Few in death care can match the experience and perspective of Thomas J. Anderson—fourth-generation funeral director, community leader, University of Minnesota Regent, and the voice behind the widely read Funeral Director Daily blog. In this episode of The Direct Cremation Podcast, host Tyler Yamasaki, CEO of Parting Pro, dives into Anderson’s story of legacy, innovation, and gratitude.

From stepping up at 19 to keep the family business alive, to modernizing operations and navigating a successful sale, Anderson’s journey is a playbook for today’s funeral home owners facing an evolving market.

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:54 Welcome to the Direct Cremation Podcast!
00:01:06 Welcome, Thomas J. Anderson!
00:02:34 The Anderson Family Legacy and Funeral Business
00:07:01 Expanding the Funeral Business
00:10:52 Innovation in Funeral Business
00:18:47 Selling the Business and Non-negotiables
00:20:41 Value of Brand Name and Pre-need
00:32:01 The Start of Funeral Director Daily
00:33:49 The Growth and Impact of Funeral Director Daily
00:37:51 The Role of "Experiences" in Funeral Services
00:39:32 The Goal of The Funeral Director Daily
00:46:49 Consolidation in Funeral Business: Pros and Cons
00:49:02 Advice for Funeral Home Owners Considering Selling
00:54:57 Speed Round: Future of Various Aspects of Funeral Industry
00:55:17 Alkaline Hydrolysis
00:56:27 Composting/Natural Organic Reduction
00:58:05 Online Cremation Brands
00:58:40 Online Memorialization Beyond Static Obituary
00:59:38 Cemeteries
01:02:55 Women in the Death Care Industry
01:07:31 Online Pricing Transparency and Regulation Changes
01:10:03 Consumer Trends and Traditional Funeral Services

For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.
A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.

Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMO
Find us at https://directcremation.com
Spotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soT

Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Learn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

When a family calls your funeral home, they are not shopping for a product. They are searching for peace of mind.

If you lead sales, answer phones, or manage training for your team, this is a masterclass in turning a price inquiry into a real relationship!

#FuneralHomeSoftware #CremationSoftware #FuneralManagementSystem
#FuneralDirectorTips #OnlineCremations #FuneralArrangingSoftware #CremationBusiness #FuneralServiceSoftware #FuneralHomeMarketing #FuneralTech

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:12 Welcome to the Direct Cremation Podcast!
00:01:26 Welcome Ashley Jones!
00:02:04 Importance of the First Phone Call
00:04:05 Building Trust on the First Call
00:05:36 Balancing Facts and Genuine Connection
00:09:01 Goals of the First Phone Call
00:12:03 Common Mistakes in the First Call
00:13:32 Avoiding a Robotic Approach
00:15:43 Understanding the Language of Care
00:17:12 Powerful Language Swaps in the Funeral Industry
00:22:57 Handling Different Types of Customers
00:24:51 Closing the Call and Next Steps
00:26:53 Dealing with Uncertain Customers
00:29:41 The Importance of the Second Phone Call
00:32:17 Maintaining Consistency Across Multiple Locations
00:33:48 Training Staff for Effective Phone Interactions
00:36:26 Learning from Negative and Positive Feedback
00:40:23 The #1 Thing You Should Remember Before Answering a Call
00:42:34 The Impact of Good Phone Etiquette on Business Growth

For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.
A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.

Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMO
Find us at https://directcremation.com
Spotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soT

Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Learn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

What begins as a story about basketball evolves into a powerful conversation about grief, legacy, and the future of funeral service software.

