October 2024
What motivated you to own a funeral home?
Several life events exposed me to the death care industry, sparking a curiosity that grew into a deep interest. Reflecting, I believe it was a natural calling that led me to this profession.
What do you like most about your business?
Helping families during a difficult time is our primary mission. Our focus is on ensuring that families feel cared for while they are with us.
What do you like about working in the Greater Rochester region?
The relationships I've built in Rochester have been essential to our success. Being born and raised here, the connection to my hometown has helped establish trust and rapport with the community.
What are some of your challenges, and how do you navigate them?
Staffing has always been a challenge. I've managed to maintain a reliable team of two to three full-time staff by offering competitive wages and benefits. However, finding a licensed funeral director has been difficult due to declining enrollments in mortuary schools and high turnover in the field.
Another challenge has been establishing a trusted banking relationship.
“This changed when I met Carla Vazquez from ESL, who provided valuable insights into business banking, significantly benefiting our business and the community we serve.”
- Denise Williams, owner of D.M. Williams Funeral Home
How has your relationship with ESL helped your business?
ESL has been instrumental in our growth. With Carla's expertise, we were able to tap into the equity of our commercial property for maintenance and realize the creation of our chapel at 525 Paul Rd. The support of ESL has been invaluable. Working with ESL has been easy and reassuring. I feel valued as a client and trust that they genuinely care about my business's success.
To learn more about our Business Banking resources and how we can help you, please visit esl.org/business.
