When a family walks through your doors, are they getting a five-star experience, or are they just another transaction? Consumer demands in death care are shifting rapidly—families don't just want products anymore; they want genuine hospitality, ethical options, and a truly meaningful experience.

In this episode of A Brush with Death, host Gabe Schauf sits down with Darren Crouch, President of Passages International and a 2025 TIME100 Climate leader, to discuss how to navigate this changing landscape, the green movement, the strategies to apply in the selection room, and why the profession must proactively offer green funeral options to avoid repeating the mistakes of the early cremation era. Whether you are looking to elevate your customer service or expand your eco-friendly offerings, this episode provides a practical blueprint for funeral directors ready to lead the market.

Is the funeral profession actually facing a labor shortage, or is it facing a reality check? Despite mortuary school enrollments increasing by over 22%, funeral homes nationwide are constantly struggling to keep staff.

On this episode of A Brush with Death, Gabe Schauf sits down with educator and funeral director Dr. Lucia Dickinson to explore the structural misalignments driving the retention crisis. Gabe and Lucia look past outdated assumptions about work ethic and tackle the uncomfortable truths behind the data: the gap between modern living expenses and entry-level compensation, the hesitation to invest in human capital, and why the outdated "Ideal Worker" model is failing a shifting demographic.

Discover actionable strategies for modernizing compensation, scheduling, and workplace culture to stop the revolving door at your firm.

Katey Houston is not your traditional funeral director, and that is a big part of why she was named the 2025 Inspiration Award Winner.

In this episode, host Gabe Schauf sits down with the Director of Family Care at Return Home to hear her journey into the funeral profession, discuss her work in Natural Organic Reduction (Terramation), and explore why authenticity matters.

Katey explains how her unique background shaped her approach to serving families and why she believes the future of the profession belongs to the bold. This is an essential listen for anyone looking for advice on mentorship, legacy, and how to succeed as a woman in a non-traditional funeral service role.

The Inspiration Award is sponsored by NGL.

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