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I’ve always been fascinated by how much business success comes down to the things you can’t immediately see in a spreadsheet. Sure, numbers are important—revenue, profit margins, and market share all matter—but what separates a truly valuable funeral home from the rest often lies beyond those metrics. It’s the things you invest in today, the ones that don’t show up as line items, that can make all the difference when it’s time to transition your business. Here are some of the key areas operators should focus on to build not just a profitable funeral home, but one that stands out to potential buyers when it’s time to sell. Build a Strong Team and Foster the Right Culture Think about your team. Are they just employees, or are they the heart and soul of your funeral home? When we at Foresight […]

Actionable strategies for developing staff into leaders for your firm and community In today’s rapidly evolving funeral industry, leadership is found in the everyday interactions your staff have with grieving families and community members. Transforming your staff into the next generation of leaders is not only vital for sustaining excellence in service but also for driving innovation, deepening community involvement, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Let’s talk about actionable strategies to cultivate leadership among your team members, emphasizing in-person engagement, professional growth, and the profound impact of community involvement. Creating a Vision for the Future Empowering your staff to become the next generation of leaders begins with a clear, shared vision that harmonizes traditional values with modern innovation and deep community involvement. Vision-Driven Culture: Clearly articulate your organization’s mission, values, and long-term goals during in-person meetings. When every […]

SCENARIO: Randall T. Smith and his wife, Petaluma (“Peta”), had owned and operated their own funeral home and crematory business, Mesa West Funeral Home & Crematory in Midland, Texas, for nearly seven years serving their community with the highest level of service at affordable prices. Then, in 2019, Randall was diagnosed with liver cancer, and in 2020, he passed away. Before Randall died, he told Peta that, “if you ever sell the business, I think it’s worth at least $1.4 million.” Randall and Peta, who were both licensed funeral directors and embalmers, had built Mesa West Funeral Home & Crematory on money they had saved up from years working for a corporate consolidator. Mesa was serving a solid 210 families a year, with total annual Revenue just north of $1 million by 2019. During peak COVID periods between 2020 and […]