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From Personal Loss to Professional Legacy: The Story of Continuing Vision
8 Plays6 months ago
In this inspiring episode of The Glam Reaper Podcast, Jennifer Muldowney sits down with Jeff Holcomb, a funeral director who’s been in the industry for over 43 years. He’s also the mind behind Continuing Vision, an educational platform for funeral professionals.
What makes Jeff’s story so powerful is the deeply personal journey behind his work. He created Continuing Vision in memory of his late son, Brian, building a legacy that continues to touch so many lives in the profession.
Continuing education for funeral directors is very important, especially for those who can’t attend the state or national conventions. Jeff’s platform makes these invaluable resources accessible to everyone. He discusses the new mentorship program launched at the convention—something close to Jeff’s heart—as it helps guide young professionals through the unique challenges they face.
This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a conversation that could change how you approach your work and life. Take a moment and tune in!
Key Topics:
-The heartfelt story behind Continuing Vision and family legacy
-Launch of a mentorship program to support new funeral directors
-Inclusivity through the celebrant program for all families
-The future of Continuing Vision focused on learning and growth
Quotes from the episode:
“We want it to be a safe place for for these young people that there's no judgment”
-Jeff Holcomb
“Inclusion, diversity, and just making sure everyone's seen and heard. And that's really what it's about, serving the families at the end of the day”
-Jennifer Muldowney
Timestamp:
[00:00] Podcast Intro
[00:19] Jeff shared the origin and purpose of the Continuing Vision company.
[04:00] Jeff elaborated on the personal meaning behind the name "Continuing Vision," explaining how it reflects both the importance of continuing education for funeral professionals and the fight to restore the vision of their children.
[06:06] Jeff introduced the launch of a new mentorship program, designed to pair seasoned funeral professionals and educators with mentees.
[08:41] Jennifer and Jeff emphasized the importance of creating a safe, judgment-free space for young funeral professionals in the mentorship program, where they can seek guidance without fear of criticism or anger from their superiors.
[09:53] Jeff discussed how their partnership in the celebrant program will be a game-changer for offering meaningful services.
[11:55] Outro
Connect with Jeff Holcomb:
Website - https://www.continuingvision.com/the-morticians-blog
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jeff-holcomb-194b8615
Connect with Jennifer/The Glam Reaper on socials at:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jennifermuldowney/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@therealglamreaper
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheGlamReaperMuldowney
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermuldowney/
Facebook Page Memorials -
https://www.facebook.com/MuldowneyMemorials/
Email us - glamreaperpodcast@gmail.com
Shop Merch -
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Transcript
Introduction to the NJ Funeral Directors Convention
00:00:00
Speaker
Both children having the same disease, trying to fight for it, trying to create a vision for them.
00:00:22
Speaker
Hi, everybody, and welcome to this is the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Convention, their annual convention.
Origins of Continuing Vision
00:00:30
Speaker
And I am here with Jeff of Continuing Vision.
00:00:32
Speaker
Jeff, welcome.
00:00:33
Speaker
Good afternoon, Jennifer.
00:00:34
Speaker
Thank you for having me.
00:00:35
Speaker
Thank you for being part of this presentation we have going at the convention.
00:00:40
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:00:41
Speaker
No, I'm delighted to be here.
00:00:43
Speaker
There's been a buzz already and we've had loads of people inquiring about the continuing education, which has been great.
00:00:49
Speaker
We at the Glamour River podcast and with Muldani Memorials are big fans of continuing education.
00:00:55
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.
00:01:04
Speaker
How did it start?
00:01:05
Speaker
Well, I started Continuing Vision in 2006 because as a funeral director, I couldn't get to these conventions.
00:01:13
Speaker
The bosses come, the managers come, they leave you at the funeral home to carry on the day-to-day operations.
00:01:20
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.
Importance of Continuing Education
00:01:29
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.
00:01:42
Speaker
It was in where here in New York City was in the different boroughs, five boroughs, move it around.
00:01:48
Speaker
And make it convenient, make it at times when it was accessible to everybody.
00:01:52
Speaker
Yeah.
00:01:53
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.
00:02:00
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.
00:02:10
Speaker
It's so important to get that extra education and keep us educated.
00:02:14
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?
00:02:27
Speaker
Yes.
00:02:28
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,
00:02:39
Speaker
The day has been worthwhile.
00:02:41
Speaker
One thing that you can take back to the funeral home and put into action.
00:02:45
Speaker
I mean, it could change the operation of the funeral.
00:02:48
Speaker
Yeah, completely.
00:02:49
Speaker
And it can be the smallest thing can change it irrevocably.
Legacy of Brian and Family Influence
00:02:52
Speaker
Now, there is a personal side to the story and how continuing vision, you know, you wanted it to be your legacy.
00:02:59
Speaker
So tell us a little bit about that.
00:03:00
Speaker
Well, I had a son, Brian.
00:03:02
Speaker
He became a funeral director.
00:03:03
Speaker
He wanted to follow in dad's footsteps.
00:03:06
Speaker
And unfortunately, in 2022, he passed away from cancer.
00:03:11
Speaker
You know, this was supposed to be something for him to carry on.
00:03:14
Speaker
A lot of what's happening now with Continuing Vision, with the new programs and the new outlook,
00:03:20
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.
00:03:35
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.
00:03:45
Speaker
Yeah.
00:03:46
Speaker
Being a female professional.
00:03:47
Speaker
Yeah.
00:03:48
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.
00:03:52
Speaker
But equally behind the name Continuing Vision, tell me, tell us a little bit about that.
00:03:57
Speaker
I think it's a beautiful.
00:03:58
Speaker
Thank you.
