler presented, "What I Didn't Learn in Business School About Building a Business, Brand and Company." Sea Bags is a company that takes and recycles old sails and makes them into eco-friendly totes and accessories. When Shissler came into the company and partnered with the then CEO, she was making only 45 bags a year. Her philosophy going forward was to continue making the bags in Maine, use only recycled sails and be good stewards to the community, which they continue to do so to this day. "A lot has changed over the years, but a lot has remained the same," Shissler said. Since Sea Bags' founding in 2006, the company has grown to 24 retail stores, over 200 employees, over 800 wholesale accounts and make about 100,000 bags a year. In 2018, Shissler said they recycled about 8,000 sails that will not be left in landfills. Over the years, Shissler said she has had to learn hard lessons including holding out for the right investors. Today, she said she has 24 investors who understand and respect their mission. "We still stay firm when to say no," she said. When the company was asked to film a segment for HGTV, Shissler demanded they come to Maine. The film crew consented and once the segment aired the site crashed due to overwhelming sales. "We were finally selling product," she said. When you start a business, Shissler said you can try just about anything. "The bold decisions I've made are what drive our growth and what has made me the person I am today," Shissler said. In business school, Shissler said one thing she didn't learn a lot about was human resources. "We can't run a company without people," she said. Shissler said it is always about the people. For example, Shissler said she had to undergo counseling staff members with the agonizing loss of a co-worker, one being her sister. For the community, Shissler said they have sponsored an all-women sailing team. With leadership, Shissler said she learned to not show emotion and be tough, but in the end, Shissler said she wants to be respected and not feared. "Turning 50 I've learned a lot," she said. "Showing vulnerability is not only appropriate but necessary." Shissler built her career in sales distribution working for global companies such as Northern Telcom and Phillips Semiconductors. "I love what I do and the people I do it with," Shissler said. "You have to expect the unexpected and it is always about the people." The series is to return in October and will be celebrating 10 years.