Shari Hughson: A Path to Community Built Solutions

When Shari Hughson talks about wellbeing as the gateway to community built solutions, she doesn't mean fitness trackers and green smoothies. She means the ability to face a hard moment and say, "I'm okay. This, too, shall pass." For Shari, well-being isn't the absence of struggle—it's the mindset that you can figure things out.

That mindset shaped every turn in her journey—from growing up with mentally ill parents, to working as a nurse, to founding multiple social enterprises. Along the way, she's hit rock bottom more than once, including two bankruptcies. But each time, she's gotten back up by leaning into fear, setting clear goals, and taking bold action.

“I've done that over and over again so that I can say, I'm still okay. The worst thing I had ever thought of happened, and I’m still okay.” — Shari

That deep personal resilience is also what she brings into every community she serves. Shari spent seven years living off the grid near a remote Indigenous community in Canada.

What began as an experiment in sustainable living became a lesson in innovation, cultural respect, and mutual empowerment. Together, they developed circular, small-scale business models to meet the community's needs—food, housing, and mental health—using the best of both traditional wisdom and modern technology.

What Shari learned from that time reshaped her entire view of social impact. Innovation, she says, isn’t about tech or startups—it’s about mindset. It’s about seeing a problem and deciding not to wait for someone else to fix it.

“We need an innovation movement. Not just environmental, not just mental health—we need to help people figure things out for themselves, in new ways.” — Shari

Today, she's bringing that philosophy to Pathfinders, where she's helping organizations amplify the social good they're already doing. Her focus is on real stories, real impact, and celebrating sustainable innovation that communities are leading themselves.

As Shari sees it, every one of us has the power to help shape a better future—not by avoiding problems, but by approaching them with clarity, creativity, and care.

“Take action. Just take a little step. The next one will show up—and all of a sudden, you’re there.” — Shari

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the scale of what needs fixing, this story is proof that mindset changes everything.

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