“Who is Temech? And what on earth is networking?”
That was Shlomit Hazzan’s initial reaction when her husband showed her a Temech networking group ad.
Both she and her husband, R’ Dovid, were salaried employees. They regularly lectured on financial empowerment, usually on a volunteer basis. Shlomit sings professionally and occasionally gave interactive workshops accompanied by song.
When he saw the Temech ad, R’ Hazzan encouraged his wife to attend.
She went. And a new world opened up for her.
She’d come home and share the insights with her husband. He quickly realized that their side hobby could be a full-blown career. “We had loads of experience with life coaching, chinuch, and finance. Temech showed me how to harness those skills into a successful business and introduced me to valuable contacts.”
The Hazzans met with a business coach and decided to take the leap: Shlomit quit her job, and R’ Dovid scaled back his. They changed their name to Restart for Success and had Perry Aush, a fellow Temech participant, revamp their logo.
The following year, Shlomit joined two networking groups —one as a participant and one as a leader. “The groups gave me the power and courage to open a business. Leading them gave me new skills in leadership and group dynamics.”
Restart for Success rapidly grew. “Our business focuses on all the elements you need to strengthen to succeed — inner world, marriage, parenting, and finances. We work on self-awareness and empowerment, and offer holistic solutions.
For example, a couple came to us because they own a business together, and they’re drowning in debt. As we spoke, we uncovered financial mismanagement, marital discord, and trouble in how they parented their married children. We worked on all those elements to help them get back on track.”
The Hazzan also give lectures and workshops across the country — including some to Temech members. Shlomit writes for various publications, and she and her husband create videos on financial empowerment and awareness.
Throughout it all, Temech was there. “Temech is my business family. It’s where I can come, have coffee, read a good business book, meet a like-minded friend and brainstorm.
“A frum business owner can be lonely. She doesn’t have close coworkers who will come to her simchas. Temech is like the teacher’s room or the water cooler, a place where all these women can meet and connect.
“To the outside world, an entrepreneur also has to appear strong. Inside Temech, we can be real, we take off the mask. We can speak about the dishes in the sink and where we’re stuck.”
Seeing how crucial connections were, Shlomit opened a forum for charedi businesswomen. “It helps women feel less alone, just today, a woman with a complicated family situation told me, ‘I feel like the forum is my family; it gives me the strength to keep my business going.’
“It also allows women to get advice and input from each other.
“Lastly, so many collaborations arise from it — one woman has a bridal boutique, another writes her ad copy, and a third does her product photography.
“Temech gave me the support, the skills, and the courage to create a business I love. Now I’m able to turn around and help so many other people in the same way.”
