Edward Hatch knew what he wanted to do with his life by the age of eight. His inspiration came from his grandfather’s best friend, Clarence Bowmen Sr., the town’s funeral director, who frequently visited the Hatch household to borrow Edward’s grandfather’s white Cadillac for funeral processions. Edward would watch Mr. Bowmen arrive in his black suit, white shirt, and black tie, offer a handshake, and always exude kindness.

“I thought it was cool,” Hatch recalled. “I told my grandmother I want to be like Mr. Bowmen. It was because he was being nice to everybody. It’s what I wanted to do — be nice, shake hands, and wear a suit. I had no idea at eight years old what he did.”

Hatch’s grandmother shared Edward’s admiration for Mr. Bowmen’s work, and in response, Mr. Bowmen told Edward, “When you get older, you can work for me. Matter of fact, when you turn 16, come see me.”

And so, at the age of 16, Edward did just that.

On the day he turned 16, Edward had two goals in mind. First, he obtained his driver’s license. Then, he asked his grandmother to borrow her car to visit Mr. Bowmen’s office. She declined, but undeterred, Hatch ran the four miles to the funeral home. When he arrived, Mr. Bowmen told him he could start work that Saturday at eight in the morning.

“That day was on a Wednesday,” Hatch recalled “I didn’t sleep the rest of the week.”

Since then, he’s co-owned a funeral home and worked for others, but now he is venturing out on his own as the sole operator of Edward Hatch Funeral Home in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

“I wanted to make sure people got the service they truly deserved and paid for,” Edward explains, citing his passion and his desire to provide exceptional care during people’s most vulnerable moments.

As a pastor at Friendly United Christian Center in Goodlettsville, Hatch has built a solid reputation and formed strong connections within the community, putting him in direct contact with families who trust him to take care of their loved ones.

Given the growing demand for such services, the funeral and cremation services market are expected to continue its expansion. In fact, the industry was valued at $18.4 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a steady rate of 2% annually over the next five years, according to IBIS World.

While Hatch invested over 30,000 dollars of his own money to launch his business, he still needed additional funds to move forward. That’s when David Allen from the Tennessee Rural Development Fund (TNRDF) suggested reaching out to Communities Unlimited (CU).

Through CU, Hatch was connected with Candence Brooks from the Lending Team. Although Candence was initially unfamiliar with the funeral home industry, she was eager to learn. Hatch credits her adaptability: “She was excited to learn something new and help me with my dream too.”

The Small Business Administration (SBA) loan from CU has been instrumental in covering the cost of equipment, marketing, and renovations for a new location — formerly a hair salon — that Hatch recently acquired. He acknowledges the pivotal role CU’s support has played in his success.

Edward has already hired five part-time employees and plans to expand his staff as the business grows.

“I don’t even think I can explain the excitement of it,” Hatch said. “It’s hard for me to sleep at night because my brain is going with ideas. It’s been a blessing to fulfill a childhood dream at 80 years old.”

Edward Hatch Funeral Home is set to open its doors in mid-April, where it will provide services to families during their time of loss, ensuring that loved ones are treated with the utmost respect and care.