Page 132 - Cityview Jan-Feb 2017

FACES OF EAST TENNESSEEBuilding DreamsChuck Atkins prides himself as much in creating relationships as in building some of Tennessee’s nest homesStory by Rebecca Whalen •FOR SOME, SATISFACTION DOESN’T COME from simply obtaining the job, but rather from the purpose it will serve. And for Charles Atkins, that notion couldn’t ring more true.Owner of Charles Atkins, Inc. a custom home building company based in Knoxville, Atkins works daily to design and construct customer-focused homes. Ethics and integrity rest at the heart of his work, he says, ideals instilled early on in life.“I’ve always looked for a job where I’ve felt challenged and where I serve a purpose and serve a need,” says Atkins. “It was never about money. I found that where there are challenges, I’m engaged, and without those challenges, I’m disengaged.”Atkins grew up with an artist for a mother. A creator and entrepreneur, as Atkins describes her, she was constantly ready and willing to let her art evolve. Helping his mother prepare for and run holiday cra shows throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia before he was even a teen, Atkins learned that owning a business was about being constantly engaged as an owner and being willing to evolve with the needs of the customer.A er receiving his undergraduate degree from North Carolina State in 1991, he sought a meaningful path for employment. “It was interesting because I wasn’t excited about the next step,” says Atkins. “It seemed like some of the jobs didn’t have the challenge I wanted.” That was until he teamed up with a local builder, a moment, he says, that was a paradigm shi .Photography by Nathan SparksAtkins formed his own company just one year later. As his mentor’s company was forced to le for bankruptcy, Atkins took over the developments that were still in the process of being built.“Your de nition of success can change when things go from wonderful to bad,” he says. “You see what you could have lost. You feel fortunate.”At 25, he found himself with 15 years of work experience, but when age 30 rolled around, he was ready for a change. He decided to head overseas to the University of Cambridge to earn his MBA.“This was probably one of my last chances to slow down,” he says. “I spent a year studying and consulting. It gave me a chance to sit back and re ect on who I was and who I wanted to be.”When he returned, Atkins realized that he spent his late 20s with his hands plugged into too many things, which wasn’t necessarily the way to engage. It was more challenging to be more committed to speci c relationships. He began his current company at the end of 2001. And even during the challenging times as a builder, he kept the same amount of work, honored his obligations with the bank, and nurtured his relationships with subcontractors and home owners. “My relationships grew stronger,” he says. “It was about doing things the right way, not the easy way.”Atkins’ life continues to be about the service he can provide to others. “Di cult times do not call you to disengage from life and problems,” he says. “That is really the time to engage.”130JANUARY FEBRUARY 2017