Meet Chris & Karen Uchacz

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chris & Karen Uchacz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Chris with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My parents taught me the value of hard work and working for the things you wanted out of life – it’s much more rewarding this way. I didn’t have a lot growing up but never could figure out how my parents gave me whatever I asked for (well almost). They taught me the value of strong communication; doing what it takes to get the job done; providing superior service; and above all – being honest. Developing relationships with our clients is also very important as Coastal Home Watch & Concierge is family owned and operated and our clients become part of our family – “we treat their home as if it were our own”!

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Owning and operating Coastal Home Watch & Concierge, LLC has been a dream come true for my wife Karen and me. No strangers to owning a second family home or rental property, we completely understand the stress and anxiety that comes with living hours away or out-of-state or even out-of-country. Home security systems and ring video cameras do a great job of alerting people to issues or situations, but what they really need is a local professional whose job is to be available and on site when they can’t! We know the value of a reliable “flip flops on the ground” Home Watch Service that can provide our clients with a sense of calmness knowing that they have a trustworthy advocate taking care of their home and property!

Karen and I are married and live in Ocean Isle Beach, NC with our two dogs, Kirby and Lulu. We have embraced the beach lifestyle while falling in love with the beauty of the beaches and the overwhelming kindness of the people in Brunswick County. I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC and spent over 25 years working in NCAA collegiate athletics. Karen grew up in Florida and has spent most of her career in sales and customer service and currently works in the residential mortgage industry.

We take our business very seriously and understand the level of trust bestowed upon us to watch a client’s home and property. It is a privilege that we do not take lightly while serving with the honesty and integrity our clients deserve!  Many people have no idea what Home Watch is and we spend a lot of time educating our community to the benefits it offers.  Home Watch is a “visual inspection of a home and property, looking for obvious issues”. Regularly scheduled/customized home checks not only establish a presence in an unoccupied home but also serve to proactively identify issues that could become more significant and costly, if left unattended. At Coastal Home Watch & Concierge we are proud to be accredited by the National Home Watch Association and are required to pass a criminal background check, be successfully vetted by the Better Business Bureau, while adhering to a gold standard or service. To best protect our clients, we are also fully insured and bonded – this is our business and is not a temporary side-hustle.

As I stated previously, owning a second or vacation home can be extremely stressful and time consuming. We understand this stress as we have been there and done that, owning second and rental homes. At Coastal Home Watch & Concierge, we pledge to alleviate that stress while always looking out for our clients’ best interests and always having their back. Our service area runs from Calabash up to Oak Island and Southport (North Carolina) and everything in between.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Our business model is quite simple – answer the phone and return emails – communication is key. Being on time and maybe even a little early. Clients expect this and being late only takes them away from other things they would rather be doing – like going to the beach! Do what you say you are going to do in the timeframe you commit to. I truly believe this is the business model that will make anyone successful.  We work in a service industry and strive, every day, to provide superior service to our clients.

Developing relationships/networking with people in the community – contractors, vendors, local businesses, to name a few – is critical to developing your brand and letting people know you care. We joined the local Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and have met so many wonderful people who support our business and help spread the word.  Networking is critical to building a business and the key is to reciprocate this behavior and we do!  We Take the time to build relationships with the businesses in our community. Refer them every chance we get so they will return the favor. It’s also not about earning referral fees – I do not take referral fees as I believe in karma and what goes around will come around.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
We have been in business for just over a year now and I feel good about where we are and what we have accomplished. However, it can be a real challenge to continue to market your business in a new and fresh way. This is challenging for me, but I have learned a lot over the past year of what works and what does not. I spend a lot of time on social media but there is really no substitute for face-to-face interactions with people and prospective clients. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those people you know who have the skill to help.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

From Burnout to Balance: The Role of Self-Care

Burning out is one of the primary risks you face as you work towards your