If you own, operate, or manage a funeral home or cemetery you get lots of advice — including from Funeral Director Daily at times.  However, I’ve also learned over 40+ years of business ownership in various enterprises, that while it it good to consider all the advice you get, it is most of the time best to “trust your own instincts on business decisions”.

With most family funeral homes and cemeteries the owners “live” the business.  Even when they are at home or somewhere else, “the business” is usually top of mind.  Because of that situation, nobody should know your business better than you. . . . . and when it comes to “big decisions” nobody should be more trusted to make them than you.

I thought of that the other day while I was running on the treadmill and watching a business channel on the TV.  This information about Ford Motor Company came across the screen.  The information was that Ford was “retreating from the EV (electrical vehicle) market and taking a write-down of $19.5 billion including an $8.5 billion charge for cancelled EV models.”

This quote came from the article, “Ford said it will pivot hard into gas and hybrid models, and eventually hire thousands of workers, even though there will be some layoffs at a jointly owned Kentucky battery plant in the near term. The company expects its global mix of hybrids, extended-range EVs and pure EVs to reach 50% by 2030, from 17% today.”

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  I thought of the “instinct and decision” issue while on the treadmill because I wondered how much Ford was influenced by the “Green movement” of one presidential administration to get so heavy on the way to building EV cars and trucks.  And, on the “Fossil fuel movement” of another presidential adminsitration to now get out of it — or at least tone down the movement.

It reminded me of when I operated our funeral home and had all kinds of advice from client families, clergy, business friends, and many other people who meant very well. . . . . . However, as helpful as they wanted to be, they didn’t understand the Death Care business.  I’m guessing that if I had acted on much of the advice they gave, I would have had to pivot from those decisions as well.

So, listen to advice — that is only being respectful, but make sure that you make decisions firmly on the data you have in place and on your own instincts.

It’s very difficult to compare Ford Motor Company to our funeral businesses, but I question how much Ford listened to the correct data and consumers and followed their instincts or if they simply got caught up in a  “following the herd” mentality when the herd was going in the wrong direction.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

ADVANCE your Business Strategy & Leadership Skills with CANA’s Deathcare Business Administration Certification 

Featuring insights and expertise of Bob Boetticher, Jr. and Doug Gober 

WHEELING, IL— In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, training methods have evolved dramatically. Traditional conference settings provide that satisfying social component, while the convenience of a zoom webinar often lacks interaction and idea sharing. That’s why the Cremation Association of North America’s Deathcare Business Administration Certification combines the connection and attention you love about a CANA event with the convenience of an online and self-paced program. Get training in knowledge, skills, and ideas that bring your career to the next level! This unique education experience kicks off April 1, 2026. 

The CANA Deathcare Business Administration Certification is a 10-week, fully digital program designed for both current and aspiring leaders in deathcare. Built for the modern busy professional, the entirely virtual format allows participants to learn anytime, anywhere. Bi-weekly interactive meetings bring real-world scenarios and practical application to this self-paced online training course on management. A practical approach is emphasized in all discussions, where small group conversations go beyond ‘what we learned’ to sharing best practices and strategies that can be used to create on-the-job impact.  

Modeled after an executive MBA curriculum—but streamlined into 10 weeks—the CANA Deathcare Business Administration Certification equips your team with the tools for: 

1. Organization-Wide Leadership 
   Align your team’s vision and goals across departments, using agile strategies to serve the right customers and adapt to an ever-evolving business environment. 

2. Mastery of People Management 
   Learn how to hire, define success, and coach your teams to excel. With systems like one-on-ones and team huddles, you’ll build a culture of empowerment. 

3. Demystifying Financials 
   Focus on building more profitable firms by understanding financial statements and key ratios. Gain practical tools to use in your daily decision-making. 

