Sandra Walker (Fairmount Memorial): From Temp to COO: An Unstoppable Force in Death Care | #42

The Direct Cremation Podcast

Sandra Walker boasts an impressive career in the death care industry. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Fairmount Memorial Association, overseeing seven memorial parks and a few cremation brands. Additionally, she holds a position on the board of the Cremation Association of North America and is a founding member of the Death Care Collective. This remarkable journey follows nearly two decades of dedication at SCI.

Despite her accomplishments, Sandra humbly attributes her success to great mentors and a support system in death care. However, her path has been marked by unwavering perseverance, hard work, and an unrelenting passion for achieving her goals.

In this episode, you will have the opportunity to hear Sandra's remarkable story, from her aspirations of becoming a lawyer to her initial experiences with a temp agency, ultimately leading to her role as COO. It is an inspiring journey that you won't want to miss.

Timestamps
(00:00) Intro
(00:49) Welcome to Direct Cremation Podcast
(03:51) Sandra's unconventional journey into death care
(10:18) Sandra's transition from wanting to be an attorney to death care
(10:48) Sandra's experience with losing her work visa and finding support
(13:45) Learning at SCI prepared Sandra for success at smaller companies.
(17:31) Sandra's ethnic background
(20:07) The mission of The Death Care Collective
(24:34) There is a shortage of women graduates in the death care industry.
(25:20) Recruiting outside the industry and mentoring can help fill positions.
(27:11) Work-life integration is important for retention and avoiding burnout.
(27:55) The impact of burnout on business and the future of management
(28:57) Balancing recruitment and healthy work culture
(31:15) Future plans for the Death Care Collective
(36:03) Role of a CANA board member
(37:38) What can we look forward to in CANA?
(40:58) Discussion about the FTC panel and proposed changes in death care
(50:31) Challenges and rewards of being a COO of Fairmount
(56:12) What Sandra thinks deathcare will look like in 10 years
(58:13) Where to find Sandra, The Deathcare Collective, and CANA

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