It’s personal, smart, and packed with fresh ideas! 💡

#FuneralWebsiteBestPractices #FuneralIndustry #DeathCareLeadership #OnlineFuneralArrangement #FuneralHomes #AfterDeathCare #Eazewell #DirectCremationPodcast

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:01 Welcome Donnell Beverly Jr!
00:01:59 Basketball Career and Its Influence
00:03:25 Impact of Losing High School
00:05:39 How Grief Shaped Donnell's Outlook About Death Care
00:07:49 Transition to Business and Russell Westbrook Enterprises
00:12:05 College Experience and Leadership
00:15:10 Investment Philosophy and Social Responsibility
00:17:00 Zero World Media
00:18:50 Intentionality in Business and Partnership
00:20:01 Introduction to EazeWell
00:20:47 EazeWell's AI and User Experience
00:23:42 Partnership with LegalZoom
00:25:04 Value Proposition for Funeral Homes
00:27:23 EazeWell's National Rollout
00:28:43 Price Transparency in Funeral Services
00:31:18 AI and Human Concierge Services
00:32:52 Revenue Model and Funeral Home Partnership
00:33:54 AI-Assisted Account Closure
00:37:15 Quote Generation and User Experience
00:38:33 Financing Options for Families
00:40:34 Encouraging AI Adoption in Funeral Homes
00:43:20 What's Next for Eazewell
00:44:30 EaseWell Company Overview
00:47:13 Predictions for Death Care in 10 Years
00:48:14 Where to Find Donnell

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For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.
A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.

Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMO
Find us at https://directcremation.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@directcremationpod

Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Learn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://wdgroupconsulting.com

Get ready to dive deep on:

🎓 The truth about what mortuary school really teaches
🙅🏽‍♀️ The onboarding mistakes that push new hires out the door
📉 How micromanagement kills motivation
❤️‍🔥 What smart funeral homes are doing to keep their teams happy

Whether you're a funeral home owner, manager, or just passionate about funeral service—this episode will change how you think about hiring and training.

💡 Don’t miss this must-watch conversation packed with real talk, bold insights, and practical solutions.

Watch NOW and subscribe for more content funeral pro tips! 🎙

#FuneralHomeSoftware #CremationSoftware #FuneralDirector #MortuarySchool #FuneralProfessionals #DirectCremation #FuneralTech #FuneralTraining #OnlineCremations #FuneralIndustry

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:47) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast
(00:01:01) Welcome Martha Thayer!
(00:02:06) Beginning of Martha's Journey
(00:05:15) Martha's Early Experiences with Death
(00:10:06) Martha's Path to Becoming an Instructor
(00:14:39) Changes in Funeral Director Landscape
(00:18:04) Challenges Faced by Funeral Service Students
(00:22:57) Favorite Subjects to Teach in Funeral Service
(00:25:33) Expectations for Recent Graduates in Funeral Service
(00:28:51) Supporting New Funeral Directors
(00:30:21) Misconceptions about Working in Funeral Homes
(00:31:32) Reasons for Leaving the Funeral Service Industry
(00:33:52) Importance of Trust
(00:35:38) Lack of Onboarding and SOPs in Funeral Homes
(00:44:11) Emerging Trends and Generational Differences in Funeral Care
(00:47:30) Changes in Death Care and Impact on Training
(00:51:15) Role as Interim Executive Director of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association
(00:57:00) Reasons for Reintroduction of Individual Licensing in Colorado
(01:04:08) Mortuary Training Company Overview
(01:08:25) Importance of Consistency in Funeral Service
(01:10:02) Predictions for Death Care in 10 years
(01:13:11) How to Reach Martha

Courtney spills real-world strategies that helped her:
📈 How tech + empathy create faster trust and fewer callbacks
🌟 Build a brand that families loved (55+ 5-star reviews)
💸 Keep ROAS in check while marketing cremations
💡 Real reason to sold Lumen Cremation (and what she’d do again)

Whether you’re looking to streamline online cremation services, improve your funeral planning software, or explore innovative funeral home ideas, this one’s a must-watch. 👀

Learn how top-performing funeral homes are using cremation software to grow smarter—not just bigger! 💡

#funeralsoftware #cremationsoftware #onlinefuneralarrangements #funeraltech #funeralhome

