June 17, 2019
Published by 
Dan Isard on June 17, 2019
Dan Isard on June 17, 2019“Why have some national companies had problems?” I have gotten this question more than any other one I have been asked in the past the years. I entered the funeral/cemetery world in 1984. There were several small- to medium-sized companies with big ideas. Many were privately owned. One was a public company. By the early 1990s, there were several that had crossed over from the privately-owned world to the public world. Public companies have a duty to inform their shareholders about their business. The business plan they aspired to fulfilling was: 1. Buy multiple businesses 2. Operate multiple businesses in an area 3. Bring in operating synergies to those businesses 4. Acquire merchandise and capital assets at better prices through quantity discounts 5. Maximize staff efficiencies 6. Have a lower cost of capital 7. Make more profit I have seen […]
June 6, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on June 6, 2019
Dan Isard on June 6, 2019Mortuary School Education At the Intersection of Change and Inertia To my critics: I’ll start by making your argument for you. I am not a mortuary school graduate. Neither am I a mortuary school dropout. But I have been an observer of this profession for four decades. As an old man who loves this profession, writing every article as if it is my last (because one of them will be), I am compelled to explain my thoughts as to how the mortuary education system can be improved. It’s as clear to me as the liver spots on my hands, which were not present in 1984 when I came across this profession. In simple terms, we have a business with an educational agenda predicated on preparing students not much differently than it did 50 years ago. But to any observer, no […]
May 29, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on May 29, 2019
Dan Isard on May 29, 2019When starting your business, take care of the basics properly and all the rest will fall into place. The first determination an owner needs to make is which basic structure to choose for the business. One challenge is that while you know much of how the arterial system works, you do not know how the tax system works. While there are many business structure options from which to choose, the rationale behind choosing one is not so simple. Your lawyer will advise choosing a structure that will help protect you from litigation. From a legal perspective, then, you are protected if you choose anything other than a sole proprietorship or partnership. Your accountant will focus on the issues related to filing income taxes. The tax perspective, however, is much more complex. Following are the four most common business structures. 1. […]
May 29, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on May 29, 2019
Dan Isard on May 29, 2019It’s a must-do in today’s world, but it also must be done right so it becomes an asset to your business. The use of social media by funeral homes isn’t a matter of choice anymore, it’s a necessity. Digital media has radically changed our lives: – how we communicate, shop, work and get our news. In the not-too-distant past, funeral homes with websites were a big deal. Social media was just emerging but was not widely adopted by most funeral providers. Fast-forward to today: In most industries, not having an updated website and avoiding social media is considered unusual. In fact, most funeral firms use both mediums to some extent. Yet social media is still widely underutilized in the funeral profession and is, to some degree, misunderstood. This is especially true when considering the effective deployment of this medium for […]
May 3, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on May 3, 2019
Dan Isard on May 3, 2019Your firm must be firing on all cylinders for your financial protection now and in the future. By Daniel M. Isard Imagine that you’re a runner and you have a heal spur on your right foot. Visualize how your smooth, steady, well-cadenced stride is thrown off by this one impediment. Your stride is shorter on the right side now, which will create an imbalance as the left side stretches farther, which might then cause your left calf to tighten. Your right arm might not swing with its normal reaching movement, and that can cause an imbalance as your left arm tries to compensate. The next thing you know, you have several impairments all due to that one original symptom. It’s the same way with your financial well-being. The Problem Allow me to simplify the financial concerto of a business owner. […]
May 1, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on May 1, 2019
Dan Isard on May 1, 2019Many people routinely hear that “debt is bad,” but it’s not if properly managed. I realize that my column is rarely about something with which all funeral home owners and managers will agree, but my role in this world is to provide an alternative point of view. You cannot imagine the joy it gives me to disagree with more than 10,000 owners and managers on a monthly basis. “When you know you know, you fear no man!” one of my early mentors told me. Continuing with our preparation for the 2020 Year of Illumination, I have started dissecting 12 key issues of running a business. This month, we examine debt, and I am going to explain why debt is not bad, if properly managed, and then how to properly manage it. There are seven points to understanding debt. 1. Who […]
March 20, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on March 20, 2019
