A Brush with Death

Are you aware of the current funeral consumer trends?  Are you looking to modify how you serve your families in the new year?  In this episode, Ed Defort and David Nixon join host, Gabe Schauf, to discuss the results of the latest NFDA consumer survey and where the families we serve are finding value in what we offer.

The Federal Trade Commission has started the process of updating the Funeral Rule, which regulates how our profession operates and provides specific rights to consumers seeking burial and cremation services.  In this episode, host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by NFDA's General Counsel, Chris Farmer, to share what is being discussed, why it matters, and the importance of funeral professionals getting involved in the process.

Dean Lambert, Vice President-Corporate Communications with Homesteaders Life Company, joins Gabe to discuss "The Love Always Project". Its purpose is to encourage people to change their mindset and take a more positive and proactive approach to pre-planning and end-of-life discussions. 

Host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by Dr. Jason Troyer to discuss the stresses that come from the seasonal combination of grief, serving families, and the holiday hustle. Finding effective ways to meet the needs of the families being served while minimizing burnout should be on every funeral director's holiday wishlist.

Embalmer, Karl Wenzel, joins Gabe Schauf to discuss his approach to the embalming process and how he honed his craft. If you are an embalmer or are interested in being one, this episode is for you.

Host, Gabe Schauf is joined by three of the workshop presenters you will hear at the International Convention and Expo. Vanessa Misoon, Dana Goodell, and Jeff Zealley share about themselves and what to expect from their presentations in Baltimore.

Meet the speakers headlining the NFDA's International Convention and Expo in Baltimore. Kindra Hall, Dakota Meyer and John O'Leary join host, Gabe Schauf to share about themselves and a little about what they will be discussing in Baltimore. 

Host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by Jolena Grande, funeral director and board president of the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Jolena and Gabe talk about how mortuary school curriculum is developed, the National Board Exams, how funeral homes can help support funeral education and more! 

Funeral Director and author, Todd Harra, joins Gabe on the podcast to discuss his new book Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral.  This is a book for funeral directors and non-funeral directors, alike.  Gabe and Todd talk about how understanding the history of our profession can make us better in the present and help us to plan for the future.

Host Gabe Schauf talks with death educator and grief counselor, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, and NFDA’s Morgan Schlender, Account Executive for Endorsed Programs & Membership. The three discuss the recognition and prevention of funeral director burnout, and some of the new initiatives that NFDA has created to help support funeral directors as they serve families.

In this episode, Gabe talks to funeral director, author, and speaker, Todd Van Beck about presidential funerals.  They discuss how presidential funerals have evolved throughout history, how they have influenced how families care for their deceased, and what we can learn from our past as funeral professionals.

Host, Gabe Schauf, is joined by members of the inaugural class of the National Emerging Leaders Program (NELP) to share their experiences.  They discuss NELP, how the courses have helped them grow as funeral professionals, and what they feel funeral homes can do to better serve families.

This timely episode focuses on the new resource for funeral homes and families entitled, When a Child Dies: Planning Acts of Love and Legacy. This is a collaborative effort of the Funeral Service Foundation and the National Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition. 

This month Gabe speaks with four promising new graduates from across the country to shed some light on the life of a mortuary school student. The students discuss National Board preparation, final exams, assignments, and venturing out into the funeral profession.

Some future medical and scientific advancements sound like something out of a science fiction story, but we never know what role technology might play in the deathcare profession. Alexandra Jo, Culture and Content Manager at Parting Stone, discusses this fascinating topic.

In the new year, resolve to enhance your customers’ experience. Join host Gabe Schauf with his guest Mark Busch – a former funeral home owner and licensed CX coach.  Mark and Gabe will discuss the basics of improving how your customers view your business and how to make them part of your “marketing team”.

This month host Gabe Schauf takes on a timely (and potentially costly) topic: OSHA compliance. Join Gabe as he speaks with Mark Harrison from CST (Certified Safety Training) about the importance of safety compliance in the funeral home.

Join our tribute to Veterans Day with host Gabe Schauf as he has a conversation with Douglas “Dutch” Nie: funeral director and business owner, treasurer to the NFDA Board of Directors and proud Air Force veteran.