We had the good fortune of connecting with Monica Torres and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monica, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson being a Mortician has taught me is that time is precious. From one day to the next your life can be over. I have a completely different view of life……and death than most people. I choose to live each day like its my last.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Currently I manage the Cold Hands Death Education Studio in beautiful Tempe, Az which is 11 min drive from Sky Harbor International Airport, 15 min from Arizona State University “Go Devils!” and 20 min from downtown Scottsdale. We had our soft opening in Sept. 2022. My studio is a training and learning facility open to professionals for accredited embalming training and dark tourists who may have a morbid curiosity and want a hands on experience caring for their own loved ones after death.

My facility is a warm and comfortable environment where we encourage questions and make learning about a tough subject fun! My death education studio is the only one of its kind in the world and is quickly growing. Travelers interested in dark tourism are encouraged to join. Kids and parents in town on holiday are welcome to come in for hands on workshops like “Desairology 101: Learn to apply makeup on the Dead” Learn from a real Mortician! I invite you to join my newsletter to get a personal invite to the grand opening and future class dates.
NXT Generation Mortuary Support, LLC began as a “trade embalming service.” I opened up my independent contractor business after I got my license and traveled the state of AZ embalming loved ones for funeral homes who needed an extra hand. From there I furthered my career and skill set by attending and completing my post graduate advanced training in Embalming and Reconstruction on the dead in Springfield, MO . My reputation grew and I soon began working on the national level, and offering consulting services and group training for funeral homes and state associations across the USA and the world. I created original training programs for other morticians to learn my specialized embalming techniques and began training morticians internationally in 2019.
Now I have moved on to fulfill my dreams of offering my community a safe and comfortable space to learn about the science our bodies pass though on their journey to the “other side.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a friend comes to town, usually I will take them to a historic cemetery to take photos and picnic. Cemeteries are the most beautiful and peaceful backdrop for a picnic and for sharing real quality time with loved ones. I would pack a bottle of wine and a varietal charcuterie board with cozy blankets and pillows to relax on. If the picnic is at dusk I might even tell one of my spooky stories to add to the experience!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shout out to my “Cold Hands Community”- the community I’ve built online across my social media platforms that includes my supporters and students. My community online has inspired me to create online death education programs that are accessible to people around the globe. Without their support and encouragement I would never have opened the Cold Hands Death Education Studio and Training Center in Tempe, AZ. My training center is open to the public and professionals who are looking for accredited death education and advanced technical skills. Future morticians and mortician hopefuls partake in my accelerated programs to help guide them toward a fulfilling career in mortuary science..

Website: www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com

Instagram: @coldhandshosts

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-torres-41bb1950/

Twitter: @coldhandshosts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourLadyEmbalmer

Youtube: @coldhandshosts

Other: IG is my main platform to follow!! Follow every Sunday where I share a new “Embalming Tip of the Week” Take classes with me online: https://www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com/education/ Purchase my ebook: https://www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com/product/embalming-tips-revealed-volume-1/

Image Credits
NXTgen

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