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The Graveyard Shift
Funeral professionals are constantly searching for two things – new ideas to better serve families and a good laugh. Join Todd Carlson, EVP of Sales and Chief Sales Officer at Directors Investment Group, on a wild ride as he engages in genuine and off-the-cuff conversations with 3 accomplished funeral professionals – Matt Bailey, President and Funeral Director at Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Gary Freytag, President and CEO of Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, and Jimmy Lucas, Owner and Funeral Director at Lucas Funeral Home. Together, they share their takes and valuable insights into the evolving profession with plenty of laughs...Show more
All Episodes
Shift #7: Training, culture, and Martha Thayer
On this week’s shift, Martha Thayer, founder and president of Mortuary Training LLC, joins the crew to share her knowledge about the current state of funeral home training, the mad dash to keep up with new regulations, and more. Matt spills the beans on celebrant training, Gary talks about "borrowing" ideas, and Jimmy discusses the importance of personalized training for staff. Plus, find out which crew member has firsthand experience working with Martha (and how it’s going). 👀 Learn more about Martha Thayer’s training programs at www.mortuarytraining.com.
Shift #6: Stress, smoked meat, and Dr. Carr
In this episode, the guys welcome Dr. Melanie Carr, Director of Sales Development at Funeral Directors Life and published author of Emotional Intelligence for Funeral Directors. Dr. Carr shares stress management strategies, which encourages the crew to share what they’ve tried to relieve stress. Who smokes meat? Who has slept at the funeral home? Who has absolutely no stress whatsoever? Find out in this honest and raw discussion.
Shift #5: Dead Butterflies and AI
The conversation about AI continues as Gary, Jimmy, Matt, and Todd discuss how to adapt to and use technology as it evolves while still maintaining a personal touch. Tune in to hear about each member's experiences with AI and the ways they've successfully encouraged their staff to embrace new ideas, even when there's a risk of mistakes—or dead butterflies. If you're looking to push the creative boundaries of your business, this episode is for you.
Shift #4: Technology, holograms, and Tom Antram
Join our normal cast of characters as they welcome their first-ever guest, Tom Antram, President and CEO of French Funerals & Cremations and the current president of Selected Independent Funeral Homes! The crew discusses technology in the profession and how families are responding. They also share their thoughts about AI and how funeral directors should be using it. Get ready for a technological shift…