Shows / The Graveyard Shift
The Graveyard Shift
Funeral professionals are constantly searching for two things – new ideas to better serve families and a good laugh. Join Todd Carlson, EVP of Sales and Chief Sales Officer at Directors Investment Group, on a wild ride as he engages in genuine and off-the-cuff conversations with 3 accomplished funeral professionals – Matt Bailey, President and Funeral Director at Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Gary Freytag, President and CEO of Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, and Jimmy Lucas, Owner and…
Episodes
The Graveyard ShiftShift #43: Cold fronts and new data
What happens when you look at 1,200+ data points collected from 2,500 consumers and nearly 800 funeral professionals? You find out real quick where the…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #42: Carpet crumbs, regulations, and Caressa Hughes
When did serving food in a funeral home become an issue? And what do Taylor Swift concert tickets have to do with the FTC discussion around “junk fees”? In…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #41: Rituals, reclamation, and Dr. Alan Wolfelt
Families’ perceptions of funerals are changing, and not always in ways that make a funeral professional’s job easier. In this episode, Dr. Alan Wolfelt joins…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #40: Wine cellars, scuba tanks, and ideal funerals
Ever wonder what funeral professionals actually want for their own final send-off? In this episode, the guys break down their own final wishes. They go through…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #39: Professionalism, personality, and public image
How much of yourself should you bring to the job? In this episode of The Graveyard Shift, the guys continue their conversation about authenticity, trust, and…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #38: Viral videos and Victor M. Sweeney
How does a small-town mortician from middle-of-nowhere Minnesota end up with 50 million YouTube views without even trying?! In this episode, Victor M. Sweeney…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #37: Real leadership, raw advice, and Robbie Pape
Ever wonder why some leaders command a room and others just…don't? Robbie Pape joins the guys to talk about the power of choice, showing up with confidence…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #36: Disconnects, data, and discoveries
Time to get a little nerdy. Todd pulls up some eye-opening stats from our New Funeral Consumer study, and the guys don’t hold back their opinions. This episode…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #35: Flat squirrels, preneed, and Bill McReavy, Jr.
Bill McReavy, Jr. joins the podcast to talk about going from zero preneed sales to a program that’s thriving. Spoiler: marketing had a lot to do with it. In…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #34: Moms, money, and Minnesota
The Graveyard Shift goes live in Minnesota! And yes, there's an audience. 😆 The guys dig into the kind of funeral home scenarios you can’t exactly Google your…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #33: Man on the moon, robots, and funerals
Put on your tin foil hat - the crew has bold takes on what’s next in funeral service. From robots in prep rooms and shifts in business models to changing…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #32: Hamburgers, blog writing, and Tom Anderson
What happens when one of the most trusted voices in funeral service joins the crew? Tom Anderson shares his journey in the profession and the inspiration…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #31: Flying cars, website ideas, and Curtis Funk
What actually drives website performance? And can AI really help you improve efficiency at work and at home? Curtis Funk, CEO of Tukios and funeral home…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #30: Change, crutches, and comfort zones
Change is constant, so why is it so difficult? The guys cover everything under the sun when it comes to change management. They share real insights on leading…
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The Graveyard ShiftShift #29: Do-overs, donuts, and dress codes
Everyone has that one thing they'd do over. This episode is pure “hindsight is 20/20” as the guys share what they’d change about funeral service if they could…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #28: Inspiration, Hollywood, and John O’Leary
Inspirational speaker and best-selling author John O’Leary joins the podcast to talk about something we don’t say nearly enough in this profession: make time…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #27: The anniversary celebration
Over a year ago, four guys grabbed cocktails in New Orleans and thought, “What the heck, we’ll do a podcast.” Their goal? Share honest, real conversations…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #26: Burning questions and heavy machinery
“This may be the best episode we’ve ever done.” The tables turn in this anything-goes episode. All 4 hosts fire off their most burning, bizarre, and…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #25: Cremation, celebrants, and Glenda Stansbury
The guys are back discussing celebrants and cremation arrangements, but this time, with Glenda Stansbury’s perspective. As Co-Founder and Dean of the InSight…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #24: Celebrants, microbiology, and Matt Bailey
So, what’s the big deal about being a Certified Celebrant? The crew breaks down what makes a celebrant-led service stand out and why it might just be the…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #23: Pews, tradition, and the “un-funeral” crowd
