This week, I’m joined by an extraordinary leader in the funeral and deathcare industry. Lisa Baue is a third-generation funeral director, former CEO of Baue Funeral Homes, and founder of Funeral Women Lead—the first nonprofit dedicated to advancing women in her profession. She’s also the best-selling author of Wake-Up Calls: A Journey of Learning to Lead and Succeed in the Funeral and Deathcare Profession, a powerful hybrid memoir on leadership, resilience, and redefining success.
In this conversation, Lisa pulls back the curtain on a profession few of us truly understand. She shares her unexpected journey into funeral service; the sudden loss of her father that thrust her into leadership at just 30; and the decades of growth, mistakes, and hard-earned wisdom that shaped her as a leader. We talk candidly about burnout, the realities of being on call at all hours, inequities in pay and opportunity, and why so many women—despite entering the field at unprecedented rates—are leaving it.
Lisa also offers a hopeful vision for the future. She walks us through her work with Funeral Women Lead, including its mission to “unleash greatness” in women through leadership development, community, and wellness.
Whether you’re in funeral service or another demanding profession, Lisa’s insights on leadership, purpose, and well-being will inspire you. Her story is a reminder that our greatest challenges often become our greatest offerings—and that it’s never too late to rewrite our path.
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