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Page A18 MARCH 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A By Mark Bowser Your Value to the Marketplace is the Problems You Can Solve Life is a series of problems. Experts say that we’re all in one of three places. One, you just came out of a crisis. Two, you’re in a crisis right this moment, or three…guess what…you’re getting ready to head into a crisis. So, life is a series of problems. More importantly, life is about how we handle problems. I see problems simply as opportunities in disguise. That may sound like a cli- ché, but that doesn’t make it not true. Problems can mean growth if you choose to look for the opportunity. The super successful are problem solvers. You are part of the super successful because you solve problems for other people. Your funeral home serves a vital solution for your town. Our value to the marketplace is in solving problems. For example, if we don’t solve a problem for a custom- er, then we aren’t worth anything to them. That’s harsh, but it’s also true. From a business perspective, your funeral home’s value to the marketplace is the problems that it can solve for your community. The famed author and preacher, Dr. Norman Vin- cent Peale was plagued with a problem one day. He just couldn’t come up with a solution and he felt like he was up against an obstacle the size of El Capitan in Yosemite Na- tional Park. Finally, Norman was told he needed to go see this partic- ular wise old man. They said if anyone can help you find a The Foundations of Success for Funeral Directors solution, it is this man. So, Norman relented and he went to visit the old man. The man opened the squeaky front door and allowed Norman to enter the house. The old man led Norman to the living room and pointed to a chair for Norman to sit down. The old man sat down adjacent to him in a well-worn recliner. While rocking back and forth, the old man asked, “Son, what brings you out this way?” Norman shared his miserable problem with the old man and everything he had tried to no avail to solve it. The old man leaped out of his chair like a rocket launching from Cape Canaveral. Norman couldn’t believe that the man could move that quickly. All of a sudden, the old man started to raise his hands in the air over and over again while walking in a circle in the middle of the room. Norman began to wonder what he had gotten himself into. Was the old man delusional? Had he lost his mind? Sheepishly, Norman asked, “Sir, may I ask what you are do- ing?” “Why, I am heaping up the problem of course. You can’t ex- pect to solve a problem until you get it in a pile.” After a moment, the old man stopped ‘heaping” the prob- lem and continued walking in a circle — this time poking a crooked, raggedy finger into an imaginary pile. Norman asked, “What are you doing now?” “Why, I am looking for the soft spot. Every problem has a soft spot. You can’t solve a problem until you find its soft spot. Hey, there it is right here! Son, that is where you will find your solution.” In his wild eccentric way, what this old man was doing was helping Norman kick start his creative juices. Every problem has a solution if you believe there is a solution and choose to look for the opportunity. Sometimes, the opportunity isn’t found where you expect it to be found. Sometimes, it is a shift in an attitude which leads you to acceptance and then to a new horizon which in turn leads to the new oppor- tunity. If you need a new answer to solve a problem then you had better ask new questions. Many times we stare at our problem like we are staring at a brick wall. Instead, we need to look for the door to walk through or at least a window to climb in from. To be super successful in this life, we have to be solu- tion oriented. I want you to do something for me – ac- tually it is for yourself. I want you to pull out a piece of paper. Go ahead. I’ll wait. I’m not going anywhere. Alright. Now, I want you to jot down on the paper a problem you are dealing with right now. It may be a business problem your funeral home is experiencing. It may be a relationship problem. Whatever it is, write it down now. Let’s deal with that problem immediately. So many people don’t want to face their problem. It is equivalent to throwing a little monster under the table so we can’t see it. However, hidden from view, that lit- tle monster of a problem finds crumbs under that table and it begins to eat. It grows and gets bigger and bigger. Eventually it is so big that the table can’t hide it anymore and we have to deal with it. So, let’s deal with it now while it is small. Heap the problem up and look for the soft spot and be- fore you know it…it won’t be a problem anymore. It will have been solved. www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. Blogs To view a video on this topic from one of Mark Bowser’s live sem- inars then go to https://youtu.be/NXRBFB8cLvM Excerpted and adapted from Mark Bowser’s Seminar, The Foundation of Success for Funeral Directors. To schedule Mark Bowser as a speaker for your next event or conference then email mark@BrightCorporation.com or visit www.MarkBowser.com Mark Bowser is the Vice President at one of the funeral industries premier stationary publishers, the Bright Corporation, and one of the top Professional Business Speakers in the United States. He is the au- thor of several books including The 3 Pillars of Success for Funeral Directors and Sales Success with Zig Ziglar. He can be reached at 1-800-428-6424 or email mark@BrightCorporation.com. By E lleanor S tarks B easley , CFSP Founder & Executive Director 100 B lack W omen of F uneral S ervice , I nc . 2019 A wards of E xcellence A new generation of women are ris- ing to the challenge of a meaningful and rewarding profession in funeral service. Many have come from other successful careers, bringing that ed- ucation and experience into anoth- er great industry, doing what they love. They have changed the face of a once dreary profession in the 21st century. To these women in funeral service we say thank you for think- ing outside the box. We have not only added stiletto heels to the pro- fessional dress code, but also a sav- vy attitude, unmatched work ethic and a compassionate commitment to service and excellence. If you don’t have a woman in a key posi- tion on your staff, you are missing a phenomenal opportunity. Some may call it hiring diversity but I call 2019 A wards of E xcellence it a smart move, taking your business to another lev- el. If you don’t know where to look, nearby mortuary schools will be glad to assist you. The 100BWFS is al- ways available to help you find what you are search- ing for. Email us at Hundredbwfs@aol.com. We want to make the funeral service profession the go-to career for those who know the importance of performance, compassion, commitment and excellence in service. Pamela C. Rayner AA Rayner, Sr and AA Rayner, Jr P amela C. R ayner Chicago, Illinois 2019-2020 H istorically R elevant F uneral H ome A ward W inner A graduate of the Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Pamela C. Rayner is a third generation funeral director and president of the A. A. Rayner Funeral Homes, which has two locations in Chicago, IL. Pamela’s grandfather, A.A. Rayner, Sr established the firm in 1947 after graduating from both Worsham and the John Marhsall School of Law. Her father, A.A. Rayner Jr joined the firm as a second gen- eration funeral director upon graduating fromWorsham. Pamela’s family resided in the upstairs portion of the funeral home, where special etiquette was learned by her on grieving family view- ing hours and chapel services. Those rules bestowed upon her while growing up have enabled her to become a better caregiver. As amentor and rolemodel, Pamela is always looking for hardwork- ing, brilliant and amazing professional future care givers. Through A.A. Rayner Funeral Homes, Pamela opens her doors for internship for stu- dents enrolled in the mortuary science program at Worsham College and the Malcolm X College program at the Chi- cago City College. She also established the A.A. Rayner Family Scholarship to give honor of those who were part of this great legacy build by her grandfather. The 100 Black Women of Funeral Ser- vice congratulations Pamela for follow- ing in the footsteps of the great men of the Rayner family. S E N D U S Y O U R N E W S ! PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 1-800-321-7479 info@nomispublications.com Market Research by MKJ Marketing Too Many Brand Names? Consider an Umbrella Brand. © 2020 MKJ Marketing 1-888-MKJ-1566 www.mkjmarketing.com Glenn Gould CEO, MKJ Marketing

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