Jen Schwartz, a child of divorce, and Randi Small, a divorcee, are the co-founders of www.DivorceCandy.com. Both have suffered the stigma of divorce in different ways. They have dealt with loss, the acceptance of new families, the often painful adjustment to change and so much more. Through their website, they offer others in similar straights a place where they can start over and stay positive.

Jen’s parents separated in 1995 and divorced 7 years later. She knows all too well the pain of loss, the shame of not wanting her friends to know. During high school, her greatest escape was studying, so she excelled at school and got into a top university. As she began to experience the power of accomplishment, she transformed the pain and anger that was the backdrop at home into learning how to find the positive in life.

Randi was married in her early 20s to a man she was deeply in love with. But after awhile things began to unravel. The environment in which she and her husband were raising their two sons was fast becoming dysfunctional. It was clear to Randi that if her boys were to emerge healthy and emotionally strong, they had to leave. Instead of staying in a bad marriage for the sake of the children like so many people do, she left for the sake of the children. She experienced countless heartbreaking moments in the 12 years since, but made the choice to keep growing and learning. She realized that for every difficult conversation with her ex about the kids, or vacations, or money, there are joyful moments too, which she believes are the moments to hang on to; they get you through the bad ones. One of those joyful times was the catalyst for DivorceCandy, as she and Jen became determined to share these life lessons with the world.

Divorcecandy.com is a new website offering advice, support, communities and content designed to assist divorcees in starting over, staying positive, and rebuilding their lives.

Jen, a native New Yorker, is an English teacher and currently lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and their two dogs, Eloise and Harry Potter. Randi, also from New York, is an executive with a global professional services firm in Manhattan and the mother of two college-aged boys. She currently resides in Tenafly, NJ with her second husband.

Randi and Jen have learned that divorce is not just one moment that ends with the sweep of a pen. Its fallout is lasting. They have overcome many hurdles and are thriving in their own lives. Thus, they remain dedicated to helping the ever-growing population of divorcees do the same.

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