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This is the story of Balgowlah mum Keri Alexander, who through her own immense personal loss and a shifty and frustrating funeral experience, performed the ultimate pivot – from wedding celebrant to funeral director. Keri founded A Better Way Funerals in 2018, determined to offer an independent, intimate and genuinely local service – the antithesis of the big funeral homes, which she says can sometimes be driven by corporate targets and profit motives. Did you know that more than one third of funeral homes and services in Australia are owned by just two corporate entities? “I established A Better Way Funerals after experiencing firsthand the shortcomings of the traditional funeral industry when my mother passed – the funeral service we used left us disheartened,” Keri says. “The push to upsell was overwhelming, the environment cold and uninviting, and the funeral director’s appearance lacked the respect we needed during that difficult time. “The experience helped me create a different kind of service, where compassion and understanding take precedence over profit. My goal is to ensure that every family I work with feels genuinely cared for and valued.” A Better Way Funerals is proud to be a local, independent, Australian owned and female-led business, providing families on the Northern Beaches with personal service. “Families are my top priority and I promise extraordinary respect and kindness throughout the entire process,” Keri says. Before founding A Better Way Funerals, Keri spent 12 years working as a celebrant “which was invaluable as it helped me develop a deep understanding of how to listen and respond to clients’ needs.” Her ability to connect with people and help them deal with grief was changed forever on a very personal level when her beloved son, Baxter, lost his life to an aggressive melanoma at just 28 years of age.