04/01/2026
Bradley Shaw has been around death since he was 16. Now he’s the youngest President of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand — and he sees something most people don’t until it’s too late: life is way shorter than you think.
In this powerful podcast conversation, Bradley unpacks the real economics of death, including how funeral directors can end up carrying unpaid funeral costs, and why a growing number of people are choosing not to hold a funeral at all. He also explores how grief shows up in unexpected ways, why demographic change is creating new challenges and opportunities, and how the profession has evolved from cabinet makers to event managers.
Bradley says every funeral leaves him thinking: “Life’s short… what am I doing? Why am I holding back?”
Research shows that around 70% of people find funerals valuable for beginning their grief journey. But the bigger message is simple: we’re all going to get there one day — so if there’s something you want to do, why wait?
Life is short. It could be way shorter than you realise.
🎧 Link to watch the full episode in comments.....