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro
(01:02) Welcome Courtney!
(01:46) Courtney's Career Journey
(05:21) Founding Lumen Cremation
(10:26) Efficiency in Direct Cremation Business
(13:27) Learnings from Serving the Public
(17:48) Leveraging Referral Sources and Free Resources
(19:27) Decision to Sell the Business
(22:53) Considerations for Business Acquisition
(27:46) Challenges in Starting a New Cremation Brand
(30:57) Transition to Tribute and Expansion of Services
(35:00) Transition from Family Business to Large Scale Operation
(35:28) Importance of Understanding Customer Needs and Mindset
(40:51) Partnership with Parting Pro
(45:27) What Death Care Looks Like in 10 Years
(48:28) Trends and Challenges in the Death Care Industry
(52:42) Where to Find Courtney

For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.
A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.

Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMO
Find us at https://directcremation.com
Spotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soT

Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

#FuneralHomeSoftware #CremationSoftware #FuneralTech #AIinFuneralHomes #CremationServices #FuneralMarketing #OnlineCremation #FuneralDirectors #ArtificialIntelligence AI #PartingPro #FuneralManagement #DigitalFuneralPlanning #FuneralDirectorSoftware #DeathCareTech #OnlineFuneralArrangements #FuneralAutomation #MortuaryManagement #CloudFuneralSoftware #FuneralCRM #DigitalDeathCare #FuneralServiceTech #CemeteryManagement #FuneralWorkflow #MemorialPlanning #EndOfLifeTech

The funeral industry continues to evolve, and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving much of this transformation. In a recent episode of The Direct Cremation Podcast, CEO Tyler Yamasaki spoke with tech expert Will Chang about how AI is changing funeral home software, cremation software, and online funeral arrangements. Their discussion explored practical ways AI enhances efficiency, improves customer experience, and strengthens marketing cremations.

What you’ll learn:
✅ How AI can write obituaries in seconds (and make them personal!)
✅ The secret to using ChatGPT for funeral home marketing & websites
✅ How AI-generated funeral home images can enhance your branding
✅ Why funeral directors should embrace AI (instead of fearing it!)

Whether you run a funeral home, crematory, or offer online cremation services, this episode is packed with insights on how AI can save time, increase efficiency, and even improve customer service.

👉 Don’t miss out—watch now!
📌 Like & Subscribe for more insider funeral tech tips!
🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!

Timestamps
(00:00) Intro
(00:40) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast
(01:42) Welcome Will Chang!
(01:55) Introduction to AI platforms
(03:26) Demonstration of ChatGPT
(03:51) ChatGPT vs Google
(04:27) Writing an obituary using ChatGPT
(15:01) Using AI to enhance creativity
(15:54) Applying different frameworks
(20:51) Using AI to mimic different writing styles
(24:01) Generating marketing content with AI
(38:59) Creating images with AI
(42:03) Exploring other features of ChatGPT
(46:05) Where to contact Will

For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.
A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.

Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMO
Find us at https://directcremation.com
Spotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soT

Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Learn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://www.partingpro.com

What if your final farewell could help the planet thrive? 🌍

In this episode, we sit down with Micah Truman, CEO of Return Home, to explore how Natural Organic Reduction (NOR)—also known as human composting—redefines death care.

Micah shares:

✔️ How NOR turns human remains into nutrient-rich soil in just two months
✔️ The emotional and environmental impact of this groundbreaking process
✔️ Stories of families creating meaningful tributes with NOR
✔️ The challenges and triumphs of introducing a brand-new disposition option

Whether you're curious about sustainable alternatives to cremation or looking for innovative ideas in the funeral industry, this episode will leave you inspired!

