Agenda

8 - 8:30 a.m.
Welcome Remarks
Randy Anderson, NFDA President

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Mindset Matters: The Performance Mindset for Funeral Professionals (by a Funeral Professional)
Mark Panciera, CEO, The Pacific Institute
Have you ever paused to consider that the very thing that may be limiting you, holding you back from peak performance in all areas of life and business, could be your view of the circumstances around you, your mindset? Backed by scientific research, this session will prescribe the 4 keys to a Performance Mindset that help take you beyond your circumstances to reach extraordinary levels of success. Discover real tools to ignite you and your business; whether it is personal growth or market share expansion, this session will help you make the changes that will impact you now!

9:30 - 9:45 a.m.
Break

9:45 - 10:45
Creating Memorable Experiences Inside Your Funeral Home
Georganne Bender and Richard Kizer, Partners, Kizer & Bender Speaking!
Your funeral home has an ambiance, a palpable personality that translates into what a customer experiences from the first moment of contact. Whether they find you on social media, online, Yelp or walk in your front door, the customer experience must be consistent. And consistently good. The new normal includes automation, social networking, mobile messaging, new choices in how to say goodbye, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and more. You’ll learn how to use these things to create experiences that are unique to your funeral home, and you’ll learn how Moments of Truth define the customer experience. 

10:45 -11:45 a.m.
The Role of Empathy in Difficult Arrangements
Martha Thayer, Professor Emeritus, Mortuary Science Program, Arapahoe Community College
We have all experienced a difficult arrangement conference. Join Martha as she discusses the difference between empathy and sympathy. Learn the benefits of active listening and how you can apply them during the arrangement conference easing the barrier between you and the family’s you serve.

11:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Remarks

12 - 12:40 p.m.
Optional Lunch n' Learn with Live Oak Bank

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.
Graduating Grief
Sherrie Dunlevy, Author & Podcast Host
You don’t have to just survive your grief. You can thrive! Have you ever felt worse “after” your grief support group meeting than when you walked in? Ever found your “grieving” self laughing and realized it felt good? Is life starting to look inviting, maybe even exciting again? Do you want to do more than just survive your grief? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then you are most likely ready to Graduate Grief. But just because you may be ready to graduate from the pain of your loss, doesn’t mean you don’t feel fear, guilt and anxiety about moving forward. Yet hope, healing, and joy are all possible after loss, if you choose it. Discover tools, resources, and exercises that can be used to help grievers in their journey back to living life with joy.

1:45 - 2 p.m.
Break

2 - 3 p.m.
To Be or Not to Be…Afraid of the Prep Room
Tom Buist, MBIE, The Dodge Company
Buist will provide an evidence-based review of what is really dangerous in the preparation room and what is not. Topics include pregnancy risks, infectious diseases, and practical steps for mitigating risks. Learn the current research on embalming and reproductive risk and gain an understanding of the most serious health risks in embalming. 

3 p.m.
Closing Remarks and Pup Doodle Derby

8 - 8:45 a.m.
Virtual Scavenger Hunt

8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
The Three E’s for Cremation Success: Employees, Expectations, Engagement
Michael Nicodemus, Vice President, Cremation Services, NFDA
It’s critical that funeral home owners and managers understand how important their employees are to the success/failure of their business. Discover what what will stop families from returning  to your place of place of business and learn proper staff training to avoid those mistakes. Keeping your employees engaged is imperative to your success and vital to your business, good name, and reputation.

9:45 - 10 a.m.
Break

10 - 11 a.m.
Keynote: Grief, Trauma, & Resilience: Caring for Ourselves and the Families We Serve
Dr. Jody Carrington
Psychologist. Speaker. Author. Game Changer. For 15 years Jody educated and empowered some of our most vulnerable souls on the planet. Treating educators, parents, first and last responders, Jody shifts the way we think and feel about the holy work they do. Jody’s session is about how we need to (AND CAN) look after each other, so we can continue serving the families who need us most.

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Lunch

12 - 3:30 p.m.
Keynote: Design Thinking Workshop: A Crash Course in Innovation!
Duncan Wardle, Founder, ID8 & Innov8, LLC
Wardle brings his extensive Disney expertise to audiences around the world using a unique approach to Design Thinking, helping people capture unlikely connections, leading to fresh thinking and disruptive ideas. Specifically designed to address the 5 biggest obstacles to innovation and creativity in the workplace, this hands-on workshop will teach you how to create an “innovation light switch” in your business to access creative problem solving and innovative new ideas.

Sponsored by:

3:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks