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Leadership in a Board of Directors is not measured by titles or tenure. It reveals itself through presence, preparation, and the courage to speak with clarity when tensions rise. Strong boards understand that their highest responsibility is to protect the mission and pursue the vision of the organization. When directors hold to that standard, the board stays aligned even during difficult conversations. When they drift from it, the room follows. Mission and vision serve as the

A Reflection on Family, Friendship, Work, and the Urgency We Often Forget Every family carries a truth we rarely say aloud. One sibling will see all the funerals. One will see none. And one will leave before anyone is ready. It’s a heavy thought until you realize how universally it applies. The same pattern shows up among friends, coworkers, committees, leadership teams, and even the groups we drift through in daily life. In every circle, someone will take the first step into

How to Host a $100 Tip Lunch: A Tradition of Generosity and Joy Some traditions are inherited. Others are created on purpose because they leave a mark on people in ways a holiday gift never could. Our $100 Tip Lunch has become one of those traditions for our family and friends. It is simple in structure, robust in impact, and filled with the kind of joy that stays with you long after the food is cleared. If you have ever wanted to surprise someone with generosity at just the

It is a question people whisper in hallways more often than they admit. Your boss is terminated. A leadership position opens overnight. Now what? Do you raise your hand, or do you wait to be considered? Here is the honest truth: If you are asking this question in the moment, you are already behind. Leadership opportunities rarely arrive on a smooth, predictable schedule. They show up on Tuesday afternoons when no one sees them coming. They show up after reorganizations, retir

Christmas The Birth of Jesus and the Gifts That Still Matter Each year, as Christmas approaches, we return to a story that has outlasted centuries. A long journey. A crowded town. A stable offered out of necessity rather than comfort. And in that humble place, Mary wrapped her newborn son in cloths and laid him in a manger. Shepherds keeping watch heard an angel say,  Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy.  They hurried into Bethlehem and found the child just a

Walking Through Grief During the Holidays – by Jay Jacobson, LUTCF, CPC, CFSP The holidays arrive with sparkle and a soundtrack. Lights twinkle across porches. Stores hum with music. Commercials promise joy, warmth, and perfect moments framed in ribbons and bows. But for many, the season begins with a quiet ache that echoes the opening line of the song by Faith Hill: “Where are you, Christmas? Why can’t I find you?” That lyric captures what grief often feels like this time of

Some milestones arrive quietly. Others arrive with a weight that settles over your heart and reminds you just how far the journey has been. Today is one of those moments. I am honored to share that  Lead by Legendary Example  is now available on Amazon. Here is the direct link : https://www.amazon.com/dp/1970368012 This book did not spring from a single idea or a Saturday afternoon of inspiration. It was written in the margins of long days, in the early morning hours when th

Why This One Sentence Tells the Real Story of Leadership** There are compliments. There are thank yous. And then there is the moment a client looks at you—sometimes tired, sometimes relieved, sometimes a little emotional—and says: “We couldn’t have done it without your help.” That line carries weight. It signals that something deeper happened beneath the surface. In funeral service and small business leadership, that sentence is rarely about convenience. It is usually born f

Why Strategy, Not Discounts, Protects Your Future in Funeral Service By Jay Jacobson, CPC, CFSP You can always feel it before you name it. The quiet shift in the room when you open the ledger. The numbers stare back at you, clear, cold, and unmoved. Case counts are down, revenue per call has slipped, and the margin that once gave you room to breathe now presses a little tighter around your ribs. Most leaders panic in that moment. The temptation is almost instinctive. Do somet

When a child loses someone they love, the world feels unfamiliar.Colors seem muted. The air feels heavy. Days that once made sense start to wobble. As adults, we want to protect children from pain. Yet what they need most is not distance from grief. What they need is safe company within it. As funeral professionals, teachers, and parents, we have a sacred opportunity to guide them toward understanding. Research from Homesteaders Life Company reminds us that children experien

A few months ago, I sat with a family as they wrapped up arrangements for their father. We were reviewing the final details when the daughter said something that stayed with me. “We visited another funeral home before coming here,” she said. “They spent more time talking about who owns the competition than how they would take care of Dad. That did not sit right with us. We wanted someone who would focus on our family, not on everyone else.” Her words were calm and honest, the

A simple phrase that strengthens teams, restores trust, and elevates your leadership. There is a moment in every leader’s day when the office settles, the last call finishes, and the noise fades. In that quiet, we often overlook something that shapes culture and builds trust more than any policy or program ever will. "Thank you." Not the rushed version attached to an email. Not the polite nod in the hallway. I am talking about intentional gratitude. The kind that tells someon

When you contact Jacobson Professional Staffing (JPS), you are not talking to a department or a team. You are talking to me. Every phone call, consultation, and training session carries my personal commitment to meet your expectations and help you reach your goals. Behind the curtain, the preparation runs deep. Every engagement begins with careful research, customized planning, and the discipline of presence. Nothing I deliver is copied or routine. Each partnership is built a

I was talking recently with a funeral home owner who had just lost a great employee.“She was only with us nine months,” he said. “I thought she’d be here for years.” When I asked what happened, he paused.“She said she loved the families, loved the team, but the culture just wasn’t what she expected.” That moment stayed with me because I’ve heard that story too many times. In funeral service, and across many small businesses, we are quick to study a résumé. We look for gaps, s

New Book Launches November 28, 2025:  Lead by Legendary Example  — A Powerful Training Manual for Leadership That Lasts ANKENY, IOWA — November 28, 2025.  Author, entrepreneur, and funeral director  Jay Jacobson  announces the release of his highly anticipated book,  Lead by Legendary Example , a transformative guide that redefines what it means to lead with integrity, presence, and purpose in a rapidly changing world. Drawing from decades of hands-on experience in funeral se

By Jay Jacobson Families remember how you made them feel long after they forget what you said. That truth defines every great service professional. It also explains why calm confidence matters more than charisma. Charisma captures attention for a moment. Calm confidence earns trust that lasts. One shines; the other steadies. When emotions rise and moments become fragile, people are not looking for someone to impress them. They are looking for someone who can steady them. The

What the NFDA’s Latest Study Reveals About How We Talk and How Families Hear Us The young funeral director paused mid-sentence. Across the table, a grieving daughter furrowed her brow. The director had just said the words “memorial service,” assuming everyone knew what that meant. But the daughter quietly asked, “Is that the same thing as a funeral? Or more like a celebration of life?” That small moment, an honest question born from confusion, captures a truth now backed by n

A recent Sky News report explored which professions are most at risk from Artificial Intelligence and which remain safely human. Funeral service sits squarely in the middle of that conversation. As technology transforms the world of work, our profession faces both opportunity and challenge. Administrative and communication tasks can now be handled faster by machines, but the heart of funeral service, the part rooted in presence, compassion, and trust, remains beyond the reach

A Follow-Up to “When Strength Becomes Silence” By Jay Jacobson, CFSPJacobson Professional Staffing | Ankeny, Iowa It was a Tuesday afternoon in a mortuary science classroom. The kind of day when the air feels still and the hum of the lights sounds louder than the students. The instructor asked everyone to share why they chose funeral service. A young woman near the front spoke first. “I want to help people heal,” she said with quiet confidence. Heads nodded around the room. T

Why Fewer Men Are Entering Funeral Service — And How Connection Can Bring Them Back By Jay Jacobson, CFSP Jacobson Professional Staffing | Ankeny, Iowa A Profession Built on Presence Funeral service is sacred work. It calls us to meet families in their darkest hours and remain steady in the presence of grief. The best directors know how to listen deeply, carry calm, and hold emotion without fear. Yet across the country, fewer men are answering that call. Mortuary schools now