Axel Jean-Francois

(Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy. But trust me—these challenges and triumphs are all too real in the funeral profession.) “Fire them, or pack your things.” That was the ultimatum John Smith heard on an otherwise ordinary morning. The funeral home owner—John’s longtime boss—wanted an employee gone for purely personal reasons, a vendetta completely unrelated to job performance. John knew in his gut: that’s not how you run a successful business, and it’s definitely not how you treat loyal staff. Within minutes, he grabbed his stuff, said goodbye to a place he’d poured years of effort into, and walked out. Enough was enough. In that moment, John realized: If I can’t stand by while someone’s wrongfully fired—maybe it’s time I run my own funeral home the right way. But let’s be real—big decisions aren’t always glamorous. […]

Selling a funeral home is more than just signing a contract and transferring ownership. It’s about finding a suitable successor who understands the business’s unique culture, values, and place in the community. Even if the purchase price is right, the deal can still fall apart if the buyer’s style, financing, or approach to due diligence isn’t aligned with what the seller expects. We recently examined a real-life case where a well-established funeral home tried to sell the business. Over time, they engaged with multiple buyers, each with different negotiation styles, expectations, and financial capabilities. Although the final sale did close successfully, the owners went through unexpected twists and delays along the way. This scenario offers lessons that can help funeral home owners, managers, and even staff members understand what really matters in a sale. Whether you are a first-year apprentice […]

Running a successful funeral home involves understanding where your business stands in the profession. At Foresight, we help funeral home owners gain valuable insights into their business’s financial health by analyzing trends and averages. But what does this mean for you, and how can it benefit your business? This post offers some practical tips on how comparing your business’s financial results to funeral and cemetery profession averages can help you make informed decisions—without needing a background in finance. Why Data is Important As a funeral home owner, you might not think daily about comparing your numbers to others in the profession. But knowing where your business stands is essential for long-term success. At Foresight, we use data to create benchmarks—standard points of comparison—that help you see how your costs, revenue, and other financial figures stack up with others. This information […]