Podcasts about nfda

On "A Brush With Death: 5 Minutes On...," we spend 5 minutes providing listeners with quick insights into various funeral trends, products, events, organizations, and goings-on. In this episode, host Gabe Schauf, is joined by Sabena Nanji, founder of FIOH, to learn how funeral directors can use it to simplify the planning process and include the family every step of the way. Click here to visit FIOH About FIOH:  Forever In Our Hearts (FIOH), the revolutionary online funeral planner that's transforming how funeral directors and families navigate the planning process—from the first call to the final service. FIOH isn't just another digital tool; it's a comprehensive platform designed to reduce paperwork and give funeral directors more time to focus on what truly matters: supporting families during life's most delicate moments. The platform features a customized digital storefront where funeral directors showcase their complete range of services and packages, while our intuitive family portal brings everything together in one organized space. Families can effortlessly connect with funeral staff through secure messaging, upload and share documents and images, and keep all the details in one accessible place. FIOH also introduces a game-changing marketplace tailored to the unique challenges of the funeral industry—helping professionals seamlessly swap shifts, locate local licensed embalmers, arrange transportation, and find other essential service providers. FIOH is building a community where every member supports one another, ensuring that every funeral is handled with care, efficiency, and compassion.  

FTR co-host Brian Musker shares two stories from his recent adventures outside of the FCH data lab (15:32). Fastener industry guru Carmen Vertullo explains why you should be on good terms with your test lab (28:19). WTC Managed IT Services senior consultant Will Snyder provides an important Microsoft security tip all distributors should be aware of (10:05). PLUS: What happened at the NFDA web conference on the new tariffs.  Run time: 53:35

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

We speak with funeral director Tim McLoone and Professor Sara Murphy, who includes death-care and LGBTQ+ issues among her special areas of interest. Their journey began with a chance encounter at the 2019 NFDA convention, which led to the creation of the Deathcare Proud event series – an annual gathering to show support and provide visibility for LGBTQ+ professionals in funeral service. This episode covers the organic growth of Deathcare Proud from a modest meetup to what's becoming an anticipated event backed by influential sponsors. We discuss the motivation behind their initiative, the importance of creating safe and supportive spaces, and the broader implications for diversity and inclusion within the profession. Selected quotes from the episode: Support for Queer Professionals in Funeral Service: “We realized there really is a need for not only support for queer folks in funeral service (because it is such a prevalent profession for folks who are identify as LGBTQ+), but also as a means for them to be able to come together in fellowship and camaraderie in what is often a very closed off profession that has a lot of inherent discrimination." – Sara Murphy Social Justice in Death Care: "I think when we saw that there was an absence of support for the people in this profession who make up this beautiful, diverse rainbow community and that people in positions of power and organizations weren't really doing anything to bring them together or to celebrate them or to validate them, you know the social justice warriors are going to say, ‘Well, then we're going to do it ourselves.'” – Sara Murphy Creating Safe Spaces: "There are people who come to our events who are not out, but who know that they are safe in that space, whether they want to be out to us or not." – Sara Murphy Networking Moment: “I started talking to Sara about my feelings about the LGBTQ+ community and funeral service and all that. We both looked at each other and were like, ‘Well, there's something here,' and I had already planned on approaching this mutual friend of ours … about the lack of seeing anything relating to the community in really any publications or anything like that.” – Tim McLoone Discussing the Future of Death Care: “We hope to really have some of those conversations – with folks who've come consistently, with folks who have been to our talks, with people who still want to see more happening in this space – to see where we can take Deathcare Proud. Maybe it's to a whole other level besides just meetups.” – Tim McLoone Be sure to click here to listen and then subscribe to get show notifications as soon as they're available. Also, check out our “In Case You Missed It” video series.

On "A Brush With Death: 5 Minutes On...," we spend 5 minutes providing listeners with quick insights into various funeral trends, products, events, organizations, and goings-on. In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, talks with Welton Hong, founder of Ring Ring Marketing, about what the future of the profession looks like in terms of overall call volume, and what funeral homes can do to prepare. Welton is a leading expert in helping funeral homes convert leads from online directly to the phone line. He's the author of the book Making Your Phone Ring with Internet Marketing for Funeral Homes and a regular contributor to NFDA's The Director magazine and several other publications. Welton has a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to starting Ring Ring Marketing, he was a senior technologist at R&D facilities for Intel, Sun Microsystems, and Oracle. He regularly speaks at conferences and other events for people in the death care industry. Click here to learn more about Ring Ring Marketing.

On "A Brush With Death: 5 Minutes On...," we spend 5 minutes providing listeners with quick insights into various funeral trends, products, events, organizations, and goings-on. In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, talks with Kevin O'Connor, author of Two Floors Above Grief.  Kevin shares his inspiration for the book he wrote about growing up in his family's funeral home in Elgin, Illinois.  Kevin's book Two Floors Above Grief has reached Amazon best-seller status in categories such as Teens/Young Adults, Parenting, Family Relationships, Death/Grief, and Biographies/Memoirs. Through his social media presence at thegriefnavigator, Kevin provides invaluable resources to those navigating their grief journeys. Kevin has been a guest on numerous radio broadcasts, podcasts, and videos discussing his experiences with writing, publishing, grief, education, and his unique family time growing up in an apartment above a funeral home in the 1950s through 1970s. Kevin has performed in over 30 theater productions since the 1970s. His educational career spanned from 1973 to 2020, during which he served as an elementary teacher, principal, professor, and curriculum coordinator in California, Illinois, and Florida. Kevin resides in Ft. Lauderdale with his husband, Leon. Their family includes five sons and seven granddaughters. For more insights into his book, ongoing stories, and interests, visit www.kevinoconnorauthor.com.

In 2023, the NFDA sent film crews to various cities to talk with consumers about their impressions of funeral directors.  There were mixed reactions and a combination of positive and negative comments that gave an eye-opening perspective on the public's views of the funeral profession.  In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf sits down with funeral directors, Lori Sheeler, Anna Zvirman-Nesbit, and Naomi Bradbury-Marchand to discuss those impressions and what we can do to develop the public's positive perception of funeral service. To view the consumer video CLICK HERE Sponsered by Johnson Consulting Group

In May of 2023, the NFDA hosted its latest Future's Forum, a highly focused, forward-looking session held on an as-needed basis to tackle serious challenges impacting funeral service providers.  The goal of Future's Forum 2023 was to develop new growth and innovation strategies funeral providers could use to overcome current revenue challenges, increasing costs and staffing shortages.  In the spirit of that theme, host, Gabe Schauf is sitting down with Brie Smith, Erica Hill, and David Hernandez Jr to learn how they are looking to the future and modifying and innovating at their funeral homes for the better. Sponsered by Johnson Consulting Group

It's tough getting a business off the ground.  Especially a business that requires 24/7 care, physical, emotional, mental labor/challenge, and clients that are not happy they need to use you.  Former NFDA President, Randy Anderson has been through it all.  Soak it up, this guy knows his stuff! ----- Mortuary Marketing Elevate your funeral home's online presence. ⁠⁠⁠Check it out.⁠⁠⁠ Want to start today? Email:  conor@mortuary-marketing.com ----- Want more of the Mortuary Show? Follow our social medias: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ ----- Show Notes: (07:45) – Family-owned challenges. (15:32) – How & why to get started. (21:06) – Excellence is the standard. (32:08) – How to manage a business. ----- Takeaways Involvement in professional organizations like NFDA can provide valuable resources and networking opportunities for funeral homes. Funeral homes need to adapt to changing industry trends and meet the evolving expectations of clients to stay relevant. Developing leadership skills and fostering a positive work culture are crucial for the success of funeral homes. Caring for people and providing exceptional service should be the driving force behind every funeral director's career. Passing on the family business requires open communication and timing. Striving for excellence is attainable by making the best out of what you have. Creating meaningful experiences for families can leave a lasting impact. Building lasting relationships with families and colleagues is rewarding. Balancing work and personal life is essential for overall well-being. Young business owners should join national organizations and focus on business management. Learning from others, especially experienced funeral directors, is valuable. Family support and guidance can contribute to a successful career. Expressing gratitude and honoring the work of funeral directors is important.

