Awards and plaques cover the walls of J.C and Bianca Alvarado’s office at Uptown Insurance. Behind the shining sheath of their achievements is the story of sacrifice, challenge and love. The husband and wife team have owned their Allstate office at Tryon Plaza since 2007.

Their eager determination to set themselves apart in the Business world did not come easy.

The couple met in Miami, Florida where J.C worked for other insurance companies. He helped owners put their businesses on the map. He called Bianca into his office to discuss an insurance policy.

“I used the insurance as an excuse [to meet her] because she had a renewal of her policy coming up at the time,” J.C said.

The love story had just started.

Miami had a tight scheduling. It was a tough market for insurance, Bianca said. A family member informed the Alvarados about Charlotte. A date with Uptown turned into love at first sight. J.C and Bianca admired the cleanliness, energy and spirit Charlotte had to offer. The couple packed up and moved their new Allstate business to another building in Uptown. After one year, they moved to Tryon Plaza.

Tryon Plaza creates a family atmosphere, and in hard times a family sticks together.

When the Alvarados first opened, Allstate had no customers. The self-proclaimed social butterfly, J.C, walked around uptown Charlotte to meet other small business owners. Bianca, who has a background in banking, managed operations in the office. The business grew. From 2006 to 2009, Allstate received recognition and awards.

Business hit a brick wall in 2010. Banks in uptown faced their own challenges due to the decline of the economy, and financial institutions became stricter with loans for small businesses. J.C and Bianca did not fold their cards. While other companies entered survival mode, Allstate planned for expansion.

“We don’t focus on the negative,” Bianca said. “We’re okay with change. We’re okay with reinventing the wheel.”

The couple looked at what their customers needed, the state of their customer service, and how to make themselves a part of the community.

Now J.C and Bianca are going “back to the basics.”

“Our reputation must stay clean,” Bianca said. “At the end of the day, word of mouth is the fastest marketing tool out there.”

The Alvarados have not laid-off their staff. Excellent customer service employees stay with their business family at Tryon Plaza.

J.C said insurance is a tough sell in the current economy, and every person on staff must reach out to the customers. The Allstate staff asks about their customers’ families, and educates clients about their policies.

J.C and Bianca feel at home at Tryon Plaza. The staff, they say, looks out for everyone.

“Everybody is focused about what they have to do in the building, and that just adds value to us being in at Tryon Plaza more than any other building in Uptown,” Bianca said. “We deepen our relationship with the people here, too.”

Bianca and J.C do not grow tired of their business home just as they still enjoy working together. The couple says the secret to running a business together is to respect the other person’s talents.

By Rebecca T. Dickinson