00:03:59
Speaker
Continuing, the first part is for the education part.
00:04:03
Speaker
The vision is because both my children were born with a congenital hereditary disease affecting the corneas of their eyes.
00:04:11
Speaker
They both needed transplants.
00:04:13
Speaker
My son, God bless him, he had two transplants, one right after.
00:04:17
Speaker
He graduated from grammar school, and my daughter had absolutely rejected everyone.
00:04:24
Speaker
She had
00:04:25
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
00:04:42
Speaker
I think, I mean, I know that's why I'm partnering with you.
00:04:45
Speaker
It's not just you're a very good man, you can tell, but it's just the story behind it.
00:04:51
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.
00:04:59
Speaker
It's about, you know, what was their legacy?
00:05:01
Speaker
What are they leaving behind?
Mentorship and Family Support Initiatives
00:05:03
Speaker
And storytelling is just so important.
00:05:04
Speaker
So I think sharing your story is super important because people buy into it.
00:05:10
Speaker
Thank you, John.
00:05:10
Speaker
You know, yeah.
00:05:11
Speaker
You know, it was it was hard for our family.
00:05:14
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.
00:05:23
Speaker
This is this is how the name Continuing Vision became a reality.
00:05:28
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.
00:05:43
Speaker
Yeah, very much so.
00:05:44
Speaker
Very, very much so.
00:05:46
Speaker
And so tell us about what you're launching today, the mentorship program, because I think that's super important.
00:05:52
Speaker
Right.
00:05:53
Speaker
Interns out there or even don't have to be interns, right?
00:05:56
Speaker
Nope.
00:05:56
Speaker
Nope.
00:05:57
Speaker
We we decided to.
00:05:59
Speaker
Well, I had this thought in my head after Brian passed because I missed the phone calls from him.
00:06:04
Speaker
You know, he would call after work.
00:06:06
Speaker
Dad, this happened, that happened.
00:06:08
Speaker
Did I do the right thing?
00:06:09
Speaker
And you would try to, you know, comfort him that.
00:06:12
Speaker
Yeah, you did perfect, Brian.
00:06:13
Speaker
You did OK.
00:06:14
Speaker
You know, and maybe some days I wasn't so complimentary.
00:06:19
Speaker
You know, you should have done this.
00:06:20
Speaker
You should have done that.
00:06:21
Speaker
Nobody's perfect.
00:06:21
Speaker
But it was a safe place to make that conversation.
00:06:24
Speaker
So my thought was to develop a mentoring program.
00:06:28
Speaker
And with the help of a young professional funeral director, Regan Moreland, who I shared the idea, she has developed my website.
00:06:38
Speaker
She took it on as her project also.
00:06:40
Speaker
And just the first week in September, we launched a mentoring program.
00:06:44
Speaker
We have seasoned professional, we have funeral educators, seasoned funeral professionals as the mentors.
00:06:51
Speaker
They've been teamed up with mentees, funeral students who are in mortuary school, residents or interns.
00:06:58
Speaker
And licensed funeral director, as long as you've only been licensed five years, you can join the program.
00:07:03
Speaker
And it's free of charge.
00:07:04
Speaker
It's something that's not available in the industry, I don't think, in any other place.
00:07:09
Speaker
Yeah.
00:07:10
Speaker
No, I think it's super important.
00:07:11
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.
00:07:20
Speaker
Yeah.
00:07:20
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.
00:07:35
Speaker
And I think having somebody seasoned who has the experience but isn't in it.
00:07:41
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
00:08:05
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?
00:08:20
Speaker
Why did you do that?
00:08:21
Speaker
And condescendingly or.
00:08:22
Speaker
Yeah.
00:08:23
Speaker
get angry at you.
00:08:24
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
Future Directions and New Programs
00:08:39
Speaker
in the moment.
00:08:39
Speaker
And, and,
00:08:40
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
00:09:05
Speaker
So now we are bringing it both online and in person to everywhere where you have the seat.
00:09:12
Speaker
Yes.
00:09:12
Speaker
You know, and Jennifer, I want to humbly thank you for coming on board.
00:09:16
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.
00:09:32
Speaker
And they want some kind of,
00:09:34
Speaker
some kind of service to bring a celebration of life together.
00:09:39
Speaker
And your programs are incredible.
00:09:41
Speaker
And I think it's going to be beneficial to a lot of families.
00:09:44
Speaker
Yeah.
00:09:44
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?
00:09:53
Speaker
But it's working with everybody and making it cohesive.
00:09:55
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,
00:10:04
Speaker
And just making sure everyone's seen and heard.
00:10:05
Speaker
And that's really what it's about because serving the families at the end of the day.
00:10:09
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.
00:10:18
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.
00:10:25
Speaker
you know, technical labs and technical courses so that you can learn new things in a safe and especially inclusive environment.
00:10:35
Speaker
Yeah.
00:10:36
Speaker
I do not exclude anybody.
00:10:38
Speaker
Everyone is welcome.
00:10:39
Speaker
There are no extra membership fees.
00:10:42
Speaker
It's the more the merrier.
00:10:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:10:44
Speaker
We welcome everybody.
00:10:45
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:10:45
Speaker
Well, Jeff, it was a pleasure helping you exhibit at this New Jersey State.
00:10:50
Speaker
And thank you for filling us in on all the good stuff that Continuing Vision is doing.
00:10:55
Speaker
And check out the website.
00:10:56
Speaker
We're going to leave all the links below.
00:10:58
Speaker
And yeah, check out Jeff and Continuing Vision.
00:11:00
Speaker
And we'll talk to you guys soon.
00:11:02
Speaker
Thanks so much.
00:11:03
Speaker
Jennifer, thank you very much.