Intellectual property: How Peter Li built Plus Agency with grit, innovation and care

It takes a lot to make it in real estate in Sydney. For Chinese-born entrepreneur Peter Li, this included towel-wringing restaurant work, stunning corporate setbacks, and years spent studying the best in the real estate business. Plus Agency is better for it.

Peter Li isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. On his way to building a $1 billion property marketing empire, Li began his time in Sydney as a 17-year-old washing dishes in Chinatown, a first step to funding degrees at Macquarie University and the UNSW. Removed from his north China roots, Li was determined to tackle every challenge in Australia.  

Li would work in sales, journalism, marketing, IT, and e-commerce, and his resolute, can-do approach quickly impressed the corporate world. Eventually, CBRE Group, a global commercial real estate services and investment firm, tapped Li to join its Haymarket office, where he served as a sales agent before being promoted to director.  

However, a sudden exit in 2018 became his most significant turning point. It emboldened Li, making him a “forced leader”. He returned to China for two years to study how top-performing real estate companies worked, with a view to starting his own business and steering his own destiny back in Sydney. He did just that, and more.  
 
Today, Plus Agency is a dominant force in project marketing, managing exclusive listings, and was recently named Australia’s No. 1 property marketer by the Real Estate Institute of Australia. Plus Agency now boasts offices in Chatswood, Castle Hill, Burwood, and Shanghai, combining local expertise with international reach to deliver standout results across Sydney’s most competitive markets. 

As an award-winning CEO, Li has a proven track record in the real estate industry, where he has instilled a “CARE approach”, standing for “client, appreciation, reputation, and execution”. For developers, owner-occupier buyers, investors and international buyers, Plus Agency has established itself as a regional leader in property marketing. Li says it has been a “long journey”.  

Q&A

Was there a defining lesson from your upbringing or early career that helped you navigate the challenges of launching Plus Agency? 

I grew up in a traditional Chinese household with hardworking parents who valued stability, but the biggest lesson that shaped me came from choosing not to follow their approach. They believed a stable job was the safest path, yet getting forced out of CBRE made me realise the only truly secure job you can have is the one you build for yourself. This realisation was vital in our early days when the hardest challenge was simply being the new kid on the block. No one knew who we were, and without a reputation, it was extremely difficult to win business. 

We also made the mistake many new companies make by trying to do everything, which stretched us thin and delivered no real results. The turning point came when we decided to focus on one thing and do it exceptionally well: project marketing. We concentrated entirely on one development in Chatswood, and once we proved ourselves by selling around 20 properties, word spread. That breakthrough was built on focus rather than volume, a philosophy I maintain through a lifelong habit of daily reflection and continuous self-assessment. 

Every journey has setbacks. What is the toughest challenge you have overcome, and what did it teach you? 

One of the toughest periods came after launching Plus Agency during the post-COVID market. Lockdowns and unpredictable consumer behaviour created instability, pushing our business to its limits. Cash flow was tight, and uncertainty was high. 

The greatest lesson was learning that black swan events are real. Unexpected shocks happen in business, and they will happen again. It taught me to build a company that is resilient, diversified, and always prepared for unpredictability through discipline and cash flow control. 

What is the most misunderstood aspect of your industry, and how are you working to change that? 

Real estate is often misunderstood from both sides. Younger agents sometimes think it is a glamorous career full of luxury cars, when in reality, 80% of the job is hard work and repetitive tasks. The ‘bling’ is maybe 5%. Buyers, on the other hand, often believe agents are untrustworthy. 

What most people do not realise is that real estate in Australia is one of the most tightly regulated industries. From trust accounting to disclosure obligations, there is no room for cowboy behaviour. At Plus Agency, I am working to change these misconceptions by building a transparent, professional environment that prioritises honesty and long-term relationships. 
 
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation in your field? 

The greatest opportunity lies in the deep integration of AI into the sales and administrative process. Many parts of real estate, such as documentation, copywriting, and follow-ups, can be significantly improved through automation.  
 
We are already developing an AI calling system and a property search platform. The businesses that adopt and lead with these innovations will shape the next era of real estate. 

What advice would you give your younger self starting out? 

Control your emotions. Do not let stress, anger, or fear dictate your decisions. If you are stressed, meditate; if you are angry, work out. Be kind to yourself, because the journey is long, and all your hard work will pay off.