Refugee from war-torn Ukraine becomes Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Cherkashyn said: “Winning the award feels amazing. I built a startup, and it was recognised by the Jewish community in the UK. It's a privilege for me because I didn't have these connections in Ukraine. I'm very grateful to this WIZO award and the community that creates these opportunities for entrepreneurs.”

Cherkashyn started trading cryptocurrencies at the age of 15, alongside his fencing, with a Jewish Ukrainian friend. “I was very passionate about it, but I wasn't very successful at first. I was thinking: ‘How can we maximise the return on investments?’ And then I started talking to people who create these algorithmic modules in cryptocurrencies, and they introduced me to this world.”

He said his experience as a professional athlete in competitive sports was linked to his success in finance. “It's all about the passion you have. If you can find motivation in what you're doing, results will definitely come eventually. I had to work a lot, and this attitude probably helped me a lot with this startup, because at the beginning, it was a nightmare; we couldn't raise any investments. But then, step by step, another day, and penny by penny, we raised nearly £500,000.”

Stefanie Daniels, who was named Female Entrepreneur of the Year, underwent surgical menopause at the age of just 38, following a double mastectomy and oophorectomy, after she was found to have the BRCA gene mutation, which vastly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Daniels went on to turn her experience into the thriving wellness business SD Wellness Ltd. Combining nutrition, coaching and therapies, she empowers women to embrace midlife with confidence.

Daniels is “surprised” and “beyond happy” to be recognised with a WIZO UK award. “When I got over the shock, I was like: ‘This is important, and it's resonating with people.’”

Stefanie Daniels[Missing Credit]

Of her experience she said: “What happened [to me] was awful. I lost my mum, and then, two months later, I gave birth without her – a time when Jewish mothers are usually there in the blink of an eye. It was really tough, and couple that, two years later, with the preventative surgery – it was a lot.”

Although she added that launching a business was a whole other challenge. “It's not for the faint hearted.” 

After a career in media, in 2020, Daniels stumbled upon a TED talk on intermittent fasting in relation to the menopause, given by author Cynthia Thurlow. “She was the reason why I changed direction,” recalled Daniels.

She went back to college to study naturopathic medicine and gained a three-year diploma in nutrition, before getting a coaching qualification – “because I think it all starts with food,” she said.

“It's been the biggest learning curve. I saw a video of myself when I was pregnant [with son Jonny, who is now 12], and didn’t recognise myself – I was such a different person back then. When I'm doing my work and see the change in [clients], I think: ‘Obviously, I’m meant to be doing this.’”

Dr Deborah Gordon, who won Public Sector Entrepreneur of the Year, has transformed GP access in Hertfordshire by introducing same-day triage for all patients. Leading services for over 50,000 patients, Gordon also champions women’s health, safeguards vulnerable patients, and balances family life, all while caring for a child with additional needs.

“Our patients can ask for something during our entire working hours, and we've got availability now to provide that in a system where most other practices are completely filled by 10 o'clock in the morning,” says Dr Gordon, who has had a number of practices contact her for help to achieve a similar triaging system.

Dr Deborah Gordon[Missing Credit]

Dr Gordon feels “truly honoured” to win the WIZO UK award. “I put my life and soul into making patients’ lives better and trying to provide a good service for them,” she says. “I feel very honoured for somebody to recognise how much myself and my team have done to try and make the lives of our patients better.”

She started developing the triage system at Manor View Practice 15 years ago and has built the surgery from a 9,000 to a 50,000-patient practice. “Despite growing, we've improved our efficiencies and are providing a good service for patients. I just feel honoured that somebody's recognised that.”

WIZO UK is the British branch of WIZO. It raises funds to support over 800 vital social welfare and educational projects in Israel,  impacting vulnerable men, women and children, from babies to the elderly.

Full list of WIZO UK’s Entrepreneurial Awards

Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Andrii Cherkashyn, founder of an AI-powered algorithmic trading start-up

Innovation Entrepreneur of the Year - César Roden, the founder of Ice Kitchen

Creative Entrepreneur of the Year - Jonny Caplan, the founder of Tech Talk Media and Impossible Media

Purpose Entrepreneur of the Year - Alexia Baron, the founder of Porto & Bello

Public Sector Entrepreneur of the Year - Dr Deborah Gordon

Female Entrepreneur of the Year - Stefanie Daniels, founder of Life Begins at Menopause

Start-Up Entrepreneur of the Year - Tash Grossman, the founder of Slip