There is always plenty of excitement at Transition Enterprises. Please continue to check here often for details on recent happenings.

An Inspired Transition: Two women who mourned together join forces to prepare young people for their futures
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 06/25/06

By Bobbi Seidel
Staff Writer

Friends and family connected Jeanie Coomber and Charlotte Ryan. The loss of loved ones drew them closer and inspired them to pursue their dream career.

Just over a year ago, Ryan, 66, and Coomber, 37, founded Spring Lake Heights-based Transition Enterprises, a career- and life-development company for young adults. But the company had planted its seeds years ago in the friendship between Ryan and Coomber's mother, Marjorie Cronin, licensed clinical social workers who shared an office in Bergen County.

It was Cronin's sudden death two years ago that spurred Ryan and Coomber to pursue their dreams, a decision they say was the right one.

"I am excited to get up every day. I feel the inspiration that my corporate life was lacking," Coomber says. "It sounds corny, but I really feel I'm doing what I was meant to do, and the path that I took was perfect."

Ryan says the young people she meets represent her daughter Erin, who died suddenly of a heart attack 10 years ago, when she was 28.

"In them, I see the future she never had. It's very gratifying to help them," she says. "Marge was a good friend and colleague. She wrapped her arms around me emotionally and in every way. She was there for me every moment."

That included inviting Ryan to spend time at her home in Ocean Grove. Cronin described the area as healing, Ryan says.

Ryan did visit. Two years later, the former Paramus resident bought a home there — a step closer to her future, although she didn't know it at the time.

Coomber, meanwhile, was a vice president for a large financial services company.

"My company had us go out to colleges to talk with students about entering the financial services field," says Coomber, of Ocean Grove. "It dawned on me that many of these students were struggling with they wanted to do in a career."

By 2002, Coomber was speaking with her mother about changing careers and becoming a certified business coach.

"Marge and I had talked a lot about our children," Ryan says. "We talked about somehow working with Jeanie in starting a business in service to other people."

In July 2004, Coomber gave birth to her daughter, Sloane. That October, Cronin died suddenly of heart failure at age 62.

"My mom was a huge voice of support for me. This is somebody I talked to every day," says Coomber. "She was my best friend, my confidante, my mentor. Without warning, she was gone."

Both women were mourning Cronin.

Both realized the time had come to change their lives.

In February 2005, the two formed Transition Enterprises, which provides workshops and private coaching. Ryan is president; Coomber is executive director. Ryan also maintains a private social work practice in Spring Lake Heights.

Workshops have included one in April for the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts for girls 16 to 18 on leadership and career development, Coomber says. Ryan taught relaxation and visualization techniques at the workshop.

"Private coaching is concrete planning on paper. We talk about you, what makes you tick, your strengths, your career options, how we're going to get you there, about networking," Coomber says.

Liz LaBue, 32, a professional dancer who is creating an arts and culture center in Brooklyn, says their coaching works.

"They've helped me solidify my business plan. They've walked me through how to get funding and helped me find a space," says LaBue, who dances with a traditional Sicilian folk dance company but also does African and break dancing. "I want the center to be more than dance and yoga — spoken work, drum circles, speakers, gallery space for community artists.

"It should open in the next few months," says the former Kinnelon resident who now lives in Brooklyn. Of Ryan and Coomber, she says, "They're very encouraging. They're always optimistic."

They also balance each other, Ryan and Coomber say.

"I would characterize myself as a left-brain thinker — process-oriented, practical, fair, logical," Coomber says.

"She's very ordered within flexibility," Ryan says. "Results-oriented, straightforward."
Coomber says Ryan is "more right-brain, more feeling, visionary."

"She has unbelievable wisdom," she says. "I'm in awe of her."

Ryan says she got to know Jeanie more after Marge died.

"I had always known her as Jeanie the daughter. Now I got to know her as Jeanie the woman," she says.

Ryan also is helping bereaved children through Camp Griefbusters, a nonprofit, two-day program she created after Erin died. The camp is open to children ages 4 to 14 who have recently lost a parent or sibling. Campers pay a small fee; scholarships are available.

"No one is ever turned away," Ryan says.

Hearts & Crafts Counseling, a nonprofit, Ramsey-based agency, helps her produce the camp, funded by the Erin O'Grady Fund, which Ryan maintains through donations and fundraising.

"I often think that I'm here with Jeanie, and Marge is with my daughter Erin," Ryan says.

If you would like to be included in our emailings, simply click the link below and provide us with your contact information. And, if at any point you want to opt-out of our email list, simply click the link on your email to remove yourself from our list. Please note that your contact information will not be shared with any outside parties.

Click here to add yourself to Transition Enterprises' email list.

Click here to return to the top of the page.