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A December reflection I came across that video again the other night. Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World. Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. Most people know the song. Fewer people stop to consider what they’re actually watching. It isn’t a music video. It’s a tribute. Ashes being scattered. A community present with intention. No narration. No explanation. Nothing telling you what to feel or how to interpret it. And yet it works. More than a billion views. A billion quiet pauses. People stopping for a few minutes longer than they planned to. There’s no optimization behind that. No framing. No attempt to guide the reaction. Just something human, landing where it lands. What makes that interesting is the story we often tell ourselves alongside it. That people are moving away from funerals. That ritual is fading. That services are becoming […]

In the funeral profession, operational issues rarely appear overnight. Most red flags emerge slowly, but with quiet signs that something is slipping. For owners juggling families, staffing, community obligations, day-to-day operations, and life in general, it’s easy for these warning signs to go unnoticed, but identifying them early can be the difference. Red flags aren’t failures; they are signals. And the most successful owners are the ones who recognize and address them before they become irreversible. One of the biggest warning signs is inconsistent call volume. Whether calls are declining, stagnating, or shifting toward lower-margin services, the trend matters far more than any single year’s performance. A weak or unclear understanding of market share is another major indicator of a red flag, especially when competition increases or consumer preferences shift. Cremation mix, pricing position, and your alignment with community demographics […]

Selling a funeral home or cemetery business is one of the biggest transitions an owner can experience. It’s emotional, it’s complex, and it often feels like unfamiliar territory. That’s where Foresight comes in. Our business representation process is designed to be clear, collaborative, and centered around your goals. From the very first conversation to the moment funds are transferred, our team walks beside you every step of the way. Phase 1: The First Conversation Every relationship starts with understanding. During our initial discussions, we get to know your business: Its history, your role in the community, and what you hope to achieve in a sale. From there, we gather key information and conduct a valuation to establish a realistic picture of your business’s worth. The more complete your information, the smoother and faster this first step moves. Phase 2: Marketing […]

What Sellers Need to Know Before the Deal When it comes to selling a funeral home or cemetery business, the letter of intent (LOI) may feel like the finish line but in reality, it’s just the starting point for one of the most critical phases of the transaction: buyer due diligence. At Foresight, we recently gathered our team for an internal training session focused on navigating the diligence process from both the buyer’s and seller’s perspectives. Here are some key insights from that discussion and why early, thorough preparation is the best way to protect value and close with confidence. Why Buyer Due Diligence Matters Due diligence is how a buyer verifies that what they think they’re buying is what they’re actually getting. Diligence reduces risk and uncertainty, impacting everything from valuation and deal structure to timing and close. It’s […]

As of today, we are almost 75% of the way through 2025 and here is what we have seen: Rates remain unchanged since the beginning of the year, however optimism towards cuts is rising after a negative revision on employment figures. This, combined with mounting political pressures placed upon the Federal Reserve, has the odds of rate cut in September sitting at 85%. From a demographics perspective, the United States population curve remains as inverted as it has ever been, with over 30% of the population falling into the 55+ age range. Of that 30%, over 16% fall under the 65+ age range. With these factors in play, estimates for death rates in 2026 come in around 9.25 to 9.30 deaths per thousand, with theses figures expected to rise past in subsequent years. Appetite and interest in the profession continue […]