About the Episode: To get ready for the NFDA’s International Convention and Expo in New Orleans, host, Gabe Schauf is sitting down with Innovators, Workshop Presenters and Keynote Speaker in our 3-episode convention preview. In this second episode we will hear from 3 of our workshop presenters, Cate Collins, Cort Bluford, and Mandy Stafford.
- Cate Collins’ presentation, “Ignite the Powerhouse in You”, will take place on Monday and Wednesday from 8am to 9am.
- Cort Bluford’s presentation, “Embracing the Digital Frontier”, will take place on Sunday from 1:15pm to 2:15pm
- Mandy Stafford’s presentation, “Nurture our Nature”, will take place on Monday from 8am to 9am.
Don't miss this event! Learn more and register for the convention – Click Here
About Cate: Cate admits to letting her underwear get too tight so much so that she suffered a severe burn out some years ago. She has made it her life’s mission to support like-minded leaders, like you, to prevent burnout or once knee deep in it, how to navigate it.
Cate is president of Powerful Journey Consulting Inc. for over 25 years. She had the privilege of working with thousands of leaders and their teams across the globe to help them be more resilient, more joyful and more successful. Cate has authored 2 successful grief MP3’s, presented to funeral services internationally for over 20 years, has an extensive mental health background, is a national board member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers and is the author of her #1 leadership book on Amazon, The Powerhouse in you: How to Lead with greater resilience, courage and confidence.
Cate will be offering a special convention book price along with bundle offers for you to purchase to recognize your team after her 2 sessions, “Ignite the Powerhouse in you” and at the trade show booth #1541.Come and visit Cate from Canada to see how she can support your staffing needs.
About Cort: From the basketball court to the tech world, Cort’s journey has been anything but conventional. As a former professional basketball player and self-taught coder, he transitioned from writing Swift code during night shifts at the Ritz Carlton to becoming a SwiftUI expert with dozens of published iOS apps.
Recognizing the potential of SwiftUI early on, Cort embraced this technology, leading to a successful career shift. Now, as the Head of Product for a mobile app company, he not only developed innovative personal apps but also consulted on over three dozen external projects.
Cort’s focus has since evolved to user experience in digital spaces. Using psychology to drive revenue rather than traditional marketing methods, he has consistently delivered the most profitable year-over-year results since 2020. This approach has transformed businesses across various industries, including the lottery sector and family funeral services, demonstrating how a blend of creative problem-solving and a deep understanding of human behavior can turn ideas into impactful, profitable digital experiences.
About Mandy: Mandy Stafford has been a licensed funeral director for just shy of 15 years in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. “Interra Natural Burial” was a dream that came to life while she was working at Mueller Memorial Funeral Home. From coming up with the name, to learning about natural caskets and urns, and partnering with Return Home for terramation, she acquired extensive knowledge in the field. Being a funeral director is her passion, and natural funerals have only heightened her enthusiasm.
When Mandy and her husband decided to purchase the farm she grew up on in southern Minnesota, it meant finding a new job. Mandy remains on call one weekend a month for Mueller Memorial and helps out at her local funeral home. Most recently, she became a preneed coordinator for Return Home. Despite a seemingly chaotic schedule, she still enjoys some free time, which she commonly spends outside fishing, hunting, camping, and traveling with family and friends.