Park Lawn has set the record and meeting date for its special meeting of shareholders. This meeting is convened to consider the proposed going private transaction. Under the terms of the transaction, Viridian Acquisition of Homesteaders Life Company and Birch Hill Equity Partners Management Inc., will acquire all outstanding common shares of Park Lawn at a price of $26.50 per Share. The Special Meeting will be conducted virtually on July 29, 2024. Park Lawn will share more details about the Transaction and the Special Meeting in its management information circular. The circular will be sent to shareholders soon. Copies of the circular will be submitted to Canadian securities regulators and accessible on SEDAR+. Park Lawn has postponed its annual shareholders' meeting. More information about the rescheduled annual meeting will be provided later. Link: https://www.parklawncorp.com/park-lawn-provides-update-on-special-meeting-in-connection-with-going-private-transaction/ Pennsylvania crematories can officially lower standard operating temperatures to save money and reduce environmental emissions. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the legislation, lowering the temperature to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit.  New law allows crematories established after 1989 to operate at or above 1,600°F. This will immediately lower fuel costs and ease strain on equipment for the 200 facilities in Pennsylvania, which is particularly beneficial as mortuary services handle an aging population. The aging Baby Boomer generation is causing a shift away from traditional burial. The decision is influenced by environmental impact, cost, and religious sentiments. More people are considering long-term end-of-life planning and eco-friendly burials. Link: https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/article_72627e2a-2d78-11ef-9809-375bc305e2b5.html John C. Greco of Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home is the new president of the West Virginia Funeral Directors and Crematory Operators Association. Chris Christian, secretary of the NFDA board of directors installed Greco. He is the first person from Weirton and Hancock County in this position,  In his inaugural address, Greco underscored the significance of member engagement, urging active participation in committees and events. "I am honored to lead the West Virginia Funeral Directors and Crematory Operators Association," Greco said, according to The Weirton Daily Times. "My objective is to support our members, ensuring they receive the necessary resources and guidance to deliver exceptional service to their communities. I encourage all members to join us in making a positive impact." Link: https://www.weirtondailytimes.com/news/business/2024/06/greco-elected-to-lead-funeral-directors-group/ Funeral director baffled by U.S. urn found in local river Police are asking the public for help to identify the owner of an urn containing ashes that was recovered from the St. Clair River near Sarnia, Onterio, Canada. Lambton County officials say the urn was pulled from the St. Clair River in January 2024. Police are asking the public for help to identify the owner of an urn containing ashes that was recovered from the St. Clair River near Sarnia. Officers with the Lambton County Ontario Provincial Police detachment were called in January to a home in the 600-block of St. Clair Parkway in St. Clair Township, south of Sarnia, and were handed a small urn that had been recovered from the water, police say. Attempts to locate and identify the owner of the urn have been unsuccessful, police said. Tyler Sylvester is a funeral director at Belton-Stroup in Fairborn, Ohio, said their standard practice of including a cremation number coin and laminated tag with identifying information. An exception to this practice is when ashes are split between multiple urns he said. Link:  https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/funeral-director-baffled-urn-found-st-clair-river  

Fastener journeyman Don "The Amazing" Shan sees growth opportunities in value added strategies (1:39:05). Meanwhile, Brighton Best and Parker Fasteners have teamed up to provide American made product to the market, as Rosa Hearn and Matt Boyd explain (13:18).   Endries International CEO Michael Knight and Fastener Technology International editor Mike McNulty discuss growth in the spring as they reflect on a buoyant new FDI on the Fastener News Report (57:11).  On the Fastener Training Minute, Carmen Vertullo examines blind rivet testing (1:31:09). BONUS: Würth Additive CEO AJ Strandquist details an all new digital inventory program, along with a major surprise announcement by the NFDA (41:44). Brian and Eric look back at their first podcast, and agree they've enjoyed being here.  Run time: 02:27:50

In May of 2023, the NFDA hosted “Future's Forum” where 70 attendees representing the death care space met to analyze, discuss, and strategize the future of our profession.  This event was facilitated by Jim Austin and Paul Schoemaker, two gentlemen whose careers focus on strategic decision-making for businesses of all kinds. In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by Jim and Paul to discuss the Future's Forum event and what the future of the funeral profession could look like.  Is your firm only operating in the present or is it looking ahead?  Do you know what you can do to innovate, where there are opportunities to grow, and how to begin moving forward?  This episode is a good place to get started. Funding in part for this event was provided by a grant from the Funeral Service Foundation.