To deliver this transformative experience, CANA is working with the expert-led learning platform GoalMakers to offer our profession a solution that strengthens your leadership team and directly improves your bottom line. Led by John Cioffi, Chief Content Officer and co-author of The Winning Manager’s Playbook, and program guide Jeremy Wall, the team is enriched with input from leaders from across the profession. Gain invaluable insights by hearing directly from the experts. You’ll be joined by: 

With more than 35 years of frontline and executive experience, Bob “BBJ” Boetticher, Jr. has built a career defined by operational excellence, business leadership, and a deep understanding of funeral home, crematory and cemetery management. He is a second-generation funeral director, Past President of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), and currently serves as Assistant Vice President, Field Digital Experience for Service Corporation International (SCI). Widely respected for his operational fluency, leadership acuity, and ability to bridge the gap between technology and real-world field execution, BBJ continues to shape the future of funeral service through innovation, advocacy, and hands-on expertise.  

Doug Gober began his funeral service career more than 45 years ago as a sales representative in the casket industry. He has earned numerous national awards from various organizations within the death care profession. In his quest to provide funeral and cemetery owners successful business solutions, Doug partnered with The Foresight Companies in October 2018, enabling him to expand his service offerings to include Transaction Advisory, Succession Planning, Business Valuations, and Financing. 

The Deathcare Business Administration Certification targets both emerging and seasoned leaders, ensuring you grasp the intricacies of financials and learn how to apply these skills to maximize your team’s performance, serve the right customers, and enhance their hiring processes—creating an immediate impact on your organization. 

We invite you to learn more about the Deathcare Business Administration Certification and gain practical skills you can apply immediately to grow your business and advance your career. Schedule a meeting with program guide Jeremy Wall and talk about your goals and whether this program is right for you: learn.goalmakers.com/meetings/jeremywall/informational 

Take this opportunity to invest in your team’s growth and gain all the essential business knowledge you need—without years of study or student debt. You’ll earn up to 8 hours of CE from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (APFSP). 

Registration is $995, with discounts available for pairs and groups from the same company. In December 2025 and January 2026, register two employees and a third attends for free! Beyond the financial savings, teams that go through Deathcare Business Administration Certification together can make the most significant impact with a shared language of leadership and the tools to create positive change. 

Enrollment is open—secure your spot in this exclusive certification program! Register now at: goalmakers.com/cana 

About CANA 

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization. 

I operated a crematory at our funeral home and one of the tasks I very much disliked was transfering cremation remains into the very popular “vase-shaped” urns.  You see, while the vase-shaped urn has a curvature to it that widens out, it also has a very small opening at the top of the urn where one fills the urn from.

However, thanks to the patented “Easy Turn Urn” from Titan, which was just introduced last week, filling those vase-shaped urns will be much easier in the future.  This new patented product has a “Dual Opening” design that makes transfering the cremated remains into the urn very simple.

Here’s a short 45-second video on the product introduced by Titan Casket brand ambassador actor David Dastmalchian:

Funeral Director Daily take:  I wish I would have had this “Dual opening” urn available to me on the hundreds of vase-like urns I prepared filled with cremated remains.

Titan Casket is proving to be much more than just a casket supplier to consumers and funeral homes.  The three founders have the ideal combined backgrounds to build a company that takes advantage of technology and customer service innovation and that is exactly what they are doing with Titan Casket.

Their combined expertise and experience from the casket business, the web-based sales business, and the Direct-to-Consumer start-up business form a nexus that, in my opinion, will not only build a successful casket sales business both for consumers and as partners for funeral homes but will become a major e-commerce force for Death Care in general.

And, it looks like the “Easy Turn Urn” will be their next successful product.

Here’s a little info on the three founders of Titan Casket:

To learn how to partner with Titan Casket at your funeral home click here.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

I learned through an article from Sky News and in this article from KillBait that Epiris, the private equity firm that acquired London area-based Direct Cremation provider Pure Cremation just over two years ago, is beginning a process to sell the company.

Pure Cremation, arguably the most financially successful start-up in Death Care business history started in 2015 by husband/wife founders Bryan and Catherine Powell.  The timing was evidently perfect for the business which serviced the cremations of Death Care clientele who preferred “simple services with no mourners present”.

