After seven successful years in the cleaning business, with a portfolio of as many as 500 clients, Angela Petropoulos walked away from it all to start her own real estate company in 2005.

Now 40 years old, Angela is two years into the real estate industry and enjoying every minute of her new business. She is very excited about the real estate industry prospects in her adopted country of Australia and wants to do her bit to educate would-be buyers, both there and abroad, about real estate opportunities in her home state of Gold Coast, Queensland.

She worked her way up the career ladder, beginning as a waitress in Singapore, before finally settling down in Australia and carving out her own business there.

Here is her story in her own words.

"I started working as a commis waitress in Singapore at The Crown Prince Hotel in Orchard Road, which is now called Park Hotel, when I was 16 years old. But to gain more international experience, I joined the Marina Mandarin Hotel as part of its pre-opening team where I was later promoted to a be a butler. I learnt extensively about customer service there.

When I migrated to Sydney, Australia, in 1989, I worked at the Regent of Sydney and the Marriott Hotel in the housekeeping department.

After living there for five years, I found that it was difficult to get a good cleaning lady. Having been in the hospitality industry for 25 years already, I felt that I had lots to offer to the service industry in Australia. So I chose to strike it out on my own there in 1996, where I opened a domestic cleaning company that offered five-star service to private homes.
I was 26 years old, full of drive and energy, so I took the plunge. Within 3 months, I already had 500 clients. I had six area managers to ensure that I maintained the level of service.

Opportunity only knocks once and risk has to be taken if one is to succeed in life.

After running my domestic cleaning company for four years, I decided to sell it and move to the city, where I set up a contract cleaning company that supplied housekeeping staff to hotels. I employed 12 supervisors and 400 house attendants to service 26 hotels in Sydney's central business district.

I enjoyed running my own company and felt that if one has determination and energy, one can achieve anything in life. That was me.

"I enjoyed running my own company and felt that if one has determination and energy, one can achieve anything in life. That was me."

Being a boss has its ups and downs. The more employees I have, the more counseling I had to provide to my staff. That takes a lot of energy, especially with the room attendants who tended to have lots of personal problems. But I have an open door policy, so I welcome my staff to talk to me because they need to be kept happy and motivated. I have no complaints as I do enjoy being with people from all walks of life and listening to them. But at the end of the day, I'm glad to go home to my loving husband and my beautiful home and I feel grateful that I have no problems.

It humbles me when I hear about all the problems that my staff encounter in their private lives.

This was also partly the reason why I decided to go into real estate.

The set-up of my real estate business is unique. I travel extensively to market Queensland investment properties in Australia and have the support from the sales and marketing department from various developers in Queensland. So I do not need to employ a sales team.

Instead, I employ a very efficient personal assistant and an accountant. My personal assistant, based in Gold Coast, is my main support. I also have two sales people who work part-time. I manage my staff with lots of understanding, intuition, patience and am ready to make any changes, if the need arises. I give my staff my vision and direction so that their future is also secure. I also give good benefits and provide a friendly environment. I have music playing in the office and allow my staff time off if they have a good reason. I respect my staff and they return the respect. I do not believe in running an office with an iron fist. Some successful women turn out to be very bitchy and demanding, but this type of management style is very disastrous.

Right now, I am very excited about expanding my business into Asia as properties in Gold Coast are not only a lifestyle choice; the area is fast becoming a business hub. There are great universities, colleges, schools, and other attractions in Queensland, and the casual environment and the quality of living in Queensland is priceless. I feel fortunate to live in the Gold Coast.

What also keeps me going are the people I meet in my business and when I assist them in purchasing the right investment. Giving them honest opinions and seeing them smile with so much gratitude is something money cannot buy. It is very vicious in real estate and some agents do not tell the truth as long as they get a sale, but that's not the way for me. Honesty and integrity is the way to long-term success

I disagree when someone tells me my gender puts me at a disadvantage as an entrepreneur. I have never felt any prejudice, even in a new country. In fact, I was interviewed by a women's magazine in Sydney for my accomplishments when I was 26 years old and even received many calls from men and women complimenting me after the interview and even asking me for advice!

When I had my cleaning business, being a woman helped a lot, but it helps even more now in my real estate company. Women tend to be more approachable and are good listeners. We also have a gentler touch. Furthermore, 90 per cent of potential women buyers who approach me are decision-makers when it comes to purchasing a home, so I feel I am even more at an advantage.

I put my career first because I need to be fulfilled professionally and managing a profitable business in order to have a great family life, and the ability to travel around the world with my family. If one has money there is less stress and enough money to share with my family members. My husband is very supportive, he understands I need the freedom to explore my business. He is 20 years wiser than me, so that helps as well. He definitely misses me but I miss him more. We have both come to an agreement that we work hard, and play hard when we are together. I believe this make a relationship more interesting, as the saying goes: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

For aspiring women entrepreneurs - have the guts to do it, dare to fail and learn from your mistakes. It does make you stronger. Do not listen to anyone's advice but believe in your own abilities. Also, read as widely as possible. Never allow anyone to discourage you, mix around with successful people and learn from them."