What Will They Say?

30 Funerals in 60 Days

Corporate coach Allison Clarke was on a plane to Atlanta when she realized that in order to
fully live, she had to first be surrounded by death. Sounds strange, doesn't it? Not to Allison: a fearless mother of two who built her own consulting firm from the ground up. To Allison, it felt
like a challenge, and as soon as she got home, she met with a funeral director. Her idea was
simple: attend the funerals of exceptional strangers and learn from their adventurous lives.

It began with the newspaper. She read countless obituaries, looking for people who
interested her. It didn't matter specifically what they had done. Her thirty funerals ranged in
scope from basketball fan to hundred-and-four-year-old Austrian immigrant. What mattered was
the effect they'd had on the
lives of their friends and families. Once the choice was made, Allison donned her black dress and
headed to the cemetery.

Some people might scoff at this behavior. However, when Allison thought back to the funeral
of her own grandmother, she realized she would have been proud to have strangers there --
proud to tell them, "That was my grandma, and she was amazing." In the end, Allison attended
thirty funerals over the course of sixty days. At each, she learned a little more about living life to
the fullest... and what is life if not lived bravely, passionately, and with heart?

About the Author

Allison Clarke is the founder and president of Allison Clarke Consulting, a company that
teaches corporations, associates, and individuals how to reach their full potential. Previously,
she was a master trainer with Dale Carnegie Training. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her
two daughters, Jenna and Jamie.
Allison is a member of the National Speakers Association. To find out how to hire Allison to speak
for or to train your company, visit her website:
www.allisonclarkeconsulting.com.