Today, Schmalzle is the founder of Spirit of Service (SOS), a faith-based estate executor and trustee organization that works with families navigating probate and trust administration. The company operates with a simple idea that has helped it stand out in a very traditional industry: estate administration should focus on service, not just transactions.

That idea came from experience, not theory.

“I agreed to help someone from our church retirement community before I even knew it was a paid role,” Schmalzle says. “At the time, I just saw someone who needed help.”

That small decision eventually turned into a business model that now works with families, churches, and communities across the country.