That type of service, now christened “Direct Cremation” has grown exponentially since that time in Great Britain, somewhat driven by a combination of price, simplicity, and a decline in religious funeral traditions.

The Powells were quick to learn of the value of Preneed and Pre-arrangements for Pure Cremation.  They employed an aggressive marketing campaign for Preneed with an advertising budget stressing the Pure Cremation “No fuss” cremation options.  According to this 2022 article from Sky News, they sold over 65,000 preneed policies in 2021.   In my opinion, greatly increasing the value of the company.

While no purchase price was, to my knowledge, ever reported when private equity company Epiris purchased Pure Cremation in July 2023, Sky News articles estimated that the company was worth “up to US$ 533 million” at the time.

The above linked KillBait article suggests “Although the current owners (Epiris) are targeting a sale worth upwards of £500 million (US$ 667 million), estimates suggest the business could fetch as much as £700 million (US$932 million) based on its profitability.

Here is the July 31, 2023, press release from Epiris announcing that they had purchased Pure Cremation.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  From my point of view “Growth Companies” are companies that increase revenue and value greatly in a short period of time.  They do so, in many cases, because they have invented new “widgets” that consumers prefer over other options.  For instance “Vizio” creates “smart TV’s” that consumers now prefer over old analog television sets.  The rapid growth of Vizio, which is owned by WalMart, certainly would qualify the company, in my book, as a “Growth Company”.

As an aside here. . . .just think of the opportunities for WalMart to build relationships with those free (advertiser supported) content streaming companies such as Tubi, Pluto, and others.  WalMart can probably make agreements to advertise their products on those streaming services in return for the opportunity for those services to be “imbedded” in the Vizio product.  As long as that Vizio smart TV is in the family room WalMart can probably arrange to have low-cost access to advertising and the opportunity to customize (through AI) those ads to the content a viewer watches. No wonder they sell those TVs so inexpensively — they are not only viewing screens but advertising mechanisms set up right in your television-watching room for WalMart.

Back to the article, compare that thought process of a “Growth Company” with funeral home public companies such as Service Corporation International and Carriage Services. . . . who I look at as mature companies whose operations and finances, in my opinion, operate more like utility companies.  That is, they are “Slow-growth”, generally through acquisitions, funded by debt rather than high-growth cash-flow, without the fast-growing “new widget” or idea that could propel them into “Growth companies”.

In my opinion, Pure Cremation is somewhat different and exhibits itself as more of a “Growth Company” that can fetch a higher valuation for its company because of the long-range, hypothetical growth potential based on the “new widget” of Direct Cremation coupled with aggressive Preneed marketing and sales.

Again, in my opinion, there is nothing wrong with “slow, methodical growth” of a business.  However, businesses need to know what they are.  Later in this article is a chart that I made of four public Death Care stocks along with a couple of “new widget” growth companies.  Again, in my opinion, “Growth Companies” have a characteristic of “higher potential gains accompanied by more financial risk” and companies that operate in a field such as traditional Death Care and have “Slow-Growth” characteristics of “slower growth and less financial risk”.

The chart below is representative of that phenomena.  It shows the annual revenue of the companies that comprise the Funeral Director Daily Death Care Index (DCI) and two other “new widget” public growth companies.  It also shows the value of those companies as indicated by Market Capitalization (Defined as the Stock price x Number of Outstanding shares of stock).  (Note:  All values come from Seeking Alpha data as of October 9, 2025.)

Again, at least from my perspective, it is very easy to see that the Death Care companies do not have a high valuation in relation to the revenues that they bring in —  more than likely because of their “slow-growth” perception to investors.  I see that is where Pure Cremation differs from them in that they have the growth expectation of the consumer’s increased use of “Direct Cremation” raising their value.

Market Capitalization of Death Care Companies and “True Growth” Companies

At any rate, it will be interesting to see who might be the purchaser of Pure Cremation.  It very well could be a public company that wants to add a perceived “high growth” company to its portfolio.

