Savannah Turhan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Savannah, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Many people don’t realize how many modern and eco-friendly cremation options are available today. From water cremation to biodegradable urns and solidified remains like Parting Stones, there are so many meaningful choices that allow families to honor their loved ones in a way that reflects their personal values.
Another big misconception is that choosing cremation means giving up ceremony, ritual, or closure, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. At Orchid, we help families create deeply personal goodbyes. That might look like a quiet moment with their loved one before cremation, a witness experience, or a memorial weeks later.
There’s no one “right” way to grieve, and cremation doesn’t mean you have to forgo meaning. Our goal is to educate families on all their options so they feel empowered to make the decisions that are right for them, with care and support every step of the way.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Savannah Turhan, and my husband and I founded Orchid Cremations, a woman, veteran, and family-owned cremation provider based in San Diego. I started Orchid with a mission to bring more compassion, transparency, and personalization to end-of-life care.
What makes us unique is how we blend modern convenience with deeply human service. We offer eco-friendly options like water cremation and biodegradable urns, and we make arrangements simple with online tools—but we also provide space for grief, ritual, and personal connection. Families can choose meaningful options like witness cremation, solidified remains, or a quiet final moment with their loved one.
This work is personal for me. I believe every life deserves to be honored in a way that reflects who they were. Right now, I’m working on expanding our resources for families—like pre-planning tools, hospice partnerships, and grief support—so we can truly guide people from beginning to end with care.
At Orchid, we’re not just handling logistics. We’re showing up with heart, every single time.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds are often broken by unspoken grief, unmet expectations, or the weight of pain that goes unacknowledged. In my work, I’ve seen how death can pull people apart, not just from the person they lost, but from each other, especially when there’s unresolved emotion, family tension, or no space to properly say goodbye.
What restores those bonds is an honest connection. It’s when someone feels seen, heard, and held in their grief. Simple things like showing up, listening without fixing, or creating space to honor someone’s life can begin to heal what’s been broken. Ceremony, storytelling, shared silence, all of these are powerful ways to reconnect.
At the end of the day, love and empathy are what hold people together. And when those are offered without condition, even the deepest fractures can start to mend.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You don’t have to carry everything alone. You are strong, but you’re not meant to be invincible. It’s okay to ask for help, to rest, and to trust that you’re still worthy even when things feel messy or uncertain. You’re building something beautiful, even if you can’t see it yet. Keep going, your heart will lead you exactly where you need to be.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies is that families *need* to be sold something big or traditional in order to show love or respect. The industry sometimes equates value with cost, and that’s simply not true. A meaningful goodbye doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate to be real and healing.
Another lie is that grief fits into a neat timeline, or that once the paperwork is done, our job is over. The truth is, families remember how they were treated forever. The emotional and human side of this work matters just as much, if not more than, the logistics.
And finally, there’s a lie that cremation is “just the cheaper option” or less meaningful. But when done with intention, care, and choice, cremation can be deeply personal and just as sacred as any other form of farewell. That’s the story we’re trying to rewrite every day at Orchid.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I made them feel seen, supported, and cared for, especially during their hardest moments. That I helped bring more compassion and honesty into a space where people often feel lost or overwhelmed.
I hope they say I wasn’t afraid to do things differently. That I built something with heart, challenged the norms of my industry, and always led with purpose.
Most of all, I hope people remember me as someone who showed up with empathy, grit, and love and made a meaningful difference in the lives of others, one family at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://orchidcremations.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchidcremations/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561480691124
