Everyone will eventually require the services of a funeral home. Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home owner Lesleigh Bennett talked with students this morning about branding and how she and her husband set themselves apart from their competition.

She said people appreciate what Holland Barry & Bennett has to offer. The Bennetts were intentional with the floor plan when they were building 20 years ago: it is single level floor plan with seating for up to 300 in the same room. Lesleigh also makes herself available to sing during services if the family so desires. They are also different in that she is the only female funeral home owner in the area. People also appreciate that her husband Chris is a Lincoln native and veteran of the armed forces.

Lesleigh's parents owned a florist shop, so she grew up in a small business family. She was very interested in science and had planned to go to veterinary school or get into medicine, but she wasn't sure she could handle the suffering of the patients. She eventually realized that becoming a funeral director let her satisfy her interest in science and medicine while still being able to help people everyday.

Students asked Mrs. Bennett how she and her husband deal with working in an industry in which they are on call 24/7. "When we get a call on a holiday, in the middle of the night, or during a meal we recognize our lives will disrupted for a short time. The lives of the families who call us will be changed forever. We keep it all in perspective."

Thank you for hosting our business visit this morning and your support of the CEO program!