In today’s digital world, a strong online presence is essential for any business—especially for funeral homes, where families often search for services during critical times. In the most recent Direct Cremation Podcast episode, Tyler Yamasaki, CEO of Parting Pro, discussed Google’s Local Service Ads with co-founder Albert Chang. They explain how Local Service Ads can help funeral homes capture leads and reach local families more effectively. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone managing a funeral home, cremation website, or cemetery.Get your own step-by-step guide to set up Local Service Ads yourself here:https://learn.partingpro.com/google-local-ads-for-funeral-homeTimestamps(00:00) Intro(00:44) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:32) What Albert Will Share with Us Today(02:44) Explanation of Local Service Ads(03:49) Benefits of Local Service Ads(04:53) Comparison between Local Service Ads and Search Ads(05:35) Advantages of Local Service Ads(06:05) Costing of Local Service Ads(08:28) Disputing Phone Calls(09:34) Importance of Local Search Ads(10:38) Reasons to run Search Ads(12:21) Process of Getting Screened for Local Search Ads(15:30) Running Full Service Ads(16:05) Importance of Business Page Information(16:38) Understanding and Managing Local Service AdsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this episode of the Direct Cremation Podcast, host Tyler Yamasaki sits down with Christopher Teel, a first-generation funeral director who has built multiple thriving businesses in death care. Discover how Teel went from pursuing law to owning multiple funeral brands, including a high-volume cremation service and a traditional funeral home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.🔥 Listen in as we explore:• Teel’s unexpected journey into death care• The rise of cremation rates and how funeral homes can adapt• The power of sales in the arrangement room and why it’s essential for funeral success• Strategies to maintain a personal touch, even in online arrangements• Predictions for the future of the funeral industryWhether you're a funeral professional or just curious about the evolving world of death care, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on more industry insights!Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:56) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:33) Welcome Christopher Teel!(01:56) Christoper’s journey(04:53) Salesmanship in a funeral home(10:28) Christopher's cremation brand: Rivercrest(16:44) What makes Christopher a good salesperson(18:00) Meeting every family where they are(22:25) The crossover between Christopher's two brands(24:14) Do you mix and mingle staff?(24:56) What drives Christopher?(26:46) How Christoper sees the market for his cremation and traditional funeral home brand(30:10) How important is the 1st call etiquette?(32:08) Is Rivercrest the most affordable in its area?(35:56) What's next for Rivercrest Cremation?(37:44) How Christopher sees the future of deathcare(40:17) Christopher's celebration/event center(44:57) What Christopher thinks deathcare will look like in 10 yearsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Smith, a third-generation funeral director and the visionary behind Smith Family Funeral Homes and Arkansas Cremation. Jeff’s journey is nothing short of remarkable—he has more than 10X’d his family’s business in Central Arkansas, built both traditional and cremation-focused funeral homes, and created a small death care empire.With 10 years of NFDA’s Pursuit of Excellence awards, his company is set to be inducted into the NFDA’s “Hall of Excellence” for their consistent achievement - a true testament to their dedication and impact in the industry.Join us as we delve into Jeff's entrepreneurial spirit, the secrets to scaling multiple businesses, and his unique approach to funeral service. This conversation is packed with insights and inspiration you won’t want to miss!Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:06) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(02:03) Welcome Jeff Smith!(02:41) Jeff's deathcare journey(08:17) Jeff purchasing multiple funeral homes(15:21) The consistency across Jeff's funeral homes(21:20) Characteristics to look for when acquiring new funeral homes(23:32) The thought process behind operating Arkansas Cremation(32:56) Different levels/packages of direct cremation(37:19) People becoming less traditional(39:01) Jeff having multiple acquisitions in 2020-2021(44:50) Jeff's pre-need life insurance company(49:04) What's next for Jeff?(50:01) The story behind the name "Cyrus"(51:31) What's next for Cyrus Works?(53:26) Post-covid consumer trends(56:54) What Jeff thinks deathcare will look like in 10 years?(01:04:37) Where to find Jeff SmithFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Want a forecast of your service area or audit of your current Google Campaign? Get it here: https://partingpro.com/marketing-servicesOnline marketing might seem easy to set up, but getting it right is another story.In this episode, my co-founder Albert Chang walks you through the top 10 mistakes that could be draining your ad budget.It’s not just about following the basics or letting Google handle everything—there are seasoned competitors out there who will grab the attention of your families if your marketing isn’t on point.Let’s make sure your marketing dollars are working hard for you, not going to waste.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:30) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:04) Welcome Albert Chang!(01:47) What it takes to be really good at digital marketing(03:37) Top 10 mistakes funeral homes make with their digital marketing(04:04) #1 Neglecting Negative Keywords(08:35) #2 Poor Ad Copy(12:22) #3 Ignoring Ad Extensions(15:17) #4 Unoptimized Landing Pages(18:20) #5 Improper Bidding Strategy(20:38) #6 Lack of Conversion Tracking/ Tracking “Wrong” Conversions(24:57) #7 Inconsistent Budget Management(27:34) #8 Skipping Ad Scheduling(30:28) #9 Lack of Audience Targeting(32:07) #10 Lack of Keywords Grouping / “Wrong” Keywords Grouping(34:05) Bonus #11 Not Setting Up Google Business ProfilesFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

