The Graveyard Shift
The Graveyard Shift
Podcast Description
Funeral professionals are constantly searching for two things – new ideas to better serve families and a good laugh. Join Todd Carlson, EVP of Sales and Chief Sales Officer at Directors Investment Group, on a wild ride as he engages in genuine and off-the-cuff conversations with 3 accomplished funeral professionals – Matt Bailey, President and Funeral Director at Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Gary Freytag, President and CEO of Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, and Jimmy Lucas, Owner and Funeral Director at Lucas Funeral Home. Together, they share their takes and valuable insights into the evolving profession with plenty of laughs along the way.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
Explores topics in the funeral profession including innovative service ideas, personal anecdotes, and industry trends, with episodes centered on memorable stories about career risks such as the dove release mishap and efforts to make funerals healing experiences.

Funeral professionals are constantly searching for two things – new ideas to better serve families and a good laugh. Join Todd Carlson, EVP of Sales and Chief Sales Officer at Directors Investment Group, on a wild ride as he engages in genuine and off-the-cuff conversations with 3 accomplished funeral professionals – Matt Bailey, President and Funeral Director at Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Gary Freytag, President and CEO of Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, and Jimmy Lucas, Owner and Funeral Director at Lucas Funeral Home. Together, they share their takes and valuable insights into the evolving profession with plenty of laughs along the way.
Ever wonder why some leaders command a room and others just…don’t?
Robbie Pape joins the guys to talk about the power of choice, showing up with confidence, and why the best leaders own their mistakes. Robbie also shares lessons from her colonel and fighter-pilot dad, and the crew digs into what the funeral profession needs more of from its leaders right now.
Tune in for honest conversations, a few emotional moments, and maybe a reason to start making your bed every morning.
About Robbie Pape:
Robbie Pape serves as Vice President of Operations at Carriage Services. With 30 years of experience spanning funeral and cemetery operations, finance, sales, systems, process improvement, and audit, Robbie brings a rare full-picture perspective to help Carriage continue to grow and succeed. She’s a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a past ICCFA President, current treasurer on the CANA Board of Directors, and holds a degree in Marketing and Information Systems from Baylor University.
About the podcast:
The Graveyard Shift is a podcast by Passare and features:
Todd Carlson, Chief Sales Officer at Directors Investment Group
Matt Bailey from Bailey Family Funeral Homes in Connecticut
Gary Freytag from Spring Grove in Ohio
Jimmy Lucas from Lucas Funerals and Cremations in Texas
Have feedback? Share it with us at [email protected].
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.