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PODCAST

Calling Hours

Homesteaders Life Company

Join us each month as Danielle Burmeister, VP - Marketing Communications with Homesteaders Life Company, chats with funeral professionals and industry leaders to discuss the latest topics in the funeral space.

news business news

All Episodes

29:03

Funeral Home Owner Series: Leading with Legacy...

Calling Hours ·

2025/10/06

Kim Hunter joins Danielle Burmeister on Calling Hours in the first part in our new Funeral Home Owner series featuring real conversations with funeral home owners on the podcast. In this discussion, Kim and Danielle talk about leadership, legacy and his outlook on funeral services. Kim is the owner of Humphrey Funeral Home in Toronto, Canada, where he has served as president and owner since 2018 after many years with the firm. In their chat, Kim covers his journey into funeral service, the

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37:58

Episode 12: Chris Johnson

Calling Hours ·

2025/07/21

Chris Johnson joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about career paths, innovation and how their infamous socks became so popular among funeral professionals! Chris is Founder and CEO of Sepio Guard. In their chat, Chris covers what drew him to the funeral space, the catalyst for launching Sepio Guard and how his company is helping funeral professionals provide valuable (and oftentimes assumed) coverage for the families they serve. They also discuss the importance of workplace culture, the

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30:08

Episode 11: Cole Waybright

Calling Hours ·

2025/05/29

Cole Waybright joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about what drew him to the funeral profession, his advice for those just starting out and how his career has evolved into where he is now. Cole Waybright is Vice President of Sales Optimization with Homesteaders Life Company. In their chat, Cole talks about his early experiences in the family funeral home business and what he’s learned along the way. They also forecast trends in the profession like cremation, the importance of hiring good

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37:04

Episode 10: Scott Morris

Calling Hours ·

2025/04/10

Scott Morris joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about his career evolution, preneed strategy and trends in the funeral profession. Scott Morris is Vice President of Business Development with Homesteaders Life Company. In their chat, Scott covers his path into the funeral profession, key lessons he learned over the years and strategies for funeral homes to grow their businesses. They also discuss emerging trends like online funeral planning, shifts in operational approaches to preneed and

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43:33

Episode 9: Jon Lefrandt

Calling Hours ·

2024/12/20

Jon Lefrandt joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about the importance of grief resources and how funeral homes and families benefit from having a comprehensive approach to aftercare. Jon Lefrandt is the Founder and CEO of Elevia and For Grief, as well as the Chief Consumer Experience Officer with Homesteaders. In their chat, Jon talks about how he become involved in the funeral profession, the origin of Elevia and For Grief and how both companies have evolved to meet the needs of consumers

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41:06

Episode 8: Barbara Kemmis

Calling Hours ·

2024/10/21

Barbara Kemmis joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about final disposition options and the overall end of life experience for families and how it is continually evolving. Barbara Kemmis is executive director of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). In their chat, Barbara covers her experience with CANA, the challenges and opportunities facing funeral professionals related to cremation and the many variations of disposition. They also explore the possibilities of how families

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36:20

Episode 7: Erin Creger

Calling Hours ·

2024/09/03

Erin Creger joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about the importance of building trust in preneed sales and strengthening relationships in the funeral space. Erin is Chief Sales Officer for Envision Strategic Partners. In their chat, Erin talks about her sales background, including building, managing and motivating a team of diverse sales professionals. They also discuss the Death Care Collective, a group dedicated to building connections and empowering women in the funeral profession

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33:21

Episode 6: Mike Lake

Calling Hours ·

2024/08/06

Mike Lake joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about casket and urn sales and the growth in disposition options over the years. Mike is director of partner growth with Matthews Aurora. In their chat, Mike covers everything from his time growing up in the funeral profession and what has shaped his career to how selling wine coolers differs from caskets! They also discuss the significance of funeral services and how the casket price protection plan can help minimize the impact of inflation on

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31:02

Episode 5: Zach Chatterton

Calling Hours ·

2024/07/02

Zach Chatterton joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about the funeral home software platform Gather. Zach is the Founder and CEO of Gather, which recently partnered with Homesteaders, enabling an integration with their case management platform. In their chat, Zach covers how Gather originated, how technology has shifted over the years and what it takes to build a positive and productive workplace culture. They also discuss importance of understanding the funeral professional experience as a

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31:43

Episode 4: John Heald

Calling Hours ·

2024/06/04

John Heald joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about how the funeral industry has shifted to the digital space. John is General Manager of the Funeral Home Channel of Legacy.com and Chair-Elect on the Board of Trustees for the Funeral Service Foundation. In their chat, John covers his career path over the years, opportunities and challenges that funeral professionals face as generations unite in the workplace and the power of relationship building and networking within the industry. They

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34:23

Episode 3: Teresa Carlson

Calling Hours ·

2024/05/06

Teresa Carlson joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about funeral home lending, the future of females in the funeral space and the importance of succession planning. Teresa is Vice President of The Bancorp Bank, a nationwide funeral industry lender. In their chat, Teresa talks about how she got started in the banking industry, challenges and opportunities in small business lending and how her career has evolved into a focus on funeral home loans. They also cover how she grew her career while

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31:12

Episode 2: Dan Lodermeier

Calling Hours ·

2024/04/04

Dan Lodermeier joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about sales, leadership and the value of the Harry Potter book series. In their chat, Dan shares stories of starting out as a young professional, lessons he’s learned over the course of his 30+ years with Homesteaders and the qualities needed to succeed in sales to become a standout leader. They also talk about Homesteaders’ account executive program and share many book recommendations. Learn more about what it takes to thrive in the field

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28:33

Episode 1: Steve Shaffer

Calling Hours ·

2024/03/04

Steve Shaffer joins Danielle Burmeister in this discussion about his career in the funeral profession. Steve Shaffer is the President, CEO and Board Chair of Homesteaders Life Company. In their chat, Steve covers how he entered the funeral profession and his career path over the years. They also discuss how he has seen the industry grow and how he sees it changing moving forward. Learn more about Homesteaders' leader in this informative and insightful conversation.

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