A family undertaking
Meet Chris Parker, Funeral Director, Abbey Funeral Services
Chris Parker is the funeral director of a family run business in Tonbridge, Kent. She set up Abbey Funeral Services with her husband Jim in 1983 and her daughter Jo joined the business in 1994.
“When I make the bereavement process less painful for the families involved, I know I made the right decision in setting up the business. It's rewarding to know you've been able to help people in some way.”
The inspiration
Chris was working as a nurse, when the funeral business her husband worked for was taken over by a national chain. She felt this left a gap in the market for a small family run service, which could provide a more sympathetic and personal service.
Chris had experience of bereavements as a nurse, and suggested to her husband that they set up on their own as funeral directors.
"As a nurse I knew how important caring support is in bereavement and that people like to deal with a family business during such a sensitive time. With my strong links to the community through church activities, local clubs and schools, I knew we could fulfil this much needed role."
Getting started
In just two months Chris raised the capital, found a premises and set up "Abbey Funeral Services". But it wasn't easy. "The first few months were tough. I had to learn how to handle a funeral, write a business plan and convince the bank manager to finance the business. It was harder than I expected taking on so many different roles including being a wife and mother, but you manage."
"I’m not a risk-taker, and with one eye on the family, I made sure we acquired a property with a living space in case we couldn't maintain our house. Although we gained work almost immediately, we still needed to receive social security benefits for the first year of trading as a family on low income."
"Marketing a funeral directors business isn't easy, but I found that word of mouth through old nursing contacts helped, as well as having a shop window on the high street where we could be seen."
Today Abbey Funeral Services has nine employees and a turnover of £400,000 a year.
Chris's top tips
- Believe you can do it
Be determined to succeed. Gender doesn't come into it. It's very rewarding being your own boss and, as a woman, multi-tasking comes naturally - Keep a work/life balance
I make sure I set aside time for myself and my family and strongly guard this private time - Get the best advice
Chris has always sought the best accountant and bank managers she could find, changing banks as her needs changed. She also got the backing of a trading association, which understood the specific problems in her sector and could provide advice and support
Chris Parker is Director of Education for the Independent Funeral Director's College. Chris also served as National President of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors in 2006 - 2007. She was recently named ‘Woman of Achievement 2006’ by the Woman of the Year Foundation and is now the President of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors.
