Jeannette Duguay
Hello and welcome! I’m Jeannette Duguay – commonly known as Jen by my peers.
As founder of TAZZU® Business Networking Community and Owner of JenTekk Web Solutions, a website development company specializing in Joomla CMS, I wear several different hats.
Some would describe me as a woman of faith, a slave to my creativity, fanatical about hot yoga, and having a large appetite for adventure and food of almost any kind. I’d say that’s pretty accurate!
~ Musician and singer ~
Music has always been a passion of mine. I taught myself to play guitar during my elementary years following a few years of piano lessons.
After years of listening to music delivered on every form of music media available to man, including 8 Tracks, a few vocal lessons and a smattering of performances, I ventured out and recorded my own project.
Two local radio stations even spun my disc! I continued singing and eventually found myself touring across Canada for a couple of years… an experience that gave me a whole new appreciation for the phrase “living out of a suitcase” – literally!
~ My journey ~
At the ripe age of 8 my first job was door to door sales – no kidding! I saw this wonderful ad in the back of a comic book, promising me free gifts if I sold their “All Occasion Greeting Cards with a Free Pen”. I gathered my allowance, placed an order, and was soon on my way peddling my newly acquired product from a little red wagon.
Since those days of great wealth, I did the usual waitressing, secretarial and retail sales jobs.
A little bit more out of the ordinary were my summer stints as a Dairy Farm Hand. Yes, milking cows and hauling hay – only to be outdone by my year and a half as a Trim saw Operator at the local saw mill.
On an even more unconventional side, I spent 4 years as a Truck Driver fighting my way through the traffic of Greater Vancouver only to decide that what I really wanted was a “Girls Job”.
I quickly fled to the nearest college, grabbed my Hair Design Diploma and for a wonderful 15 years proceeded to enjoy my newly found skills and talent.
~ What brought me here ~
Finally came my awakening to the magic of the computer, the World Wide Web, and all its seemingly endless possibilities. The web had cast its spell on me. I spent hours surfing the net, taking in the colours, graphics, special effects, and vast amounts of information.
It was during this time of enchantment that a repetitive strain injury – common to hair stylists – propelled me to devise “Plan B” or was it C, D or E!?
After taking six months to research the internet technology industry and local colleges, I enrolled myself into a Web Design/Internet Programming Course. The blending of my natural creative talent with my technical aptitude demonstrated to be a remarkably unique and fulfilling combination.
In November 2001, and at the top of my class, I grabbed my well-deserved diploma and ran with it!
~ Today ~
Since then, I started my own company JenTekk Web Solutions, now a successful web design company specializing in Joomla CMS websites, with clients like BC Academic Health Council, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Vancouver Community College and Sustainable Cities to name a few.
Desiring to meet and network with other professionals, I launched – in 2006 – an online business networking community website called TAZZU®.
In 2008 I sponsored & co-hosted several WordPress and Joomla Community events including Canada’s first (and only) Joomla!Day Vancouver.
What a wonderful life! The journey has brought me here: eternally thankful for family & friends, appreciative of all the blessings & trials, successes & failures, and inspired by the turning of the seasons.
My philosophy on life…
“Do good wherever you go. After a while, the good you do will come back to you.” ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1 (Easy-to-Read Version)