From humble beginnings in the death care industry nearly 30 years ago, Troy Kaltenberg's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Starting at Service Corporation International, he cut his teeth in the world of pre-need sales. Fast forward to today, and Troy has built a thriving cremation brand, Grand Rapids Cremation Services, serving thousands of families and earning rave reviews along the way.In this episode, we dive into the story of this first-generation funeral director who, in just five years, turned his vision into a powerhouse business. Whether you're dreaming of launching your own brand or just curious about what it takes to succeed in this industry, you won’t want to miss this conversation.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:53) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:46) Troy's Background(03:02) Troy took a decade away from deathcare(05:07) What led Troy to start his own business(10:20) How did Troy grow so quickly?(13:39) How to maintain good reviews?(15:46) How much of Troy's business is in-house vs. using 3rd party(18:13) Does Troy still see a lot of families now?(22:27) What's the most important for Troy?(27:39) Where does Troy see his business going?(35:34) Any big plans or changes coming to Troy's business?(36:32) Troy's staff(38:20) What Troy thinks deathcare will look like in 10 yearsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Barbara is back, baby! 🎉In this episode, we’re thrilled to have Barbara Kemmis, the executive director of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), joining us for the third time! Barbara is here to drop some serious knowledge bombs about the latest cremation trends.In this jam-packed episode, we dive into CANA's annual report, one of the most comprehensive in the industry. We uncover fascinating insights into death rates and the ever-evolving choices families make between cremation and burial. Did you know that while cremation is on the rise, the growth rate is starting to slow down a bit? Find out why. 📊We also take a state-by-state tour, revealing some surprising stats. 10 points if you can guess which state finished at just about 32.6% cremation and which state tops the chart with an astronomical 83.1%. 🌎🔥This is THE episode you don’t want to miss! Hit play and join us for an engaging and informative discussion with one of the industry’s top experts. 🚀👂Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:02) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:40) Welcome back Barbara!(01:58) Quick intro about Barbara(03:26) What goes into creating the report every year?(05:58) The next 5 years in terms of growth(08:19) Why certain states have very high cremation rates(15:45) We're at a 15-year lag if we follow the Canadian trends?(18:48) Predictions(21:27) How long have they been doing the reports?(26:22) Was there anything in the data that surprised Barbara?(31:38) What Barbara did in England(38:37) The upcoming Cremation Innovation ConventionLink to the summarized CANA report: https://www.cremationassociation.org/industrystatistics.htmlFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

With three decades of experience, Scott Newton is a seasoned veteran in the death care industry. As President and founding member of Graystone Associates, Scott and his team have been helping funeral homes thrive for over 20 years. After assisting hundreds of funeral homes, Scott reveals the key strategies and metrics essential for growing market share.In this episode, discover Scott's insights on innovation in death care (a must), adopting a growth mindset (absolutely necessary), and the one crucial metric that drives the highest valuation in the industry [(34:08)]. Gain invaluable knowledge from a true expert—watch now!Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:51) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:21) Welcome Scott Newton(01:33) How Scott got into deathcare(03:56) How Graystone helps funeral homes(10:04) Biggest gaps funeral homeowners overlook(12:59) Creating new ideas vs. hitting goals(14:37) Thoughts on this rapid change and how it affects the funeral homeowners(20:21) Adapting quickly vs. doubling down on what works(25:27) How Scott would deal with a confused customer(30:27) "The M&A side of deathcare is more active than it's ever been"(34:08) How to increase a company's valuation(40:49) Graystone's marketing strategy(46:50) What does Scott think deathcare will look like 10 years from now?(54:32) How to contact GraystoneFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Running four different locations is challenging. Maintaining a 5.0-star rating on Google for all of them? Almost impossible. But Julie Bishop of Crevasse’s Simple Cremation does it with finesse.In the latest episode of the Direct Cremation Podcast, discover Julie’s journey from her beginnings to expanding her cremation business to serve thousands of grateful families. Learn her secrets to maintaining a consistent, five-star experience across multiple locations and teams without compromising quality.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:55) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(02:01) How Julie got into deathcare(05:57) How Julie knew that she wanted to start a cremation brand(08:07) Was there ever any trepidation?(09:25) What was Julie's 1st year was like(10:50) How they got their first 200-300 customers(12:25) Where is Julie's business now?(13:30) Hundreds of genuine 5-star ratings(15:49) Thoughts on the newer disposition types(19:59) Anything new or different for Crevasse in 2024?(20:49) Having dedicated staff for each location(23:08) What the next level of growth looks like for Crevasse(23:59) How does Julie feel about the direct disposition as a Floridian?(25:55) Should the direct disposal license be a separate class?(28:34) Where Julie think deathcare goes in 10 years(31:02) Would Crevasse add services to capture the outside of the funeral home?For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this episode, we’re honored to welcome Robert Hunsaker, a true legend in the death care industry. From his childhood days living in a funeral home with his funeral director father, to working in cemetery groundskeeping, and climbing the ranks at Batesville, Great Western Insurance Company, and Sinosource, Robert's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. He’s owned funeral homes, cemeteries, and cremation businesses, and now serves as the president of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA).But it’s not just his impressive resume that stands out. When Robert speaks about the latest trends, his dedication to education, and the groundbreaking initiatives at CANA, you can’t help but be captivated. In this episode, Robert shares powerful insights and predictions for the future of death care. With his vast experience and deep understanding of the industry, his perspectives are truly invaluable. Tune in and get ready to be inspired by one of the most influential voices in death care today.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:43) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:33) Welcome Robert Hunsaker(02:00) How Robert started(06:19) What being president of CANA is like(08:28) What draws Robert to get involved with CANA?(09:45) Which season of Robert's deathcare career has been most enjoyable?(11:18) Big mistakes vendors are making(14:06) How can funeral owners push forward without being too fast(18:54) Factors Robert look for when acquiring or starting a business(20:32) How did Robert know that it's time to sell(21:46) Exciting trends in deathcare right now(24:43) What would Robert's cemetery/funeral home/property would look like with unlimited budget(28:07) What does Robert think deathcare will look like in 10 years?(30:06) Does Robert think that direct cremation will still grow in the future?(37:50) What Robert is looking forward to coming out of CANA(40:24) Final thoughtsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Boost your contract totals! Caroline Andree, Head of Merchandising at Parting Pro, reveals the most popular merchandise chosen by families based on exclusive data from thousands of online arrangements at Parting Pro. Learn what's selling and how to tailor your recommendations to maximize your contract totals and provide the most value for families.If you'd like the insert of the best selling merchandise, please email [email protected] for a copy.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:40) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:33) What Caroline will be sharing with us today(02:03) Where Caroline gets the data(03:14) Trends in funeral home merchandise(06:59) Ways to increase the number of families that choose to purchase memorials(09:20) Impact of conversations with families(10:51) Green and sustainable options in merchandise(14:28) Best-selling urns(18:47) One mistake that we found(20:30) Best-selling keepsakes(23:18) Best-selling jewelry(27:57) Anything else Caroline found interesting in the data(30:04) How much merchandise is being sold per arrangement(30:21) Caroline shares some tips(31:31) Optimizing merchandise displays(32:58) Warm-toned merchandise preference(34:55) Where to find CarolineFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comSpotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soTWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

