September 28, 2022
Published by 
Jarod Bernat on September 28, 2022
Jarod Bernat on September 28, 2022At this point, funeral home owners and cemetery operators should have their 2023 strategic business plan near completion. One of the important elements in your plan is your targets and expectations for the coming year. We understand that this can be complicated due to the lingering impact that the pandemic has had on our businesses. We asked Senior M&A Analyst, Jarod Bernat to further elaborate on whether these areas need major adjustments. Question: How do I adjust my targets and expectations coming out of the pandemic? Jarod Bernat: This question has many different variables affecting how one may have seen the pandemic affect their business, and how they can expect the business to change again coming out of the pandemic. What we have seen with our clients at Foresight is that due to gathering restrictions during the height of the […]
August 25, 2022
Published by 
Jared Tanke on August 25, 2022
Jared Tanke on August 25, 2022With just a few months left in the year, it is vital as funeral home owners and cemetery operators to have a strategic plan in place for the upcoming year. We understand that this can be complex and needs a high level of detail. Many often are challenged with understanding the true value of their business. We asked Senior Business Analyst, Jared Tanke to further elaborate on the importance of knowing your business value. Question: What is something your clients struggle with? Jared Tanke: Understanding value is one of the things that some of our clients struggle with as business owners. There are a lot of moving pieces that go into the value of a business operation. Often we hear from a client that a competing funeral home sold for some very high price, and they believe that their business […]
August 25, 2022
Published by 
Chris Cruger on August 25, 2022
Chris Cruger on August 25, 2022Top challenges facing those who lead the team and how to deal with them. One thing nobody impressed upon you when you were chosen for a position of leadership is the importance of simply showing up – to be there to handle situations with integrity, confidence and a balanced head; to be the guiding light; to be present; to be there when you’re needed, whenever that might be. Another thing no one told you was that you are supposed to have all the answers. Actually, that’s not true, but it isn’t far off. As the profession moves into this post-pandemic era, there is greater need for quality leaders today than ever before, which also means there is tremendous opportunity for young professionals today. Whether that journey leads to working for someone else or for yourself, success will likely require you […]
August 25, 2022
Published by 
Dan Isard on August 25, 2022
Dan Isard on August 25, 2022Cemeteries are not Funeral Homes. Their mission is very different from their sibling within the deathcare business. A cemetery is a long-term provider of care versus a funeral home, which is short term. The funeral home may have an intense relationship with a family, going from stranger to intimate member of the family within two to five days. The cemetery may start out as a stranger, but the relationship will go on for generations (a generation is measured as a term of 20 years). But both funeral home and cemetery are important providers to survivors in the event of death. Yet, many funeral homes spend a lot of time, money, and effort promoting their “independent” or “family ownership.” Cemeteries do not. And for good reason. Cemetery Ownership If we look at the history of cemetery ownership, there are a few […]
August 25, 2022
Published by Dan Isard on August 25, 2022
Dan Isard on August 25, 2022Nothing is worse for a columnist, especially one in the darkening days of his career, than to repeat himself or herself endlessly. If you do that, you become the print version of that elderly uncle who tells you for the seventh time in two days the same story from his glory days. I use “uncle” instead of being gender neutral or defaming an aunt because men tend to live in the past more than the fairer sex. When an elder female family member wants to belabor a point, she just reminds you that she already told you something, averts her eyes and goes back to her mah-jongg tiles. Anyway, as that aging uncle, I won’t remind you that your profession must rebuild funeral service licensure and education for the future. (See my previous columns for discussions on that.) I will […]