November 23, 2020
Published by 
Doug Gober on November 23, 2020
Doug Gober on November 23, 2020One topic we continue to be asked for insight and guidance on is Pricing. For this month’s column, we combined all of the most popular pricing questions into one comprehensive article. Continue reading below as Doug Gober, Partner provides information on setting prices, when an how often should we change prices, and more! Question: How should I set my prices? Doug Gober: Historically, Funeral Directors were notorious for comparing their prices to their competitor’s prices or they would take their best guess at what they are worth. Legitimately a firm should evaluate what it costs them to operate their entity. Every enterprise has different cost structures to operate One firm may be paying off debt while the other has been paid off for 20 years. Just that one item alone could alter how retail prices should be set for each […]
November 23, 2020
Published by 
John McQueen on November 23, 2020
John McQueen on November 23, 2020Develop a firm plan of action that increases financial stamina and improves customer experience. Preparation requires planning. We plan for all sorts of events that may never impact us: fire, theft, accident, natural disaster. We plan for the birth of a child, birthdays, graduations and weddings. We even plan for the inevitable – our demise! So, if we plan for so many other things, how come so many of us do not plan for the success of our business? Is it too time consuming? Perhaps. Are we simply complacent? Probably. Is it even necessary? Most definitely! Defining one’s strategy, identifying needs, allocating resources, setting priorities to reach certain benchmarks and instituting control mechanisms to identify potential pitfalls are all part of the strategic planning process. There should be short- and long-term plans in place for your business – for its […]
November 23, 2020
Published by 
Dan Isard on November 23, 2020
Dan Isard on November 23, 2020The top five uninformed mistakes people make when buying or selling a funeral home. First, dear reader, understand that our relationship involves mutual responsibilities. As the author, I write. As the reader, you, er… well, you read. I promise never to lie to you in my monthly columns. You promise never to plagiarize my articles. Given our sacred relationship, I must therefore make sure you understand this month’s subtitle: “The top five uninformed mistakes…” Note it does not say, “The five uninformed mistakes,” but instead, “The top five uninformed mistakes.” In 35 years, I’ve simply seen too many mistakes to list them all in a 1,500-word article. Maybe, after I retire, I will write another book about all the errors people make. Secondly, dear reader, understand that these errors are not limited to buyers or to sellers but to both […]
October 25, 2020
Published by Doug Gober on October 25, 2020
Doug Gober on October 25, 2020One service area that we are always asked for insight and guidance on is our Business Financing Services. For this month’s column, we combined all of the most popular financing questions into one comprehensive article. Continue reading below as Doug Gober, Partner provides some insights on SBA financing, debt refinancing, borrowing limits, and more. Question: Why would I want to get SBA financing instead of going to my local bank? Doug Gober: Since its inception, SBA lending has become very popular because it opens the door to a larger base of entrepreneurs transitioning into businesses. It does so by reducing the amount of initial investment required and extending the terms on of the loan. Unless you have significant investment dollars available, it is difficult for quality, skilled people to become a business owner using conventional lending. Conventional commercial lending effectively […]
October 25, 2020
Published by Dan Isard on October 25, 2020
Dan Isard on October 25, 2020Neither a borrower nor a lender be. – Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3 I quoted Lord Polonius from Shakespeare’s famous play because I needed someone expressing the wrong opinion on the merits of borrowing. Sure, I could have quoted any of 200 different radio talk show hosts, but then I might appear narrow-minded or opinionated. I also could have quoted several funeral home owners, but then they might feel offended. Anyway, in this 10th installment of our 12-part 20/20 vision of rebuilding your funeral business, I will explain borrowing, give examples of when and when not to borrow and note from whom you should and should not borrow. And, of course, I will do all of this without using mathematics or being opinionated… BORROWING DURING A PANDEMIC There is only one certainty during a pandemic to a business owner: You […]