At the helm of a successful funeral home, a new cemetery, and a growing online cremation service, Bryce Bunker exemplifies a family-focused, service-centric approach that has propelled him to success in competitive corners of death care. In this episode of the Direct Cremation Podcast, discover how Bryce's innovative methods have redefined service in the cemetery. Learn about his strategic insights into the fast-growing, highly competitive market of low-cost online cremations, and how his unique blend of compassion and entrepreneurship is setting new standards.Timestamps (00:00) Intro (01:07) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast (01:20) Welcome Bryce Bunker! (02:05) Exploring Other Paths (05:28) Bryce's Experience Working in a Startup (07:14) Innovation and Multi-Generational Owners (12:19) After.com - Online Cremation Platform (16:09) Differences and Longevity (21:09) Bryce Being an Angel Investor (24:32) Future Plans for Funeral Home and Cemetery (28:38) What's next for After.com? (30:44) Bryce's Next Business? (35:20) "Cemeteries Now Need a Lot of Creativity" (37:32) What does Bryce think Deathcare will look like in 10 years? (39:28) Polarization in the Market (44:12) Final ThoughtsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Jimmy Altmeyer is as impressive as they come. As a fourth-generation funeral director, he started with 3 funeral homes and has grown his empire into 53 rooftops and serves over 12,000 families each year. While that accomplishment alone is impressive, when you hear how Jimmy talks about the profession and the level of service that he strives to provide to every family that his companies serve, that’s where he really shines. In this episode, Jimmy gives us a peek into how his funeral homes maintain such a high level of service at a scale larger than some corporately owned groups. You won’t be able to find many others more impressive in death care.Timestamps (00:00) Intro(01:51) Welcome Jimmy Altmeyer!(02:18) How Jimmy found Funeral Profession(05:34) Challenges, perspective, and business acumen(06:26) Building a funeral empire from three to many(09:05) Building, competing, and acquiring in the death care industry(13:27) A closer look at traditional, mid-tier, and online-only options(14:59) Strategic service offerings and and preventing self-cannibalization(20:03) Navigating the price-driven landscape and rediscovering the value of funeral services(27:00) Industry giants, legal dynamics, and potential transformations(28:52) A deep dive into funeral home management strategies(35:01) Fostering consistency and excellence: Funeral home management insights(39:41) The purpose of Treasured Memories brand(48:34) A day in the life of a funeral home entrepreneur(51:34) Continuing the legacy(52:33) The art of funeral home acquisitions and cultural alignment(55:03) Jimmy answers the question: What does funeral service looks like in 10 yearsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this episode of the Direct Cremation Podcast, reveal the unexpected challenges behind creating the ideal online cremation service. While it seems straightforward with its streamlined offerings and minimal overhead, there's much more beneath the surface. Uncover the five crucial elements that are essential for success in this unique business. Watch to learn what really makes an online cremation company thrive beyond the basics.Timestamps (00:00) Intro(01:05) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(02:24) Where to start when creating a cremation society(11:41) Expectations vs. Reality(15:45) Tips for Funeral Homeowners or Directors: Navigating online arrangement processes(18:19) The power of a justifiable attractive price(23:12) Balancing competitiveness and justifiable pricing(33:18) Essential steps for business excellence(44:17) Transitioning to efficiency(50:34) Impact and importance of being proactive(56:21) Mindset mastery(01:00:44) Striking the balance between expansion and refinement(01:05:37) Fun factsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

From answering the phone wrong to nickel and diming your families all the way to the bank, in this episodes of the Direct Cremation Podcast, we discuss some of the biggest mistakes that will absolutely kill your cremation brand. After managing one of the largest cremation brands in the world (5,000+ cremations/year) to now training and consulting for hundreds of cremation companies across the country, Ashley Jones has seen a lot of different approaches to building a cremation company. In this episode, we discuss some of the biggest mistakes that owners make that have destroyed promising cremation brands. Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:37) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(00:46) Who is Ashley Jones? (01:20) Welcome Ashley Jones! (01:51) Goal of a low-cost or online cremation brand (03:03) Discussion on the successful brand Ashley worked for(04:36) Importance of building relationships with hospice (06:17) Ashley's role at Parting Pro as a client consultant (07:22) Red flag: Wrong demographic for online arrangements (08:25) Red flag: Small population or lack of email usage(09:48) Red flag: High cost of direct cremation(11:08) Red flag: Offering online option with a high price(11:59) Competitors offering lower prices and more value (13:30) Building a website alone doesn't guarantee success (16:51) Online presence is crucial for success(23:42) Online cremation brands are not like funeral director kiosks. (28:20) Mistake: Assuming a $1,000 customer will become a $4,000 customer. (34:56) Online brands need to be clear about what they offer. (36:30) Funeral homes should be happy to serve families at their price. (37:55) Customers can feel when they are wanted or not. (39:28) Get honest feedback by having someone call your funeral home.For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com 

The stressful environment of the death care professional can be non-stop. Burnout rates are high, and turnover seems to be an ever-present issue withing the funeral profession. In this episode, Will de Michaelis shares his insightful journey into the world of breathwork and meditation. While you might think that these are non-sense things for hippies, Will would respectfully disagree. See how breathwork can create lower anxiety, less stress, and the ability to be more connected to people and relationship, the most important facets of death care. "Don't judge a book by it's cover" definitely holds true for this one. Timestamps (00:00) Intro(00:23) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(00:46) My impression of breathwork and meditation(02:02) What I found when I started practicing breathwork(03:04) I might have overlooked what breathwork really is(03:33) How has breathwork and meditation helped me over the last year(05:03) My recommendation Links Wim Hof | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQTake a Deep Breath | https://www.youtube.com/@TAKEADEEPBREATHJoe Dispenza | https://www.youtube.com/@drjoedispenza For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

