For this episode of Red Dot Voices, I spoke to Ang Jolie Mei.
Her father was one of the pioneers of Singapore’s funeral industry, and after he passed away when Ang Jolie was just 24, she joined her mother in taking over the family business.
Having taken time out to work in finance, Ang Jolie returned to the funeral industry and set up The Life Celebrant in 2010. She had travelled widely to study different funeral practices, and was motivated by a desire to provide a more holistic service to families of the deceased.
As one of very few women funeral directors in Singapore she has a fascinating perspective, and in 2017 she shared her experiences in the memoir, Dying To Meeting You: Confessions of a Funeral Director. She subsequently won the ‘Most Innovative’ prize at the 2019 Women Entrepreneur Awards.
Ang Jolie’s passion for living life with empathy, without regrets, and celebrating it fully, is a very valuable message – now more than ever. I came away from our conversation uplifted and inspired, and I hope that you will too.
You can also find this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Overcast and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
Show Notes
- Memories and influence of Ang Jolie’s father (1:58)
- Stigma towards families in the funeral profession growing up (5:32)
- Motivation to work in Finance (7:31)
- Return to the funeral industry (10:03)
- A woman in a man’s world (12:24)
- Supporting bereaved people, processing grief and avoiding burnout (15:49)
- Bringing funeral practices from other countries to Singapore (19:22)
- Process of writing a eulogy for the deceased (30:57)
- Is it easier or harder to organise a funeral for someone you’ve met (34:43)
- The most challenging funeral Ang Jolie has organised (35:50)
- Personalising funerals to celebrate life (38:55)
- Advice for people planning their own funerals (43:46)
- Ang Jolie’s own funeral plans (46:35)
- How working close to death has influenced Ang Jolie’s life philosophy (49:29)
- Tips for self-care and maintaining balance (54:23)
- Different types of meditation (57:14)
- Quick fire questions on Singapore (59:54)
- Which creative person would you like to shine a spotlight on? (1:02:45)
- Who would you like to say thank you to and why? (1:05:25)
Links
- The Life Celebrant website
- Dying To Meet You (Epigram Books)
- Dying to Meet you (Kinokinuya)
- Straits Times interview
- Lady Boss interview
- Woman Entrepreneur Awards 2019
- Departures film
- Vipassana Meditation Singapore
- Tiong Bahru Market
- Hegen
Getting In Touch
Join the Red Dot Voices group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedDotVoices/
Disclaimer
Unless otherwise stated, I do not receive any payment or gifts in kind for endorsement. I also promise never to try and sell you Fit Tea.
Henry Yorke 