Jewish Funerals USA was founded in 2001 with one simple goal in mind — to bring a personal touch, paired with fair pricing, back into the funeral service industry. You might also know them as Distinctive Life, which is their non-Jewish division.
They have chosen to partner with MGA for all these years, as they needed an accounting and financial partner who could grow with them, always staying one step ahead. And that’s exactly what we’ve offered.
“We are so glad to be with MGA. We need an accounting and financial partner that can grow with us because although it’s not going to get ultra-complicated, we have to have someone who can advise us and make sure we continue to structure our business appropriately as we expand into other areas. Paul has been much more than an accountant for us; he’s advised us on so many business structure issues — like how to restructure debt and use equity most advantageously. He was also incredibly helpful in assisting us with the PPP loan process during the height of the COVID-19 shutdown. Whenever we have any complex business-related questions, the first phone call we make is always MGA.” — Andy Starr, Owner / Executive Director at Jewish Funerals USA
When they started their business twenty years ago, the funeral industry was dominated by family-owned funeral homes. This was true in both the Jewish and the non-Jewish communities. But like many businesses during that time, the corporate world began getting into the funeral home industry and consolidating through acquisitions. As independent and family-owned funeral homes were being bought up, they were being put under one corporate umbrella. With this came the corporate philosophies are often associated with large organizations.
Any business's personality will change when it goes from a family-owned business to a corporate-owned company. So that left an opportunity — to offer a personal, family-focused, quality service that was missing in their communities. That’s really where Jewish Funerals USA sets itself apart. And once people realized they had an option, they responded.
When we talked with Andy Starr and Zane Belyea at Jewish Funerals, they told us how they wished more people knew about pre-planning. They see it all the time — distraught family members trying to make decisions to honor their loved one who has passed. There are time frames to follow and budgets to stay within, making all the decisions seem overwhelming and rash. And sometimes, family members don’t agree with the decisions made. The situation is usually overall very tough.
Now, thankfully, you can plan for these moments with Jewish Funerals or Distinctive Life. You can make all these difficult decisions ahead of time, leaving your loved ones with one less trying task to tackle on their own. It’s the greatest gift you can give to your family and loved ones.
“We started with another accounting firm that was family-run, just like we are. And at a certain point, they decided to sell out to the big boys. As a client, it seemed like there were four sales in a row, and every time I called, there were new names. And the more acquisitions that took place, the less I felt that I had a connection to anyone there, and the less I felt that I could ever call and get an immediate response. Then we found MGA, and we are so thankful we did. They do business the way we do. And any time I’ve needed them, they’ve been very accessible and helpful.”
No matter what industry you are in, we are here to make the complex simple for you. Click here to read more about how we work with other service businesses — doing business the way they do.
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