With over 80% of new graduates of mortuary school being female, the need for a death care group centered around empowering women is becoming increasingly vital. Founded by some of the more influential women in death care, the Death Care Collective is just getting started. Whether you're an owner, a manager, or even just a new graduate, understanding the challenges and support needed for the new majority of death care is important. In this episode, we talk to Erin Creger, founding member, as we talk about how this group started out of COVID, grew with some of the most influential women in death care, and what is in store next year.Timestamps (00:00) Intro (01:19) Welcome Erin! (02:17) How the Death Care Collective started (08:57) The core values of the Death Care Collective (11:48) Virtual events (14:54) What kind of problems does Death Care Collective solve? (19:15) What is the Death Care collective actively doing right now? (28:40) Erin's first job (31:38) Changes Erin have seen over the past 10 years in death care (37:05) Any new challenges? (42:28) Anything else we can look forward to from the Death Care Collective? (43:42) Where does Erin see death care is going in the next 10 years? (45:30) Where to find Erin or the Death Care CollectiveFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this exclusive webinar, co-hosts Tyler Yamasaki and Will de Michaelis sit down with Poul Lemasters, a renowned death care lawyer and key advisor to the FTC’s changes, to speak about the upcoming changes.In this talk, we discussed:Why the FTC is amending the Funeral Rule now.Which amendments are likely to change.What impacts this will have on your funeral home.When these changes will take affect.Described as "the most informative webinar I've attended in regards to this topic", this is not one you want to miss.For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMOFind us at https://directcremation.comWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Sandra Walker boasts an impressive career in the death care industry. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Fairmount Memorial Association, overseeing seven memorial parks and a few cremation brands. Additionally, she holds a position on the board of the Cremation Association of North America and is a founding member of the Death Care Collective. This remarkable journey follows nearly two decades of dedication at SCI.Despite her accomplishments, Sandra humbly attributes her success to great mentors and a support system in death care. However, her path has been marked by unwavering perseverance, hard work, and an unrelenting passion for achieving her goals.In this episode, you will have the opportunity to hear Sandra's remarkable story, from her aspirations of becoming a lawyer to her initial experiences with a temp agency, ultimately leading to her role as COO. It is an inspiring journey that you won't want to miss.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:49) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(03:51) Sandra's unconventional journey into death care(10:18) Sandra's transition from wanting to be an attorney to death care(10:48) Sandra's experience with losing her work visa and finding support(13:45) Learning at SCI prepared Sandra for success at smaller companies.(17:31) Sandra's ethnic background(20:07) The mission of The Death Care Collective(24:34) There is a shortage of women graduates in the death care industry.(25:20) Recruiting outside the industry and mentoring can help fill positions.(27:11) Work-life integration is important for retention and avoiding burnout.(27:55) The impact of burnout on business and the future of management(28:57) Balancing recruitment and healthy work culture(31:15) Future plans for the Death Care Collective(36:03) Role of a CANA board member(37:38) What can we look forward to in CANA?(40:58) Discussion about the FTC panel and proposed changes in death care(50:31) Challenges and rewards of being a COO of Fairmount(56:12) What Sandra thinks deathcare will look like in 10 years(58:13) Where to find Sandra, The Deathcare Collective, and CANAFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Scaling a funeral home to serve more than 1,000 families annually demands competent execution and a well-devised business strategy. But to ramp that up to over 4,500 families in a single year requires phenomenal execution, a stellar team, and near-flawless operational efficiency. Drew de Michaelis was the operational maestro behind Omega Society during its pinnacle, when it was serving upwards of 4,500 families each year from just one Southern California location. This achievement was far from coincidental; it was the result of a meticulous, data-focused playbook designed for peak operational efficiency. In this enlightening episode, Drew unveils the essential metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that were the cornerstone of Omega Society's success. Listen in to discover how the right data analytics can ensure both outstanding value for families and optimal operational performance for your team.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:47) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:45) Drew's background(03:27) Drew's role at Omega Society(06:54) Drew's first impressions of Omega Society(07:46) Observing the complexity and identifying opportunities for improvement(08:59) Differences in mindset and coworker interactions compared to Harry's(10:35) Contrasting communication styles and workplace experiences(12:54) Analyzing processes and optimizing operations in a funeral home(15:22) Measuring important metrics, such as days per cremation(17:35) Tracking new cases and days to cremate for maintaining health(19:15) Managing in and out flow on a daily and weekly basis(20:55) Monitoring customer experience through reviews and feedback(21:47) Tracking metrics for the arrangement process(24:30) Assigning responsibility and accountability for specific arrangers(27:56) Drew's personal goals for their funeral directors(30:54) Enacting change by understanding individual motivators(32:46) The potential for skilled professionals in the funeral industry(34:26) Trends in the industry Drew is excited about | What deathcare looks like in 10 years(40:48) What Drew is up to nowadaysFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Funeral home competition is becoming increasingly intense due to a combination of factors, such as the lack of future generations wanting to continue the family business and increased investment in the field. An experienced death care professional had four clients call her in the week before a conference, expressing their intention to file for bankruptcy. This is unprecedented and raises concerns about the state of the funeral profession. The clients that called her shared common themes: low sales, dwindling case numbers, being traditional smaller firms in rural areas, and not keeping up with the times. The clients felt worried, didn't know what to do, and felt they had no other options. They were behind in taking the right actions and felt overwhelmed and stressed. These struggling firms lacked an online presence and digital marketing strategies, and seemed to be operating on autopilot without actively growing their businesses. Are these struggling firms the canaries in the coal mine, indicating trends that other firms may face in the future?Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:49) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:25) A conversation I had with someone at the CANA convention about the state of the deathcare profession from the business side(02:09) Let's dive in on these bankruptcies(02:46) What are some of the common themes?(03:15) What were they feeling?(05:11) Are they the canary in the coal mine? If yes, who's next?(06:46) What I think is happening and what will continue to happen(07:44) What can we do about it?For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Maggie McMillan quietly runs the #1 funeral company in Southern California, one largest and busiest regions in the country. Serving thousands of families a year. Her expansive funeral empire covers everything from prestigious full-service funeral homes, an eco-conscious natural burial cemetery, a handful of online cremation services, and an essential B2B mortuary services company. Just a few of her properties include: Wiefels & Son Mortuary, Wiefels Cremation and Funeral Services, All California Cremation, Simply Remembered, Joshua Tree Memorial Park. In this episode, Maggie pulls back the curtain on her recipe for success, showing commitment to excellence without resorting to shortcuts. Also, join us as we watch the first real conversation between Maggie and Will as they reflect on their journey as competitors in the fiercely competitive Southern California death care landscape.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:08) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(02:36) Quick summary of Maggie's family businesses(04:36) Maggie's refreshing response to Tyler's invitation(05:32) Maggie: I've not found a great shortcut in deathcare(07:58) You don't have to have massive amounts of funeral homes or case counts to be successful(10:39) Raising the prices a little bit isn’t going to turn families away(16:37) How Maggie's journey to deathcare started(19:31) Did Maggie's 4-year university experience help shape how she works in her family business today?(23:01) Any unspoken pressure from the parents?(24:09) The biggest difference between the cremation society model and the funeral home(28:09) How Maggie successfully manages so many businesses and brands(30:00) "You really can't do it alone"(32:32) Work ON the business not IN the business(35:59) Trends in deathcare that Maggie is excited about(42:23) What Maggie thinks deathcare will look like 10 years(48:14) Maggie's thoughts on having to post prices onlineFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