On "A Brush With Death: 5 Minutes On...," we spend 5 minutes providing listeners with quick insights into various funeral trends, events, organizations, and goings-on. In this episode we are talking about NGL and the 2024 Inspiration Award with Jessica Grann, NGL's Chief Culture and Communications Officer. If you have someone you'd like to nominate for the 2024 Inspiration Award, you can do so at https://nfda.org/inspiration. 

NFDA 2023 Las Vegas was a Blurr.  Brian has a quick conversation with a company that has been setting up care centers for funeral homes since 1991.  As government slowly chokes all of small business between regulation and fines, this company can help us stay current with what we need to be doing in the care center to keep Uncle Sam off our back. Rock and Roll !!!   Sponsors: https://www.piercedirect.com/ecommerce/default.aspx www.duncanstuarttodd.com www.myasd.com www.garfieldrefining.com www.indianadonornetwork.org https://www.youtube.com/@undertakingthepodcast1667 www.gather.app www.matthewsaurora.com www.certifiedsafetytraining.org www.natlmortuaryshipping.com

In a world of blurred history and uncertain truths, it's perfectly clear that Lindfast Solutions Group VP of Quality Darlene Collis is advancing the fastener industry with her work at ASTM and other standards organizations (1:45:18).  Likewise, Würth Revcar CEO Chapman Revercomb and the Würth Group are raising the bar with their newest automated facilities and processes (22:55).  Pac-West president Hans Fuller joins newsman Mike McNulty on the Fastener News Report to explain the latest uptick of the FDI (55:11). PLUS: Rosa Hearn of Brighton Best International extends an invitation to the complimentary NFDA webinar on AI (45:21). On the Fastener Training Minute, industry guru Carmen Vertullo enlightens the subject of blind rivets (1:33:29). Brian and Eric wonder what Ed McMahon was really doing all those years ago. Run time: 02:30:28

Ryan opens and closes the episode and explains the chaos.  Walking the floor at conventions can be very high energy at times. This is Grants first time at a funeral directors convention and he could feel the vibe in the air.  Its just a good back and forth of two people walking and talking. Enjoy!    www.undertakingthepodcast.com https://www.youtube.com/@undertakingthepodcast1667 Sponsors:   www.lovealwaysproject.org https://indianadonornetwork.org www.myasd.com    

Is staffing an issue for your funeral home?  How are we as a profession addressing the needs and demands of our employees and ensuring that the workforce challenges of the funeral home are taken care of?  Jzyk Ennis joins host, Gabe Schauf, to talk about his article, "My Manifesto", published in the October 2022 issue of NFDA's The Director.

While grilling, Robert Falcon chats with Brian Waters on their observations from Las Vegas and the NFDA annunal convention.  Brian sees Starlink for the first time and thing it's a UFO and Robert talks mentorship. Today's show is supported by: Garfiend Refining: https://www.garfieldrefining.com The Wilbert Group: https://www.wilbert.com/

Robert Falcon joins the Undertaking Network with his Observations from a Hearse. Today we look back at NFDA in Las Vegas. Robert kicks off the trade show with Brian Waters, followed by an interview with Salvador Perches. Don't miss this show.  Today's show is supported by ASD Answering Service for Directors: https://www.myasd.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

Playing amateur reporter, funeral director and embalmer, Brian Waters chases down the scoops on the NFDA trade show floor in Las Vegas. Celebrating the Network's first "International Day", Brian talks with National Mortuary Shipping and Cremation, Funeral One and SOKNA, while discussing the hot topics and announcements of the day. In the end, Brian get's invited into funeral services Skunk Works.  Don't miss this show from one of the creators of the Undertaking Network. 

