Hi, I’m Shayla.

Apparently, I’m the friend who wants to talk about death.

I know. Weird introduction.

But I have always been a little curious about the things that most people would rather avoid- especially death, funerals, and what happens after someone we love is gone.

Eventually, that curiosity became something bigger: a genuine passion for death care and helping people feel more prepared for the things nobody really teaches us how to handle.

Basically, I’m your homegirl who knows a lot about death.

So… Why Before The Flowers?

Because I realize there’s a BIG difference between having paperwork and actually being prepared.

You can have a will. Insurance. Advanced directives. A funeral plan. A folder full of important documents.

But does anybody know where it is?

Do they know who to call? What you want? Where your accounts are? What bills need to be handled? What happens with the dog? Where the password to that one thing everybody needs is?

That’s the space Before The flowers lives in.

I created Before The Flowers to make preparation feel less overwhelming, less clinical, and a whole lot more human.

Death care is more than a business to me

My professional background is in healthcare, and I’m actively building my future in death care.

I’m especially drawn to the hands-on, behind-the-scenes work of caring for people after death- and to help the living understand what happens before, during, and after that process.

Before The Flowers gives me a way to start doing that work right now through education, preparation, organization, workshops, and honest conversations.

And I’m still learning, too.

I don’t want to pretend to know everything. When something requires a funeral director, attorney, financial professional, healthcare provider, or another expert, I’m going to tell you that.

And outside of all of the death stuff…

I promise I’m actually a lot of fun.

I love travelling, museums, LEGO, good food, arts and crafts, and finding new experiences wherever I go.

I believe you can talk about death and still be completely obsessed with living.

Actually, I think that’s a part of the point.

Preparing for what comes later gives us more room to enjoy what’s happening now.

One thing I want you to remember:

We’re still here.

We’re just talking about what’s to come.

Before The Flowers isn’t about expecting the worst.

It’s about loving your people enough to leave them fewer questions.

Because the best time to prepare is before the flowers.