General Topics
The Funeral Director Who Invented Social Media
I am glad I don’t have to compete with Frank Dawson. His use of social media for the past 50 years has built a veritable competitive fortress. Ron Hast, the recently deceased owner of Mortuary Management magazine, had a very compelling habit. It was shortly after I started my career at Batesville Casket Company in […]
I Am Tired of Talking About Change…Aren’t You?
We need to quit talking about change and figure out HOW we need to change if we are going to be sustainably viable. Don’t you think it’s time we learned HOW we need to change? Announcing the 21st Century Summit WE need to learn how to ask tough questions: How much am I worth and […]
Boomer Owners: 6 Signs That It’s Time To Talk
The saying goes, “It’s lonely at the top.” Who do you talk to when you’re the boss? Edgar Schein, Professor Emeritus at the Sloan School of Management at MIT, observed that the most common self – image among business leaders is that of the “Lone Warrior – Hero.” I have found this to be true […]
MERRY CHRISTMAS
As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I hope this video brings you a little joy.
Now For Something Completely New
As I travel about the country I encounter a lot of good ideas and some bad. It seems to me that my readers might enjoy learning about some of these first hand. Not long ago I encountered a young funeral home owner who had improved on an old idea. In fact, when I first saw […]
Esse Quam Videri
I have to admit I tense up whenever someone begins using the Ritz Carlton as an example Funeral Service should use to fashion its own customer service profile. Not that we can’t learn some things from the Ritz. We most certainly can! But it is a dangerous recommendation when we fail to “Go Deep” on […]
HAMMERS, NAILS, PEWS AND HEARSES
My discussion of reinvention / transformation has sparked more comment (online and offline) than most any other topic. Clearly it is on every one’s mind. As we continue to explore this topic it is important…maybe critical…that we realize that we have an obligation to ourselves and to the public to be conscious of keeping a […]
This Blog Is Interrupted For Something Much More Important
I know you are busy but YOU HAVE TO READ THIS! If you want to know what our future is about then I want to share a key example. Something that began just a few years ago and is now starting to pop up with a frequency that makes it into a trend. A trend […]
Death Goes Mainstream
last week in my article “Funerals as Counter Culture” I made a bold statement: “After 50 years of steady decline in public attitudes towards funerals the pendulum is swinging back our way. Like Croci in the spring, the signs are poking through the frost…” No sooner was that article published than I was exposed to […]
Funerals As Counter Culture
Are we rapidly moving toward a “Post-Funeral”culture? I don’t think so. After 50 years of steady decline in public attitudes towards funerals the pendulum is swinging back our way. Like Croci in the spring, the signs are poking through the frost if you will just look and this week’s post is one excellent example. 30 […]
Social Media: Why Discussion Groups Annoy Me
I recently joined several industry discussion groups. I had heard that Selected Independent had a great one and, since I am not a member and can’t join it, I joined several others. I guess I am naive because I was hoping to really engage in some meaningful discussion forum about industry issues with people expressing […]