Transcript
Speaker: Both children having the same disease, trying to fight for it, trying to create a vision for them.
Speaker: Hi, everybody, and welcome to this is the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Convention, their annual convention.
Speaker: And I am here with Jeff of Continuing Vision.
Speaker: Jeff, welcome.
Speaker: Good afternoon, Jennifer.
Speaker: Thank you for having me.
Speaker: Thank you for being part of this presentation we have going at the convention.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: No, I'm delighted to be here.
Speaker: There's been a buzz already and we've had loads of people inquiring about the continuing education, which has been great.
Speaker: We at the Glamour River podcast and with Muldani Memorials are big fans of continuing education.
Speaker: But I wanted very much to get this on camera today, Geoff, because I want to hear the personal story you have behind continuing vision.
Speaker: How did it start?
Speaker: Well, I started Continuing Vision in 2006 because as a funeral director, I couldn't get to these conventions.
Speaker: The bosses come, the managers come, they leave you at the funeral home to carry on the day-to-day operations.
Speaker: So it was hard for me and for others like me to gain your continuing education, and you needed that to renew your license.
Speaker: So I had a thought about developing a company that I would provide continuing education credits for funeral professionals in a setting where it was convenient for them, that they could get, you know, it was five minutes from the house.
Speaker: It was in where here in New York City was in the different boroughs, five boroughs, move it around.
Speaker: And make it convenient, make it at times when it was accessible to everybody.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: No, and it's even I've noticed, as I've always said, and most people who are listening to the podcast know, I'm not a licensed funeral director.
Speaker: So getting that education to people who can't afford to come to the national conventions or can't afford the time off or the bosses go and, you know, you're left doing sort of the work at the funeral home.
Speaker: It's so important to get that extra education and keep us educated.
Speaker: Like I'm always spouting on, we are, none of us are perfect and we can all be learning from people who I think even somebody said it earlier today, you know, whether you're five minutes in the business or 50 years in this business, you can still learn something from each of those people, right?
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: You know, and I, I always, at every presentation, I make one statement that after the six hours, because we normally do a six hour day, if you come away with one thing,
Speaker: The day has been worthwhile.
Speaker: One thing that you can take back to the funeral home and put into action.
Speaker: I mean, it could change the operation of the funeral.
Speaker: Yeah, completely.
Speaker: And it can be the smallest thing can change it irrevocably.
Speaker: Now, there is a personal side to the story and how continuing vision, you know, you wanted it to be your legacy.
Speaker: So tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker: Well, I had a son, Brian.
Speaker: He became a funeral director.
Speaker: He wanted to follow in dad's footsteps.
Speaker: And unfortunately, in 2022, he passed away from cancer.
Speaker: You know, this was supposed to be something for him to carry on.
Speaker: A lot of what's happening now with Continuing Vision, with the new programs and the new outlook,
Speaker: is in his memory to keep his memory alive, but also for all the new generation of funeral directors coming into the business to take their enthusiasm, their want to be in this business, because he really wanted to be in this business.
Speaker: to take that and nurture it and make sure that it's a safe place for them and some place that they can, you know, actually fulfill their dreams.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Being a female professional.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I will come back to that in a second because I want to talk about what you're kind of launching here today.
Speaker: But equally behind the name Continuing Vision, tell me, tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker: I think it's a beautiful.
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: Continuing, the first part is for the education part.
Speaker: The vision is because both my children were born with a congenital hereditary disease affecting the corneas of their eyes.
Speaker: They both needed transplants.
Speaker: My son, God bless him, he had two transplants, one right after.
Speaker: He graduated from grammar school, and my daughter had absolutely rejected everyone.
Speaker: She had
Speaker: 13 13 and she now has a prosthetic cardiac so i mean it was always continuing the vision to to fight to get them their vision yeah yeah fought hard with that yeah and continuing education continuing vision so it just all ties in really really well and
Speaker: I think, I mean, I know that's why I'm partnering with you.
Speaker: It's not just you're a very good man, you can tell, but it's just the story behind it.
Speaker: Like everything as a celebrant, as a funeral director, as a memorial planner for me, it's all about telling the story of the deceased.
Speaker: It's about, you know, what was their legacy?
Speaker: What are they leaving behind?
Speaker: And storytelling is just so important.
Speaker: So I think sharing your story is super important because people buy into it.
Speaker: Thank you, John.
Speaker: You know, yeah.
Speaker: You know, it was it was hard for our family.
Speaker: I mean, both children having the same disease, trying to fight for it, trying to to create a vision for them, you know, that they could see.
Speaker: This is this is how the name Continuing Vision became a reality.
Speaker: And, you know, it's through a lot of family support and, you know, long hours as a funeral professional and trying to make this work and trying to help the next generation realize that this is not only a job, it's a vocation.
Speaker: Yeah, very much so.
Speaker: Very, very much so.