Brian walks the trade show floor to visit some friends including James Fletcher of Matthews Aurora, our friends at Pierce Chemical (with Formula 496) and Craig from ASD updates us on the news of the week.  Each day, over 10,000 funeral homes are supported by Answering Service for Directors and today we let them know, we've got their back when they need us. 

Do you have tasks in your life that are very necessary for success but not always at the top of the list in terms of things you really want to do?  In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf sits down with Tyler Anderson, Vice President of Business Development at Precoa, to talk about the importance of creating a preneed strategy for your funeral home.  Why don't we embrace it as much as we should?  How do we approach it and help those we serve understand its value?  Learn all of this and more in episode 61.

Almost 30 years ago, back in 1983, Edward Calahan CFSP opened his own funeral service company. He started small – in fact, Calahan Funeral Service was based out of an existing funeral home in Chicago. When the owner of that firm suggested that Edward take his passion for excellence in service out into the wider world –he took the suggestion to heart. Join Brian on the road in Springfield, Illinois where he meets Edward and Shirley Calahan. Brian trys to examine the differences between rural and metro funeral homes as well as the differences in ourselves and our communities.  This is an important show folks. As we all look to grow in our work and in our lives, we find ourselves so focused on one thing and often it's our differences.  Listen closely as the Calahan's give their attention to the light in the darkness of death, our similarities.  The isolation of funeral service highlights our differences. Some times we simply need another person or undertaker, to redirect us.  Learn more about the Calahan Family at: https://www.calahanfuneralhome.com/ Connect with Undertaking: The Podcast at: https://www.undertakingthepodcast.com/ Have you heard My Funeral Home Stories? Listen: HERE Today's show is sponsored by: The Kellerman Professional Vehicles: https://kellermanprofessionalvehicles.com/ Find us at NFDA next to these beautiful vehicles.  Butler Coach Company: https://www.butlercoach.com/

Do you have plans for September?  They should include attending the NFDA International Convention and Expo the 10th through the 13th in Las Vegas.   -       Exciting keynote speakers-       Thirty Workshops full of incredible content-       A huge expo floor-       5 preconvention seminars -       And so much more In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by 3 of the workshop speakers, Dr. Tashel Bordere, Chris Costello and John T. Hill, to share a little about what you have to look forward to in Vegas.

Do you have plans for September?  They should include attending the NFDA International Convention and Expo the 10th through the 13th in Las Vegas. -       Four days of workshops -       Thirty plus sessions-       A huge expo floor-       5 preconvention seminars   And what about those keynote speakers?  In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, sits down with two of them – musician, Mark Schulman and CEO, Dennis Yu to talk drumming, attitude, the future, and artificial intelligence.  Hear what they are all about now and get ready to learn from them during their incredible presentations in Las Vegas.

How does funeral service care for our fellow human? It might not be as simple as you think. Do we understand each other outside of work? This show gets into it. Micah and Tim discuss Tim's presentation at last year's NFDA convention which was nothing less than, impactful.  For any of us to see real change, we must observe, listen and do no harm.  Today's show is sponsored by  Hilton Funeral Supply: https://www.hiltonfuneralsupply.com/ and Indian Donor Network:  https://indianadonornetwork.org/ Learn more about Return Home here: https://returnhome.com/the-terramation-center/ Subscribe to the UPC Network's YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bB8Avc25fM

S.W. Anderson president Jim Dagnan dives into his tenure at the head of the  NFDA as new trends and looming technologies challenge the fastener industry (1:19:07).  Baird senior analyst David Manthey joins newsman Mike McNulty on the Fastener News Report to evaluate the straining FDI and the rise of re-shoring (41:32).  Brighton Best International regional manager George Martinez previews the upcoming Pac-West fall conference (18:36).  On the Fastener Training Minute, veteran educator Carmen Vertullo launches a new series on thread tapping (1:11:04). PLUS: IFE manager Morgan Wilson talks golf and this year's Vegas show (32:46).  Brian off-shores himself while Eric warns against drinking the water. Run time: 01:54:45

