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.

Chapters:

0:07 · Meet Quinn Haisley-Wheeler.
Director of funeral service operations at Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service shares her story and path in funeral service

0:48 · Growing up in the funeral home.
Early jobs, family expectations and what it was like being raised in a funeral business

2:40 · Choosing the family business.
Why Quinn pursued education outside funeral service before returning to work alongside her family

6:11 · Leading among mentors.
Navigating leadership with longtime staff who watched her grow up

10:19 · Thinking beyond tradition.
How a simple idea grew into a thriving pet cremation offering

13:06 · From model home to funeral home.
How their business expansion plans included turning a model home into a warm, family-style funeral space

14:50 · Launching an online cremation brand.
The story behind offering more funeral service options

16:52 · Rebranding with results.
Reasons for creating a subsidiary direct cremation brand to serve price-sensitive families

20:38 · The conversation behind the cost.
Why funeral homes win when they take time to explain options and value

22:44 · Mentorship and the next generation.
Why associations, leadership programs and networking matter in funeral service

27:08 · Words of wisdom for new funeral professionals.
Professionalism, appearance and learning the communities you serve

32:13 · Grabbing life by the horns.
How funeral professionals can pursue leadership and ownership opportunities

35:18 · Work-life balance in a 24/7 profession.
Balancing family life while running a busy funeral home

41:40 · On the nightstand.
A break from leadership books with some suspense fiction

43:00 · The heart behind the work.
How Quinn’s family keeps her grounded and inspired