Today, Red Iguana owner Lucy Cardenas, was honored with Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious 2023 Pathfinder Award. The Pathfinder Award is presented annually to community leaders who create new paths promoting the development and recognition of women in business. When asked what advice she would offer to women to help them succeed, Lucy recommended, “Be authentic, open-hearted, and open-minded–and find a mentor willing to help you along in your career.”
Cardenas attributes her success in the hospitality industry to adopting an “old-school” way of operating a restaurant, stating, “As far as the hospitality industry, I actually embrace the old-school way of running a resilient restaurant—providing great service, making great food, and paying attention to quality. I believe good restaurants are here to stay. People love going into a restaurant where they will be taken care of by people, not just technology, so that’s what I do with Red Iguana.”
Cardenas feels that her biggest accomplishment since taking over in 2005 from her father, is the fact that she’s tripled business, and has been able to open two new locations, with over 200 employees, while still maintaining the quality of goods and service they’re known for.
