My mom has been a huge inspiration to me. She worked a demanding full-time career in a male dominated industry, raised three kids, and never complained about how hard it was. It really puts things in perspective for me. – Maggie”

My grandmother, Rita Hoffman, was my greatest inspiration. She was the family matriarch, very independent, determined, and business-minded. Growing up, I admired her strength and sense of humor, even in challenging times, and I think I share her sense of adventure. – Andrea”

Prior to Invenergy, I had a wonderful career advisor who really helped build my confidence and encouraged me to get my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, which eventually led me to this career. This advisor also happened to be a woman. Since then, I have been very lucky to work for , SVP of Finance and Capital Markets, who has supported my growth here all the way from Summer Intern to Vice President and continues to be a great mentor and friend. – Anneli”

I credit good parents, a supportive husband, and encouragement from Invenergy’s leadership: , , and in particular. Also, I get tons of support every day from team members and colleagues that lift me up in a hundred little ways. – Kelly”

The challenges that I have faced over the years are usually centered around working with individuals who are used to a male dominated work environment, where women in their lives are in more traditional roles. This makes it more challenging to connect, communicate, and be heard. – Andrea”

I think all women are fighting some inner voice that says “you’re not enough” to have what you truly want. I try to work against that by challenging myself to take up new hobbies outside my comfort zone and to work with charities or causes that challenge my perspective. Doing this keeps me in the moment, adaptable and continuing to approach life with an attitude of positivity and gratitude. – Holly”

There is significant opportunity for women in the sustainable energy industry. The focus on renewable energy is relatively new, particularly when compared to more mature industries of traditional energy and chemical processing/refining. So, we have been developing and coaching a significant number of new hires as we continue to grow. This lack of experience in the labor market, combined with the significant growth in the renewables industry creates opportunities for women that want to grow the renewables industry and want to work in a more progressive and inclusive environment. It is a very exciting time to be a woman in the renewable energy industry! – Andrea”

The energy industry isn’t an old boys’ club anymore, and that’s especially true in sustainable energy. We’re making significant progress in closing the gender gap. Plenty of times in my career I’ve been called out, not necessarily negatively, for being a woman; referred to as “a lady engineer” or asked to get involved in something based on my gender. Even if that doesn’t stop, internally we should think of ourselves as the female version of whatever role we have and rather as just being a person doing that role without any qualifiers. – Maggie”

Find your tribe! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of building relationships, finding mentors and having a support network. Your career isn’t built by you alone. – Holly”

This industry is insanely complex and multi-faceted, so I would recommend learning as much as you can about different aspects of it. No one is an expert at all the technical, financial, regulatory, political, environmental, and economic considerations we face, but learning enough to follow the conversations can go a long way. – Anneli”

Be an advocate! Echo kudos when it is deserved and take the time to recognize great performance not only to the individuals themselves, but to their leaders and their teams. We often think that these actions simply speak for themselves but active advocacy both for one another and our industry is imperative to success. And often enjoying and recognizing the successes of others around us galvanizes our own achievement. – Frances”

Hold on to your seat! To be part of a growth industry and one that is doing good things for humanity is very special. ”

Also, head down, hard work will be rewarded. If you feel very confident, work on your humility. If you feel very humble, work on your confidence. Seek that good balance. – Kelly”