On Wednesday Tenato celebrated its 20th anniversary. First, we would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who dropped by to share in the merriment. Tenato would not be possible without the entrepreneurial spirit of our clients and the dedication of our associates.
20 years is an important milestone. While we have the same enthusiasm as when we started in 1996, we are also acknowledging the wisdom, relationships and resources we have gained from our continuing experience in the industry. So, when deciding on the best way to mark this day, it took some brainstorming. In the end, it seemed only appropriate to spend the evening in our historic offices, surrounded by friends, good food and catchy tunes.
The Tenato offices are not what you might expect. It’s not a collection of cubicles lit with fluorescent lighting or, the other extreme, a series of glass walls and open-concept work lounges. Instead, guests are greeted by a warm and informal atmosphere of exposed brick and polished wood. (There’s even a piano!). Overall, it’s a good visual representation of who we are as a team – independent-thinking mavericks who believe in getting personal and digging deeper in order to find the right solutions.
For the party the boardroom table was set aside, so guests could mingle freely, but the most exciting change was a small stage area. Jacqueline Drew is known to our clients as the founder and CEO of Tenato Strategy. However, along with her business and marketing expertise, she’s also a talented singer and musician. On this special occasion she was able to share a bit of her “Jacquie Drew & the Crew” side as she performed a few songs from her latest album. An impressive party host, she managed to greet any newcomers and perform a requested encore!
There is a running joke at Tenato about the pronunciation of our company name. So, for this special event, Jacqueline prepared a special song. A parody of George and Ira Gershwin’s “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” from the film Shall We Dance.
You say “Ten-AY-to”, We say Ten-AH-to”,
Not auto-correct Tornado, and please don’t throw tomatoes,
Ten-AY-to, Ten-AH-to, Tornado, Tomato…let’s call the whole thing off….
You say your budget is no small potatoes
We say we ain’t on a beach in Barbados
Ten-AY-to, Ten-AH-to, Barbados, Potatoes, let’s call the whole thing off…
Oh, but if we call the whole thing off, then we must part
And, oh, if we ever part, what would break my heart
So you can say “Ten-AY-to”, or We’ll say “Ten-AH-to”,
By now I’m sure you’re wishing you had a few tomatoes,
But we both know we need each other so, we better call the calling off off…
So let’s call it off, Yeah let’s call it off, Let’s call the whole thing off!
Ha!
Tenato was founded on the belief that businesses can achieve long-term success with honesty and tenacity. In fact, our philosophy is “we help the ‘good guys’ win.” And we are proud to say, after 20 years, our commitment to this approach is stronger than ever.
“The wonderful clients here in this room prove that the good guys CAN win. You are our inspiration” – Message from Jacqueline Drew, Tenato’s CEO and founder.
While championing for companies with integrity is what we stand for, you may still be wondering what “Tenato” means. Good question! Tenato is a portmanteau of “Tenacity” and “Tenuto.” You’re probably familiar with the first expression, and the second, Tenuto, is a musical term. It means “to be held for or beyond its full value, and to be brought out to be heard.” In short, we’re passionate about helping our clients achieve their full potential, and to be heard. And we’re just as committed to our own company’s professional growth. So, here’s to another 20 years filled with exciting possibilities and learning opportunities. Cheers!
