Scores of funeral professionals from across the United States — along with several attendees from Canada — gathered Sept. 24 at the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia for Mastermind: Elevating Your Funeral Service Business to New Heights, which was hosted by FuneralVision.com.
The event brought together funeral home owners, executives, managers, suppliers and other deathcare professionals for a day focused on practical strategies, emerging trends, technology, marketing, consumer behavior and the future of the profession.
“This is what Mastermind is all about — getting smart, forward-thinking people in the same room and giving them a reason to talk to each other,” said Thomas Parmalee, the founder and CEO of FuneralVision.com. “We had funeral professionals from across the country, plus colleagues from Canada, all bringing different experiences and perspectives to the table. The ideas shared in the classroom were important, but some of the best conversations happened in the hallways, over lunch and between sessions. That’s where real connections are made, and that’s what makes an event like this special.”
Mastermind began with a cocktail reception the evening before the conference, giving attendees an opportunity to meet fellow professionals in a relaxed setting before the educational program began. Nearly 20 attendees then took advantage of another unique networking opportunity, walking from the hotel to Citizens Bank Park to watch the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Milwaukee Brewers from a special Mastermind seating section.
A Day of Learning
The conference itself opened Thursday morning with breakfast, registration and networking before an agenda packed with speakers from throughout the funeral service and technology industries.
Chris Cruger, CEO of The Foresight Companies, opened the educational program with “The Funeral Consumer Has Changed. Have You?” Drawing on Foresight’s Funeral & Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study, Cruger examined changing consumer attitudes toward funeral homes, cremation and memorialization, as well as the growing importance of the digital experience and pricing transparency.
Emilli Milstead of Carriage Services followed with “1% Better Every Day,” offering a practical look at continuous improvement and how small operational changes can produce meaningful long-term results.
Terri Bordenkircher, regional director for Homesteaders Life Company, then explored consumer motivations surrounding preneed arrangements, sharing findings from Homesteaders’ Preneed Motivators research and discussing ways funeral professionals can better understand and connect with prospective prearrangement families.
The morning also featured a presentation from Cremation Air examining new approaches to scattering and how funeral homes can turn an increasingly requested service into another opportunity to serve families.
Lunch provided another extended opportunity for networking, with attendees comparing notes from the morning sessions, meeting sponsors and continuing conversations that began during the opening reception.
The afternoon program continued the conference’s focus on both the human and business sides of funeral service.
OneRoom discussed the value of livestreaming and how funeral homes can use the technology to differentiate themselves while creating additional opportunities to connect with families. Rev. Christopher Monturo of the Archdiocese of New York then offered a perspective few people in the profession can match: Before becoming a priest, he had been preparing for a career as a funeral director. His presentation explored grief, ritual, pastoral care and the importance of collaboration between clergy and funeral professionals.
Welton Hong, founder and CEO of Ring Ring Marketing, followed with a look ahead at “The 2027 Marketing Playbook for Funeral Homes,” examining changes in search, artificial intelligence, online reputation management, mobile visibility and digital advertising.
The conference concluded with “Founder Journeys: Building the Future of Deathcare Through Technology,” featuring Effie Anolik of Afterword, Rehan Choudhry of Chptr and Nicholas Allan of Celebrate Life Co. The three entrepreneurs shared their experiences building technology companies in deathcare before taking questions from attendees about innovation, product-market fit, scaling and customer acquisition.
A Special Recognition for Chris Cruger and The Foresight Companies
During the conference, Parmalee, who served as Mastermind’s moderator, paused to recognize Cruger for his longstanding support of the event (shown at the top of this article). He presented him with a certificate of appreciation as the conference got started.
Cruger and The Foresight Companies served as Mastermind’s Exclusive Diamond Sponsor for the third consecutive year.
Parmalee expressed his appreciation for both the sponsorship and the personal friendship that he’s enjoyed with Cruger over the years.
“Chris has believed in what we’re building at FuneralVision from the beginning, and that means a tremendous amount to me personally,” Parmalee said. “I started FuneralVision less than four years ago with a vision for creating something that could bring people in this profession together, and Chris has been an incredible friend and supporter of that vision. Having Foresight return as our Diamond Sponsor for three years in a row is something I don’t take for granted. I’m extremely grateful for Chris, for his friendship and for everything he has done to help make Mastermind possible.”
FuneralVision Thanks All Its Sponsors
FuneralVision.com expressed its appreciation to all of the companies that supported Mastermind and helped make the conference possible.
The Foresight Companies served as the event’s Exclusive Diamond Sponsor.
OneRoom and Homesteaders Life Company were Platinum Sponsors.
Ring Ring Marketing, Carriage Services, ASD – Answering Service for Directors, Cremation Air and Nomis Publications served as Gold Sponsors.
Their support allowed FuneralVision.com to bring together professionals from across North America for a conference designed not simply as a series of presentations, but as an opportunity for the profession to connect, exchange ideas and explore where funeral service is headed.
“We wanted Mastermind to be about more than sitting in a room and listening to speakers,” Parmalee said. “We wanted people to have conversations, make connections and leave with ideas they could actually use when they get back home. Seeing funeral professionals from all over the country — and several from Canada — connecting with each other throughout the event was incredibly rewarding.”
The response also sets the stage for the future of Mastermind. FuneralVision.com plans to bring the conference back to the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia next year, continuing its effort to create an intimate, business-focused gathering where funeral professionals can learn from industry leaders while developing relationships with their peers.
What’s Next for FuneralVision.com
While Mastermind will return to the Live! Casino & Hotel next year, FuneralVision.com’s next major event will take place in Maryland. Save the date!
May 27, 2027
The Innovation Invitational: Where Creativity Meets Tradition
Turf Valley Resort — Ellicott City, Maryland
The Innovation Invitational will bring together funeral professionals for an event designed to blend business, creativity, networking and the traditions of the profession — and attendees can enjoy golf at the resort!
Follow FuneralVision.com on LinkedIn.
