Sam Boykin:
Despite our many efforts to stave off the Grim Reaper, one day he’ll pay us a visit. While this is a rather somber reminder of our mortality, it also represents a great business opportunity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the funeral industry generates over $11 billion a year in revenue, with each funeral averaging $6,500. This figure doesn’t include additional cemetery costs such as burial plots, vaults and monuments, which can tack on a few more grand to each service. With these to-die-for numbers, some savvy entrepreneurs have started thinking outside the pine box to come up with some unconventional and creative options for our final send-offs.
Creative folks such as Charles Chafer from the Space Services Inc., Don Brawley and George Frankel - Eternal Reefs, Greg Herro and Rusty VandenBiesen - LifeGem are making a living from the dying.
As a growing number of people opt for more personal, ecologically sound, and cheaper services, the creative-departures trend will likely continue. And with the death rate expected to increase by 2020 as a result of the growing population and the demise of the aging baby boom generation, it’s a market where you could truly make a killing.
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