Legacy Planning with a Pinch of Imagination

/ January 29, 2019

So a funny thing happened when we introduced an amazing new idea to the funeral service industry. Using one-off manufacturing technologies, we were able to completely reinvent what was known as the common cremation urn.

So a funny thing happened when we introduced an amazing new idea to the funeral service industry. Using one-off manufacturing technologies, we were able to completely reinvent what was known as the common cremation urn.

It seems that sometime in (insert a number) BC, Glurg and Blurg were sitting in their cave and decided that a cremation urn was to be in the shape of a vase or a box. And so it was. Until 2015 urns were either vase shaped or box shaped and customization meant you might be able to have it in blue, green or floral pattern, and for those really on the fringe, they could be personalized with a name plate.

Because we’re the inquisitive types, we asked ourselves why people were willing to settle for a vase or a box when modern, one-off manufacturing technologies allow us to create these memorials in any shape, color and size. The answer we got was; A) individuals who choose cremation for themselves or a loved one are not interested in those types of expressions of legacy, they are just looking to take care of all their end of life affairs on the cheap and B) cause that’s the way we’ve always done it (see decree from Glurg and Burg).

We called BS on that and Foreverence was born.

Foreverence was originally envisioned as a channel sales organization, meaning that we believed all of our sales would come through funeral professionals reselling our product to their customers, and in all fairness, some do. But about 2 years ago, the direct to consumer side of our business began to far outpace the “funeral” side of our business. People find us on-line, connect with us directly and we help them envision, design and create a unique and personal tribute that tells the story of a life well lived.

 Whether it’s a favorite muscle car for a lifelong gear head, a Space Shuttle for a NASA design engineer or the high-profile tribute we made for the artist, Prince, each piece is a unique expression of life and  legacy.

But wait. There’s more. The really exciting part, and frankly the one we didn’t see coming, was how many people would be interested in buying our products as a pre-planning exercise and without a death event in sight. A full third of our business today comes from individuals who are very much alive and looking to purchase and own a Foreverence tribute well in advance of need.

Why would someone buy an urn in advance of need? Many reasons. Often, it’s to relieve their loved ones and heirs of the burden of figuring all of this out a time when they’ll be sad and grieving. Other times it’s because an individual wants to maintain a sense of control over their own, lasting, legacy. Finally, they buy it because the idea of legacy planning is often fraught with facing down difficult and unpleasant choices. As one of our customers profoundly told us, “once you arrive at the fact that you may die someday, working with Foreverence to decide how you want to be remembered was actually kind of fun”. Founded in 2014, Foreverence sought to re-imagine custom urns and deliver exceptional quality to the cremation market. Made in Maple Grove, MN., Foreverence’s one-of-a-kind tributes ensure an individual’s personality is accurately portrayed. Whether an urn or memento, Foreverence strives to elevate the conversation around end-of-life choices and legacy. For more information, visit www.foreverence.com or call 888-730-6111.

It seems that sometime in (insert a number) BC, Glurg and Blurg were sitting in their cave and decided that a cremation urn was to be in the shape of a vase or a box. And so it was. Until 2015 urns were either vase shaped or box shaped and customization meant you might be able to have it in blue, green or floral pattern, and for those really on the fringe, they could be personalized with a name plate.

Because we’re the inquisitive types, we asked ourselves why people were willing to settle for a vase or a box when modern, one-off manufacturing technologies allow us to create these memorials in any shape, color and size. The answer we got was; A) individuals who choose cremation for themselves or a loved one are not interested in those types of expressions of legacy, they are just looking to take care of all their end of life affairs on the cheap and B) cause that’s the way we’ve always done it (see decree from Glurg and Burg).

We called BS on that and Foreverence was born.

Foreverence was originally envisioned as a channel sales organization, meaning that we believed all of our sales would come through funeral professionals reselling our product to their customers, and in all fairness, some do. But about 2 years ago, the direct to consumer side of our business began to far outpace the “funeral” side of our business. People find us on-line, connect with us directly and we help them envision, design and create a unique and personal tribute that tells the story of a life well lived.

 Whether it’s a favorite muscle car for a lifelong gear head, a Space Shuttle for a NASA design engineer or the high-profile tribute we made for the artist, Prince, each piece is a unique expression of life and  legacy.

But wait. There’s more. The really exciting part, and frankly the one we didn’t see coming, was how many people would be interested in buying our products as a pre-planning exercise and without a death event in sight. A full third of our business today comes from individuals who are very much alive and looking to purchase and own a Foreverence tribute well in advance of need.

Why would someone buy an urn in advance of need? Many reasons. Often, it’s to relieve their loved ones and heirs of the burden of figuring all of this out a time when they’ll be sad and grieving. Other times it’s because an individual wants to maintain a sense of control over their own, lasting, legacy. Finally, they buy it because the idea of legacy planning if often fraught with facing down difficult and unpleasant choices. As one of our customers profoundly told us, “once you arrive at the fact that you may die someday, working with Foreverence to decide how you want to be remembered was actually kind of fun”.

Founded in 2014, Foreverence sought to re-imagine custom urns and deliver exceptional quality to the cremation market. Made in Maple Grove, MN., Foreverence’s one-of-a-kind tributes ensure an individual’s personality is accurately portrayed. Whether an urn or memento, Foreverence strives to elevate the conversation around end-of-life choices and legacy. For more information, visit www.foreverence.com or call 888-730-6111.