2025 Agenda

In a market filled with low-cost competitors, thriving requires more than just cutting prices – it's about smarter strategies and delivering value. In this session, Glenn will share proven methods to not only compete but outshine low-cost providers by highlighting what sets your business apart. Learn how to build customer loyalty through meaningful connections, enhance your reputation with effective PR, and leverage digital solutions to meet evolving demands.

In today’s workplace, trust is a key performance strategy. With trust, teams move faster, communicate better, and take risks to solve big problems. Without it, even the most talented teams struggle. Trust isn’t accidental – it’s built. Yet many leaders don’t define what trust means within their culture. This session introduces the Trust Catalyst Formula, a proven framework for creating a culture of safety, visibility, and success. You’ll learn why trust is a competitive advantage and how to lead in a way that fosters psychological safety, accountability, and true connection. This is more than a mindset shift – it’s about operationalizing trust in how we lead and collaborate.

This workshop will focus on the techniques and best practices for embalming delayed cases and managing long-term holds. As more families choose to postpone embalming and final disposition, it’s essential to learn how to maintain the quality of care, ensuring open-casket viewings are still possible. Participants will gain practical knowledge on effectively embalming cases days or weeks after death, as well as handling long-term holds, while avoiding potential issues or legal concerns.

Disenfranchised grief was once thought to affect only specific populations, but it occurs when a person’s emotional response to loss is unacknowledged, unvalidated, or unseen, making it more widespread than expected. Those experiencing disenfranchised grief face higher risks of physical, social, and psychological issues that can harm their health and well-being. This session will explore the causes and effects of disenfranchised grief, empowering funeral service professionals to recognize, respond to, and prevent it in the families they serve. Drawing on the presenter’s extensive experience, the session will offer communication techniques, practical strategies, and tools to support vulnerable grievers.

Have you ever considered what a potential customer is truly seeking when they contact you? While it may seem obvious, they need your services, they might just be exploring their options and comparing how you measure up. Understanding the customer’s mindset is complex, but consumer anthropologist Georganne Bender has spent years uncovering the answers. Since 2005, she’s conducted focus groups, interviews, and even mystery shopped funeral homes to experience the process from the customer’s perspective. In this presentation, you’ll hear directly from customers about their experiences with funeral homes. You’ll learn what they value, what drives them to your competition, and gain practical, customer-focused ideas to implement in your funeral home immediately. 

Funeral service is more challenging than ever – declining revenues, rising expenses, and staffing issues. Leadership is often overworked with limited time and resources. So, where do you start? In this session, Jeff will teach simple steps to boost profitability, employee satisfaction, and customer satisfaction. You’ll learn how to identify what’s most important in your business and the five key metrics that drive results. Jeff will also show you how to align your staff with these goals, encouraging them to think and act like owners. 

This workshop guides you on a journey of self-discovery to uncover who you truly are beyond titles, labels, and external expectations. Through reflective exercises and interactive discussions, you’ll explore how to break free from limiting beliefs and embrace your authentic self. The session will provide practical tools to help you align your actions with your values, passions, and aspirations, empowering you to live consciously and confidently. By the end, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your true identity and actionable steps to live a life that reflects your core essence.

Surviving a violent incident is 90% mental and 10% physical skill. The course focuses on the mental aspect while also providing physical survival skills as a last resort. The primary focus is on the “Life or Death Gap” - the critical time between recognizing you’re in danger and when the situation ends. During this gap, you are on your own, and the decisions you make could be the difference between survival and not. 

Learn the top Funeral Rule compliance issues and the steps your funeral home can take to avoid FTC Funeral Rule violations. Hear the latest information on the FTC review of the Funeral Rule. 

In today’s workplace, trust is a key performance strategy. With trust, teams move faster, communicate better, and take risks to solve big problems. Without it, even the most talented teams struggle. Trust isn’t accidental – it’s built. Yet many leaders don’t define what trust means within their culture. This session introduces the Trust Catalyst Formula, a proven framework for creating a culture of safety, visibility, and success. You’ll learn why trust is a competitive advantage and how to lead in a way that fosters psychological safety, accountability, and true connection. This is more than a mindset shift – it’s about operationalizing trust in how we lead and collaborate.

Natural Organic Reduction (NOR), commonly known as Terramation or human composting, is reshaping the future of funeral service by offering a sustainable, environmentally conscious alternative to traditional burial and cremation. This Conversation Café invites funeral professionals to dive deep into the process, benefits, and opportunities NOR presents. Through open dialogue, attendees will explore the science behind Terramation, its emotional and spiritual significance for families, and how funeral homes can integrate this eco-friendly practice into their offerings. This is a space for honest questions, collaborative learning, and future-focused discussions on how NOR is influencing the evolution of deathcare.