This course is about starting your own business in the funeral sector. The tutors have all set up their own successful funeral businesses to a very high standard of quality. Simon Smith, prior to his funeral work with Heart and Soul Funerals, had a career in management, leadership consultancy and corporate finance. He the is author of the book Inner Leadership and brings all these skills to the course.
The course covers:
- Different business models to get started in the funeral business
- Equipment and premises you need
- Costs of setting up
- How to access resources
- Finding your market niche
- Making a marketing and business plan
- Staffing
- Finances
We set up our funeral business from scratch, without prior knowledge of the sector. We wish we had had access to the information we can give you now. Setting up your own funeral business means that you can do things exactly as you want to. We had a vision to run a company which is open and transparent about procedures and costs, gives families information to help them make a wide range of choices and enable families to have a funeral that was absolutely the right one to reflect the character, values and beliefs of the person who has died. This is the feedback we most value from a client:
“Jane and Simon have just handled arrangements for the funeral of our mother. We selected them as they are relaxed and unstuffy – ideal at a sensitive time. Their knowledge and suggestions gave confidence that nothing would be overlooked. They listened to and were open to our wishes, without any attempts to sell us anything we didn’t need or want. Throughout they were transparent and open with costs. We were delighted with the funeral and celebration of our mother’s life that resulted.” Matthew Cushen
Steve Nimmo started Chester Pearce from scratch about 7 years ago and the company is now directing in the region of 250 funerals a year from 2 branches. Also Steve is an expert in repatriation of personnel from the Armed Forces, mass fatalities and exhumation. He is most proud of Funeral Assist, which he set up to help families without sufficient funds to purchase a funeral.
David Albery started a funeral business which he grew to over 250 a funerals a year and then sold to a large corporate, and he is still in his thirties! Hear his fascinating story.