Disclosure:  The author of this article for Funeral Director Daily is a shareholder of Service Corporation International, Carriage Services, Security National Financial Corporation, ATS Spacemobile, and Applied Digital Corporation.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

There’s a Reason Most Removal Calls Come Outside Business Hours

Some of the biggest concerns of a new removal tech — in addition to worries about squatting and bending in their suit, how to operate the stretcher, and whether or not there will be lots of stairs — revolve around overnight calls. Will they hear the phone? Should they take their sleep meds? In a perfect world, people would die only between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. local time, which would allow for removal during daylight hours and well before quitting time. 

Here in the real world, though, overnight removals — and medicine-free, sleepless nights — are just part of the job. You might actually feel that more removals happen between midnight and 8:00 a.m. than at any other time. You wouldn’t be wrong. In fact, science would back you up.

“Letting go” time

Most of the evidence that most people die in the early morning hours is anecdotal. It’s not only funeral directors and removal techs who can attest to this, but also hospital and nursing home workers. And even some researchers agree.

An often-cited study published in 1987 and shared by the National Library of Medicine in 2009 concluded that “most people die between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., with a peak often cited between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.” The same paper cited three other studies of death certificates indicating that “human mortality rises rapidly from a low at 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. to a peak at 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.”

Julie McFadden, a YouTuber with millions of followers known as “Hospice Nurse Julie,” refers to this time span as the “letting go” hour. In a recent video, she says that in her nine years in the profession, she’s found that “most people die between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.”

Scientific support

While it’s true that most humans spend one-third of our lives sleeping (and thus, have a one-in-three chance of dying at night), there are other reasons for the overnight death phenomenon.

The most common explanation has to do with circadian rhythm, our body’s natural 24-hour cycle. During the early-morning hours, many of our bodily functions like heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature, are at their lowest levels. We have less energy, as well. Additionally, many people experience respiratory issues like sleep apnea and cardiopulmonary irregularities during the overnight hours, with some becoming catastrophic events.

The 1987 study also found that people who take sleeping pills often have “50 percent higher mortality, and this excess mortality occurs mainly at night,” and that the use of sleeping pills leads to increased falls at night and injuries such as broken hips.”

Another study of nearly half a million people in the UK found that so-called “night owls” were 10 percent more likely to die during those same hours. They had higher rates of mental health disorders, diabetes, and neurological conditions, were more likely to experience psychological stress and abuse drugs and alcohol — all factors that can lead to death.

Less scientific reasons

For some folks, though, the reasons behind the plethora of overnight deaths are less science-based. McFadden suggests that the quiet, darkness, and peace help people to let go. Typically, they aren’t surrounded by family members or interrupted by healthcare staff, and there are fewer distractions to keep them tethered to the outside world. 

“There’s less people kind of trying to hold you there,” she says in her video.

Others believe there are religious, spiritual, and even mythological reasons behind the wee-hour deaths, all tied to the association of sleep and death. “Sleep” is often used as a metaphor for death in the Christian, Hindu, and Islamic faiths, and in ancient Greek mythology, Sleep was the twin brother of Death.

Despite the inconvenience of those overnight removals, most of us would appreciate the fact that a loved one dies in the peaceful state of sleep. We also appreciate the deathcare professionals in whom we entrust our loved one’s removal and care.

There is a lot to learn about a bill that is 870 pages long.  While not as big as some bills such as the 906 pages of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 870 pages of regulations is a lot to digest.

I don’t pretend to know everything about the One Big Beautiful Bill but here’s what Morgan Stanley Wealth Management says in its “Key Takeaway” bulletin, “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers a lower corporate tax burden that could boost certain U.S. equity sectors, but it also raises concerns over rising U.S. deficits and higher rates.”

