Meet Kelsi Tesone Mathews | Mortuary Science Practitioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelsi Tesone Mathews and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelsi, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
In Memoriam was born out of necessity. My community deserved to have personalized end-of-life choices and I was determined to make that a reality. Not many people like to talk about death, but my goal is to always make the conversation as easeful and comforting as possible. I think it’s an extremely intimate time in people’s lives, so not only do we want to recognize that, but we want to bring the “human” back into the business of talking about funeral planning and choices.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In Memoriam strives to be a relevant and modern resource for all things funeral and cremation. We are proud to offer very personal options for families to not only commemorate their loved one, but ways that can help them with the trajectory of their grieving journey. I have made it a priority to keep our staff well-educated on pertinent changes in the industry and ensure that we keep high-standards for our firm.

Starting the business was not at all an easy feat. I had to learn more about zoning, buildings, gas pressure, state documents, tax, construction and local laws and permitting more than I ever thought I would. I also had to learn to be a leader which is something I continue to work on every day. When a challenge comes my way, I have to take it step by step. At one point, I realized there was no other way but through if I wanted this business model to be successful.

There was a lot of adversity I faced at the beginning, including lack of support from some of my closest people even. I guess I was never scared of jumping into the deep end and just knowing that in my heart of hearts this was what was supposed to happen.

The lessons learned have definitely been patience, perseverance, and most importantly, that fear is completely ok- You just have to have a bit of courage and blind faith that things will work out how they need to.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As you can imagine, being a funeral director has helped me want to live my life to its VERY fullest. Colorado is such a gorgeous state to live in and I feel so fortunate to be able to be so close to so many beautiful cities. I think my go-to would always be a scenic drive, a place to grab some amazing food, and a chance to see some live music. Luckily, this happens almost everywhere you can go here!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The success of In Memoriam wouldn’t be possible without the help of my husband and business partner, Santiago, supporting and helping me fulfill the crazy dream of owning my own funeral home. I am grateful to every mentor who has helped me get here, every mortuary intern I’ve worked alongside, and our community; professionals and families, for entrusting their care to us.

Website: https://www.InMemoriamServices.com

Instagram: InMemoriamServices

Facebook: https://Facebook.com/inmemoriamservices

Image Credits
Jason Carncross, Heidi Howard, Amanda Cleveland