Families today want options. And funeral homes feel the pressure to deliver. So, how do you make sure your funeral home can help families who are “team…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #22: Lawyers, liability, and Wendy Wiener
No one likes to think about their funeral home facing a legal nightmare, but avoiding a huge fallout might be easier than you think. Tune in as Wendy Wiener…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #21: Breadcrumbs, women in leadership, and Lisa Baue
Did you know that 75-80% of mortuary science graduates are women? In the next decade, the funeral profession will see more women funeral directors, funeral…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #20: Two CEOs and big, hairy, audacious goals
Every great succession plan starts with a goal. Sometimes that goal isn’t just big; it’s downright hairy and audacious. In this episode, Chris Cruger, CEO of…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #19: Glass eyes, magic wands, and misconceptions
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever heard about funeral directors? Chances are, these guys have heard it, too. And they are here to set the record straight!…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #18: Alfalfa, woodchips, and natural organic reduction
Strong opinions. Big questions. And a few jokes. The crew shares all of the above in this discussion around natural organic reduction (NOR). Can funeral homes…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #17: Mentors, ICCFA, and Nadira Baddeliyanage
Real talk. Real tears. Real great episode. Nadira Baddeliyanage, Executive Director at ICCFA, joins the crew to share her unexpected journey into the funeral…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #16: Billboards, TikToks, and Marlan Gary
How do you take a funeral home from zero market share to being the go-to option for families? In this week’s episode, Marlan Gary of Marlan Gary Funeral Home…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #15: Cremation trends, CANA, and Barbara Kemmis
Spoiler alert: Cremation rates are on the rise (surprising, we know face with tears of joy). But cremation families aren’t always who you think they are……
The Graveyard ShiftShift #14: Motorcycles, magnets, and marketing mishaps
Marketing a funeral home isn’t what it used to be. Forget fridge magnets and the Yellow Pages. Today, it’s all about websites, social media, and finding ways…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #13: BBQ, event centers, and Jayme Toeppich
Jayme Toeppich, CEO at Broussard’s, knows a thing or two about serving families' hearts, souls, and appetites. After all, her family does run a funeral home…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #12: Control freaks, perspective, and Paul Beaty
What’s the real difference between working in your funeral home and working on it? This week, the crew is joined by Paul Beaty, Vice President of Beaty Funeral…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #11: Succession planning, airplanes, and John Horan
What happens when a funeral home owner realizes it’s time to step away? In this episode, John Horan, founder of The Funeral Excellence Group, joins The…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #10: Bad apples, leadership, and Kris Seale
Kris Seale, President & CEO of Directors Investment Group, drops in on The Graveyard Shift for a no-fluff, eye-opening conversation about what really makes or…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #9: Study groups and lifelines
Whoever said new ideas are hard to come by hasn't watched this week's episode of The Graveyard Shift! Join the crew as they swap stories about study groups and…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #8: Roofing, roundabouts, and Ron Clyde
Ron Clyde, Director of Special Projects at Directors Investment Group, joins the crew to talk about conflict management and how it affects the day-to-day. The…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #7: Training, culture, and Martha Thayer
On this week’s shift, Martha Thayer, founder and president of Mortuary Training LLC, joins the crew to share her knowledge about the current state of funeral…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #6: Stress, smoked meat, and Dr. Carr
In this episode, the guys welcome Dr. Melanie Carr, Director of Sales Development at Funeral Directors Life and published author of Emotional Intelligence for…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #5: Dead Butterflies and AI
The conversation about AI continues as Gary, Jimmy, Matt, and Todd discuss how to adapt to and use technology as it evolves while still maintaining a personal…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #4: Technology, holograms, and Tom Antram
Join our normal cast of characters as they welcome their first-ever guest, Tom Antram, President and CEO of French Funerals & Cremations and the current…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #3: Girlfriends, gangs, and ghastly mistakes
Time to get personal…and a little uncomfortable. Join Gary, Jimmy, Matt, and Todd as they share stories about some of their most challenging services and the…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #2: Ketchup packets and dove releases
Buckle up as Gary, Jimmy, Matt, and Todd dive a little deeper this week and share some of their successes and flops that have come from taking risks. Did any…
The Graveyard ShiftShift #1: Four guys start a podcast
Is this thing on? Join Gary Freytag, Jimmy Lucas, Matt Bailey, and Todd Carlson as they attempt to figure out what this podcast is supposed to cover. Do they…