Nicole Vullo

Written by Bruce I. Wiener, Managing Partner of Akerman LLP’s Tallahassee, Florida Office Thoughts of a sale or succession planning may be top of mind or beginning to percolate for some death-care professionals. At the same time, allocating time for these matters and tending to real estate housekeeping tasks can be challenging as your days are filled with serving families and your communities. These tasks can pile up over time, making the outlook on completing them formidable. So, if a sale is on the agenda, time should be set aside to fully assess your real estate assets to structure and plan for a potential transaction ahead. Once a purchase and sale agreement has been entered into, the transaction can move very quickly. But the transaction can fail just as quickly if issues arise during the due diligence process and the […]

Whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand. Everyone does. But let’s clear up a common misconception: personal branding is not about self-promotion, bragging, or flexing. Instead, your brand is your reputation—it’s how you are perceived by your friends, family, colleagues, and, most importantly, the people you serve. Every interaction—whether in person, digital, or over the phone—contributes to your personal brand. So, let’s dive into what personal branding truly is and why it matters. Your Brand Is More Than Just Aesthetic Your personal brand is not a product, a logo, or a cool photo. While these elements can enhance your brand, they are simply accessories—visual cues that help people remember you. For example, my personal style includes red nails, wearing black, floral prints, and sometimes a combination of both! But beyond these elements, my brand is […]

Written by the Team at Family Shield Credit As many funeral home owners and directors would agree, sometimes it can be hard to talk about payment with families during an arrangement. Because of this, funeral homes often times will perform a service and then look to collect payment afterwards. Next things next, your accounts receivables start to pile up and now you are spending more time on collections than you are focused on running your business and meeting with families. If this sounds like a familiar problem, it might be time to look for another solution to help. Family Shield Credit has made strides to address this very problem, and while they have only been around for just 3 years, they have already helped over 500 funeral homes across 24 states. By offering affordable loan options to families ranging from […]

Written by Wendy Russell Wiener, Managing Member, WRW Legal, PLLC During December, my law practice assisted clients with seven difference instances of “We _____ed the wrong body!”  In some of those cases, the blank was filled with “cremated”, in others with “interred”, in another with “delivered”.  And, yes, I said SEVEN in one month.  You might be thinking, “Wendy, just what type of clients do you have?!”  But, I assure you my clients are the best in our industry and profession. What did every single one of the incidents have in common?  Simple failure to pay attention.  That’s it.  In every case, a human failed to properly identify the decedent that they were retrieving from refrigeration and took the decedent they retrieved, which was the wrong decedent, to their final disposition or in one case to the wrong destination. So, […]

Contributed by the Lawyers at WRW Legal, PLLC: Wendy Russell Wiener, Lauren Pettine and Henry Thompson As the new year approaches, each business should be engaged in both reflection and anticipation.  Ensuring that all your licenses, both facility and individual, are current and properly renewed is a key to ensuring you get off to a good start in 2025.  This seems such a basic idea which might be why so many businesses fail to secure, maintain and renew their licenses each year.  Consider these: Many state regulators’ budgets are supported, partly or wholly, by the fines the regulator generates from the industry. Put more simply, when you fail to renew your license the time you operate “on” the expired license is actually unlicensed practice.  States impose fines for unlicensed practice that range from small to $10,000 per occurrence and more. […]

In today’s digital world, having a strong online presence is no longer optional for businesses—it’s essential. This holds true also for funeral homes and cemeteries as well. A website serves as the cornerstone of your digital identity and provides an invaluable platform to showcase your products, services, and values. Regardless of the size or type of business, a website can be the key to your growth and success. Here is why having a website is critical for your business in 2024 and beyond. Increased Visibility and Accessibility A website is accessible 24/7, allowing potential customers to find and learn about your business anytime, anywhere. This presence expands your reach beyond local customers. Credibility and Professionalism Many families and clients expect a legitimate business to have an online presence, which helps build trust and credibility. A well-designed website reflects professionalism, making […]

In today’s fast-paced, digital world, businesses across industries must adapt to stay competitive, and funeral service providers are no exception. With changing consumer behavior, it’s clear that clients are not going back to traditional ways. The shift in consumer preferences means business owners must meet their clients where they are. Those that don’t adapt will lose out. Fortunately, there are modern marketing strategies that can help funeral businesses stay relevant and competitive. Personalized Marketing Consumers expect personalized interactions. For funeral service providers, this means creating tailored services and communications that resonate during difficult times. Use segmented email campaigns to address specific client needs, and customize content that speaks directly to various audiences, such as families experiencing recent loss or those planning for the future. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO remains critical for visibility. Optimize your website for local searches and […]

Written by Danielle Burmeister, Homesteaders Marketing Communications Manager A few years ago, I met a woman who had buried two husbands. The first died unexpectedly at a tragically young age, the second after a long, hard and well-fought battle with cancer. Kate bore the unmistakable signs of grief – strength and perseverance coupled with the quiet certainty that life is very, very precious. As you might imagine, her first husband passed away without making any plans for his funeral arrangements. At his age, there was no reason to think he needed to talk with his wife about how he wanted to be remembered, where he wanted to be laid to rest or even where he kept their important documents and financial information. When he died, Kate was left with a mountain of decisions to make, a funeral to arrange and […]

Written by Wanda Sizemore, Homesteaders Director-Training & Development I have been fortunate to work in many funeral homes throughout my career, from all across the country. I have found that the differences between these businesses are significant, but in a lot of ways all funeral homes are alike: We are all here to serve families when they need us most, and that is true no matter what your role is in the funeral home. Like many of you, I came to the profession through personal tragedy after the unexpected loss of my mother and brother-in-law. In the days that followed, my family was understandably overwhelmed with grief and stress. When it became clear my boss at the time was not able to offer me the time and space I needed to process these catastrophic losses, I left my employer and […]