Amanda Shropshire
Owner & Funeral Director
Kermit Funeral Home
Kermit, TX
Average call volume: 100 calls/year

With no family in the funeral profession or funds to purchase a funeral home herself, Amanda Shropshire’s dream of ownership faced the same challenges as many other would-be owners: financing and support.

But when the right opportunity appeared at the right moment, Amanda took it as a sign to pursue her dream. Still, she needed a partner who understood the unique challenges of funeral home ownership.

That’s when she found Funeral Directors Life (FDL). With FDL’s help, Amanda opened Kermit Funeral Home and provided excellent service to a community in need.

“Becoming a funeral home owner wasn’t easy, but it was absolutely worth it,” Amanda said. “Having the accounting, lending, marketing, and other areas of help from FDL has really lifted some of the burden. It’s made it easier to serve families with love and respect and to know we’re doing what we need to for them.”

Here’s how Amanda turned her dream of ownership into a reality.

When was your funeral home founded, and what does your business look like today?

We opened on March 10, 2025, so I just celebrated my one-year anniversary. We have one location in Kermit, Texas. There’s another funeral home in town, but I seem to be doing pretty well in my market.

What obstacles were standing between you and your dream of funeral home ownership?

I don’t come from money or a family in the funeral profession. So, even though I had the dream of ownership, I didn’t see a clear path to make it happen. I couldn’t go out and buy a funeral home on my own.

While I was working in another town, I got a call that I’d been recommended for a program FDL was putting together to help funeral directors start their own funeral homes. Honestly, I thought it was a scam at first, so I didn’t even call back. Later, some friends encouraged me to return the call, and that’s when I started talking to (Senior Sales Vice President) Mark Owen at FDL.

After everything I’d been through, I realized it was time to pursue my dream, and FDL gave me a way to actually move forward.

Once you decided to move forward, what did the process look like?

The big problems were that I didn’t have a building, and I didn’t have the money to buy and renovate one on my own. I prayed about it and checked what was available in Kermit. The building I have now was posted online just when I started looking, so I took that as a sign and called Mark back the next day.

FDL helped me every step of the way. I put an offer in on the building, and we had to do a full renovation. There were other hurdles like rezoning and getting a variance, but once that was done, the loan process was smooth.

FDL believed in my vision and made it possible for me to purchase and renovate the building. Without that lending partnership, I wouldn’t have been able to open Kermit Funeral Home.

What difference did it make to work with lenders who understand the funeral profession?

When you’re starting from scratch, there’s no revenue or income yet. A traditional bank doesn’t really care about that. They just want their money, and that can make it feel impossible to get started.

FDL understood that there’s a lead time in this business. They knew I’d need some grace to build call volume and get established. They were very honest and open with communication, which is so important when it comes to your funeral home’s finances.

Having a lending partner who understands the unique aspects of funeral homes made the process less overwhelming and gave me room to get my footing as a new owner.

As a new owner, what challenges did you face with your funeral home’s finances and accounting?

I’m the only one working here most days. I’m the funeral director, embalmer, and my own assistant most of the time. I knew I needed to understand my funeral home’s financial numbers, but I didn’t have the time or expertise to handle all the accounting on my own.

FDL’s accounting service has been a lifesaver. They understand the numbers and can explain them to me, which has been super helpful. As a small business, it’s nice to have someone say, “Hey, you’re spending a little too much here,” or help me plan for unexpected expenses.

FDL gives me clarity and control over my finances without taking time away from serving families.

What was it like getting your funeral home started with marketing?

In Kermit, we don’t have radio or a newspaper. We literally have no traditional media. So, when I opened, I knew it would be hard to let people know who we are and what we offer. On top of that, I’m not very good at social media.

Having someone consistently post and keep things rolling has been very beneficial, especially in a market like mine, where digital and word of mouth are everything. Because of that support, we’ve seen strong engagement on social posts and good turnout for events like preplanning seminars. We’ve had more people show up and schedule appointments after than I ever expected!

The marketing and creative teams at FDL really listened to my needs. Before working with FDL, I thought marketing people could be a little headstrong, so I was nervous that I wouldn’t get a real say in my funeral home’s branding. But that wasn’t true at all. FDL’s team worked with me through several versions until everything was perfect.

Was having video an important part of your funeral home’s marketing strategy?

Absolutely! It’s hard to show people what you offer just through photos or text, especially when you’re trying to create a space that feels different from a traditional funeral home. I wanted families to see the building, how it can transform, and hear from someone I served.

The A/V team at FDL was super sweet and professional. They filmed a testimonial with a family I served, and when I saw the finished video, I bawled. It showed that I made a real impact. The videos also show how the chapel can be transformed into a reception hall, helping families see what’s possible during the planning process.

The community’s reaction to our videos has been really positive, especially on social media. It’s helped people understand who we are and what makes Kermit Funeral Home different.

How has offering livestreaming helped you serve families that are spread out?

Families today are often scattered, and it’s not always possible for everyone to travel on short notice. I knew I wanted a way to include those who couldn’t be here in person, but technology isn’t my strong suit.

FDL’s livestreaming service, Encore, is great. With it, I can livestream from the chapel and give the video to the family after the service, which is really beneficial. The Encore customer service team has been excellent, too. Whenever I have a problem, I call and get help quickly.

Families love our livestreaming option and think it’s great that we offer it, especially families who have relatives far away.

How did finding the right partner help you reach your goals and focus on what matters most?

If I had tried to do all of this alone – the lending, the accounting, the marketing, the technology – on top of being the only funeral director and embalmer, I don’t think I would ever leave my funeral home. My kids probably wouldn’t see me, and the mental strain would be enough to break anyone.

FDL has helped me open the doors of my funeral home, understand my finances, reach my community, and more, so I can focus on the families in front of me.

If you’re dreaming of opening your own funeral home, or even just looking for better support, having a partner like FDL makes all the difference.

Turn your calling into funeral home ownership today

Click here to learn more about FDL or fill out the form below to get started today!