www.rockpapercoin.com
elizabeth@rockpapercoin.com
Co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, Elizabeth Sheils never pictured a career in tech. Yet, while leading a team of wedding planners out of Seattle, her decade-plus of industry experience opened her eyes to the market gaps that presented challenges for herself and her planner colleagues. Ever the innovators, she and her sister-in-law set out to solve an enduring problem in the industry: a lack of vendor collaboration over client management.
In 2018, Elizabeth and Nora launched Rock Paper Coin, the first-ever software to bring together event planners, couples, and vendors into one system for managing contracts, paying invoices, and sharing documents. Her shift from wedding planning to software development revealed the power of technology for businesses — and how underused it was in the event industry. Her desire to solve a problem transformed into a passion for enlightening others about technology’s many possibilities.
Since 2020, Elizabeth has shared her expertise on stage and inspired audiences to embrace technology as a catalyst for rapid business growth. She has spoken for groups of all sizes, including NACE, WIPA, The Special Event, and Wedding MBA. A passion for innovation and an urge to educate has ranked Elizabeth on Special Events’ Top 25 Event Pros to Watch, as well as The BizBash 500. In 2022, Rock Paper Coin was recognized by The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, earning Gold for Startup of the Year and Bronze for Women-Run Workplace of the Year.
Speaking Topics
- Today’s Modern Company: Tech Solutions to Grow + Support a Loyal Team
- Digital Security: 5 Steps to Protect Your Business
- The Conversion Factor: How to Turn Inquiries into Bookings
- Mastering Email as an Event Professional (Once and For All!)
- A Guide to Digital Payments for Agile Event Businesses
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Getting to Know You
What topics do you enjoy speaking on the most?
I love sharing my passion about sales techniques and how to get more bookings. It’s a fascinating topic and many people think “sales is scary” or “I am not a good sales person”, but I am here to say, anyone can be a good sales person. It just takes practice.
Another topic that really hits home for me is email management. This directly impacts my work / life balance as a mother, wife, friend, sister, etc. I could email all day and night and did through the first years of my career. After practicing a email work flow style, I have come to love my inbox and emails. I
What topic would you love to tackle next?
This is an interesting question and I think I would love to talk more about the importance of budgeting for businesses and sticking to it. I love budgeting, excel, studying spending and forecasting. Budgets can be a powerful tool that can be used for future decision making. If you are forced to look at what the numbers actually tell you, you might think twice about a decision.
Another topic would be about deposits. The wedding and event industry does not have a standard deposit. Some people take flat fees, other percentages. It is important for businesses to study their revenue stream and decide what deposit works well for their business.
How would you describe your speaking style?
I am bubbly, smiley and playful. I love being real and making people feel comfortable. I might crack a few little jokes about myself or accidentally let a swear words slip, but let’s be honest – who wants to be in a stuffy room. I want to make everyone feel welcomed, at ease and that knowledge is power. So wherever you are in your business, there should always be room for learning.
When heading to a wedding industry conference, I never leave home without my….
I would never leave home without my phone or a hair tie. But in all honesty, I am OCD about packing, so I really never leave home without anything that wasn’t on my packing list.
Where would you love to speak next?
Engage