Watch the full episode now to learn how NOR is changing the game. 🔥

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more insights on the future of death care! 🎙️

#FuneralArrangements #EcoFriendlyLiving #DeathCareRevolution #PodcastAlert #HumanComposting #ReturnHome #TheDirectCremationPodcast #funeralhomesoftware

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro
(00:48) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast!
(01:01) Welcome Micah Truman
(01:37) Micah's Background
(04:41) Inception of Return Home
(06:31) Process of Terramation
(08:39) Breaking Down the Bones
(09:02) Ingredients for Terramation
(09:43) Speed of the Process
(10:35) Soil Generation
(11:23) Use of the Soil
(12:24) Return Home Business Model
(13:10) Pricing of Terramation
(14:26) Return Home Licensing
(14:53) Process at Return Home
(16:08) Shipping Process and Legalities
(16:29) Customer Segmentation
(18:53) Discussion on Process Speed
(21:53) Challenges and Economics of the Business
(24:00) Memorialization Services and Packages
(28:28) Operations at Return Home
(29:31) Pre-need Sales
(30:48) Legalities and State Regulations
(32:08) Religious Perspectives on Terramation
(35:44) Future Plans for Return Home
(37:24) Current Capacity of Return Home
(38:12) Odor Management in Terramation
(39:49) Waste Management in Terramation
(41:10) Business Model and Scale of Terramation
(44:41) Regulations and Materials in Terramation
(45:38) Potential Challenges for Smaller Proprietors
(47:28) Future Expansion of Return Home
(48:47) Apprehension and Confidence in Terramation
(50:18) Local vs Non-Local Business
(52:27) Expectations for the Next Decade
(54:43) Learning from Initial Mistakes
(58:06) Invitation to TerraCon

__

For Innovative Funeral Directors Blazing a Trail.
A podcast for funeral home owners where we talk about trends & opportunities we see in the funeral home industry. We bring on death care professionals and cremation experts to share what they know.

Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3PxOqMO
Find us at https://directcremation.com
Spotify: http://bit.ly/3yDEwj7
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3lj2soT

Want to start a cremation brand yourself? Learn how the some of the biggest cremation brands do it at https://www.partingpro.com

Learn the playbook responsible for growing my family business to over 4500 calls a year without digital marketing: https://www.partingpro.com

What does soup ladle, windy ash-scattering, and funeral home management software have in common? 🥄💨

They’re all part of this can’t-miss episode of the Direct Cremation Podcast!

Join Tyler Yamasaki, CEO of Parting Pro, and Caroline Andre, our merchandising expert, as they share hilarious stories and expert insights into growing your funeral home business with:

✅ The right tools for meaningful cremation arrangements (no more ladle moments!).
✅ Strategies to optimize your funeral arrangement software and online stores.
✅ How to price urns and keepsakes to compete with Amazon, Etsy, and more.
✅ Why Gen Z and Millennials value eco-friendly and discreet cremation merchandise
✅ Proven tips to maximize revenue with funeral service software and e-commerce.

(00:00) Intro
(00:55) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast
(01:11) Welcome back, Caroline Andree!
(02:03) Personal story: John C. Bailey
(02:55) Memorial service and scattering experience
(05:33) Top reasons why funeral home sales fail online
(06:07) Families need guidance
(08:25) The merchandise is overpriced
(12:47) Merchandise is not varied enough
(19:00) Analyzing pricing and tracking trends
(21:25) Case study: Leaf Cremation
(22:34) Have your merchandise tell a story
(23:52) Understand the standard
(24:54) Case study: Gulf to Bay Cremation
(26:18) Conclusion
(32:21) How to reach Caroline

Whether you’re looking to improve your online funeral arrangements, boost sales with the best funeral home software, or simply enjoy a laugh, this episode delivers value from start to finish.

🎧 Watch now, and learn how to enhance your services and grow your revenue with insights into cremation software, funeral tech, and more!

#FuneralHomeSoftware #CremationSoftware #CremationWebsite #FuneralPlanningSoftware #CrematorySoftware #OnlineCremations #FuneralManagementSystem #FuneralTech