Access the Morgan Stanley article here

In their “Key Takeaway” article Morgan Stanley expounds on four facets of the bill and how you and your business might be affected.  Here are the facets they discuss:

1. Corporate and Individual Tax Cuts
2. Fiscal Challenges
3. Stock Opportunities and Risks
4. Bond Yield Pressures

When thinking of your Death Care businesses, here is one highlight about Business that may be to your liking.  Morgan Stanley states:

 

“The law’s biggest beneficiaries appear to be U.S. corporations. The legislation not only reinstates business-friendly TCJA provisions, such as 100% bonus depreciation and immediate deduction of domestic R&D expenses; it also introduces new measures like expanding the Advanced Manufacturing Investment tax credit and full expensing of factories. All told, these provisions could reduce the corporate tax rate from a statutory 21%, to as low as an effective 12%, the lowest rate in U.S. history.”

In any regard, this paper is a good short read that will give you things to visit with your tax accountant about how your business may be able to take advantage of certain items such as the depreciation provisions of the bill.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  One of the items I found extremely interesting was the 100% expensing of factories.  I wondered, “Could I build a funeral home or crematory and expense the entire construction in one year?”

I’ve tried to find the answer and what I’ve found makes me believe that I would not be able to do so.  What I found is that a factory is defined in a new category defined as a “Qualified Production Property” (QPP).  My quick thought is I would not be able to do so under this definition of a QPP as provided:

• It is primarily used for manufacturing, production, or refining tangible personal property.

However, that is exactly why it is important to learn about what is in the bill and how certain new regulations might be able to enhance your financial position.  My guess is that there are those in our profession/industry who will try to make a case that a funeral home or crematory does fit under the QPP regulation.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Over the last century traditional funeral homes have been known to have a “moat” around them in relation to potential competitors.  Those moats have brought about many barriers to entry to the profession and helped many family funeral homes thrive.  However, as we move forward some of those advantages for existing funeral homes are going by the wayside and funeral home owners have to continually “up their services” to keep their moats full.

I was reminded of that situation when I read this recent article from Seeking Alpha concerning coffee chain Starbucks titled, “Starbucks lost its moat, now comes the re-pricing”. 

From my point of view, just as in funeral service, there are items that society changes to “lower the water” in a business’ moat, but I think Starbucks is a great example of instituting self-imposed methods that can hurt one’s business.  I think that is a lesson for all businesses, including traditional funeral homes, to be aware of.

I discovered Starbucks at about the same time the internet was coming into vogue — the late 1990’s.  Our young family would vacation in Vail, Colorado, and I located a Starbucks about a block from our vacation lodging.  It was awesome – big comfortable leather chairs, a fireplace, quick service, and fairly priced coffee. I would take an hour each day, purchase the Denver Post, and sit comfortably in a great atmosphere — it was a place I was totally content.

That modus operandi seemed to work for Starbucks as for the next two decades the company grew and grew. . . .and as an owner of their stock I saw my investment grow and grow also.  If you followed the company you would have also seen that explosive growth with the stock going from about $3 per share in 2000 to about $120 per share in 2021. . . . .Their number of stores and revenues went in the same direction.

However, somewhere along the way in the late second decade of the 21st century the business started to change.  They added all kinds of options to their coffee drinks which for me slowed down the process of getting my coffee —  sometimes waiting five minutes or more in line and another 10 minutes for them to fulfill a simple cup of coffee order.  The price went up to about $5 for a simple cup of coffee.  Many of their buildings added more and more seats to accomodate larger crowds replacing the very comfortable large leather chairs.  . . . and other changes were added to increase profitability . . . and in my opinion, decrease the customer experience.

The politics of Starbucks seemed to either change or be more overt also. The company embraced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion formats and seemed to be in a media-followed constant struggle with their workers over pay, benefits, and hours worked.

Finally, competitors popped up in the market that used the old Starbucks method —  quick coffee, reasonably priced, comfortable seating, and seemed to stay out of the political arena. . . . Today, as the linked article states, Starbucks is trying to get their mojo back.

It’s a Lesson —  I write this today as the author of the linked article notes that Starbucks is pursuing a “Back to Starbucks” strategy.  The author also doesn’t believe that strategy will work because of the damage done by the above-mentioned strategies over the years.

