Business

Founders of After Life Mortuary Services Breaking New Ground

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “After Life Mortuary Services believes that it’s time out for financial stress and struggles for families during their time of bereavement,” said Madeline Lyles. “It’s time out for fish fries, GoFundMe accounts and the embarrassing fundraisers that families have to do, in order to have the finances to bury a loved one.”

Published

7 years ago

February 20, 2019

Oakland Post

By Brianna A. Smith, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The funeral service industry has long been a male-dominated one, but times are changing as more women are entering into the profession and breaking down stereotypes.

Madeline Lyles and Dana Taylor are staking their claim as the founders of the first mortuary service owned and operated by women in Memphis.

After Life Mortuary Services opened at 2207 S. Lauderdale St. on Oct. 8. The business mission is to provide services of embalming, storage and other preparations and to help those within the community who need assistance with funeral arrangements.

“After Life Mortuary Services believes that it’s time out for financial stress and struggles for families during their time of bereavement,” said Lyles. “It’s time out for fish fries, GoFundMe accounts and the embarrassing fundraisers that families have to do, in order to have the finances to bury a loved one.”

Lyles and Taylor are not new to funeral services.

“We’ve been in this profession for over a decade and people have been seeing our work throughout the tri-state area, at multiple funeral homes,” said Lyles. “It’s just a matter of them learning who has actually been behind the scenes creating the pleasing presentations they see at funerals.”

Asked why the funeral service industry has long been male-dominated, Lyles and Taylor embraced this reflection: “Because of the nature of the profession, one where much stamina and fearlessness is needed. From a historical point-of-view, men have always upheld that position.

“Decades ago, women were more reared and encouraged to be nurses, office workers, kitchen staff, etc. Being a mortician was a man’s position. Most women would marry into the profession.”

Lyles said when people learn that she and Taylor are morticians, their first comment often is, “Oh, I never would’ve thought you were a mortician. …They look at us and think we’re teachers or nurses, and if they see us in the funeral setting, they think we only do hair and makeup.

“It’s comical to see their facial expressions, especially when we do removals. It’s like, ‘A woman is here to pick up the body.’ Everyone runs to the room, to see it all take place.”

At After Life, said Taylor, “We go out of our way to provide exceptional service to each of our clients. We understand that everyone’s needs are different and can change at the last minute, and we’re ready to promptly and professionally provide services that will ensure your satisfaction.”

Big on outreach and community service, Lyles and Taylor provide an apprenticeship through their alma mater, Northwest Mississippi Community College, as well as a summer camp, for ages 13-18. The focus is on education regarding funeral services and the importance of knowing how to make funeral arrangements, having insurance, what a death certificate is and more.

“We know that planning isn’t easy, but we are dedicated to making sure your loved ones are properly cared for by us, and placed with a funeral service provider that will meet your current needs,” said Taylor.

“We have made a great mark in the history of our city, as well as in funeral services,” Lyles said.

“We are beyond grateful to have done so. God revealed our purpose to us, and through funeral services we will give back to those in need. We’re here to help and serve others.”

(For more information about After Life Mortuary Services, contact@almsofmemphis.org, www.almsofmemphis.org; call 901-600-3999.)

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.