Member Profile | Mitchell Angel
“I love the architecture and I think you’ve done an amazing job with the way that you’ve styled it. It’s not cookie cutter, you’ve been able to bring out the personality of the building and WorkLife’s own brand personality in the design of the building. So it’s just a great space to come to- it feels warm and the range of people in there make it a great place to come to work and meet with clients”
Mitchell Angel, originally from Penrith, found his way to Wollondilly a few years ago, drawn by a love of the region’s inviting community spirit. Co-founder of Real Property Specialists alongside his now fiancée Tara, Mitchell’s journey into entrepreneurship stemmed from a desire to reshape the real estate landscape with integrity and transparency. With over 13 years of experience in the industry, Mitchell brings a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to serving the community. Balancing the demands of running a business with family life, Mitchell cherishes moments with his baby daughter Emelia and his older kids, Zakery & Xavier. With life a busy juggle at the moment, indulging his fitness hobbies feels like a distant memory- but we managed to squeeze in time for a coffee and a chat.
Please enjoy this months WorkLife members profile with Micthell!
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Q: Can you tell us a bit about your journey to Wollondilly? How did you end up here and what attracted you to this community?
Tara and I started our real estate business two years ago, after I previously made the move from Penrith after a number of years in the local real estate industry there. Despite not being a local originally, I came for a relationship, and stayed for the area’s sense of community. Places like Picton have a unique charm and community spirit that works for me. You can still walk down the street wave to someone and say hello – why would you want to leave that?
Q: Tell us about your business. How and when did you decide to start it, and what motivated you to take the plunge into entrepreneurship?
Tara and I have a combined experience of nearly 30 years in real estate. After going through personal challenges over the last few years, including the passing of Tara’s father, we decided to channel an inheritance into starting our own real estate business. We wanted to bring integrity and transparency to the industry, addressing some of the common concerns we’ve encountered over the years. Real Estate’s one of those industries where you hear a lot of horror stories & we’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. With Real Property Specialists we wanted to do things the right way and try and change the perception of what a real estate agency is.
Q: What does work-life balance look like for you? How do you manage the demands of running a business while ensuring time for family and personal life?
Achieving work-life balance is a constant challenge, particularly in real estate where the hours can be long and unpredictable. We try to reserve Sundays for family time, but it’s not always possible. Juggling work commitments with family responsibilities requires careful planning and prioritisation, something we’re continually refining.
Q: In your industry, what recent disruptions or transitions have had the most significant impact on your business?
Interest rate fluctuations have been a major disruptor in recent years, impacting market dynamics and buyer behavior. Additionally, the influx of newcomers into the industry has led to increased competition and changes in client expectations. Maintaining a competitive edge requires adaptability and staying ahead of market trends.
Q: Outside of work, what are your hobbies and passions? How do you like to spend your time when you’re not focused on business or family?
While our focus is primarily on work and family at the moment, I used to enjoy regular gym sessions and outdoor activities like hiking. However, with a young baby, leisure time is limited, and we cherish the moments we can spend together as a family.
Q: How do you maintain boundaries between work and personal life? Any top tips?
It’s challenging to switch off from work, especially when you’re passionate about what you do. I try to have my Sundays at home and enjoy time with Emelia and then of course, when the boys are down, we try to spend as much time as we can with them, but it’s tough. It’s really tough in real estate. However, we’re learning to set boundaries by physically separating work and personal devices and making a conscious effort to prioritise family time when we’re at home. It’s a work in progress, but we’re committed to finding the right balance.
Q:What’s one of the best things about working with your partner on a family business?
It can be tough, but I think we do make it work really well because we do run separate departments. So I oversee the sales teams, and Tara oversees the property management side. We might have our disagreements in business with where we want it to go, but the fact that we are a couple means we can get through that more easily than two individuals who have come into partnership who’s values might be misaligned. Just knowing that we share the same values does help, it’s excellent.
Q: What is your taste like? Do you have a favourite item of furniture or object in your home?
I’ve got very eclectic taste. I could go fully industrial with everything black and dark greys. I could go Hamptons or I could go Scandinavian. So I think Tara and I found a really good balance that doesn’t look like what it could look like with a little one and four dogs running around constantly. I would call it kind of industrial country. We do have the black hardware in the house and the dark benches but we’ve softened that with a lot of light and neutral tones and lighter timbers. Plus we live in Thirlmere- so you have to have a couple of Highland cows on the wall!
Q: What do you appreciate about the design at WorkLife?
It’s a really comfortable space. And I always said if an opportunity ever came up to be in this building, I would be in there. I thought that maybe one day it would be my own office! It didn’t turn out that way, It’s yours. But I just love the heritage. I love the architecture and I think you’ve done an amazing job with the way that you’ve styled it. It’s not cookie cutter, you’ve been able to bring out the personality of the building and WorkLife’s own brand personality in the design of the building. So it’s just a great space to come to- it feels warm and the range of people in there make it a great place to come to work and meet with clients.
Q: If you were to showcase the best of the local lifestyle to visiting friends, where would you take them and why?
I love La Crema’s coffee and food. That’s normally where I go if I have anyone come out. We’re starting to see a lot of more little boutiques and cafes pop up as well. So you also now have places like Moses Barnes and there’s always cold beer across the road at the Picton Hotel. Its also still nice and close to the Southern Highlands which is always beautiful to go down to. But aside from any sightseeing, if you’re out here it’s about the relaxed lifestyle where you can just kick back.
Q: What’s your go-to productivity hack? How do you stay organised and efficient, especially with multiple responsibilities?
As the token male in a predominantly female team, the girls in the office keep me pretty on track. They make sure that I move past the days where I just tried to keep it all in my head and remember where I’m going. They’ve been driving into me that it’s got to be in the calendar. If it’s not in the calendar, it’s not happening! So for me it’s making sure that our calendars are up to date and that the tasks are scheduled – that way we can manage all the moving parts and responsibilities. While it’s a work in progress, having a supportive team makes all the difference in staying productive.
Q: Lastly, what’s been the most valuable aspect of being a member at WorkLife for you and your business?
The collaboration and networking is the most valuable part to me at the moment of our membership at WorkLife. For example, i’ve got a meeting later today with one of the other members. Melissa Duncombe from The Finance Circle and I are sitting down to plan a first time buyer information night. Obviously, in Real Estate, we have quite a broad network. But it’s not something I’ve ever spoken to someone about doing before. So if Melissa and I weren’t both members at WorkLife, I don’t think we would have been having that discussion. We’re going to be able to utilise the great workshop space at WorkLife to do that. I can’t wait. There’s great people from all walks of life here. Every interaction we have here, you take something away from. The collaborative environment at WorkLife has been invaluable for our business growth, opening up all kinds of new opportunities for partnerships and referrals. We love it here.