I can tell you that I’ve changed my allegiance to a northern U.S. based chain, Caribou Coffee, which seems to operate on the old Starbucks modus operandi —  although I see them making some of the same mistakes such as “too many” options which can cause delays in getting orders.  In my Minnesota community we have two Starbucks now and I don’t believe that I have ever bought a cup of coffee in either of them. . . . That shows that when allegiances change, many times they change for good.

Funeral homes have big moats — such as licensure to operate, licenses for employees, a high cost of buildings and fixtures, and satisfied customer families going back sometimes generations — that are difficult for new competitors to penetrate.  However, just as Starbucks is being accused of in the Seeking Alpha article, sometimes decisions by management make those moats easier to pentrate.

Funeral homes are probably going to have to move forward and offer some of the new products in Death Care in the future without alienating their existing supporters.  My take from this Starbucks article is to be cautious how you do such so you don’t alienate your current customers.

A Lesson I Learned from my Dad —   I mention the very pro-active movement of Starbucks in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues of the recent past.  I take no side with the issue other than to say getting “political” on either side of an issue may not be good for business – in general political decisions can alienate 50% of potential customers.  Here’s an article that Funeral Director Daily published a year ago about that dilemma.  It’s going on 60 years since my father gave me a lesson on that issue and I think it is still great advice for funeral home owners today.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

The title of this article poses what seems to be a simple question.  I don’t think it is.

We recently printed an article that brought attention to the fact that Batesville and Tukios “made a deal” that, at least from my point of view, allowed Batesville to concentrate on its “core” business of caskets, cremation products, and software solutions.  I think it is pretty easy, especially if you are my age, to have the perception that the “core” of Batesville is casket sales and, increasingly, cremation product sales. . . . and, I would argue that most businesses that look to Batesville for solutions, look in those two categories, at least until they get more familiar with the company.

However, when potential clients look to traditional funeral homes  — what is the “core” product or feature that makes them call the funeral home?  What are they looking for? . . . . And, is that item changing as time moves on?`

I think it does change and over time the “core” business of the person taking care of the dead in America has been fluid.  For instance, if you go back to the Old West days of the United States the “core” business of an undertaker was to build a wooden box for the casket, dig the grave, and transport the deceased in the box to the grave.  That’s what people expected when they contacted the “undertaker”.

Eventually, undertakers built facilities and at least part of the “core” business was to provide a “place” for the reception of guests for the grieving family to receive.  During that time, and for the better part of the entire 20th Century, the “core” business also included the funeral home guiding the family through the entire process which included embalming, sale of a casket, the visitation, funeral service, and graveside.  I think it was also hard to define your business “core” at this time on the perception of your clientele.   —  While your business was much more than “selling a casket”, many client families would say “they had to go to a funeral home, not to facilitate the funeral, but to buy a casket”.  In essence, they didn’t seem to peerceive or understand all that the funeral home did and supplied.

Eventually, in the latter part of the 20th Century cremation associations and cremation-only businesses started to come into existence.  I think at that time Death Care perception changed and an additional  “core” business in Death Care was born.  Those businesses developed a “core” that was perceived by the consumer as “Cremation”.  Many clients still needed and wanted additional services such as a memorial service but a certain, and growing niche of consumers, considered “Cremation” as the “core” of the business that they were contacting for Death Care services.

Moving into the current environment of Death Care we have niches that want the consumer to select them for their services by their “core” business.  Some of those are cremation businesses, natural organic reduction businesses, alkaline hydrolysis businesses, flameless cremation businesses, event centers for services, online urn and jewelry sales, niche products like Better Place Forests and Parting Stone, and on and on.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

So, if you operate a traditional funeral home how do you position the “core” perception of your business so that potential clients think of you not only for traditional casketed funerals and cremation services, but all of the options that are now becoming available to the general public?

The way I look at it from a consumer perspective is that there are lots of issues surrounding the death of a loved one.  People move out of home communities more often today than ever before.  Maybe those people need advice on returning a loved one to a far-away community for burial.  People, as we mentioned above, also have disposition and memorialization options that they never had before.  Many people want to know the costs and possibly set aside money for future obligations more so than in the past.