I want to show you how to let AI help you write email correspondence with your customers. It’s no shock that we write a lot of emails back and forth to our customers everyday. Let’s experiment with ChatGPT to see how it can help respond to a normal customer email.  For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Now, while AI has some limitations, it also provides tremendous opportunities to save time and outsource things we’re not good at. In today’s video, we will share how to use ChatGPT to respond to google reviews.For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Today’s guest is Jimmy Lucas. Jimmy is a licensed funeral director, a certified crematory operator, a licensed advance funeral planner, licensed social worker, co-owner of a quaint funeral and cremation business which consists of over 15 funeral homes, 1 online cremation business, 2 crematories. He has over 110 employees and they serve over 3100 families per year. He’s also currently on the board of CANA, past president of the Texas Funeral Directors Association, and also serves on the advisory board of the Passare.Timestamps(00:00) Intro(00:53) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(02:17) How Jimmy and his family got into the funeral service(07:14) How Jimmy's background as a social worker play into who he is as a Leader(13:39) Jimmy's advice for struggling funeral directors(17:51) How Jimmy thought about starting his online cremation brand(28:43) Jimmy's NFDA experience(31:41) Jimmy is on the board for CANA this year(33:42) General thoughts on FTC(41:15) How Jimmy identifies a good business as a multiple business owner(46:18) What's next for Lucas Family Funeral Homes?(51:29) What's next for Jimmy?(53:01) What does Jimmy think deathcare will look like in 10 years?(55:56) Where to find JimmyFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Today’s guest is Alexandra Jo. Alexandra is the host of the death positive Podcast, Death Curious, is a platform for death exploration and a community of like-minded, death positive people. They are also the Director of Outreach and Education of Parting Stone, the company responsible for creating solidified cremated remains — most famously known for their Shark Tank fame. Death Curious Podcast: https://deathcurious.com Parting Stone: https://partingstone.com Timestamps (00:00) Intro(00:45) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:53) The Story of Parting Stone(05:07) What Parting Stone's customer journey look like(12:16) Some critiques about Parting Stone(14:12) Interesting things people have done with their stones(17:48) What's up next for Parting Stone?(18:59) What Death Curious Podcast is about(26:27) “There's no need to have a sense of competition”(27:44) Can death become widely talked about/accepted anytime soon?(32:14) Alkaline Hydrolysis and NOR(41:13) Memorial Reefs(43:01) Different expectations between deathcare today and consumers who are experiencing deathcare for the 1st time(49:45) What does Alexandra think deathcare will look like in 10 years?(51:24) Where to find AlexandraFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.comLearn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Hi and welcome to the Direct Cremation podcast. I’m your host, Will de Michaelis, death care consultant and former manager of the Omega Society, a large cremation brand that served over 4500 families per year. You’ll notice today, I’m by myself. I’m going to bring you a different kind of content than I usually do with Tyler. We'll be talking part 2 for self-care in the death care profession. My goal is to speak to death care professionals directly and acknowledge those difficulties of the profession and talk about ways to make our way through together.Timestamps (00:00) Intro(00:30) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(01:54) Risk factors for burnout(02:46) Burnout risk factor #1 - Heavy workload or long/unpredictable work hours(04:28) Burnout risk factor #2 - If you work in a helping profession(06:29) Burnout risk factor #3 - You feel that you have little or no control over your work(08:06) Consequences of job burnout(09:13) Excessive stress, fatigue, and insomnia(11:53) Alcohol or substance misuse(14:15) Disease(15:29) Potential solutions for handling job burnout(15:49) Try to take action(17:04) Seek support(17:38) Get some exercise and proper sleep(19:01) MindfulnessFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Hi and welcome to the Direct Cremation podcast. I’m your host, Will de Michaelis, death care consultant and former manager of the Omega Society, a large cremation brand that served over 4500 families per year. You’ll notice today, I’m by myself. I’m going to bring you a different kind of content than I usually do with Tyler. We'll be talking about self-care in the death care profession. My goal is to speak to death care professionals directly and acknowledge those difficulties of the profession and talk about ways to make our way through together.Timestamps (00:00) Intro(00:57) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast(02:45) Acknowledge that our work is emotionally demanding(04:21) Recognize the causes of burnout(06:15) Depersonalization(06:39) Decrease sense of accomplishment(07:45) Low mood(09:07) Exercise: Questions you can ask yourself(10:10) 1. Have you become cynical?(10:34) 2. Do you drag yourself to work?(11:45) 3. Have you become impatient with co-workers, patients, or clients?(12:17) 4. Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?(12:55) 5. Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?(14:21) 6. Do you feel disillusioned about your job?(16:04) 7. Are you using food, drugs, or alcohol to feel better?(16:43) 8. Have your sleep habits changed?(17:30) 9. Are you having unexplained headaches or other physical complaints?(18:43) Possible causes of job burnout(18:58) 1. Lack of control(19:52) 2. Unclear job expectations(22:03) 3. Dysfunctional workplace dynamics(22:36) 4. Extremes of activity(24:03) 5. Lack of social support(24:37) 6. Work-life imbalanceFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this episode, we bring on Chris Boggs. Chris Boggs is the Chief Operating Officer of the Cremation Society of Maryland, McNabb Funeral Home, Metro Crematory, and Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home. Cremation Society of Maryland alone does 5,000 calls per year. Chris shares the insights in such a running a high volume and efficient deathcare operation.Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:53) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast (03:35) The beginning of Chris' professional career (09:33) How is the cremation society of Maryland team structured? (12:49) The business model (14:32) The phone answering system (20:02) “We only have one shot” (22:13) Will: Compete! All we do is competing (23:43) How to maintain and drive case volume (25:53) Do they do any paid ads? (31:03) "It's not a job, it's a lifestyle" (33:01) "Burnout is a real thing" (34:38) A "weird flex" story (36:49) Change is inevitable (40:20) What's next for the Cremation Society of Maryland? (42:30) What Chris thinks deathcare looks like in 10 years? (43:58) Chris' magic bulletFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Will de Michaelis is the former manager of the Omega Society, a cremation brand that serves over 4,500 families per year. After spending over a decade growing the Omega Society, Will was able to identify some of the most important elements that made the Omega Society such a huge success. Today, Will is going to share that insight with us and let us know what he’s been working on. Will's Masterclass signup link: https://www.wdgroupconsulting.comTimestamps (00:00) Intro 01:54 Will's takeaways from Omega Society (04:09) The most important thing to Omega Society's success (05:00) What Will saw in deathcare in the past decade that makes relationship marketing so important? (06:49) What makes relationship marketing so much more important than the other stuff (13:08) What Will have been doing after Omega Society (14:02) What makes a good in-service? (20:43) Will's Relationship Marketing Masterclass (21:46) The relationship marketing masterclass freebies (22:36) Where to get the freebies (24:50) How much Omega Society spends on relationship marketingFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

