Trained as an electrical engineer, Beatrice Muthoni, is a Renewable Energy Consultant. She is also the 2016 Women in Energy Awards Professional Category winner. Currently, she is working on small hydro energy projects for Kenya Tea Development Authority KTDA. At the 2017 Women in Energy Awards and Conference she talked about selling your idea, having been part of the team that convinced an agricultural firm to transition into the power generation business to feed-in energy to the tea factories.

There are ways for women to bolster their position when building consensus in a male-dominated industry, such as the energy sector. They are:

1. Be good at what you do—be very knowledgeable with your material. Continually better yourself at what you do that you become the go-to person
   1. Accumulate technical, social and communication skills
   2. Never stop learning
2. Remain relevant in your field – Research changes about your field including regulatory and demographic changes
3. Articulate the idea you need to sell well
4. Know the key decision makers and get their buy-in
5. Be realistic, systematic and consistent – Initially the key decision makers may not be open to your idea. Keep an open mind and listen to their opinions and incorporate their feedback in the next iteration of your pitch
6. Power into your network