Speaker: And so tell us about what you're launching today, the mentorship program, because I think that's super important.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: Interns out there or even don't have to be interns, right?
Speaker: Nope.
Speaker: Nope.
Speaker: We we decided to.
Speaker: Well, I had this thought in my head after Brian passed because I missed the phone calls from him.
Speaker: You know, he would call after work.
Speaker: Dad, this happened, that happened.
Speaker: Did I do the right thing?
Speaker: And you would try to, you know, comfort him that.
Speaker: Yeah, you did perfect, Brian.
Speaker: You did OK.
Speaker: You know, and maybe some days I wasn't so complimentary.
Speaker: You know, you should have done this.
Speaker: You should have done that.
Speaker: Nobody's perfect.
Speaker: But it was a safe place to make that conversation.
Speaker: So my thought was to develop a mentoring program.
Speaker: And with the help of a young professional funeral director, Regan Moreland, who I shared the idea, she has developed my website.
Speaker: She took it on as her project also.
Speaker: And just the first week in September, we launched a mentoring program.
Speaker: We have seasoned professional, we have funeral educators, seasoned funeral professionals as the mentors.
Speaker: They've been teamed up with mentees, funeral students who are in mortuary school, residents or interns.
Speaker: And licensed funeral director, as long as you've only been licensed five years, you can join the program.
Speaker: And it's free of charge.
Speaker: It's something that's not available in the industry, I don't think, in any other place.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: No, I think it's super important.
Speaker: And even like today, we've talked to both seasoned professionals and folks that are choosing their school, but also then interns that are doing their residency or whatever.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's just linking people up in that way is just super important because as a few people said today that like they felt like they were just thrown in to the deep end, you know, and have that the wisdom of somebody seasoned to kind of guide you through that.
Speaker: And I think having somebody seasoned who has the experience but isn't in it.
Speaker: the home working side by side with you it's it just it can give you a different perspective because you could be frustrated with your boss one day and react badly and you know you pick up the phone to your mentor and you think you're super right about what because you're just steam is coming out your ears but your mentor could be like yeah but maybe see it from his point of view or her point of view and maybe look at it this way suddenly your talk's down off your off the ledge
Speaker: Yeah, it's we want it to be a safe place for for these young people that there's no judgment, you know, because sometimes you might feel uncomfortable talking to your boss about something because he might tell you, you know, how did you do that?
Speaker: Why did you do that?
Speaker: And condescendingly or.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: get angry at you.
Speaker: But these, these are impartial, you know, professionals who can guide you through and, and take you through the steps of, you know, maybe the thoughts, maybe you need to think about it this way and not that way and, and just calm down and, and just take a deep breath in the moment.
Speaker: And, and,
Speaker: think about it before you react and sometimes the problem is with your superior in the funeral home like sometimes and so you can't go to them if they're not your mentor in that moment yes so i think it's really really great and obviously then you and i are launching the celebrant program together which is great so if anybody is interested in signing up to that i have previously only offered the celebrant training to my own celebrants within new york state
Speaker: So now we are bringing it both online and in person to everywhere where you have the seat.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: You know, and Jennifer, I want to humbly thank you for coming on board.
Speaker: I mean, I think this is going to be a game changer because I see the need, you know, especially in the tri-state area for people who want meaningful services, but maybe don't have a religious, you know, they might be religious, but don't feel it any longer.
Speaker: And they want some kind of,
Speaker: some kind of service to bring a celebration of life together.
Speaker: And your programs are incredible.
Speaker: And I think it's going to be beneficial to a lot of families.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And it's also about working with funeral homes, with funeral directors, training them if that's what they so need, because who doesn't need a bit of extra training?
Speaker: But it's working with everybody and making it cohesive.
Speaker: What we keep talking about today and has been a general theme with the people I've been socializing with at this conference is inclusion, diversity,
Speaker: And just making sure everyone's seen and heard.
Speaker: And that's really what it's about because serving the families at the end of the day.
Speaker: And ultimately what Continuing Vision I would like to turn it into is a career enrichment platform where you can get the CEs you need.
Speaker: Even if you don't need a CE, if there's a specific topic that you're interested in, I'm trying to bring in hands-on training.
Speaker: you know, technical labs and technical courses so that you can learn new things in a safe and especially inclusive environment.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I do not exclude anybody.
Speaker: Everyone is welcome.
Speaker: There are no extra membership fees.
Speaker: It's the more the merrier.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: We welcome everybody.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: Well, Jeff, it was a pleasure helping you exhibit at this New Jersey State.
Speaker: And thank you for filling us in on all the good stuff that Continuing Vision is doing.
Speaker: And check out the website.
Speaker: We're going to leave all the links below.
Speaker: And yeah, check out Jeff and Continuing Vision.
Speaker: And we'll talk to you guys soon.
Speaker: Thanks so much.
Speaker: Jennifer, thank you very much.