I don’t know exactly how I would do so, but as I look at the ever-expanding Death Care choices that consumers now have, I would want to position my “core” business as a “Death Care Solutions Center”.  And, I think some of the funeral homes that are advocating for community Death Cafe discussion times are on the right track to doing that.

A “Death Care Solutions Center” could position a business to offer an “Optionality” to those that call on them.  As the public continues to realize and understand that there is more to Death Care than caskets and cremation this core competency should position a funeral home to be on the front end of helping consumers decide the specifics of their future Death Care plans.

In my way of thinking, positioning your business for success is all about how you get that potential client to look to you for your “trusted advice and competence” before they look somewhere else.  And, the proper perception of what you do in their mind will help them get to you.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Starmark Appoints Dan Cook as Vice President of Business Development

Recognition Reflects Cook’s Leadership and Commitment to the Funeral Profession

RICHMOND, IN, June 19, 2025 – Starmark, the cremation solutions leader, has announced the appointment of Dan Cook as its Vice President of Business Development. Cook joined Starmark in 2023 as a leader from day one. His appointment as Vice President of Business Development can be compared to graduating from “Funeral Care University.” Cook gets the funeral business. 

Cook shared: “I love working with the Starmark team, who shares the common goal of helping families navigate loss and honoring their loved ones through funeral service. What I have found most rewarding is developing strong relationships with funeral professionals and helping them do better.” 

“Cook’s appointment as Vice President of Business Development marks another step forward for Starmark’s organization. His strategic insight, passion for the funeral profession, and commitment to excellence epitomize what makes Starmark special to funeral professionals.” – Justin Davis, President.

Cook holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Psychology (B.B.A.) but credits his most significant learning to hands-on experience. “I’m honored to serve funeral professionals through Starmark. Having a background in sales, accounting, and finance, I see so many ways that Starmark can improve funeral service. What a pleasure it is to build upon existing and develop new Starmark friendships.”

About Starmark: Starmark creates Sensible Solutions® for funeral professionals to help families more easily honor life’s most meaningful moments with grace and respect. It is all about celebrating the lives of loved ones with dignity and care. This belief inspires everything we at Starmark do, allowing funeral service professionals and families to focus on love, legacy, and healing.  For more information, visit: www.starmarkcp.com 

Break Barriers & Grow: Proven Funeral Business Strategies for 2025

The funeral profession is steeped in tradition, but as the industry evolves, staying competitive requires breaking through barriers and embracing new opportunities. Whether you’re a fourth-generation funeral director or just starting your own firm, the key to growth in 2025 is strategic clarity, technology integration, and personal development.

Antonio Green, a fourth-generation funeral director and business consultant, recently shared insights on how to transform a funeral business by thinking outside the box, adopting modern strategies, and staying ahead of industry trends. Here’s a breakdown of the most important takeaways from his discussion.

1. The Power of Strategic Clarity in the Funeral Business

Success doesn’t happen by accident—it requires a clear vision and a well-defined action plan. Many funeral professionals struggle with growth simply because they haven’t pinpointed the exact roadblocks standing in their way.

How to Gain Strategic Clarity:

✅ Identify roadblocks: What is holding your business back? Is it staffing, outdated marketing, pricing challenges, or lack of technology? Write them down and get specific.
✅ Develop a clear vision: Set tangible business goals. Instead of saying, “I want to grow my funeral home,” say, “I want to increase my pre-need sales by 25% this year.”
✅ Leverage relationships: Funeral service thrives on relationships. Are you partnering with hospice groups, churches, or estate planners to expand your reach?
✅ Take action: Knowledge without action is useless. If you attend a conference, webinar, or seminar, implement at least one idea immediately before it fades into the background.

By clarifying your goals and eliminating roadblocks, you can create a blueprint for sustainable growth in your funeral home.

