Walk into Tyson Properties Western Seaboard and you’ll quickly sense it – that buzz in the air. It’s not just the coffee machine humming or the faint clicking of heels across the office floor. It’s the energy of a space that’s driven by people who care. And at the centre of it all is Daniela Du Plessis: shareholder, office manager, top-performing agent, and also, mother – leading her team with a unique blend of grit, grace, and warmth.
She didn’t set out to be a leader and never imagined herself managing an entire office. In fact, real estate wasn’t even the original plan. “I kind of stumbled into it,” she says, laughing. Straight out of her studies, she landed a job as a PA at a real estate firm – a role she admits was supposed to be temporary. But as she got to know the ins and outs of the business – sitting in on deals, learning the rhythm of the industry – something shifted. She didn’t just learn real estate. She fell in love with it.
Eventually, she became an agent herself. And during one of her deals, she crossed paths with Nick Pearson. It was one of those chance professional encounters that end up changing everything. Not long after, Nick came to her with an offer: join him and a few others in launching their own real estate company, Tyson Properties Western Cape.
Her instinct? Panic. “I’m incredibly loyal,” she admits, “and the idea of leaving my previous company felt like betrayal. I needed a bit of convincing.” The decision didn’t come lightly, but the vision Nick painted – of building something fresh, something meaningful, struck a chord. And she said yes.
It wasn’t exactly champagne and ribbon-cuttings, though. “I still remember wearing a hard hat because they were still renovating the office,” she recalls, shaking her head. But even in those early days, surrounded by paint fumes and power tools, she knew something exciting was underway.
Just as momentum picked up, life threw a curveball: a visa issue pulled her away from the business and onto cruise ships, working abroad for a stretch of time. And while the detour wasn’t part of the plan, it gave her a fresh perspective – and a renewed hunger to return. The moment she landed back in South Africa, Nick was at the airport. Not just to welcome her home, but to tell her, ‘We’re opening another office in the Western Seaboard – and I want you to run it.’
“I thought he was joking,” she says, still amused. “But he wasn’t.” With that, the Western Seaboard office was born, and Daniela stepped into the role of office manager, the kind of role she once couldn’t picture herself in, now hers to shape from scratch.
Initially, she focused solely on managing the team. But the itch to get back into sales never quite left her. “I told myself I was just helping out,” she smirks. “Next thing I knew, I was doing showhouses again and I loved it.” It didn’t take long before she was not only running the office but also becoming one of its top-performing agents.
Somewhere in between listings, lease agreements, and late-night admin catchups, another dream started taking shape: motherhood. “It was always one of my biggest goals,” she says softly. “To become a mom and to build a family.” When she found out she was pregnant, the timing as is often the case in real estate wasn’t exactly “perfect.” But the support from her team and family made it feel like everything was exactly where it needed to be.
“Real estate doesn’t care if it’s your birthday or if your toddler didn’t sleep the night before,” she jokes. “But having a strong support system? That changes everything.” She credits her husband, family, close friends and her team for helping her balance it all: the boardroom, the show days, the baby bottles, and the back-to-back meetings. “Plans can change in a minute. A deal can fall through, or a sick child can keep you home. You need people around you who get that.”
Motherhood, she says, didn’t just shift her priorities – it shaped her leadership. “I’ve become a bit of a mom in the office too,” she admits. “I’m stern when I need to be, but I’m also incredibly protective of my team. That instinct to care deeply, to show up for people, it carries over into how I lead.”
And she leads with grace, not in the polished, performative way the word is sometimes used, but in the real sense. The kind that makes people feel safe coming to her with problems, knowing they’ll be met with empathy. “Even with small issues, you have to stay gracious. You never know what someone’s dealing with behind the scenes.”
If she could give advice to young women entering the industry, especially those already raising children, it’s simple: don’t do it alone. “Find your people. The ones who’ll take your call when everything’s upside down. Who’ll remind you you’re doing great, even on the days you feel like you’re dropping every ball.”
And looking back on the winding road – the shifts, the detours, the dusty beginnings, she doesn’t hesitate. “I wouldn’t change a single thing,” she says with a sure smile. “Every step led me here. Even the ones I thought were wrong at the time.”
This article was proudly sponsored by Abrahams & Gross Attorneys.
