Seven years ago, Jessica Golriz Hyam started selling tichels, head coverings for Jewish women, out of the living room of her two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles.
“Our second child was four months old when I started researching how to start our business,” Hyam said. “That was definitely an experience.”
Eventually, Hyam and her family moved to a house in Pico-Robertson, and she began selling out of her garage. She imported scarves from Israel and offered hats as well. At the same time, she built up a substantial following on social media, posting tutorials on how to tie scarves, and she called herself The Little Tichel Lady.
Now, the entrepreneur, wife and mother has opened her own shop at 9016 W. Pico Boulevard in Pico-Robertson. She said that going from selling out of her garage to getting her own storefront was “a literal 180. There are definitely pros and cons to both sides, but I’m grateful that we were able to expand to a storefront so we could offer more styles, including clothing and Shabbat makeup.”
In addition to selling tichels, Hyam is a freelance makeup artist. Shabbat makeup is makeup that stays on for long periods of time, when observant Jews won’t touch up their makeup on Shabbat or the holidays. Hyam is also selling modest bathing suits and clothing, which are not readily available at other L.A. stores.
“I feel it’s important for women to look ‘beautiful’ for themselves for their own self-esteem and outlook on how they see themselves.”- Jessica Hyam
“More than looking beautiful for our spouse and the general public to make a kiddush Hashem, I feel it’s important for women to look beautiful for themselves for their own self-esteem and outlook on how they see themselves,” Hyam said. “This is why we offer so many different styles of head coverings. I want to make sure that every woman has what they need in order to feel confident and happy throughout their day.”
Being able to help women fulfill their mitzvot in a meaningful way is what drives Hyam to run her business.
“There aren’t so many mitzvot that are set aside only for women, yet it is one that is very difficult for many women, regardless of if they choose to cover with a hair covering or with a shaitel (wig),” she said. “I remember having this inner struggle of not recognizing myself after I got married and nobody ever told me that it’s something that takes time to get used to. I made it my mission to help women in this regard, to make the transition easier for them than what it was for me.”
Hyam grew up in a traditional Persian home. She was born in Oklahoma, where her father was earning his engineering degree after leaving Iran before the Revolution. When she was three, her family moved to L.A. and placed her in a private Jewish school.
“I started the process of becoming a baal teshuva when I was 12,” she said. “It was a process that took many, many years.”
Today, Hyam is an active member of her Pico-Robertson community as well as the broader Jewish community online. Her goal? Along with being the best mother, wife and member of her community that she can, it’s to help women solve their hair covering issues.
“Whether it’s making tutorials and tips and tricks videos to troubleshoot or answering customer service questions, I’m happy when I know that someone else is happy in their hair covering journey,” she said.
With the new storefront, Hyam acknowledged how her faith has contributed to her success.
“People will often ask me for business advice and ask how I got to where I am today, I want you to know that everything that I have been able to accomplish is because of God’s graciousness,” she said. “Every step forward, every sale, every idea comes from Him, and I don’t take any of it for granted.”
