Calling Hours

Quinn Haisley-Wheeler joins Danielle Burmeister to share her journey from growing up in the family business to leading operations at Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service in Fort Pierce, Florida. As a second-generation funeral professional and 2024 NextGen Professional of the Year for Selected Independent Funeral Homes, Quinn shares real-world insight on leadership, innovation and how funeral homes can adapt to changing family expectations.In this episode, they discuss launching a pet cremation service, creating a separate online cremation brand for price-sensitive families, educating consumers about funeral options and preparing the next generation of funeral professionals. Packed with practical ideas, leadership perspective and honest conversation about work-life balance in a 24/7 profession, this is a must-listen for funeral professionals looking to grow and better serve their communities.

Brian Joseph joins Danielle Burmeister in this conversation as part of the Calling Hours funeral home owner series. Brian is the owner and chairman of Verheyden Funeral Homes in Detroit, Mich. In their discussion, they explore Brian’s journey as a first-generation funeral director, the leadership lessons he learned along the way and how Verheyden has grown while staying deeply rooted in service and community. Brian also shares candid insights on navigating the unexpected and the resilience required to rebuild after extraordinary challenges. Learn more about Brian’s perspective on leading through crisis and the power of perseverance in this inspiring conversation.

Dan and Emma Ford join Danielle Burmeister in our funeral home owner series where they share about family legacy, evolving expectations and modern challenges in funeral service. Dan is the president of Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home and his daughter Emma serves as the administrative assistant and social media lead. In their chat, Dan and Emma cover what it was like growing up in a funeral home, navigating changing consumer needs, balancing affordability with rising overhead and finding meaningful ways to serve every family. They also talk about working together as father and daughter, adapting to digital communication and staying deeply rooted in service and giving back to the community and the profession. Learn more about their unique experiences and perspectives in this thoughtful, down-to-earth conversation.

Kim Hunter joins Danielle Burmeister on Calling Hours in the first part in our new Funeral Home Owner series featuring real conversations with funeral home owners on the podcast. In this discussion, Kim and Danielle talk about leadership, legacy and his outlook on funeral services. Kim is the owner of Humphrey Funeral Home in Toronto, Canada, where he has served as president and owner since 2018 after many years with the firm. In their chat, Kim covers his journey into funeral service, the transition to ownership and the importance of succession planning. They also discuss maintaining work-life balance, the growing role of personalization in services and the value of professional development and association involvement. Learn more about Kim’s thoughtful approach to leadership and the evolving future of funeral service in this insightful and inspiring conversation.

Chris Johnson joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about career paths, innovation and how their infamous socks became so popular among funeral professionals! Chris is Founder and CEO of Sepio Guard. In their chat, Chris covers what drew him to the funeral space, the catalyst for launching Sepio Guard and how his company is helping funeral professionals provide valuable (and oftentimes assumed) coverage for the families they serve. They also discuss the importance of workplace culture, the value of thinking outside the box and the agent experience. Learn more about Chris and Sepio Guard in this fun, inspiring conversation about purpose-driven innovation.

Cole Waybright joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about what drew him to the funeral profession, his advice for those just starting out and how his career has evolved into where he is now. Cole Waybright is Vice President of Sales Optimization with Homesteaders Life Company. In their chat, Cole talks about his early experiences in the family funeral home business and what he’s learned along the way. They also forecast trends in the profession like cremation, the importance of hiring good talent and the leadership lessons he’s learned and implemented within his team. Hear more about Cole and how his passion for service, continuous improvement, and mentorship have shaped his approach to leadership and innovation in the funeral profession.

Scott Morris joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about his career evolution, preneed strategy and trends in the funeral profession. Scott Morris is vice president of business development with Homesteaders Life Company. In their chat, Scott covers his path into the funeral profession, key lessons he learned over the years and strategies for funeral homes to grow their businesses. They also discuss emerging trends like online funeral planning, shifts in operational approaches to preneed and advice for growth-minded funeral professionals. Learn more about Scott’s journey in this insightful and forward-looking conversation.

Barbara Kemmis joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about final disposition options and the overall end of life experience for families and how it is continually evolving. Barbara Kemmis is executive director of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). In their chat, Barbara covers her experience with CANA, the challenges and opportunities facing funeral professionals related to cremation and the many variations of disposition. They also explore the possibilities of how families are memorializing cremated remains of their loved ones as they are passed on to new generations. Discover all the creative approaches funeral professionals are taking to ensure their families have meaningful experiences in this heartfelt and lovely conversation.

Erin Creger joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about the importance of building trust in preneed sales and strengthening relationships in the funeral space. At the time of recording, Erin served as chief sales officer for Envision Strategic Partners and has since taken on the chief sales officer role with Security National Financial Corporation. In their chat, Erin talks about her sales background, including building, managing and motivating a team of diverse sales professionals. They also discuss the Death Care Collective, a group dedicated to building connections and empowering women in the funeral profession. Learn more about what it takes to succeed in sales and the evolution of the Death Care Collective in the seventh episode of Calling Hours.

Mike Lake joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about casket and urn sales and the growth in disposition options over the years. Mike is director of partner growth with Matthews Aurora. In their chat, Mike covers everything from his time growing up in the funeral profession and what has shaped his career to how selling wine coolers differs from caskets! They also discuss the significance of funeral services and how the casket price protection plan can help minimize the impact of inflation on funeral home businesses.

Zach Chatterton joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about the funeral home software platform Gather. Zach is the Founder and CEO of Gather, which recently partnered with Homesteaders, enabling an integration with their case management platform. In their chat, Zach covers how Gather originated, how technology has shifted over the years and what it takes to build a positive and productive workplace culture. They also discuss importance of understanding the funeral professional experience as a company immersed within the funeral space. Learn more about Zach’s inspiration behind Gather and key features of the platform in their conversation.

John Heald joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about how the funeral profession has shifted to the digital space. John is General Manager of the Funeral Home Channel of Legacy.com and Chair-Elect on the Board of Trustees for the Funeral Service Foundation. In their chat, John covers his career path over the years, opportunities and challenges that funeral professionals face as generations unite in the workplace and the power of relationship building and networking within the profession. They also discuss the importance in giving back to communities and the amazing work the Funeral Service Foundation does for others.

Teresa Carlson joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about funeral home lending, the future of females in the funeral space and the importance of succession planning. Teresa is Vice President of The Bancorp Bank, a nationwide funeral industry lender. In their chat, Teresa talks about how she got started in the banking industry, challenges and opportunities in small business lending and how her career has evolved into a focus on funeral home loans. They also cover how she grew her career while maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Learn all about lending opportunities for firms of any size in this entertaining conversation with Teresa.

Dan Lodermeier joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about sales, leadership and the value of the Harry Potter book series. In their chat, Dan shares stories of starting out as a young professional, lessons he’s learned over the course of his 30+ years with Homesteaders and the qualities needed to succeed in sales to become a standout leader. They also talk about Homesteaders’ account executive program and share many book recommendations. Learn more about what it takes to thrive in the field of sales in this lively and engaging conversation.

Steve Shaffer joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about his career in the funeral profession. Steve Shaffer is the President, CEO and Board Chair of Homesteaders Life Company. In their chat, Steve covers how he entered the funeral profession and his career path over the years. They also discuss how he has seen the industry grow and how he sees it changing moving forward. Learn more about Homesteaders' leader in this informative and insightful conversation.