Articles
April 23, 2026
Published by 
Jared Tanke on April 23, 2026
Jared Tanke on April 23, 2026Featured in American Funeral Director by Kates-Boylston Publications Tom wasn’t just an employee. He was deeply involved in day-to-day operations, trusted by staff and known to families, and already functioning as the operational backbone of the business. He was the clearest choice for an internal business sale. However, Eli wanted clarity. What was the business worth? What would each path cost? What would the transition realistically look like? We completed a valuation, walked through deal structures, and laid out what each scenario meant. At the time, the business was consistently serving more than 300 families per year. Revenue was strong, and cash flow was reliable. The valuation supported a number north of $4 million. For Eli, buying out his uncle would cost him at least $2 million. And that’s when Eli hit pause. The price felt high. The commitment felt […]
March 24, 2026
Published by Chris Cruger on March 24, 2026
Chris Cruger on March 24, 2026Interdisciplinary collaboration is a competitive advantage in the funeral service and cemetery professions. In the January 2026 issue of The Director, I, arguing that personalization would define success in 2026 and beyond, challenged you to stand out. I urged you to move past sameness and create experiences that feel authentic, intentional and human. Well, in this month’s column, I will address how to accomplish this. Personalization does not happen in isolation. It cannot be owned by one department, one leader or one role. The most meaningful, differentiated experiences are created when people with different expertise, perspectives and responsibilities work together toward a shared goal. This is where interdisciplinary collaboration comes in. In today’s funeral service and cemetery professions, the complexity of business has outpaced the siloed way in which many organizations still operate. Operations, sales, marketing, preneed, finance, leadership, etc., […]
January 27, 2026
Published by 
Welton Hong on January 27, 2026
Welton Hong on January 27, 2026Written by Welton Hong The call came in at 2:17 a.m. A daughter had just lost her father and didn’t know where to turn. She searched “funeral home near me,” clicked on the first result, and landed on a website that looked professional — but offered little clarity. No hours. No indication of whether someone was available right now. No pricing guidance. Unsure and overwhelmed, she hit the back button and called the next funeral home on the list. That funeral home answered. This scenario plays out every day. Funeral home websites unintentionally fail the very families who need them most. In moments of grief, people are not browsing. They are seeking certainty, reassurance and immediate direction. A funeral home website should answer questions. When it lacks essential information, families do not wait. They move on. Here are six must-have […]
January 27, 2026
Published by Chris Cruger on January 27, 2026
Chris Cruger on January 27, 2026Personalization as the new advantage in 2026. Each January creates a natural pause – a moment to reset, refocus and reimagine what’s possible. For funeral home owners and cemetery operators, 2026 isn’t just another year on the calendar. It’s the start of a new era for the profession – one defined by personalization, differentiation and the courage to stand apart. Over the past two years, this column has explored various avenues of business. In January 2025, for example, I explored three pillars of success: self-awareness, proactive planning and strong culture. In November 2025, I urged you to build your 2026 strategic plan so that you could act with purpose and discipline at the start of the new year. Now, it’s time to take the next step. Strategy and awareness mean little without execution. And in 2026, execution will be measured […]
December 22, 2025
Published by Jared Tanke on December 22, 2025
Jared Tanke on December 22, 2025Marty Blackwood, age 75, had spent his life doing what few others could: running a small-town funeral home operation in the rural South nearly single-handedly. A lifelong servant of his community, Marty had built a reputation as both dependable and deeply personal in his care for families. Over the years he had expanded his single location into a three-rooftop business. Together his funeral homes served just over 100 families a year, a manageable volume for decades, but now the demands of middle-of-the-night calls and increasingly complex operations were wearing him down. Marty knew it was time to plan his exit. The challenge was understanding what his business was actually worth. One of his longtime advisors suggested a $2.5 million valuation, a number that sounded good, perhaps too good. The business produced about $300,000 in annual cash flow, meaning that figure […]