Mother of four Michelle Bishop has achieved more than most could dream of before the age of 40.

Along with qualifications in interior design and business administration, she not long ago qualified as a licensed estate agent in preparation for the long-awaited opening of her and her builder husband Tom's most ambitious property development project to date, the stunning Bangalay Luxury Villas and Restaurant in New South Wales' Shoalhaven Heads.

Now almost two years into overseeing the day to day management of Bangalay, she's widely viewed as one of the most successful short-term accommodation operators in the country, having attracted a spectrum of print and digital PR since opening Bangalay from the likes of Gourmet Traveller, Vogue Magazine and Urban List.

But it hasn't all been smooth sailing for Michelle. The devastating loss of her Mum 5 years ago necessitated the shelving of her life and career plans for a year, where she took some much-needed time out to travel around Australia with her family and reaffirm her priorities. A journey that ultimately cemented in her mind the importance of staying true to yourself.