Calling all Professional Women!Listen in as Lisa Baue of Your Funeral Coach Talks podcast is joined by Melissa Posey Loose, MA, LFD, CCO of National Funeral Directors Association as they discuss the exciting details of the upcoming NFDA Professional Women's Conference! We are honored to be one of the sponsors for the 2023 National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Professional Women's Conference taking place May 5-7 in San Antonio, Texas. There is an exciting lineup of speakers sharing a wide range of topics, scholarship opportunities, engaging discussions, networking, and more! To register for this inspiring conference, visit www.nfda.org/pwc 

In recognition of Women's History Month and to kick off preparation for the NFDA's 2023 Professional Women's Conference, host, Gabe Schauf is joined by three of the many incredible women working in the funeral profession.  Bailey Wolf, Ginny Sanzo, and LaShonda Martin share about their journey to become funeral directors, as well as some of their experiences, challenges, and memorable moments. 

Are you aware of the current funeral consumer trends?  Are you looking to modify how you serve your families in the new year?  In this episode, Ed Defort and David Nixon join host, Gabe Schauf, to discuss the results of the latest NFDA consumer survey and where the families we serve are finding value in what we offer.

The Federal Trade Commission has started the process of updating the Funeral Rule, which regulates how our profession operates and provides specific rights to consumers seeking burial and cremation services.  In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by NFDA's General Counsel, Chris Farmer, to share what is being discussed, why it matters, and the importance of funeral professionals getting involved in the process.

Lauren Bowser, funeral director and embalmer from New Jersey explains her journey in funeral service and how she's found balance between work and life. Follow her on Instagram @thebitchinmortician Check out Ben Schmidt's Funeral Science Podcast here Today's show is sponsored by: Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions Indiana Donor Network Have a story and want to be on the show? Connect with Ryan and Brian On The Web, Facebook, Twitter, Or Instagram

Bre Smith, funeral director and embalmer with Return Home, the world's largest natural organic reduction facility, stops by the podcast booth to talk NOR and their success.  Check out Return Home here Today's sponsors:  Express Funeral Funding Indiana Donor Network Connect with Undertaking: The Podcast: on the web, Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram

A special early drop for our friends in the United Kingdom. John Adams, President of NAFD in the UK sits down with Brian and Eimer Duffy from FIT Social Media to talk funeral service.  Follow FIT Social on Twitter here Learn more about NAFD here  Connect with Undertaking: The Podcast: On The Net Facebook Twitter Instagram Today's sponsors: Indiana Donor Network SuperNova International

Ben Schmidt of The Funeral Science Podcast takes over for Ryan Ballard in Baltimore, Maryland. Sign up for Raven Plume's Newsletter: RavenPlume.com Connect with the guys here: On The Web Facebook Twitter Instagram Today's sponsors: Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions Indiana Donor Network

Ryan and Brian meet funeral director and embalmer from Long Island, New York, John Bernius. Connect with the show here: UndertakingThePodcast.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Today's sponsors: FamilyEstateManager.com Indiana Donor Network

Clay Bruggaman, founder of Into Our Kare Innovative Funeral Services stops by the Kellerman Family of Vehicles Booth to discuss his new business venture and a bit on his mortuary service in the Army. Check out Into Our Kare at: https://n2rkare.com/ Have a story and want to be on the show? Connect with the guys here: https://www.undertakingthepodcast.com/ Facebook Instagram Twitter Today's sponsors:  Memory Share Indiana Donor Network

In Baltimore, Ryan and Brian catch up with Belgian embalmer, Alain Koninckx.  Connect with Alain here: http://www.alainkoninckx.com/ Connect with the show at: Undertaking: The Podcast On Facebook Twitter Instagram Today's sponsors: Gather, The Future of Funeral Home Software Indiana Donor Network

Ryan and Brian are set up in Baltimore and discuss their first impressions as the convention starts to develop. Connect with Undertaking: The Podcast: UndertakingThePodcast.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Today's sponsors: The Love Always Project Indiana Donor Network

