A Woman Viewed Broadly As An Innovator, And Out-Of-The-Box Thinker ‒ Interview With Sharina Perry
Sharina Perry is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder/Inventor of Utopia Plastix, a plant-based alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Sharina is also the creator and developer of The Utopia Model, a sustainable eco-system business model. She is viewed broadly as an innovator, strategist and out-of-the-box thinker. She is often recognized for her keen ability to encourage constructive thought and intentional leadership.
Sharina Perry, Serial Entrepreneur & Founder/Inventor of Utopia Plastix
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
My name is Sharina Perry. I am the mother of 3 selfless, intelligent and spirited human beings. I am also MiMi to a rambunctious 2-year-old that wakes up every morning and watches basketball videos.
When I was 6 years old my grandfather gave me the name “his little attorney”. This was significant because my grandfather could read or write, but owned multiple businesses including land in multiple states. I was born in New Mexico. My family moved to Oklahoma when I was a teenager because my dad was transferred by Texaco. After attending high school and college in Norman, I began my journey of entrepreneurship in my mid-twenties. Despite launching into entrepreneurship in an unplanned way, I went on to become the only African American-owned cable/internet prime government contractor. This resulted in landing space as one of the Top 5 MDU/FTG and Top 10 Public/Private providers in the industry. I also developed a reputation for my business acumen, out-of-the-box thinking, innovative spirit, strategic business model and keen ability to execute.
What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
Today, I am the founder/inventor of Utopia Plastix. Utopia Plastix is a plant-based alternative to petroleum-based plastics. My trademarked and patented technology is 100% recyclable, degradable and compostable. I am also the creator/developer of The Utopia Model, a sustainable circular ecosystem business model. The model is driven by 3 companies working in alignment and vertically integrated.
What kind of audience do you target your business towards?
I obtained a certification in sustainable strategies and circular economy from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School using our Utopia Model. We target distributors, manufacturers and suppliers interested in eco-friendly solutions in plastic manufacturing. We seek strategic partners as we continue to expand our global footprint. What is your work inspired by?
As a young girl, I didn’t understand the disparity. So I created this world called Utopia. In Utopia we solved problems and in the process took care of everyone. We worked together. It was simply imagining if we intentionally chose to do things God's way. My parents recall the day, as a preteen, I told them I would change the world by the time I was 50. Today, Utopia Plastix has been internationally recognized as a viable solution to plastic waste.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
Today, I look back and remember the day I made a plant-based straw in my kitchen. Fast forward and manufacturers globally use our commercial-grade resins in their industrial applications. Despite not having a degree in chemistry and engineering I own patents for a new chemistry and engineering process.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
It is so important that plastic manufacturers and their clients focus on the overall impact of the materials used when making their products. Green technologies will often mean adapting to innovative solutions. This means not centrally focusing on the cost difference on the front end, but calculate the environmental, societal and economic impact on the back end.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
It was an insignificant moment when given a paper straw, that lead to a commitment to “not create problems as we solved them”. It was that moment when my vision aligned with my education and experience leading to my purpose. This was the pivotal moment in my journey to Utopia.
Learn more about the why, what, and how of Utopia Plastix here.