In this episode, we bring on Welton Hong. Welton is the founder of funeral home marketing agency Ring Ring Marketing.Welton shares what successful death care marketing looks like in 2023. He tells us the biggest things you need to be doing as a funeral home owner to win more cases today.Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:48) Welcome to the Direct Cremation Podcast (01:54) What does Ring Ring do? (03:16) Changes to death care marketing after COVID (12:22) Shifts happening in the different types of death care businesses (15:21) Welton's tips for website conversions (18:32) How your website should be performing (22:37) Fix your website copy (23:37) Will's experience with ChatGPT (29:53) What funeral homes need to be working on (34:00) The most important factors affecting your Google Map Pack ranking (Local SEO) (37:00) Your Google Business Page is STILL important (38:49) New trends making funeral home phones ring (39:31) You should be working with your hospices (43:53) What's next for Ring Ring Marketing? For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at https://directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Today's guest is Kevin Waterston. If you could dream up a list of professional death care accomplishments, Kevin has probably exceeded that list. From living above the funeral home until age 21, to then starting, growing, and eventually selling one of the largest cremation societies in the world, and somehow mixing in being a past president of the Cremation Association of North America & Funeral and Memorial Information Council, he has done it all and from speaking with him, he’s still hungry for more. Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:53) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast (01:53) How it started for Kevin (14:26) Direct Cremation vs. Traditional (17:10) Kevin's "secret sauce" (20:34) Name recognition is really important (22:25) The scale and size of the Cremation Society of Minnesota (28:33) What was it like when Kevin sold his business (One of the largest cremation societies in the world) (32:43) Was Kevin happy when he sold his business? (35:36) What's next for Kevin (38:48) Kevin: We've got the tools, use them. (45:47) How cheap can we go? Will death care be able to rebound? (48:15) What does Kevin think death care looks like in 10 years?  For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

In today's episode, we're putting Tyler in the hot seat to explore the story behind Parting Pro. Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:54) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast (02:38) The origin of Parting Pro (07:57) Getting into a program in silicon valley (11:04) What were the conversations like during the pivot (14:02) Parting Pro's first big sale (17:45) Death care moves really slow (21:07) Parting Pro now vs. 5 years ago (22:57) Funeral homes know what their problem is (24:26) Will's hot seat question (26:15) The mission of Parting Pro (29:26) What does the future hold for Parting Pro? (33:16) How Parting Pro helped Omega Society during covid (34:17) Covid being a catalyst for everyone to embrace technology (36:14) What's next in the death care space (37:53) Tyler's take on what death care looks like in 10 years For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

