Reigning Woman of the Year Cherie Uzan: The award, divorce, business and a new found path
Business leader, entrepreneur, mother – the Gold Coast’s reigning Woman of the Year Cherie Uzan opens up on life after the award. See more.
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Business leader, entrepreneur, mother – the Gold Coast’s reigning Woman of the Year Cherie Uzan is about to take on a new philanthropic journey.
After a challenging 12 months, the owner of Italian restaurant Balboa and purpose-built wedding venue Valley Estate said her life had “totally changed” since the title last year.
She won the ‘Entrepreneurs’ category before taking out the overall title.
The Gold Coast Bulletin Woman of the Year award by Harvey Norman gave her the means to look forward and embrace a new path, as she faced unexpected personal challenges, she said this week.
“Going through a divorce for the past 12 months has been challenging,” she said.
“Having the Woman of the Year (title) has been a truly transformative experience and helped me greatly through my divorce,” she said.
“It showed me there’s so many people who do believe in me and have recognised what I do.
“It gave me to strength to power on through that and make sure I continue to do everything I had done to receive Woman of the Year and to even better that.
“It’s never easy when you’re going through a separation. But I believe when you are inspired by the people around you who believe in you, you really do have that strength to go on.”
The successful business operator is no stranger to struggle, having built Valley Estate in the peak of Covid.
A dream since childhood, Ms Uzan was determined to follow it through.
“I grew up in Tugun and Piggabeen and used to gallop my horses through that property since I was six,” she said.
“I always dreamt of building a wedding estate. I went through doing all the development, the plans, the drawings, the concepts and then the approval came through,” she said adding the construction started in January 2020 just before Covid’s pandemic shackles struck in March.
“That was a serious conversation with the builder who sat down and said he understood if I wanted to to pull out.
“I had heavily aligned myself with destination weddings so all of the forward bookings had gone in a swift moment, but I had no doubt in my mind we were pushing on – we were going to do this.
“We were going to build my dream and it was going to be amazing – and that is exactly what happened.”
She employed more than 400 through Covid gaining insight and knowledge into every one of her staff, citing “investment into people” as the key to success, she said.
Navigating an economic downturn, Ms Uzan said she had to evolve her businesses ensuring they were at the forefront of their space.
“Your staff are your business,” she said.
“My experience with (the Gold Coast Bulletin) Woman of the Year (by Harvey Norman) has really reinforced that perception.
“I have been investing in my team more than ever and believe that everyone within my businesses can achieve greatness.”
Now just coming out of her divorce – Ms Uzan said she was ready to take on her next endeavour.
“The divorce held me back from attaining all the goals which I set myself when I received this award,” she said. “With my divorce, ownership of all the businesses transferred to me.
“This is something which I am extremely proud of and have embraced wholeheartedly having built them from the ground up – I couldn’t see it any other way.
“I believe I won Woman of the Year for a reason. It has provided me with a platform to amplify the causes I am passionate about and reach a wider audience.”
Ms Uzan said it “opened doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships” she never imagined working closer including charities close to her heart: Starlight Children’s Foundation, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and the Police Legacy.
“I have worked closely with Starlight in particular, playing a huge role in their Five Chef’s Fundraiser – an opportunity that allowed me to learn more about the amazing work they do, and contribute to bettering the lives of sick kids. I’m also hosting a ball next month for the Police Legacy raising funds for the families of last year’s two fallen officers.”
Ms Uzan revealed she was developing her own charity, a program for disadvantaged youth and those with disabilities to work alongside her staff to broaden skills, qualifications and “even just to allow them to appreciate the beauty of an environment they may not otherwise have access to – all within a safe and supportive space, where they can flourish”.
“If you have the platform from which you can better someone’s life who may otherwise have been overlooked, then you absolutely need to embrace that opportunity.”
“Now the divorce is wrapped up I’m looking at moving forward into acquiring another property and getting the ball rolling with this charity which we hope to see up and running in the next 24 months.
“I feel like if you’ve been given an award like that it’s for a reason so you must have an impact. I know I won Gold Coast Woman of the Year for 2022 – but it’s not just about that year.
“It’s about something that will be with me for the rest of my life and I will continue to grow and inspire other people and this charity will go on forever.
“It is a legacy.”
Ms Uzan said any woman nominated for a category - or who wanted to nominate themselves - should embrace it, wholeheartedly and unapologetically.
“Don’t be afraid of it,” she said. “Use it to be more kind, more of what the reasons are that they’ve received it which is about investing into our community.
“Recognition and representation of women are paramount. It’s essential for women to be seen, heard, and acknowledged for their contributions and achievements.
“When women are recognised, it not only validates their hard work but also serves as an inspiration for others. It dismantles gender stereotypes, breaks barriers, and paves the way for future generations.
“By embracing diversity and ensuring equal representation, we foster innovation, creativity, and progress. It is through recognising and amplifying women’s voices that we can create a more inclusive and equitable industries for all.”
Originally published as Reigning Woman of the Year Cherie Uzan: The award, divorce, business and a new found path
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