The Future of Pre-Need: Why Incremental Progress Beats Waiting for Perfect

There’s a funeral director I’ve been talking about a lot lately.Three locations. 250 calls a year. A strong pre-need program that’s scaled to the next level.And here’s the kicker: he didn’t get there by luck, or by chasing unicorn agents, or by waiting for the “perfect” moment.He got there because his tech stack is dialed in.Paperless workflows. Case management online. Families starting their own arrangements without an agent in the room. AI and digital tools handling the busy work so his people can focus on the human work.That’s not the future.That’s now.The Hardest Part of ChangeWhen he started down this path five years ago, his longtime admin said:“You can’t do this. Or I’ll quit.”That’s not unusual. Resistance is part of the game. Sometimes it comes from your staff. More often, it comes from you.The pain of change feels too big. The comfort of “just doing it the way we’ve always done it” feels safer.But here’s the problem: that’s how you slowly die—one day at a time.You’re either growing or you’re dying.And this guy? He’s growing.The Power of Incremental ProgressMost funeral homes avoid these shifts because they look overwhelming. Too much work. Too much risk.But the truth is: you don’t need to overhaul everything in one giant leap.What you need is incremental progress.A little bit every week.Tiny steps that add up to massive change.That’s how you go from $350,000 in pre-need sales to $1 million in two years.Not by waiting. Not by making excuses. But by starting.“Just Start”This is the same message I give to families who are afraid of pre-planning their funeral:Don’t worry about finishing it today.Just start.Because if you never start, you never finish.And once you start, you’re already on your way.The same rule applies to your business.You don’t need to be 100% paperless by December. You don’t need to master AI overnight.But you do need to start moving. Because others already are. And they’re selling pre-need contracts online—with or without an agent—every single day.The Johnny Renaissance HotlineI know a lot of you have no idea where to begin. That’s why I’ve opened up the Johnny Renaissance Hotline.Yes, it’s a landline.Yes, it’s copper.Yes, the connection is crystal clear.📞 608-845-2252That’s my desk line. Call it. If I’m there, I’ll pick up.Because sometimes the best way to get unstuck is to have one real conversation with someone who’s been there before and can point you in the right direction.The Choice in Front of YouThe industry is shifting. The world is shifting.You can wait.Or you can start.One funeral director decided to start—and he multiplied his business.Your choice is the same.See you on the hotline.—Johnny Renaissance👉 Want the full podcast episode? Listen on The Ash Flash. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theashflash.substack.com/subscribe