2. Leveraging Technology for Business Growth

The funeral industry has been slow to adopt AI, automation, and digital marketing, but those who embrace technology now will outpace their competition. Technology is no longer optional—it’s essential for scaling your funeral business.

How Technology Can Help Funeral Homes:

🚀 Automate administrative tasks: Use AI-driven tools like Otter.AI for transcription, ChatGPT for content creation, and email automation for faster client communication.
🎯 Improve client engagement: AI-powered chatbots can answer inquiries 24/7, guiding families through the planning process before they ever set foot in your funeral home.
📢 Enhance marketing efforts: Tools like Meta AI for social media ads, Google Gemini for content generation, and Gamma.app for presentations can save hours of work.
📊 Data-driven decision-making: AI can analyze your business data and suggest pricing adjustments, customer trends, and service improvements.

Funeral professionals who embrace AI and automation will save time, reduce costs, and improve the customer experience, leading to higher case volume and profitability.

3. Exploring New Revenue Opportunities in Funeral Service

The traditional funeral service model is changing, and new revenue opportunities are emerging for those willing to adapt. The question is: How can you create additional revenue streams while still serving families with excellence?

Ways to Generate Additional Revenue:

🔹 Pre-need Sales & Education: Offering pre-planning seminars, workshops, and digital guides helps families while securing future revenue for your business.
🔹 Hybrid & Virtual Services: Live-streamed funerals and digital memorial packages allow families to participate regardless of location.
🔹 Affiliate Partnerships: Funeral homes can collaborate with estate planners, florists, catering services, and grief counselors for mutual referrals and added revenue.
🔹 Event Hosting & Community Engagement: Holding grief support groups, financial planning workshops, or legacy storytelling events positions your firm as a community leader.
🔹 Subscription-Based Grief Support: Consider offering a membership-based grief support program with expert resources, counseling referrals, and remembrance activities.

By diversifying services, funeral homes can meet modern families’ needs while increasing profitability.

4. Personal Development: The Key to Leading a Thriving Funeral Home

The most successful funeral professionals don’t just grow their businesses—they grow themselves.

Personal development is critical because a funeral home is only as strong as the people running it. Investing in mindset, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence can make the difference between stagnation and breakthrough success.

How Personal Growth Impacts Business Success:

📚 Continuous Learning: Read business, marketing, and self-development books such as:

• 10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan & Ben Hardy
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham
  🧠 Emotional Intelligence: As a funeral director, you navigate families through grief daily. Strengthening self-awareness, empathy, and resilience helps you manage stress while leading with compassion.
  👥 Networking & Mentorship: Surrounding yourself with successful professionals in mastermind groups or industry conferences will fast-track your learning and growth.
  🏋️ Health & Well-Being: The funeral business is emotionally and physically demanding. Taking care of your mental and physical health ensures longevity in your career.

Final Thoughts: Break Barriers & Build a Thriving Funeral Business

The funeral industry is at a critical turning point, and those who embrace change will come out ahead. By focusing on:
✔️ Strategic clarity – Define your goals and remove roadblocks
✔️ Technology adoption – Automate and scale your business
✔️ Revenue diversification – Expand beyond traditional services
✔️ Personal growth – Invest in leadership, learning, and well-being

You can transform your funeral home into a thriving, future-proof business.

Next Steps: Take Action Today!

💡 Which one of these strategies will you implement first? Write it down and commit to action within the next 30 days.
📩 Want more insights? Sign up for my mastermind program and take your business growth to the next level!
🎯 Ready to innovate? Explore how AI, automation, and new service models can revolutionize your funeral home.

📢 What’s the biggest challenge holding your business back? Let’s discuss it in the comments!

Link to Webinar: https://zoom.us/rec/share/PnnyO17gHrbuwTMjbqVKyHXTKTa9n9mmARjynpOCm-IDEFkmv5YwW6cpkRtJVGHM.yWO8dCfs2SjGJIGk?startTime=1738090658000

Link to Mastermind registration page: https://www.helpbridgethegap.com/get-started/p/legacy-leaders-mastermind.

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