This week, I have the pleasure of talking with Tiana Dargent (she/her), founder of Queer Community Deathcare in Ontario Canada which offers a space of support for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in matters regarding end of life, death, dying, and grief.. In part one of this conversation, Tiana shares her personal journey to providing accessible death care support and and hosting death cafe’s for the queer and trans community. We talk about why having death and end of life care support specifically for the queer community is important, and how the needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community can be met in better ways for all in the death profession.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week, I return to my conversation with Courtney Gould Miller (she/her), Chief Strategy Officer at MKJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at Tribute Technology, to talk about the role that marketing can play in solving the challenge of recruiting and retaining quality funeral service professionals. We talk about the value of online continuing education, like the program that MKJ marking offers, how accurately marketing your business to prospective employees can help attract the right talent, and the need for a broader conversation about jobs in the funeral profession and death care in general.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/her), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week I return to my conversation with Courtney Gould Miller (she/her), Chief Strategy Officer at MKJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at Tribute Technology, to talk about successful marketing for cremation services and the future of ecommerce business in deathcare. We discuss how good marketing strategies can help educate families about cremation options, the role that ecommerce cremation business plays in the funeral profession of today, and what the future of cremation businesses look like with the rise of the DIY deathcare consumer.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week I return to my conversation with Lauren Bowser (she/her), Owner and Manager of Cusick Funeral Home to discuss unconventional areas of innovation in the deathcare space. We talk about the value of moving the profession forward with new technologies like green embalming fluids and products, the role of social media in continued learning and best practices for morticians and embalmers, and the need for more widespread education about eco-conscious cremation options in the deathcare profession.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week I have the pleasure of talking with Courtney Gould Miller (she/her), Chief Strategy Officer at MKJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at Tribute Technology, about the relationship between good marketing strategies and business success in deathcare. We discuss the value of working with a marketing firm with specific expertise in the deathcare profession, the specifics of what a good marketing strategy can do to grow your business, and where to start if your company is pursuing digital marketing for the first time.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week I have the pleasure of speaking with Lauren Bowser (she/her), Owner and Manager of Cusick Funeral Home in Somerville New Jersey, to talk about being a first generation funeral business owner in today’s deathcare world. We discuss changes that funeral businesses saw during the Covid-19 pandemic, the differences between being an independent tradesman and owning a funeral home, and advice for other young funeral professionals stepping into first time funeral home ownership.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week, I return to my conversation with Mel Bennett, Creator and Co-Founder of Life Forest, to talk about equity in cemeteries and permanent placement options. We discuss various ways that burial has historically been inequitable, various situations that might warrant special care and consideration, and how to make sure that families choosing permanent placement receive the support that they need today and moving forward.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week I am joined by Dr. Sara Murphy and Timothy McLoone to talk about the value and experience of deathcare conventions and conferences. Timothy McLoone is a Licensed Funeral Director & Certified Celebrant and Dr. Sara Murphy is a death educator, certified thanatologist, and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. In this interview, we break down the benefits of attending death care conventions from continuing education to the expo floor, and talk about how these opportunities for learning and networking can help push the profession forward.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

This week, I return to my conversation with Mel Bennett, Creator and Co-Founder of Life Forest, to talk about cemetery law and the value of permanent placement for families choosing cremation. We discuss what the process of starting a new cemetery is like, and the best way to protect the rights and legacy of buried cremains. We also touch on why permanent placement can be such an important option for families choosing cremation.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.

Dr. Sara Murphy is a death educator, Certified Thanatologist (Association for Death Education and Counseling), and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. In this conversation we discuss disenfranchised grief, what it is, what causes it, and everything that funeral professionals need to know to help families avoid it. We talk about body language and verbal cues that will help families feel safe and comforted during funeral arranging, and touch on the importance of funeral directors prioritizing their own mental health while working with grieving families.

Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.

To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.