Who We Are: The Springboard Story


Janice Burroughs, BS, PT
President and Founder

 

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  • Your 20 year marriage ends
  • Your parent is diagnosed with cancer, becomes disabled or dies
  • Your spouse suddenly dies, leaving you to raise a child alone
  • You face a life threatening illness, injury, or surgery
  • Your job disappears, along with your retirement and family’s benefit plans

 

All of these life-altering events happened, within a short span of 6 years, to Springboard’s founding partner Janice Burroughs. Through pain and loss, she saw an opportunity to use her experience and challenges to inspire and assist others. Recognizing the need for coordinated resources in facilitating life’s inevitable transitions, she joined Greg Doepke and Ann Deaton to create The Springboard Group©™. In 2006 they developed a network of experienced professional providers and become an innovative collaborative resource to better manage life transitions.


 

Founding Partner Bios: Taking the Journey with You

 

Janice Burroughs, BS, PT, President and Founder

When Springboard was created, it was more than a career change. I was responding to an overwhelming urgency to develop a new approach for those (especially women) experiencing unplanned or difficult mid- life transitions. I was a divorced-widow, raising a child with aging parents living out of state. My health care career had suddenly ended and I realized these experiences had pointed me to a new life purpose. I had seen first hand how fragmented current services are, and how life can change so quickly. I wanted to direct my skills, talents, knowledge and experience in service to others.

 

What was the driving force to reinvent my life at age 47? First, a little background...

 

A UNC- Chapel Hill graduate in physical therapy, I married and started my career at age 22. I assumed progressively challenging leadership roles in healthcare organizations in the Southeast, we eventually relocated to Richmond in 1987. In 1993, we had a daughter and I began the balancing act of being a Mom, a full time corporate vice president, the spouse of a corporate executive director, and only- child of aging parents living out of state. Business and staff development have permeated my work life, and been areas of strength.

 

Enhancing this experience with personal coaching training, I began to envision utilizing my natural talents and interests, business skills and life experiences in a more fulfilling and creative way. As my daughter entered middle school, my corporate executive life was overshadowed by family needs and my personal desire to explore a less structured, creative and balanced life. I personally survived several major life transitions, one often overlapping the next. The “universe” seemed to be giving me an advanced education in adaptability, acceptance, and resilience, and learning to trust myself! Tough life lessons were steering me towards a more authentic life purpose; I began to see they were intended to reach beyond me, my friends and family, and now appreciate those experiences as building my “life resume”. I began to explore ways I could have a broad and lasting impact, which I learned is part of the work of mid-life!

 

Today, I enjoy mentoring others from personal experience; it is like helping people plant seeds for a new, enriched life that will grow long after this current experience of loss. Ironically the pain of loss stimulates tremendous personal growth, and an awakening to the chance to purposefully shape your future. This has been true for me; I invite you to join me in using your own transition points to “reveal opportunities” to create your new life!

Contact me.

   
 

Margaret Rush
I am pleased to be Marketing Representative for The Springboard Group, Inc.! This position allows me to blend my life transitions “real life” experiences with my business and legal background and newly completed MBA. Springboard helps people in life transitions launch new lives and to find the positive aspects in those transitions. I look forward to helping the company grow, and to the personal journey that will bring. more>>

 

I first learned of Springboard™ because, like so many in the Richmond area in the last several months, my previous employer has disappeared off the corporate landscape. I was about 2/3 of the way through completing VCU’s Executive MBA program when I was let go last fall. And, just in the last 5 years, I have been through divorce, the death of my mother and a major career transition; my father is over 80 and frail.

 

I am, by nature, a concierge and a diplomat, compassionate and ministerial. At home, I am the chief “cat-herder” - a happily divorced mother of two teenage boys, 2 dogs, and a companion who is here as much as his own work and family responsibilities allow.

 

Having planned to scale the company’s corporate ladder when I finished my degree, I am instead building a whole new ladder. And, despite the external stresses and the tales of doom and gloom from all fronts, I find myself enjoying the experience of that transition (most of the time, anyway!) After all, it has brought me here in front of you!

 
 


   
Board of Directors
   

Gregory W. Doepke, CFP®, AEP
Co-Founder, Director
Contact Greg

Ann V. Deaton, Ph.D, PCC
Co-Founder, Director
Contact Ann

   

Fred Ames, CPA

Grace Robinson, CPA