Why a Barrington entrepreneur left the corporate world to help seniors

Chris Czachor spent more than 20 years in corporate marketing.

Now the Barrington resident has stepped away from the corporate world and is flexing his entrepreneurial muscles by helping seniors stay in their homes.

“A lot of our parents are getting into that age where they need more help and need more support, and it’s not really easy or obvious where to get that,” he said.

He hopes to address the need through his TruBlue of Chicagoland North, a handyman business serving seniors. Services include kitchen refreshes and bathroom renovations, aimed at helping seniors age in place.

Among his recent clients was 76-year-old Deer Park resident Jayne Gretz. Czachor assessed her home and installed a metal handrail in her garage.

“The bathroom is the number one place where people fall and get injured,” he said. “But outside of that, a pretty close second is something like a garage. So we know in Illinois, right? Slippery garages, winters — a lot of issues where things can cause risks there.”

Gretz said she is concerned about falling and her ability to grip things, but hopes to continue aging at home

“I want to stay in my house, like everybody else in their 70s,” she said.

Czachor believes he received the entrepreneurial spirit from his father, a small-business owner who passed away last year. But he also said there was a gap in his life, even with a successful corporate career. He wanted to help the community and the people around him.

Certified as an aging-in-place specialist through the National Association of Home Builders and a senior home safety specialist through Age Safe America, Czachor serves an area that includes Barrington, Libertyville, Palatine, Arlington Heights, Lake Zurich, Long Grove and Wheeling.

“People want to stay in their homes as long as they can,” he said. “So here is a road map. Here is a playbook of what you should consider over time.”

szaluksy@dailyherald.com