Anybody who knows me knows that I don’t think “small.” I never have. You can’t revolutionize an industry by thinking “small” and that’s been the driving force behind funeralOne since day one. My vision has been to lead a movement of innovation and change in the funeral profession to ultimately help funeral professionals like you become more successful.

Maybe you’re not interested in revolutionizing the industry. But I know many of you want to grow your business, and increase revenues – and you can’t significantly improve your business by thinking “small.”

Not everything I’ve done has turned out the way I expected. But, that’s true of anybody who dares to “unleash” their entrepreneurial beast, in hopes of rocking the world (or at least improving it a bit).

Just yesterday, a client asked me what ideas and inspirations drive me forward. He was looking for those nuggets of wisdom that can help funeral homes turn into industry leaders. Here’s what I told him:

1. To be ultra-successful, you’ve got to be willing to do the one thing that ultra-successful people do! Do you think that Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, or any of the world’s most influential business people got big by thinking small? Highly doubtful – it was never in their nature. You’ve got to “think big.” That means you’ve got to have vision (and hold true to it) and have courage enough to take a risk or two.

2. Accept the fact that change is uncomfortable, but it’s necessary. Your families are changing, and you’ve got to change right along with them. What is it Charles Darwin said? “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

3. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. But make sure to surround yourself with smart people, then sit back and listen to what they have to say. I know your competitors aren’t going to want to share their secrets, but networking in associations like NFDA and ICCFA are a great way to meet other forward-thinking funeral professionals that are serious about improving their business.

Learn what’s working for their funeral home and what’s not – see if you can adapt some of their practices to your own business. Practice collaborating and sharing new ideas, and I guarantee you’ll discover some game-changing solutions for your funeral firm. Don’t just talk, either; you’ve got to have the courage to try new things, and act on the proven ideas of others.

4. Never stop learning. Ask anyone here at funeralOne – we’re always looking for faster, more efficient ways to do everyday tasks. And what we learn, we pass on to our co-workers in the office. Ours is a culture which values learning. And I believe the most successful funeral firms agree with us. They endorse the continuing education of both their licensed and unlicensed staff members, and encourage the sharing of acquired knowledge.

5. Always dream big, but give special attention to the details. By that I mean, do the small things well, while staying focused on the big vision. Small daily improvements over time lead to amazing results.

So what’s the bottom line of the way I approach business at funeralOne?

See every day as an opportunity to learn something new and to do at least one thing differently. Dare yourself to take risks, each and every day. And never choose to think (or dream) small.

That’s how you can unleash your inner entrepreneurial beast, and rock your world.

Do you dare to unleash your inner beast? Share your comments below!

Joe Joachim

funeralOne

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