In this episode, we discuss the important topic of removals in the death care industry. Whether you're a new funeral home or an established cremation brand, deciding whether to handle removals internally or outsource them is a critical consideration. We explore the pros and cons of both approaches and provide practical advice for making the best decision based on your business needs. Join us as we navigate this crucial aspect of the industry and offer valuable insights to help you streamline your operations. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:18) - Welcome to the Direct Cremation Podcast (02:55) - Removals strategy as a full service traditional brand (05:08) - Removals strategy as a new cremation brand (12:50) - Removals strategy while doing 30-60 cases a month (17:12) - Cons of hiring an internal team to handle removals (21:35) - Vetting a removal company to represent your brand (29:55) - Is the first interaction too important to outsource?For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Today’s guest is Leili McMurrough. Leili is a licensed funeral director and licensed attorney in Illinois. She’s also the Program Director AND OWNER of Worsham College of Mortuary Science and an expert on the Gen-Z workforce in the industry. Leili sits on the American Board of Funeral Service Education as the Accreditation Chair, overseeing all the Mortuary Science programs across the country. We’re happy to have her on the podcast to discuss the changing workforce in deathcare and what you should consider when hiring, managing, and retaining young professionals in the death care industry. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:08) - Welcome Leili McMurrough (01:57) - Graduating 10% of new death care workforce (06:18) - Leili's journey to becoming the owner of Worsham College (10:56) - Redesigning mortuary science education (13:04) - Incorporating feedback from funeral homes (16:13) - The changing demographics of mortuary science students (20:17) - How to onboard the younger generation (26:45) - Why are students choosing funeral service (31:56) - What should be in the curriculum (37:03) - What is important when hiring a new funeral director (46:48) - Instilling the culture for a new employee as a leader (56:19) - How can funeral home owners retain their new employees (1:03:55) - Hiring proactively instead of reactively (1:06:45) - Being open to feedback as a leader (1:09:39) - The path to building a process for new employees (1:14:05) - What deathcare looks like in the next 10 yearsWorsham College of Mortuary Science Website: https://worsham.eduFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Today's guest is Pierce Dempsey. As the VP of Operations and Marketing of Leaf Cremation, Pierce has helped the business gather over 900 Google reviews with a 4.9-star rating. Pierce is a 4th generation funeral service provider. And his family business has created quite the funeral service empire in the North Georgia and Central Ohio areas. Pierce is on the Board of Directors for both the Georgia Cemetery Association and the Southern Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association. If there was a 30 under 30 in death care, he would definitely make the list.Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:39) - Welcome Pierce Dempsey (01:49) - Dempsey family funeral businesses (06:05) - Pierce's personal journey into the business (09:44) - What Pierce tried that didn't work (11:49) - What has worked really well (19:00) - What led to the success of Leaf Cremation (23:30) - Why Pierce shares best practices (28:35) - How Leaf Cremation does its own removals (36:06) - How did Leaf Cremation get so many reviews (37:44) - How Leaf Cremation answers phones (41:20) - What Leaf Cremation is focused on (44:13) - What deathcare looks like in the next 10 years Leaf Cremation Website: https://www.leafcremation.comFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Besides cremation, nothing lasts forever. The funeral rule is no exception, every 10 years the FTC has to re-evaluate every rule they have. In the past few years the FTC is looking to make a major overhaul to the funeral rule. In today’s episode, we have Poul Lemasters, death care lawyer to the stars, to update us on all the changes up for evaluation, where we’re at in the process, and what these changes may mean for your funeral home in the future. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:56) - Welcome Poul Lemasters (02:08) - What is the Funeral Rule currently? (03:45) - What problem exists with the current Funeral Rule? (03:57) - The proposed changes to the Funeral Rule (08:31) - What’s happened so far? (13:15) - The sentiment from consumers and industry professionals (17:44) - What is the extreme that FTC could go? (26:26) - How quickly could this be enforced? (28:31) - How would Poul change the Funeral Rule? (32:54) - Who are the winners and losers? (38:09) - What should businesses do to prepare?For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Tyler and Will just got back from the 2023 Cremation Association of North America Symposium in fabulous Las Vegas. Where The Direct Cremation Podcast gave a talk: Efficiency or Die. Today, we’ll debrief you on our experience. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:45) - Will's first death care conference (04:06) - Our talk: Efficiency or Die (06:53) - Marketing efficiency (17:02) - Sales efficiency (25:06) - Operational efficiency (39:24) - Biggest takeaways from the SymposiumFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Jake Johnson is President and CEO of Johnson Consulting Group, the funeral profession’s premiere funeral home and cemetery broker and consulting firm. Jake is also a successful multi-funeral home owner, a tech entrepreneur, a car collector that would give Jay Leno a run for his money, and a published author. With his book, “Staying Alive in the Funeral & Cemetery Profession.” His experience has made him an expert in funeral home valuations, mergers and acquisitions, business development, and customer experience in death care. Johnson Consulting Group Website Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:51) - Introducing Johnson Consulting's Jake Johnson (01:32) - Jake's journey in the funeral industry (03:39) - Performance Tracker surveys for self-accountability (07:27) - How a lost customer means losing $20,000 in enterprise value (09:12) - Why direct cremations have the lowest satisfaction (11:19) - Rising labor costs means moving to technology (14:04) - Spend your time wisely and outsource the rest (17:08) - How do you differentiate from your competition (21:22) - Collaborating with peers to solve problems (23:49) - What goes into a funeral home valuation? (30:19) - What businesses demand higher multiples? (41:26) - Best ways to increase enterprise value (44:22) - Planning for succession (50:28) - How to attract good talent (53:44) - How do you explain value and it resonates with the customer (1:02:06) - What does death care look like in 10 years?For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Nicki Wiedeman is the First Call Faciliator of Dead Ringers. Dead Ringers is the death care’s premiere mystery shop provider. Since its founding in 2015, they've placed 8,500 calls throughout the US and Canada. Dead Ringers specializes in systematically helping individual funeral homes improve their phone etiquette. They’ve mastered the art of customer service and help funeral home teams level-up and serve families better.Nicki answered her first customer service call in 1989 for a bank in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has since cultivated a 30-year career in improving the customer experience. She’s on a mission to remedy the subpar service customers receive when calling businesses.Dead Ringers Website: https://deadringers.coTimestamps(00:00) - Intro(00:46) - Introducing Dead Ringer's Nicki Wiedeman01:33) - What is a mystery shopper?(03:13) - The most common things uncovered in shopper calls(05:10) - Can empathy be taught and trained?(11:55) - The ingredients for a good death call(16:29) - Building trust with open-ended questions(22:56) - Ideal organizational structure to manage phones(33:05) - Being self-aware of the terminology we use(36:42) - Listen to yourself on the phone(40:50) - What technology looks like in 10 yearsFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Will de Michaelis grew Omega Society to one of the largest cremation brands in the world with over 4,500 cases a year. In this episode, Tyler sits down with Will to learn how he leveraged strong relationships with hospices to grow. Will walks through his hospice playbook for funeral directors to make their own.Timestamps (00:00) - Intro(01:10) - How relationships with hospices helped Omega Society grow to 4,500 cases a year (02:33) - Why should a funeral home care about hospice? (04:42) - The hospice team and how do they interact with families (07:55) - What the social worker expects from the funeral home (10:05) - What the nurse expects from the funeral home (11:40) - Building trust and rapport with hospice social workers (13:10) - Hospice social workers aren't familiar with end of life (15:31) - Reaching out and doing local educational in-services (17:43) - Approach to market credibility as a resource, not sell services (18:55) - Preparing a flyer with good questions for families to ask funeral homes (23:35) - Providing logistical or operational information on unique situations (25:12) - Becoming a resource and offering a tour of your facility (26:30) - What cadence should you do in-services? (30:25) - Becoming Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with transparency (31:18) - Make it fun for hospice workers and be different For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Barbara Kemmis is the Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America. Barbara gives us a sneak preview of CANA's latest Cremation Memorialization Research - Attitudes Towards Cremated Remains in Households. We’ll go through interesting data regarding COVID, death rates, and baby boomers. By the end of this, you’ll either have a new understanding of the cremation family, or you’ll have statistical proof to validate your feelings about them. Learn more about CANA: cremationassociation.orgTimestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:50) - Welcome CANA Executive Director Barbara Kemmis (02:27) - CANA's latest research on cremated remains (06:40) - 26% have human ashes in the household (11:15) - 51% of cremated remains in household are veterans (19:08) - Everyone does something after a cremation (22:39) - 70% were involved with loved ones in decision to cremate (26:17) - Younger generation more positive about services (31:36) - 5% want to leave cremated remains at funeral home (35:53) - 60% upgraded from temporary containers (42:28) - How to expand services from direct cremation? (54:41) - Effects of Covid on cremationFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Larry Stuart Jr. is the founder of Raven Plume Consulting. Larry has spent the last 26 years immersed in cremations. From understanding how to run and operate the crematory all the way to marketing to and arranging with the family, he is an expert when it comes to running an effective cremation company. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of CANA, former editor in Chief of the Cremationist, a Cremation Coach with ICCFA, a past member of the National Funeral Directors Association Exhibitor Advisory Committee and was formerly a Trustee and Past President of the Executive Board of the NFDA Heritage Club. Raven Plume Consulting: https://ravenplume.com Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (00:51) - Raven Plume Consulting's Larry Stuart Jr. (01:56) - Larry's 26 year journey in deathcare (04:14) - Funeral home operation mistakes (07:08) - Funeral home marketing mistakes (14:14) - How crematory operators can improve (21:26) - Guidelines for owners to be inspection ready (24:52) - Good ID chain of custody practices (34:25) - Finding a crematory space and permitting (40:0)1 - Costs of setting up crematory (48:35) - Check your ego at the door (52:43) - Newest funeral trends (1:03:02) - Cremation Strategies vs Raven Plume (1:07:07) - What deathcare looks like in 10 years (1:10:37) - Where to find Larry and Raven Plume Consulting For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

