Sharon Harper

I attribute my success to my faith, which gave me the courage to step outside my comfort zone and find my voice. As the youngest of seven and a sickly child, I grew up shy and reserved, often overlooked as “the baby girl.” Determined to change, I immersed myself in reading and knowledge, which helped me grow in confidence. Inspired by my grandfather—a chef and gardener who gave back to the community—I developed a love for service and perseverance. My journey has been shaped by faith, curiosity, and a constant drive to push myself further, and those qualities continue to guide my success today.

The best career advice I ever received came in the form of a negative comment that I chose to turn into motivation. In high school during the 1980s, I was often the only minority student in advanced courses like physics, geometry, and trigonometry. When I asked a teacher why I never received a perfect score despite having correct answers, he told me, “You don’t know what they know,” and even suggested I had cheated. Though discouraging, I transformed that moment into a lifelong lesson: I resolved to know what they know—and more. That mindset has guided me throughout my career, pushing me to excel, expand my knowledge, and never let limitations define me.

The best advice I can give young women entering this field is to know your worth and stand firmly on what you know. Passion will fuel your work, but confidence in your knowledge will protect it. As a chemist in a male‑dominated industry, I often had to defend my expertise against doubt and criticism, especially as both a woman and a minority. I learned that when you know your worth, no one can diminish it—whether in the lab, in meetings, or in written communication. Your knowledge must speak for you, and when you stand by it with conviction, you build respect, credibility, and character.

One of the greatest challenges in the industry today lies in shifting mindsets away from the dependence on big pharmaceutical companies and toward natural, holistic remedies. My own experience in the pharmaceutical sector revealed how treatments often prioritize profit over true healing, with active ingredients too minimal to cure and inactive ones sometimes harmful to the body. That realization drove me to explore alternatives rooted in nature—remedies that can be grown, understood, and used to support the body at the cellular level. The opportunity now is to help people recognize that they already have powerful, natural solutions at their fingertips, and to encourage a broader acceptance of holistic approaches alongside traditional medicine.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are fairness, respect, honesty, and integrity. I believe respect goes a long way in building strong relationships, and fairness ensures that everyone is treated justly. I emphasize to my daughters that honesty and integrity define character—because when you speak the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable, you never have to maintain a lie. Integrity means standing by your word and actions, and honesty builds trust that lasts. These values guide how I communicate, make decisions, and carry myself, both professionally and personally.