Brenda Sullivan Founder, Gravestone Girls

About this episode

Brenda Sullivan shares her journey from a corporate career to founding The Gravestone Girls, exploring the cultural significance of cemeteries.

Some people find their calling in the most unexpected places. And for Brenda Sullivan, that calling happened… in the cemetery. In this two-part conversation, I'm joined by the fascinating, funny, wildly knowledgeable founder of The Gravestone Girls — cemetery artists and historians who are helping people all over the country reconnect with history, symbolism, mortality, and the stories literally carved into stone. I first discovered Brenda's work a couple of years ago when my daughter and I attended one of her talks at a library here in New Hampshire. I honestly didn't know what to expect — I assumed it might be spooky or "oddity-adjacent." But within minutes of listening to her, my entire world expanded. What Brenda does is deeply fact-based, richly historical, and surprisingly emotional. She teaches us that cemeteries are not just places of death — they are places of culture, meaning, artistry, community, and connection. In Part One (Episode 69) Brenda shares her incredible story of leaving behind a high-powered corporate career — what she calls a "soul-sucking day job" — to fully step into the work she truly loved. She talks about: Being a "corporate dropout" and finally…

People in this episode

Guest: Brenda Sullivan

Topics covered

• cemetery art
• history
• symbolism
• mortality
• business transition

Keywords

• Gravestone Girls
• corporate dropout
• cemetery history
• artistry
• community connection

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The Gravestone Girls

Places: New Hampshire, New England

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