Grief happens. If you have ever lost a loved one you know that. . . . and you know that you don’t get to pick the time and place of when the event precipitating the grief takes place. In this month’s installment of the participatory Funeral Professionals Peer Support meeting longtime funeral…
In business it is many times believed that the smaller you are, the more nimble you can be. And, if you live on a lake or an ocean you probably have heard the phrase that you “can turn around a jetski faster than an aircraft carrier”. Both of those thoughts came to my…
According to this recent article from Stat, life expectancies in America have dropped and the gap between Men’s life expectancies and Women’s life expectancies continues to widen. The statistics show that men now have life expectancies 5.8 years less than women. Overall United States life expectancies have dropped from 78.8 years…
Over my lifetime I’ve learned that if something can work for everyone involved it’s probably a good thing. Getting “it” to work out for everyone is probably one of the problems we have with health insurance. . . . something that might work for the physicans maybe doesn’t work for hospitals or maybe something that…
October turned out to be an unusual month at Funeral Director Daily. After a slow methodical climb over a few years to reaching 18,000 monthly page views, the blog upped its count 62% in one month to a record of 30,143 page views!!! However, that was because we found out what sitting at the…
BUSINESS
Learning from, and planning for, your funeral business in this economy
According to this recent article from USA Today “discretionary” consumer spending is down, consumer savings rates have fell, and use of consumer credit card debt has shot up in the last quarter with…
60 Years ago today. . . and the story of the “Kennedy casket”
Imagine it is lunch time at the funeral home you work at when you get a call from the hospital two miles away that you need to immediately bring the best casket you have…
How do you brand and market your Direct Cremation?
It’s Thanksgiving time and, of course, we all think about turkeys. I probably think about turkeys a little differently than you do, however, because at one time I served on the board of a…
FINANCE
Matthews Memorialization segment reports 4Q of lower sales, improved EBITDA
Here’s what Matthews International CEO Joseph C . Bartolacci had to say in this prepared press release about the company’s 4th Quarter (reflecting an October 1 Fiscal Year beginning) operations of their Memorial segment, “The…
Security National shows the way
In business it is many times believed that the smaller you are, the more nimble you can be. And, if you live on a lake or an ocean you probably have heard the phrase…
Park Lawn 3rd Quarter sounds familiar
Last week Park Lawn Corporation reported their 3rd Quarter 2023 financial results. Much like we found with Carriage Services, we found that Park Lawn Corporation (PLC) was able to increase total revenues but…
REGULATIONS
60 Years ago today. . . and the story of the “Kennedy casket”
Imagine it is lunch time at the funeral home you work at when you get a call from the hospital two miles away that you need to immediately bring the best casket you have…
Life Expectancy drops again in United States
According to this recent article from Stat, life expectancies in America have dropped and the gap between Men’s life expectancies and Women’s life expectancies continues to widen. The statistics show that men…
An ongoing debate with cemeteries: Community assets for enjoyment or sacred spaces for the deceased?
There is no doubt that with the advent of rising cremation in our society cemeteries are used less and less, as a percentage of all deaths, by families as places of permanent memorialization. …
CEMETERY
An ongoing debate with cemeteries: Community assets for enjoyment or sacred spaces for the deceased?
There is no doubt that with the advent of rising cremation in our society cemeteries are used less and less, as a percentage of all deaths, by families as places of permanent memorialization. …
The Hispanic population and Death Care
I recently saw an e-mail alert from the American Heart Association with an odd title. The title of this particular e-mail information item was “Caregiving a concern as U.S. Hispanic people age faster…
Global Green Burial Alliance to form. . . .offers introductory webinar today
Funeral Director Daily (FDD) was recently notified that a group has been working to bring together what they call the “Global Green Burial Alliance” (GGBA). FDD received a statement out of Australia earlier…
CREMATION
Is Pet Death Care in your future?
Morgan Stanley equity analyst Simeon Gutman recently made this comment in this white paper from Morgan Stanley, “Americans are increasingly attached to their pets, which is clearly shown in survey results, and thus pet…
Pricing is relative, but one low-cost provider can beat us all up
Inflation has set in. . . I recently had to install a new air conditioning condenser to our existing HVAC combination unit. An air conditioning condensor, like a funeral or cremation expense, is something…
Private Equity claims another death care provider
While most of us have been anticipating some news on the acquisition front from Australia and the proposed takeover of InvoCare by TPG Capital or waiting for some news on the North American…
PRENEED
Learning from, and planning for, your funeral business in this economy
According to this recent article from USA Today “discretionary” consumer spending is down, consumer savings rates have fell, and use of consumer credit card debt has shot up in the last quarter with…
It has to work for everyone
Over my lifetime I’ve learned that if something can work for everyone involved it’s probably a good thing. Getting “it” to work out for everyone is probably one of the problems we have with health…
British preneed company being investigated for fraud
Trust is hard to earn. . . .and many times, harder to keep. Any business that promises a service at a later date in return for a payment now comes under scrutiny by…
PRODUCTS
How do you brand and market your Direct Cremation?
It’s Thanksgiving time and, of course, we all think about turkeys. I probably think about turkeys a little differently than you do, however, because at one time I served on the board of a…
Batesville says “families. . .are willing to pay more for products that help to minimize their environmental impact”
On October 30, 2023, Batesville issued a press release introducing the “Generations by Batesville” — “a new line of sustainable caskets designed to address the increasing demand for more enviornmentally-friendly products“. You can…
New funeral home to be built in Pasco, Washington
There is nothing more American than starting a business small and then growing that business to be much bigger. It’s the way that immigrant families grew their businesses in America starting from before…