Dan Isard on March 20, 2019To market your message for the future, capitalize on the tools and techniques of communication that exist today. As we prepare to reinvent your business with foresight (ahem, it’s just a common word, folks) and vision for 2020, there is nothing more critical than marketing. Because you cannot assume families will simply come to your funeral home, you must address the methods and design of marketing today – not in anticipation for the turn of the 21st century and not stuck in the 20th century. The key elements of marketing have changed. Everything you thought was marketing 20 years ago has been eviscerated, blown up or has died. The one thing that has not changed is your message. Advertising and marketing attempt to transmit your message to those seeking that message. I contend that the message of funeral directors over […]
March 5, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on March 5, 2019
Dan Isard on March 5, 2019We are living through the most amazing of times as we watch our country go from being a burial-oriented society to being a cremation-oriented society. I say “amazing” because we are dealing with a sociological change that has been taking place for more than 5,000 years but has seen its popularity significantly increase in the last 25 years. Cremation is not a new phenomenon. In my book on cremation, I identified that there is clear archaeological proof that Greek and Macedonian cultures, 3,000 years before the birth of Christ, used cremation as a routine choice for helping a body transform to the next life. These people used cremation because their societal leaders told them to use it. We know with the rise of Judaism, which forbade the use of cremation, the dominant societies used burial. The leaders of the early […]
February 27, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on February 27, 2019
Dan Isard on February 27, 2019Daniel Isard, Managing Partner of The Foresight Companies, one of the foremost consulting companies serving the funeral and cemetery professions, announced today that Chris Cruger is joining the company as our new Chief Operating Officer. “Our company has seen a great deal of growth and recognition over the past decade. We need a strong capable leader to help up grow from an entrepreneurial enterprise to a long-term sustainable company. To that end we have hired Chris Cruger to join us”, Isard stated. “Chris knows our profession and the needs of our clients. He has a long tenure operating, acquiring and divesting funeral and cemetery businesses. He also understanding the delicate balance of running a business as he has been an entrepreneur himself”. Chris Cruger is an experienced business leader with a history of strong analytics in the areas of operations, […]
February 26, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on February 26, 2019
Dan Isard on February 26, 2019A firm has a tremendous advantage if it studies its community and understands that most consumers simply have not yet decided on a funeral provider First Things First Prior to beginning development of any marketing plan, it’s wise to analyze funeral home performance to ensure proper initiative deployment and allocation of financial resources. Consider when you’re not feeling well. Do you visit a physician who only listens to your symptoms and doesn’t perform any diagnostic tests? Interestingly, tests can reveal not only the original source of your symptoms but possibly other and more serious health issues. When was the last time your funeral home underwent a complete financial health assessment? This doesn’t mean a scan of your annual profit and loss statement or year-end balance sheet. Understanding the financial strengths and weaknesses underlying your monthly P&L reports will assist with […]
February 26, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on February 26, 2019
Dan Isard on February 26, 2019Four key points to understand about your building and its relationship to your business. Welcome back, worthy readers! By acknowledging another column (after last month’s throw-down), I believe you are committed to working for a successful 2020 and beyond and willing to take a sledgehammer to your business model over the course of a year. In the end, we will all see the future more clearly. This month, I will demolish your building. One of the biggest issues with the funeral home building is that it is a single-purpose, specialty building and one that often predates community members. Even if you put in a reception center, it’s still the reception center at a funeral home. If you rename the business with some unfuneralish name, it’s still a reception center in a funeral home. That doesn’t mean people won’t use it. They […]
January 11, 2019
Published by Dan Isard on January 11, 2019
Dan Isard on January 11, 2019A new lineup of coverage in this column for 2019, starting with cash and receivables. I am a child of television. When I was born, it was black and white, just three channels, it fed into my house through the air and perfected on the screen by how I’d twist the antenna wires. (I know, that explains so much…) Today, there are a thousand stations brought in via satellite, super-duper color and even 3-D watching! The audio is movie theater-quality surround sound. But still I am fixated on home repair, restaurant makeover and hotel refurbishing programs. If the star of the show can’t wield a sledge hammer, I flip to one of the other 997 channels. Business is the same way. The Director has introduced the 2020 Vision concept to raise the bar on the importance of planning for the […]