Before becoming one of deathcare’s most respected consultants and the president and CEO of Johnson Consulting Group, Jake Johnson spent years working alongside cemetery grounds crews, repairing irrigation systems, leveling markers and learning firsthand what it takes to keep a cemetery looking its best.
In a recent interview with CemeteryVision.com, Johnson shares lessons learned from the ground up, including why irrigation is often a cemetery’s most persistent operational challenge.
“You have to be mindful of where your lines are,” Johnson said. “You have to think about equipment weight. You have to think about what happens when a line gets cut. There was a lot to it.”
He also zeroes in on the costly mistakes operators make when planning new gardens, and how maintenance teams directly influence the customer experience.
Johnson also discusses the importance of preventive planning, documentation, technology and communication between cemetery staff, offering practical insights that remain relevant whether a cemetery serves hundreds or thousands of families each year.
Read the full article on CemeteryVision.com to learn how Johnson’s early experiences shaped his leadership philosophy and why he believes the details visitors never see often make the biggest difference in cemetery operations.
