The Director's Playbook

Funeral livestreaming isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, 42% of people feel comfortable attending a funeral online. That’s why you need to offer a livestreaming option now. Host Rob Davidson sits down with Tyler Ward, Digital Sales Manager with Encore Livestreaming, on the FD Talks podcast to discuss 10 dos and don’ts of funeral livestreaming.

The interest rate environment is on the rise (along with prices and inflation), but what does that mean for your funeral home? And what can you do about it? Host Rob Davidson invited Todd Carlson, Executive Vice President of Sales and Chief Sales Officer of Funeral Directors Life, to discuss a special announcement from Funeral Directors Life about our preneed funeral growth rates, how to choose th...

Funeral Directors Life recently finalized the acquisition of American Life Annuity Company (ALAC) in Hot Springs, Arkansas. President and CEO of FDLIC Kris Seale and ALAC President Claude Holloway join FD Talks host Rob Davidson for a conversation about the acquisition process, including how it came to be and what’s next for both companies.

According to a report by the National Funeral Directors Association, one of the most common funeral home needs is an increase in staff. Many funeral directors believe that finding the right people will be their greatest challenge over the next five years. As a result, the Journey to Serve campaign was created to help funeral homes recruit veterans and lead them from one selfless position of servic...

Livestreaming has been available to funeral homes for years, but few funeral professionals understood its importance. It wasn’t until the pandemic that many funeral homes saw the need to livestream funerals so that all families could virtually attend, despite a world of social distancing. In our first episode of 2022, FD Talks host Rob Davidson and Ron Clyde, Director of Special Projects at Funera...

Though most people may be unfamiliar with their local hospice organizations, these caregivers provide meaningful end-of-life-care for families and their loved ones. Families also benefit from a strong relationship between funeral homes and hospice facilities. The latest episode of FD Talks continues the conversation on the partnership between funeral homes and hospice. Host Rob Davidson speaks wit...

Funeral home owners want to improve efficiency, funeral professionals want reliable technology, and families want to collaborate online. This change has led many funeral homes to adapt, stay the same, or reject the movement altogether. This episode features host Rob Davidson and Josh McQueen, Vice President of Product at Passare, and their discussion on technology in the funeral profession. McQuee...

Creating a positive workplace culture and being a heart-led leader are two important assets to any business, even your funeral home! This year, our REIGNITE Summit discussed both aspects, but if you didn't attend, you may be wondering what you may have missed. In this FD Talks episode, host Rob Davidson recaps the REIGNITE Summit with Kris Seale, President and CEO of Funeral Directors Life. They d...

While funeral homes and hospice facilities each play a key — but very separate — role in a loved one’s end-of-life journey, the two value serving families at the highest level. One important factor in achieving that goal is the relationship between hospice social workers and funeral directors. When the two utilize and establish a strong relationship, it often leads to better care for families duri...

As a funeral professional, do you find yourself spending more time on getting through each day’s to-do list rather than focusing on your leadership, passion, and workplace culture? Whether you’re experienced or new to the industry, your leadership matters and deserves to grow. In the latest installment of FD Talks, host Rob Davidson speaks with Kris Seale, President and CEO of Funeral Directors Li...

Shrinking margins are every business owner's worst nightmare, especially in the funeral profession. If raising your prices or cutting costs is out of the question, how can you ensure the success of your business and the satisfaction of your families? This episode of FD Talks is all about preneed! Special guest John Harrington, Regional Sales Vice President with Funeral Directors Life, and our...

Between meeting with families and keeping your funeral home running smoothly, you have a lot on your plate as a funeral professional. And while you likely spend most of your days focused on your immediate responsibilities, are you spending as much energy thinking about your funeral home’s finances? In this episode, host Rob Davidson sits down with Jason Gazaille, Vice President of Finance for Dire...

What are the expectations and experiences of new mortuary science graduates as they enter funeral service? Better yet, how can funeral homes help them adjust to this new work environment and be receptive to their needs as employees?  On today’s podcast, our host, Rob Davidson, and Dr. Michael LuBrant, the Director of the University of Minnesota’s Mortuary Science Program, continue their discussion...

Recruiting new funeral professionals or graduates is a challenge some funeral homes face. From internships and job shadowing opportunities to networking events, positive work experiences with your funeral home are important when recruiting prospective individuals to a career in funeral service. Just ask Dr. Michael LuBrant, the Director of University of Minnesota’s Mortuary Science Program for nea...

As a funeral professional, you’ve worked hard to establish your business and set fair prices for your services and offerings. But recently, inflation has caused price increases for oil, lumber, and other basic commodities, leading you to wonder how this situation will affect your business and what you can do about it.  In this riveting episode, host Rob Davidson and Tom Anderson, CEO and Editor of...

Families gather to celebrate all kinds of special life events, including births, weddings, graduations, and retirements, but what happens when a death occurs, and not all family members can attend the ceremony, even if they really want to be there? In this special episode of FD Talks, Kris Seale, President and CEO of Funeral Directors Life, hosts a live session where he shares his experience with...

When the pandemic brought unprecedented change and life-changing loss, funeral professionals stepped in to care for families and navigate new challenges of their own: overwhelming stress, demand, and change.  Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, there has never been a better time to talk about the critical importance of self-care. In this episode, renowned author and grief expert Dr. Alan D...

Managing your preneed trust is hard work. Most funeral homes sacrifice a lot of time and effort, only to experience low return and growth, strict regulation and audits, and 1099s. There’s a better way. In this episode, Mark Owen, Regional Sales Vice President at Funeral Directors Life, discusses how you can stop dealing with the regulatory and administrative burdens of managing trusts and start se...

Consumers today prefer to shop and research online to see their options before they complete their purchase, whether that's online or in person. Funeral planners are no different. How can you ensure that families in your community avoid low-cost, online cremation providers and partner with you instead? In this episode, Rob Davidson meets with Drew Seale, Vice President of Sales Operations at...

In this episode, your host Rob Davidson sits down with Paul Lovelace, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at Funeral Directors Life, who shares insights on how to grow the value of your funeral business with an active preneed program. Most funeral homes are barely scratching the surface of the potential for preneed sales in their communities. By following a few simple keys to success...

In this episode of FD Talks, Rob Davidson sits down with Nadene Smith, Director of Business Services for CLAIMCHECK, a life insurance assignment services company that offers expedited payments on verified life insurance policies. Nadene's personal experience with loss gave her a renewed perspective and appreciation for what funeral directors do every day. Now she is dedicated to helping funeral ho...

There is a lot of excitement and energy among funeral professionals going into 2021 with so many new tools available to serve families. In this episode, Kris Seale, President and CEO of Funeral Directors Life, joins Rob Davidson in the studio to discuss what's ahead for funeral service in 2021 and how funeral directors can leverage the technology and resources available today to enhance their...

So much has changed in the marketing space in just the last five years. More and more funeral homes are realizing the power of digital marketing for reaching families in their communities, but many are missing out on opportunities because the don’t have the time or expertise to put together a full digital marketing plan. Today, we are joined by Mitchell McLean, Director of Digital Marketing with F...

When a preneed family loses a loved one away from home, no one wants to have to tell that family that there will be unexpected out-of-pocket costs that are not covered by their plan. Whether you are a funeral home owner, director, or preneed sales professional, you want to offer your preneed families a complete solution that protects the family AND the value of the funeral they have planned, no ma...