Rikki Farrar’s mother had been ill for a long time, and when the end neared, she asked Rikki to have a celebration for her, not a dreary funeral. Rikki Farrar threw a grand party for her mother, and there were guests who liked the idea and hired Rikki for their family’s funeral celebrations. She founded Good Grief Celebrations as a funeral concierge service, providing whatever was needed: a eulogy written, a funeral service, the post funeral reception.
Rikki had only made $11,000, and her business was struggling. She needed an investment to get the word out about Good Grief Celebrations. She had been advertising her company by visiting hospice facilities and nursing homes with her therapy dog. The dog comforted the patients, and Rikki was company for them, as she asked them what they would like to have as a celebration of their lives. The patients could plan their own farewell.
The sharks were mostly uncomfortable with Rikki’s approach. They felt she was taking advantage of people who were vulnerable. She disagreed: Someone will take care of things; why not Good Grief Celebrations instead of a stodgy funeral home? Kevin O’Leary wasn’t uncomfortable. He gets excited about funerals and weddings, the two life events when money is no object to most people. But he could not invest because Rikki was not making any money.
Rikki is still listed on LinkedIn as CEO of Good Grief Celebrations, but there is no evidence of her services anywhere and no website.