In Baltimore at the NFDA conference, the guys kick off the show by speaking with funeral director and embalmer, Brandon Cruz about his career and purchasing his funeral homes.  Connect with the show at: UndertakingThePodcast.com On Facebook Twitter Instagram Today's sponsors:  Answering Service For Directors - ASD Indiana Donor Network

Death, dying and the funeral business are all inevitable parts of life that we will all deal with at some point - either for ourselves or someone we love.  I had a fascinating conversation a few months ago with someone who had been training to become a mortician. As someone who has helped families navigate end-of-life care for nearly my entire career, I hadn't really ever thought about what happened when my job ended. Much of what this person shared with me bothered me but was also eye-opening – so I wanted to share some of that information with you. Thousands of people have dealt with funeral costs in light of the pandemic, and today I'll share some things I learned about the funeral industry in this week's episode of This is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World. Key points covered in this episode:  ✔️ The Funeral Industry Pulls In Big Bucks The costs for burial and cremation are skyrocketing. Most funeral homes are privately owned, but large corporations are starting to own more and more funeral homes.   Here's a fun fact…funeral homes pull in $20 billion dollars a year in the United States.  Yes, BILLION.   The largest death-care corporation in the country, Service Corporation International, has nearly 2,000 locations. In 2018 alone, they brought in $3B in revenue. The second largest funeral company, StoneMor Partners, pulled in $316M in the same year.   We also have a growing monopoly on our hands due to fewer large, corporate parent companies. These large corporations have bought up the trusted, well-known family-owned businesses. They typically keep the name of the original business but bring in new staff and salespeople, and often increase prices. These large corporations can do this because there isn't a lot of competition. This means fewer wealthy and powerful corporations manage this industry.   ✔️ The Funeral Industry Is Poorly Regulated This big, wealthy industry has been largely left to regulate itself. Businesses in the industry have a history of committing widespread deceptive practices that limit a consumers' ability to make informed decisions   Some attempts have been made to fix this, starting in 1984 when the Funeral Rule was introduced. The Federal Trade Commission established this rule to protect vulnerable families from exploitation by licensed funeral homes. Funeral homes can be fined up to $40K each if they violate this rule.   The problem is there's a loophole. Suppose a funeral home is found to be in violation of the Funeral Rule. In that case, they can opt into the Funeral Rule Offenders Program – a training program run by the industry's largest trade association and lobbying group – the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). This organization then is responsible for “policing” and penalizing offending businesses and is ultimately able to conceal violations from public knowledge.    ✔️ Profit-Seeking + Poor Regulation = Predatory Practices Since 1970, we have known that funeral homes have used predatory practices to increase profits. When you need a funeral home, the consumer is often not in the right frame of mind to handle the logistics of a funeral, burial, or cremation. Funeral homes have been known to prey on the emotionality of bereaved family members making funeral decisions by offering “up charges" for products or services that give the appearance of a higher quality funeral or burial.  When we as individuals do this type of planning for our families in advance, we are giving them a huge blessing when we die. Leaving your funeral planning to loved ones can evoke a lot of intense emotions; and the multiple decisions that have to be made may have conflicting answers within a family that causes unnecessary stress during an already stressful time.  ✔️ Historically, Price Transparency Non-Existent In The Funeral Industry   One thing that isn't transparent is the price tag associated with funeral and burial or cremation – the price for the same service can range from a few thousand dollars to over ten thousand. The Funeral Rule doesn't require funeral homes to provide prices upfront or online, which means the general public has a hard time protecting itself from predatory pricing practices.   NFDA disclosed in 2021 that the average cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial is nearly $8,000, while a funeral with cremation costs only about $1,000 less. However, these costs don't include costs associated with the cemetery, monument, marker, or other miscellaneous costs, such as flowers. These added expenses often increase the cost of full funeral services by $2,000 or $3,000.   And this really shocked me!  Caskets are often marked up 300 to 500%!  Caskets from a wholesaler cost about $325, but a funeral home sells it to you for about $1300!! Other markups are crazy and predatory – for example, selling people a premium sealed casket for $800 when it only means adding an $8 rubber seal to the lid (I mean, why does a casket need a seal anyways?!).  And here's a fun fact – the Funeral Rule allows YOU to provide your casket for a funeral – and the funeral home is  not allowed to charge an extra fee if you do! You can literally buy your casket from a wholesaler or make your own. (Talk about a DIY project I've never heard of before!)   ✔️ Funerals Are Bad for The Environment This information was also interesting. Some in the funeral industry are “going green”. Why? Because according to National Geographic, funerals put over 800K gallons of formaldehyde into the earth – equivalent to one and a quarter Olympic-sized swimming pools yearly. And cremation, while touted as being the “greener” alternative to burial, generates an estimated 534.6 pounds of carbon dioxide – per person. There was a lot more information online about planning a “green funeral” that I didn't go into in this episode. It has given me reason to pause and reconsider my own advance directive about wanting to be cremated. If you have already explored this option, drop a comment below or on social media. I'm interested in learning more!   ✔️ Where To Find Help With Your Funeral Option?  Funeralocity is a platform to find and compare all funeral homes and cremation services near you. AARP names the service provider as its latest funeral planning recommendation. If you have questions, comments, or need help, please feel free to drop a one-minute audio or video clip and email it to me at melissabphd@gmail.com, and I will get back to you by recording an answer to your question.  ----------------------------------------------------------------- About Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FGSA, FAAN: I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing ('96) and Master of Science in Nursing ('00) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) School of Nursing (SON). I genuinely enjoy working with the complex medical needs of older adults. I worked full-time for five years as FNP in geriatric primary care across many long-term care settings (skilled nursing homes, assisted living, home, and office visits), then transitioned into academic nursing in 2005, joining the faculty at UNCW SON as a lecturer. I obtained my PhD in Nursing and a post-master's Certificate in Nursing Education from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing ('11). I then joined the faculty at Duke University School of Nursing as an Assistant Professor. My family moved to northern Virginia in 2015 which led to me joining the George Washington University (GW) School of Nursing faculty in 2018 as a (tenured) Associate Professor. I am also the Director of the GW Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities. Please find out more about her work at https://melissabphd.com/.

