Smart companies look for “Line Extention” to help them grow. I learned a little about “Line Extension” in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s when I served on a Board of Wells Fargo. At that time, CEO Richard Kovacevich realized that Wells Fargo had satisfied customers in the banking business. He realized that…
If you have been involved in leadership for any length of time you will find that any decision that you make, even if you think it is the greatest decision in the world, will not be taken as beneficial to all parties. Someone down the line of employment will wish the decision…
The negotiations to sell and or purchase a funeral home generally involve “what one is buying and how are they paying for it”. It’s pretty common to hear the terms “asset sale”, “real estate”, “convenants not to compete”, “consulting agreement”, “equipment”, “inventory”, and “goodwill” among the nomenclature of the transaction that takes place between…
There’s always been an argument about successful businesses. . . Did they get to be successful because of “Who they know” or “What they know”? I’m guessing that both circumstances will help, but in today’s world there is no doubt that you need the “What you know” side of the equation to make intelligent and…
Over my lifetime some things have just stuck with me. A couple of those things are quotes that share a message of complicated projects or ideas that might seem insurmountable but also give the hope to try. . . because maybe the idea might just work. The first one I remember is…
BUSINESS
The election is over, Congress has changed. If I ran NFDA here’s what I would do.
Now that the television advertising has stopped, I know that the United States recent election cycle is over. And, whether your favorites won or lost it is time, or it will be come…
Chptr wins NFDA Innovation Award, launches ChptrOne
Includes an NFDA Convention Highlight Let’s begin with an announcement that came from last week’s National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here’s that announcement: Chptr, creator of the…
Another suburban Chicago funeral home sold
It was only ten days ago that Funeral Director Daily brought you this article about Park Lawn Corporation adding to its Illinois cluster by purchasing two funeral homes northwest of Chicago. We now…
FINANCE
Security National CEO on the 3rd Quarter 2026: “We had a rugged 3rd Quarter”
Security National Financial Corporation’s Chairman, President, and CEO Scott Quist made this comment in the opening remarks of the company’s 3rd Quarter Earnings Report earlier this week, “From the Income Statement point of…
Funeral homes in Kentucky, Indiana purchased by Landmark Funeral Group
We were notified in late October by this press release that Landmark Funeral Group had acquired the Funeral Excellence Group (FEG) that consisted of nine locations. All of the locations are located in…
Carriage Services 3Q26 Earnings Call: CEO explains comparable revenue drop
Carriage Services, one of three public funeral home and cemetery companies that are required to release finanical information to the public did so for their 3rd Quarter of 2026 last week. They also…
REGULATIONS
The election is over, Congress has changed. If I ran NFDA here’s what I would do.
Now that the television advertising has stopped, I know that the United States recent election cycle is over. And, whether your favorites won or lost it is time, or it will be come…
The Mid-term elections are a week away. Where do Death Care voters stand?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Topic The mid-term congressional and senatorial elections are right around the corner taking place one week from today. The direction and results of those elections will help America chart…
Can cemeteries be part of the “Battery Storage solution” and profit from it at the same time?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Issue One of the issues that we have in America right now is that utility companies need to “store electricity” to help meet peak demand periods. Here’s how a…
CEMETERY
Can cemeteries be part of the “Battery Storage solution” and profit from it at the same time?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Issue One of the issues that we have in America right now is that utility companies need to “store electricity” to help meet peak demand periods. Here’s how a…
The Start of Something Good
I learned of the advent of the upcoming first annual National Cremation Remembrance (or Placement) Day earlier this year from my friends at Crowne Vault. The company was one of the first to…
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
CREMATION
The Start of Something Good
I learned of the advent of the upcoming first annual National Cremation Remembrance (or Placement) Day earlier this year from my friends at Crowne Vault. The company was one of the first to…
Not a Good Look: “Dysfunctional Death Care System” becoming an issue in Chicago mayor’s race
In August of this past summer (2026) 56 decomposed bodies were found improperly stored in a funeral home in Chicago. It’s not the first time or the first place something like this has…
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
PRENEED
The election is over, Congress has changed. If I ran NFDA here’s what I would do.
Now that the television advertising has stopped, I know that the United States recent election cycle is over. And, whether your favorites won or lost it is time, or it will be come…
Wages, credit, inflation. . . . How are those factors coming together to influence revenue per case
“Revenue per Case” (RpC) is a very important metric in your funeral home to illustrate how much money comes into the your funeral home for every death call you care for. The goal,…
Preneed: Your funeral home’s reputation may be tied to your preneed provider
I came across an interesting article the other day that reminded me of the unease that I always had in selecting our funeral home’s preneed insurance partner. My unease had nothing to do…
PRODUCTS
Chptr wins NFDA Innovation Award, launches ChptrOne
Includes an NFDA Convention Highlight Let’s begin with an announcement that came from last week’s National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here’s that announcement: Chptr, creator of the…
Can cemeteries be part of the “Battery Storage solution” and profit from it at the same time?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Issue One of the issues that we have in America right now is that utility companies need to “store electricity” to help meet peak demand periods. Here’s how a…
ASD named one of America’s Most Innovative Companies
Today’s Article includes an NFDA Convention Preview Who says Death Care is not “innovative”? Just this week I learned that ASD – Answering Service for Directors was named to Fortune‘s 2026…
