Homesteaders Blog

Rowing Together: Lessons from The Boys In the Boat for Funeral Professionals

Every four years we get to watch the world’s best athletes represent our country in the Summer Olympics. Watching these athletes pour their years of hard work and entire talent into one performance is motivating; and as funeral professionals, we can relate to some of the daily challenges these athletes face. Inspired by the start of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, our marketing team read the book The Boys In the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. This story takes place in Washington during the Great Depression and follows the lives of the nine boys who rowed their way to gold at the Olympics.

This book includes many themes that you can bring into your day-to-day work as a funeral professional. Recommended by Board Chair, President and CEO of Homesteaders Steve Shaffer, this book serves as a beautiful demonstration of the power of teamwork and the value of everyone pulling their weight to reach a common goal.

Let’s explore each theme and unpack some takeaways for any funeral professional.

Reflecting on 10 years of the Homesteaders Life Company Blog

Funeral service professionals need and deserve reliable sources of information that they can depend on to help them better serve their customers, stay up to date on the latest trends and continue to develop their skills. Ten years ago, our team established the Homesteaders Blog to help bring those insights to anyone who can benefit from that expertise.

What Nature Teaches Us About Death and Grief

In the journey of life, death and grief are threads we all must weave into our existence. While daunting or painful, these experiences also hold profound lessons, many of which nature imparts to us. From the cycle of seasons to the delicate dance of life and death in ecosystems, nature offers insights that can guide us through the labyrinth of loss and sorrow.

Resources to Help Your Funeral Home Stay Ahead in 2024

Homesteaders’ 2023 annual report is now available, and we’re grateful to share what we accomplished during another outstanding year at Homesteaders. We have a lot to celebrate, including offering double-digit growth rate increases in the first quarter of 2023 and again in January of 2024. It’s just one example of how our solid financial position helps our customers get – and stay – ahead.

3 Unexpected Roles of a Funeral Director

Funeral directors’ jobs are sometimes characterized by their most visible role: ensuring funeral services run smoothly for families who have lost a loved one. But funeral professionals wear many hats as they help families through some of the most difficult times. We are going to unpack some of the unexpected roles that funeral professionals have, and why those traits are so important to their work.

What We’re Looking Forward to at 2024 Conventions

2024 convention season has arrived, and we are excited for what’s in store this year! From thoughts on why conventions are important to what we’re looking forward to and which conventions we will attend, some of Homesteaders’ senior account executives share their thoughts below.

Funeral Home Keepsake Options for Your Client Families

Personal keepsakes play a special role in providing comfort for families who have lost a loved one. A keepsake reminds people of the life and love they shared, representing their memories in the form of an item that is significant to them. Choosing a keepsake is a very personal decision for any family, so it is important for funeral professionals to not only provide keepsake options, but also to address them in a thoughtful way. We’ll share answers to questions that funeral professionals may have regarding personal keepsakes, and how to approach the topic with client families.

4 Focus Areas for Your Funeral Home Business in 2024

The start of a new year is an opportunity to set goals for business growth for the next 12 months – and beyond. Looking ahead to opportunities for the future, we have compiled a list of four key focus areas to work on and pay attention to this year.

Top 5 Blog Posts for Funeral Professionals in 2023

As we close out another year, we’re grateful for our Homesteaders Blog readers and the time you’ve dedicated to learning how to better serve client families and improve your business. In 2023, we dove into solutions to boost creativity and increase your community’s awareness about your funeral home’s services. While there are many great posts from the past year, we’ve identified these five popular posts that are worth another look as we enter 2024.

Productivity and Task Automation Tools for Funeral Professionals

Digital tools are a great way to help with time management and productivity so you can spend your time doing what you truly value: serving client families. These tools include ways to increase efficiency for project management, marketing, communication within the team and day-to-day operations.