May 28, 2026
Published by 
Foresight on May 28, 2026
Foresight on May 28, 2026Written by Jen Graziano, Attorney/Licensed Funeral Director/Owner Every funeral director holds in their possession an arsenal of war stories from the field. From the unique situations we encounter with families, the memorable characters we deal with and the far fetched “asks” we sometimes hear, we see more than most, for sure. I, personally had a recent encounter that left quite an impression, worthy of sharing with my fellow colleagues in my opinion. The story, I hope, will remind us of our role as funeral directors. We are here to literally and figuratively hold the hands of our client families, and how well we do that makes all the difference. I recently had the privilege of meeting with an elderly gentleman, coming to the funeral home to discuss his own arrangements. The purpose of the meeting is one we’ve all heard […]
May 28, 2026
Published by 
Axel Jean-Francois on May 28, 2026
Axel Jean-Francois on May 28, 2026The Real Picture, Part 1: What Your Balance Sheet Is Actually Telling You Most funeral home owners can tell you what they made last year. Revenue, expenses, what was left over. Ask them about their balance sheet and the answer is usually some version of: “My accountant handles that.” That’s not a knock. The income statement is intuitive. Money in, money out, here’s what’s left. It’s a film. The balance sheet feels like accounting furniture. Something the bank asks for. Something filed away after tax season. But the balance sheet isn’t furniture. It’s the theater. You can have a sold-out show every night, but if the foundation is cracking and the rafters are rotting, the profit is an illusion. Everything your income statement reflects sits on top of it. And if what’s underneath is weak, none of the performance above […]
May 28, 2026
Published by Chris Cruger on May 28, 2026
Chris Cruger on May 28, 2026What new consumer data means for funeral service and cemetery professionals Each year, Foresight studies the evolution of consumer attitudes toward funeral and cemetery services. Over time, our Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study has become an annual benchmark for deathcare, and we make a point of sharing its findings with readers of The Director first. The goal of the study is straightforward: to better understand how families perceive funeral and cemetery services, what families expect from providers, and where the two professions can continue to improve. This year’s research includes feedback from more than 5,000 consumers and more than 1,000 funeral service professionals. This is the highest participation in the history of the study. With this level of engagement, the data provides a clear view into how families approach funeral service and cemetery decisions today. The results offer both […]
May 28, 2026
Published by Gabriel Ngo on May 28, 2026
Gabriel Ngo on May 28, 2026Arranging the story, not just the service, ahead of time. “Begin with the end in mind.” – Stephen Covey, American leadership expert and author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People I am friends with a retired funeral home owner and operator in Illinois. He ran an incredibly effective aftercare program that families loved. This gentleman, whom I greatly admire, employed a full-time licensed grief counselor and offered free grief counseling up to one year after a loved one’s passing. This aftercare program generated a multitude of leads for preplanning and prearrangement, but it also became a competitive advantage. He was providing the highest level of high-touch service, so he was able to justify higher prices than his competitors. Many thought leaders have written about how well designed aftercare programs can help owner-operators boost preneed business. And many others […]
April 23, 2026
Published by Foresight on April 23, 2026
Foresight on April 23, 2026Written By Jen Graziano, Licensed Funeral Director, Attorney, Founder: RememBar Collection As the saying goes, “you only have one chance to make a first impression”. How true these words are and the death care realm offers no exception. As professionals in this sacred space, we are tasked with selling our services, our funeral homes, our memorial products, ultimately even ourselves, in those critical moments of the “first call”. The “first call”, or the initial encounter is more than securing a client or sale. Often we are speaking to an emotional caller, one who was reticent to even make the call, or one who likely wishes they were calling any other place but a funeral home or a cemetery. Some may call with preconceived notions that we, collectively, are scammers looking to take advantage of the most vulnerable or that we […]