4 Women and a Funeral

About 4 Women and a Funeral

Sponsored by Funeral Women Lead - 4 Women and a Funeral is a bold new podcast exploring the real experiences, challenges, and triumphs of women in the funeral and deathcare profession. Each episode invites listeners into candid conversations about leadership, purpose, gender dynamics, grief, and the evolving future of the profession. Hosted by four trailblazing women with deep roots in funeral service Lisa Baue, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, Melissa Posey Loose, and Alicia Carr, this podcast brings a powerful mix of experience, insight, and heart to the table. Together, they have led businesses, trained professionals, challenged industry norms, and mentored the next generation, all while staying grounded in their shared commitment to serve families and support each other. This is not another industry podcast focused on business as usual. It is a space for truth telling, connection, and empowerment. From navigating bias and burnout to building legacy and leading with compassion, 4 Women and a Funeral offers honest insights and a fresh perspective for professionals who care deeply about the work they do. If you are ready to hear what others are not saying, this podcast is for you. Follow and subscribe on your favorite platform so you never miss a new episode. Have a question, topic idea, or something you'd like to hear us talk about? Email us at info@funeralwomenlead.org

Publisher

Funeral Women Lead

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Jun 2025

Latest episode

12 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Aug 2026

   A New Generation Takes the Lead with Lindsey Ballard

   What does leadership really look like when business ownership, family, a changing team, and a national leadership role all collide? Lindsey Ballard, owner and funeral director of Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremations and President of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), joins 4 Women and a Funeral hosts Lisa Baue, Alicia Carr, and Melissa Posey Loose for a candid conversation about stepping into leadership, asking for help, building a strong team, and navigating a season of ma...

2. 

   9 Jul 2026

   The Leadership Skills No One Teaches You with Erin Wilson

   What does it take to build a successful career in funeral service? Erin Wilson, Senior Director of Education + Program Strategy at Funeral Women Lead, joins the hosts to discuss mentorship, leadership, confidence, and why supporting the next generation of women is critical to the future of the profession. Plus, get a look inside the vision behind Funeral Women Lead's Women's Leadership Academy and growing leadership community. Interested in taking the next step in your leadership journey? Reg...

3. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Finding Your Voice in Funeral Service with Barbara Risher Welch

   What does it take to find your voice, earn your seat at the table, and help create opportunities for the women coming behind you? In this episode, Barbara Risher Welch shares her remarkable journey from growing up above her family's funeral home to becoming the 2026 President of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Along the way, she opens up about navigating leadership in male-dominated spaces, building confidence, balancing family and business, mentoring future professionals, and advocating ...

4. 

   11 May 2026

   Grace Over Guilt: Motherhood in Funeral Service

   Hosts Sarah and Emily explore the demanding balance of motherhood and funeral service, sharing honest stories and lessons learned about navigating guilt and finding support.

5. 

   13 Apr 2026

   The Next Generation Is Here. Are We Ready? with Leili McMurrough

   Hosts Lisa Baue, Melissa Posey Loose, Alicia Carr, and Ellen Winn McBrayer interview Leili McMurrough, President of Worsham College of Mortuary Science, about retaining and supporting the next generation of funeral service professionals.

6. 

   9 Mar 2026

   A Legacy of Leadership with Christine Pepper

   In this Women’s History Month episode of 4 Women and a Funeral, the hosts sit down with Christine Pepper, CEO of the National Funeral Directors Association, to reflect on an extraordinary 40-year career in funeral service leadership. Christine shares what it was like stepping into the profession when women’s leadership was nearly invisible, how she navigated early challenges, and why confidence, mentorship, and resilience still matter so much for the next generation of women entering funeral ...

7. 

   9 Feb 2026

   The Stress We’ve Normalized + What It’s Doing to Our Hearts

   February is Heart Month, and this new episode of 4 Women and a Funeral takes an honest look at the stress we have normalized in funeral service and what it is doing to our hearts, our health, and our lives. Lisa Baue is joined by Alicia Carr, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, and Melissa Posey Loose for a real conversation about long hours, emotional labor, and the pressure to do it all. Together, they explore how burnout is often treated as a personal issue when it is really a leadership, staffing, or s...

8. 

   21 Jan 2026

   Leading with Intention in Deathcare with Dr. Jennifer Lares

   Welcome back to 4 Women and a Funeral. In this episode, we sit down for an honest conversation about leadership, boundaries, and what it means to lead with intention in a profession that never truly slows down. Joining Lisa Baue, Alicia Carr, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, and Melissa Posey Loose is Dr. Jennifer Lares, founder of Mulling Mortician. Jennifer brings perspective shaped by service, education, and hands on experience in funeral care. Together, the group reflects on fatigue, responsibility, ...

9. 

   20 Dec 2025

   No Is a Full Sentence: Leading With Intention in Funeral Service with Kristen Ernst MA, LPC

   Host Lisa Baue, Alicia Carr, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, and Melissa Posey Loose interview grief counselor Kristen Ernst, MA, LPC, about leading funeral service with intention and the power of presence.

10. 

    26 Nov 2025

    The Self-Leadership Reset for Women Who Carry Too Much with Cate Collins

    What happens when women who carry everyone else finally learn to carry themselves too? In this episode, we sit down with Cate Collins, leadership speaker, author, and CEO of Powerful Journey Consulting, and one of the powerhouse keynote speakers from our first ever Women’s Wellness Summit. Cate opens up about her personal burnout journey, why women overcommit, and how her Four Rooms Framework helps you check in, reset, and rise. If you are overwhelmed, exhausted, or feeling the weight of tryi...

11. 

    27 Oct 2025

    Safe Spaces, Strong Leaders: Grief, Grit and the Surfer Mindset

    Lisa Baue, Alicia Carr, Melissa Posey Loose, and Ellen Wynn McBrayer discuss how vulnerability fosters leadership and resilience, sharing personal stories of overcoming adversity.

12. 

    23 Sept 2025

    Breaking Barriers and Building Leaders with Patty Neuswanger

    Funeral Women Lead hosts Lisa Baue, Melissa Posey Loose, Alicia Carr, and Ellen Wynn McBrayer interview Patty Neuswanger about breaking barriers and building leaders in the funeral profession.

13. 

    18 Aug 2025

    Caring for the Caregivers

    Funeral directors discuss mental, emotional, and physical wellness strategies for navigating burnout and compassion fatigue in their demanding profession.

14. 

    29 Jul 2025

    Ellen McBrayer Makes History

    In this episode, we celebrate Ellen McBrayer’s groundbreaking election as the first woman to rise through the officer chairs of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). The conversation explores the journey to leadership in funeral service, the power of volunteering, and the value of mentorship at every stage of your career. The group also highlights two upcoming events from Funeral Women Lead: the Women’s Leadership Academy, launching November 17, and the Women’s Wellness Summit, ...

15. 

    12 Jun 2025

    Vol 1: Debut

    Host Lisa Baue interviews Alicia Carr, Melissa Posey Loose, and Ellen Wynn McBrayer about leadership, legacy, and the experiences of women in the funeral service industry.

16. 

    11 Jun 2025

    4 Women and a Funeral: Trailer

    Lisa introduces "4 Women and a Funeral," a show that explores topics and questions related to the funeral industry.

Who has been a guest on 4 Women and a Funeral

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Leili McMurrough
• Kristen Ernst
• Patty Neuswanger

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 13 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

12

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact 4 Women and a Funeral

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about 4 Women and a Funeral