Leap Academy Podcast Summary

Episode: Making Big Ideas Happen: How Katrina Spade Transformed the Funeral Industry Forever
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Host: Ilana Golan
Guest: Katrina Spade, Founder and CEO of Recompose

Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Leap Academy Podcast, host Ilana Golan engages in an enlightening conversation with Katrina Spade, the visionary behind Recompose, a pioneering company revolutionizing the funeral industry through human composting. The discussion delves deep into Katrina’s journey from a design student pondering mortality to the CEO of a company reshaping how we perceive and handle death.

Early Inspirations and Background

Growing Up with Mortality and Nature

Katrina’s foundation was laid in her formative years, influenced by parents who were both in medicine and passionate gardeners. This unique blend fostered in her a matter-of-fact approach to death and a deep appreciation for the natural cycle of life.

Katrina (00:51): "I wasn't a goth teenager or anything like that. I did grow up with parents who were both in medicine... they also were my parents, gardeners."

The Design School Epiphany

While pursuing a graduate program in architecture, Katrina didn't initially aim to change the world. However, her curiosity about the stagnant funeral industry—a field untouched by innovation for over a century—led her to conceptualize a radical idea: composting humans to address environmental and logistical issues surrounding traditional burials and cremations.

Katrina (02:50): "The funeral industry hasn't changed in about 100 years... it's such an amazing design challenge."

Transition from Idea to Entrepreneur

From Thesis to Reality

Katrina’s thesis project focused on human composting as a sustainable solution. Initially viewed as merely an academic exercise, the project gained traction when she presented it to an audience receptive to innovative ideas.

Katrina (03:10): "Being a designer, death... is a fascinating design challenge."

Securing the Echoing Green Fellowship

In 2014, Katrina applied for the Echoing Green Fellowship, which supports big, bold ideas. Her clear articulation of the problem—overcrowded cemeteries, environmental pollution from traditional methods—and her innovative solution impressed the judges, securing her fellowship. This pivotal moment allowed her to transition from an architecture firm employee to a full-time entrepreneur.

Katrina (09:33): "We compost humans, we turn them into soil... we’ve raised over $20 million through people with wealth who want this to exist."

Building Recompose

Initial Funding and Community Building

Katrina initially established Recompose as a nonprofit to gauge community interest. She leveraged platforms like Kickstarter and engaged with communities passionate about end-of-life options, successfully raising funds necessary to pursue her venture full-time.

Legal Challenges and Partnerships

One significant hurdle was navigating the legal landscape, as composting humans was not an established practice. Partnering with Washington State University and legal experts like Professor Tanya Marsh, Katrina spearheaded a pilot study to demonstrate the viability and safety of human composting, ultimately influencing legislative changes.

Katrina (25:59): "We compost people in vessels inside of buildings and the design of the vessels was really important."

Formation as a Public Benefit Corporation

In 2017, Katrina officially founded Recompose as a public benefit corporation, ensuring that environmental and social good were prioritized alongside profitability. This structure attracted investors aligned with Recompose’s mission, enabling the company to raise over $20 million without relying on traditional venture capital.

Katrina (19:38): "We’ve raised over $20 million through investors who are people with wealth who are like, I want this to exist."

Overcoming Challenges

Navigating Bureaucratic Red Tape

Launching such an unprecedented service involved extensive bureaucracy. The pilot study with Washington State University faced numerous delays due to ethical approvals and legal complexities, testing Katrina’s patience and resilience.

Katrina (35:16): "Being an entrepreneur is having to wait for someone else. It's like, patience."

Maintaining Momentum and Team Motivation

Despite setbacks, Katrina stayed motivated by diversifying her projects and maintaining a proactive mindset. She emphasizes the importance of adaptability and continuous progress, even when faced with obstacles.

Growth and Current Status

Expanding Recompose’s Reach

Today, Recompose operates as a full-service funeral home in Seattle, specializing exclusively in human composting. The company has successfully composted over 400 individuals, with nearly 2,000 more committed through precomposed memberships. Recompose has also expanded its legal footprint to 11 states since 2019, attracting clients nationwide.

Katrina (37:55): "We have almost 2,000 on our pre composed membership... we have clients who are coming from all over the US."

Client Experience and Diversity

Recompose caters to a diverse clientele, including young individuals planning ahead, those facing imminent death, and families of the deceased. The company ensures that each client’s emotional and logistical needs are met with sensitivity and respect.

The Importance of Human Composting

Environmental Benefits

Human composting offers significant environmental advantages over traditional embalming, burial, and cremation. It reduces carbon emissions, avoids toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, and minimizes the environmental impact associated with cemetery maintenance.

Katrina (39:17): "Human composting avoids those emissions and sequesters carbon... it's a great tool for helping with the climate crisis."

Ecological Integration

Beyond environmental savings, human composting allows individuals to return to the earth, enriching the ecosystem. Recompose’s conservation programs enable families to use the resulting soil for gardens or tree planting, fostering a tangible legacy.

Cultural and Emotional Aspects

Normalizing Conversations About Death

Recompose strives to destigmatize discussions around death, making them more open and meaningful. By presenting human composting as a natural and beneficial process, the company helps individuals and families embrace a more authentic connection to mortality.

Katrina (33:46): "A conversation about death is often less awkward than a conversation about something else because you're getting right to the root of humanity."

Creating Beautiful Experiences

Emphasizing design and intentionality, Recompose curates meaningful and aesthetically pleasing experiences for clients, ensuring that the process is not only environmentally responsible but also emotionally fulfilling.

Lessons Learned and Advice

Balancing Big Picture with Details

Katrina highlights the importance of being able to switch seamlessly between broad visions and intricate details. This skill, honed through her architectural training, is crucial for driving Recompose forward.

Katrina (15:01): "Architects think about the whole city block and then they think about what that screw head looks like."

Embracing Imperfection and Action

Katrina advocates for taking imperfect steps towards goals rather than waiting for perfection. She emphasizes the value of putting ideas into action and iterating based on feedback and real-world interactions.

Katrina (18:12): "The perfect is the enemy of the good... You’re never putting out what’s good and just getting things out the door."

Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Katrina encourages entrepreneurs to actively engage with their communities, remain adaptable, and stay resilient in the face of challenges. She also emphasizes the importance of following inspiration and maintaining meaningful connections.

Katrina (42:40): "Go out and talk to people, and you may be surprised where inspiration comes from."

Conclusion and Inspirational Insights

Katrina Spade’s journey with Recompose exemplifies how visionary ideas can transform deeply entrenched industries. Her dedication to sustainability, ethical practices, and meaningful client experiences offers a blueprint for entrepreneurs aiming to make a significant impact. By embracing both the emotional and environmental facets of death, Recompose not only addresses a critical ecological issue but also fosters a more genuine relationship with our mortality.

Katrina (43:37): "It's been a joy."

Notable Quotes

• On Design Challenges:
  Katrina (02:50): "The funeral industry hasn't changed in about 100 years... it's such an amazing design challenge."

• On the Importance of Action:
  Katrina (18:12): "The perfect is the enemy of the good... You’re never putting out what’s good and just getting things out the door."

• On Motivation:
  Katrina (36:40): "Would you rather be doing anything else? No. Okay, then keep going."

• On Human Composting’s Impact:
  Katrina (39:17): "Human composting avoids those emissions and sequesters carbon... it's a great tool for helping with the climate crisis."

Katrina Spade’s transformative work with Recompose showcases the power of innovative thinking and passionate execution. Her story is a testament to how addressing even the most sensitive topics with integrity and creativity can lead to profound societal and environmental change.