Eterneva, Austin-based grief wellness and memorial diamond company that was featured on “Shark Tank,” has shown immense growth since its inception in 2016. The company was co-founded by Adelle Archer following the loss of her dear friend and mentor, Tracy. Tracy was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2015 and was informed by doctors that she had three months to live. When Tracy passed away, Archer felt compelled to memorialize her by turning her ashes into a black diamond, all to “capture her sparkling spirit and ensure that her legacy [lived] on.” It turned out to be a difficult job. When Archer struggled to find the right company to offer what she was looking for, she realized that her difficulty represented an opportunity, and she decided to pursue it. From that challenge, the company was launched with co-founder Garrett Ozar.
Over the last three years, the duo has continued to reimagine a wider range of options with which the bereaved can remember and celebrate the lives of the loved ones they have lost. Eterneva specializes in turning ashes and hair into diamonds over 7 to 10 months. The method is a six-step process that includes carbon purification, diamond growth, diamond quality assessment, diamond cutting, and, finally, the finishing touches. However, what sets Eterneva apart from the competition, other than its continued dedication to ethical practices and authenticity, is its commitment to making the process feel personalized. The founders understand the difficulty of loss and want to ensure that the diamond creation process is a journey to remember. With that, the company provides clients with interactive video packaging, handwritten letters, and personal delivery.
Eterneva’s Mission
Eterneva’s mission is to provide transparency and trust and communicate throughout the process so that those who are grieving feel that they are on a journey with their loved ones. The reviews confirm that the company is holding to its mission statement. Denise Gray, a woman who lost her child, reports, “This was the most amazing process. After speaking with Jacob, I was at ease with sending my child’s ashes to him. From the first day to the time I received the most perfect blue diamond, communication was the best. I was updated on every moment of change. Upon receiving my baby back, I was able to not only meet Jacob, but I got to meet Adelle and Garrett. I will never be able to thank them enough.”
Now, in a time of social isolation, the company has taken its business model one step further by providing a new free service to funeral homes and crematoriums – a platform for them to digitize their arrangements within 72 hours. “We know how important it is to come together and help as many people as we can right now,” says Archer. “We feel like death care professionals are the unsung heroes that no one is talking about… If we can help by taking one thing off their plate, we’ll be happy to know we played a role in decreasing the burden on funeral homes at this challenging time.” The roll-out of the new service is not intended to be a new branch of the company; instead, it is a tool that the founders wanted to provide to help ease the difficulties and pain that families are currently experiencing.
The resource was initially rolled out by Schoedinger Funeral Home, based in Columbus, Ohio. The senior vice president and head of technology at Schoedinger Funeral Home and Cremation Services has expressed the gratitude that he feels for the ease of the process and the aid that it has provided for funeral directors. “Eterneva has been an amazing partner. They have stepped up to help funeral professionals during this unprecedented time,” he says. “Our funeral directors could not be more pleased with how our digital arrangement tool has made our long-distance arrangements easier. We spent a lot of time and thousands of dollars trying to develop something like this tool, and Eterneva was able to help us get this together in five days. Instead of spending time figuring out technology with families, they can spend that time building a meaningful connection. Thank you, Eterneva.”
While stay-at-home orders can make funerals and grieving together difficult or impossible for families, the ongoing compassion that the team at Eterneva expresses is changing how families can celebrate their lost ones. In a time of difficulty and uncertainty, the company’s foundation is holding onto its mission to be a “source of brightness for those coping with the death of a loved one.”
Check out Eterneva on LinkedIn for more information on the company and its future initiatives.