Mandy Benoualid is the Founder and President of Keeper Memorials, an online memorial platform dedicated to memorializing the lives of the departed. She is the Editor of TalkDeath, a death-positive media company whose mission is to encourage positive and constructive conversations around death and dying. Mandy is also on the board of the International Memorialization Supply Association, the Ernest Becker Foundation, and Board Member of the Speaking Grief Documentary by WPSU. Learn more about Keeper and TalkDeath:Keeper Website: mykeeper.com TalkDeath Website: talkdeath.com Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Welcome Keeper Memorials' Mandy Benoualid 04:46 - The origin story of Keeper 08:17 - What is important to a family when someone passes away? 09:52 - How is it different to the traditional obituary? 16:03 - What elements should be included in an obituary? 17:36 - The surprising things families are doing 21:09 - Crafting personalized virtual memorial services 33:01 - The story behind TalkDeath, a death-positive media company 36:45 - What is death positivity? 41:52 - What funeral directors can be open with general public with 50:23 - How Keeper works For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

David Perfito is the founder of White Rose Aqua Cremation and was instrumental in developing California’s first alkaline hydrolysis facility. He is a technical school graduate of the U.S. Navy, a multi-certified medical equipment industry technician, and a crematory manager. He is pioneering the gentle water cremation movement.White Rose Aqua Cremation is the first alkaline hydrolysis facility for human final disposition in California. As of right now, they are the ONLY on-site aqua cremation facility in California that serves the public.Timestamps(00:00) - Intro(00:41) - Welcome White Rose Aqua Cremation's David Perfito(02:33) - What is alkaline hydrolysis?(03:26) - Body decomposition during a water cremation(09:22) - The process to get certified to be the first(12:30) - Why families choose gentle water cremation(14:17) - Serving families well is creative(18:32) - Business growth through education(22:09) - Focusing on customer experience(24:48) - Providing preneed 1:1 to at need(33:46) - What is used to process the remains?(39:15) - What does death care look like in 10 years?For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.comListen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com

In an industry concentrating heavily on cremation and burial, Death Doula LA is a shining light for those who are looking for a more personalized end-of-life experience.Founded by Jill Schock, a certified doula, DDLA aims to help her clients navigate end-of-life arrangements, embrace their own style in that experience, and empower them to have meaningful conversations with their loved ones.In this episode we discuss:What is a Death Doula? Jill's background and how it led you to found DDLA?What Jill thinks the current death care industry does well and what needs work?What services does Jill offer your clients and their families to fill that gap?What problems does Jill solve that hospice doesn’t?What do Jill's clients have in common?Does Jill run into any challenges as a doula who operates with but also outside the normal scope of a client’s medical team? Tell us what you think! Email Tyler ([email protected]) or Will de Michaelis ([email protected]).For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.com.Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com.

Kevin McKay is the manager of Cremation Recycling. He has quickly become the face of transparency of precious metal recycling in death care. In this episode we learn why transparency could save you from losing a LOT of money.Timestamps(00:00) - Introduction(00:37) - Introduction of Kevin McKay, Manager of Cremation Recycling(03:43) - The one minute elevator pitch of Cremation Recycling(04:30) - Transparency makes Cremation Recycling different(08:06) - How do the metals get extracted, refined, and repurposed?(14:00) - Who Cremation Recycling will not work with(15:40) - What do they do with pacemakers?(20:41) - How to approach the recycling conversation with families(25:41) - The types of metals you typically find in the metals(27:32) - You should be getting HOW MUCH per cremation from your recycler? Watch Will lose His Mind!(32:11) - Why refining the metals is unnecessary for Cremation Recycling(36:31) - Why you should hang out with Kevin at the next Funeral Trade Show(42:18) - What does death care look like in 10 Years, according to KevinYou can find Kevin at [email protected] or his website: Cremation RecyclingTell us what you think! Email Tyler ([email protected]) or Will de Michaelis ([email protected]).For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.com.Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com.

Ryan Thogmartin knows how to make noise. No matter how you feel about him, the point is you (think) you know him. In this episode we learn about Ryan's background and see where he came from and how he's grown to where he is today.In this episode, we discuss:How Ryan got duped into death care.How his brand represents his authentic self.What companies have failed in death care and what companies are working.How his family has become a staple at death care conventions.What are Ryan's grails?What death care look like in 10 years.Ryan is everywhere! Find him on LinkedIn | Instagram | Disrupt Media | Connecting DirectorsTell us what you think! Email Tyler ([email protected]) or Will de Michaelis ([email protected]).For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail. Find us at directcremation.com.Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com.

Hey Funeral Directors! Just as the family needs are changing, so must the way we do business. In this episode, Tyler quizzes Will on some of the most surprising data points from over 150,000 online arrangements. Will you get them right?Timestamps(00:00) - Teaser Introduction(01:15) - First Video Podcast(03:00) - What is Parting Pro?(04:02) - Most Common Decedent Name(05:12) - How Should You Price Your Online Arrangement Packages(11:48) - The Biggest Cremation Brands Have a lot of Similarities(14:48) - How Often Do Families Choose the Black Plastic Container?(18:37) - The Most Purchased Urn in all of Our Online Arrangements(22:14) - This Had Major Growth During the Pandemic(23:21) - E-commerce and Consumerism is Not Going Back(29:28) - Will Technology Replace Funeral Directors?(33:28) - How Many Cases can a Funeral Director Handle per Month?  (36:48) - What Will Was Surprised About In Death Care During COVIDFor Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.DirectCremation.com | Youtube | Spotify | Apple PodcastsWant to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at partingpro.com