The next OGR Study Group session hosted by The Zabor Funeral Home in Parma, Ohio is just over a month away! Study Groups meet throughout the year in various locations around the world to connect OGR funeral directors and provide open forums for new strategies, ideas, and leadership lessons. Read some of these debunked myths about Study Groups below, and don't forget to register for this summer's study group here!

1.) "Attending a Study Group is costly."

Study Groups are a cost-effective way to take your funeral home to the next level. Registration for OGR members is FREE. and while participants are responsible for their own travel, meals, and accommodations, there is no fee to attend the event itself, making it an accessible opportunity for you and your funeral home.

2.) "I'm already on too many committees. I don't have time for another one..."

Attending a Study Group with OGR comes with no additional commitment. While OGR typically offers multiple study groups per year, attending any single session does not require joining any group permanently or registering for another event in the future. You are free to attend the sessions that are most convenient for you and your schedule. 

3.) "My funeral home is already thriving, I don't need to attend."

Study Groups are not just intended for funeral leaders looking to overcome challenges. Study Groups are comprised of funeral home owners from varying backgrounds hoping to learn from each other. Discussion topics are provided by the funeral leaders themselves and offer valuable insight no matter where your funeral home stands in its business journey. 

4.) I have to be personally invited, or already know someone who is attending, in order to participate."

All OGR member funeral home owners are invited to attend Study Groups, new and long-term! For funeral homes that are newer to OGR, this can be an excellent opportunity to connect with other members for the first time and build relationships with other likeminded leaders. 

5.) "I don't want my competitors to learn too much about my funeral home."

Study Groups are an exclusive member benefit for OGR members only, and any insight gained during discussion is not shared outside of the event. You can rest assured that any information you share will not reach your competitors, and instead your funeral home will be the one benefitting from the advantages gained by attending. 

6.) "I don't have time to prepare for the meeting, and I don't want to present anyway."

No preparation is required on your part to participate! Study Groups are designed as open, natural, and low-stress conversations with likeminded funeral leaders that have the same questions and challenges as you. The only thing you need to bring with you to discussions is yourself, and your own ideas and experiences. 

7.) "These types of sessions are not engaging, I don't want to attend a lecture."

OGR Study Groups are not formal lecture presentations. When you attend, you can expect to be an active participant in a hands-on roundtable discussion. Topics are chosen by the group and attendees are encouraged to share freely during conversations. 

8.) "Discussion is nice; but these meetings rarely have any return on investment."

Study Groups are consistently rated among members who attend as one of the most valuable resources that OGR offers. Funeral leaders who participate frequently report that they gained valuable insight into growing their business and learned some practices that they could implement into their funeral home as soon as they returned home. 

9.) "My funeral home is unique. These sessions are too general."

OGR Study Group participants are just like you: independent funeral home owners who are excited to grow and evolve their business. The agenda for Study Group sessions is decided by the participants, to ensure that topics are relevant to funeral leaders. If you have a specific topic that you want to cover, you can bring it with you to the discussion as well. 

10.) "I have to take a lot of time off work to attend."

We know that funeral home leaders are incredibly busy. As all Study Group participants are owners or decision-makers in their funeral home, session hosts take great care to provide short but impactful gatherings where discussions are valuable, to ensure that you make the best use of your time during your trip. 

Want to learn more about our upcoming Study Groups? Check out this page and don't forget to register!