By Jay Jacobson There is a moment in nearly every arrangement conference when the conversation changes. A family may arrive talking about cremation, price, or what Mom said she wanted. They may begin with, “We don’t want anything elaborate,” or “We just want something simple.” Then somebody tells a story.…
Read MoreBy Jay Jacobson What executive movement across death care should make us ask about leadership, culture, and the relationships we say matter. I remember when changing suppliers in funeral service was a big deal. I mean a really big deal. You didn't discover another company was 3% cheaper on Monday and move…
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Jay Jacobson, licensed funeral director, consultant, author, and founder of Jacobson Professional Staffing, presented “Augmented Intelligence in Funeral Service: Keeping it Human” at the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky in Louisville, Kentucky. The presentation focused on how augmented intelligence can help funeral service professionals reduce administrative friction, improve communication, support staff training, and strengthen…
Read MoreBy Jay Jacobson Pictured at top: The author at age five with Aunt Judy. There comes a moment for many of us in funeral service when grief stops being something we guide others through and becomes something we have to carry ourselves. We know the language of loss. We know…
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By Jay Jacobson January 20 is Last Responders Day. It’s a moment to pause and recognize a group of professionals whose leadership rarely makes headlines, but whose presence carries enormous weight. When we talk about leadership under pressure, we usually picture the first ones on scene, such as firefighters, EMTs…
Read MoreLeadership in funeral service rarely announces itself. It shows up in preparation, restraint, consistency and presence long before it’s tested in public moments. In a profession built on trust, the most influential leaders are often the least visible. That reality sits at the heart of Lead by Legendary Example, a new…
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By Jay Jacobson A quiet shift, a deeper calling I still remember when a family sat across the desk from me, papers neatly stacked between us, pens lined up like we were about to sign something important. Because we were. There was time to pause. Time to read faces. Time…
Read MoreSome milestones feel personal. Others reach deeper and speak to the very work that has shaped your life. Today is one of those moments. Jay Jacobson, the former president of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association and now the owner of Jacobson Professional Staffing and Jay's Cookies, announced in a news…
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By Jay Jacobson There is a moment in every leader’s day when the office settles, the last call finishes, and the noise fades. In that quiet, we often overlook something that shapes culture and builds trust more than any policy or program ever will. Thank you. Not the rushed version…
Read MoreBy Jay Jacobson When a child loses someone they love, the world feels unfamiliar. Colors seem muted. The air feels heavy. Days that once made sense start to wobble. As adults, we want to protect children from pain. Yet what they need most is not distance from grief. What they…
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By Jay Jacobson, founder of Jacobson Professional Staffing An obituary has always been sacred ground. It is where a name becomes a story, where a life lived finds its voice one final time. For generations, that story was printed in the newspaper. Today, it lives online, where words travel farther and…
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