About Us

OVERVIEW

Why Raven Plume?

Because of its black plumage, its eerie croaking call, and the fact that it prefers to eat the decaying flesh of already dead animals, the raven is often associated with death and bad luck. However, its symbolism is complex. As a talking bird, the raven also represents prophecy and insight.

Throughout folklore, ravens often act as spirit guides of souls from the living world to the realm of the dead. French anthropologist Claude Lévi=Strauss offered the theory that suggests the raven obtained mythic status because it was a mediator animal between life and death.

A plume of smoke, dust, fire or water is a large quantity of it that rises into the air in a column. Although an undesirable event in our profession, especially with respect to cremation, we include it not to normalize it, but to remind us of the ever present risk inherent with the lack of strong policies, procedures, and operational best practices.

A plume is also a large, soft bird’s feather. In most mythologies and folklores, the feather is associated with the purity of the heart and soul.

Our Mission

Raven Plume Consulting aims to Change the Way People Think About Funeral Service by bridging the gap between traditional foundations and the permanent shifts in consumer ritual. We specialize in helping funeral professionals distinguish between temporary trends and the profound cultural evolutions that are often dismissed as "phases," but are actually the future of our profession.

By sharing our expertise in effective operations and modern marketing, we empower our peers to stop reacting to change and start positioning themselves for it. Through outreach and transparency, we educate our clients and the public on the indispensable significance of funeral service—ensuring that the next century of deathcare is built on professional foresight rather than operational denial.

Values

Compassion

We care about and serve the diverse people we connect with everyday, central to our purpose.Our clients, our peers, and the public.

We Build Trust

We create an environment of trust through transparency, honesty, and open, genuine communication. We always give benefit of the doubt first.

We Embrace the Power of Listening

To remain relevant and humble, we remain open minded and curious. Although our value is in advice and expertise, we acknowledge we wouldn’t have any if we didn’t listen and learn to those that know more than we do.

We Never Assume

We acknowledge that assumptions are rarely true (unless you know the whole story) and instead we find the courage to ask questions first. Assuming leads to false perceptions that can be perceived as truth, and because we fight this every day as a profession for us to make uninformed assumptions would be the height of affected superiority.

We Aim High

We aim high, and continue to raise the bar. We would rather aim for success versus perfection, and believe that a lofty goal can be reached only through continual effort, motivation, and sometimes multiple failures. “High expectations are the key to everything.” Sam Walton.

We Work Together for the Good of the Profession

Humility and selfless determination make for a better result. True teamwork and collaboration will result in endless successes. “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Harry Truman.

Meet our Founder

Larry Stuart, Jr.

Founder and Principal

Funeral Service and Cremation Expert, Thought Leader, Consultant, Innovator, Entrepreneur, Author, Public Speaker, Trainer, Traveler, Foodie, and Dog Lover.

Throughout my career, I have operated at the intersection of cremation equipment manufacturing, operational excellence, and visionary leadership within the deathcare profession. As the Founder and Principal of Raven Plume Consulting for the past decade plus, my mission has been to fundamentally change the way the public and the profession think about funeral service. I am not just a consultant; I am a strategist, an educator, and a relentless advocate for transparency and process-driven success.

I have written feature articles and eBooks, contributed to textbooks, trained and certified thousands of funeral and cremation professionals, developed continuing education and cremation curricula for national, state, and provincial regulatory bodies and associations, and I’ve keynoted and presented at many professional events. I am a Certified Celebrant and am fortunate to be able to spend my time making a difference and achieving this goal.

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Meet the Team

Ben Schmidt Funeral Director Professor Embalmer

Benjamin Schmidt

Funeral Director & Embalming Consultant

Licensed Funeral Director, Professor, Author, Inventor, Embalming and Reconstruction Expert, and Influencer

Full Bio