We've arrived at our 250th episode of Funeral Nation! And for a special occasion- we have some special breaks and takes. First up we discuss the future of Batesville and their recent announcements. Then we dive into a very important convo- funeral home brands. Last but not least we discuss the upcoming NFDA conference and share some fun details! We got all that and more- this FN week! Funeral Nation is powered by: C&J Financial - http://www.cjf.com DISRUPT Media - http://www.disruptmedia.co ConnectingDirectors.com DeathCareJobs.com

Meet the speakers headlining the NFDA's International Convention and Expo in Baltimore. Kindra Hall, Dakota Meyer and John O'Leary join host, Gabe Schauf to share about themselves and a little about what they will be discussing in Baltimore. 

Host Gabe Schauf talks with death educator and grief counselor, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, and NFDA's Morgan Schlender, Account Executive for Endorsed Programs & Membership. The three discuss the recognition and prevention of funeral director burnout, and some of the new initiatives that NFDA has created to help support funeral directors as they serve families.

Strong sales and ongoing supply challenges remain the top themes as the fastener industry keeps its optimism heading into a hot summer.  On the water, at the bar or while making his podcast debut, Jason Baines of J. Lanfranco makes a big splash wherever he goes (13:49)  Prepping for the Rugged Maniac race ahead of FSTNR Week,  TJ McFarland of Goebel Fasteners and Brandy Bertoia of INxSQL Software plan to make a splash of their own (1:47:57).  NFDA president Nick Ruetz joins newsman Mike McNulty to review mixed signals in the latest FDI on the Fastener News Report (1:02:07).  Carmen Vertullo offers helpful tips to reduce common risks of  technical drawings on the latest Fastener Training Minute (1:37:08).  Brian builds a driveway and Eric builds a case. Closing summer tour jam: GD 7/17/89  Run time: 02:19:03

At the 141st Indiana Funeral Directors Association Convention, we chat with NFDA Secretary Chris Robinson about unregulated body brokers and what NFDA is doing to protect families. Connect with the show at: https://www.undertakingthepodcast.com/ Today's sponsors:  Memory Share Indiana Donor Network