By Willy Wilson

With radiant skin, slender figure and doe eyes, Carrie Lee Sze Kei fits the bill for a beauty queen. And given her confidence and pleasant personality, it is hardly surprising that she won Miss Chinese Cosmos 2004 competition.

A dream come true Click on thumbnail to view

Run by Hong Kong-based Phoenix Satellite TV, the pageant is an annual international competition opened to women of Chinese origin.

Winning the title, according to Carrie, has helped her build a career as a model and actress in mainland China and Hong Kong. But she wanted to have more - a big car and a bungalow "big enough to house my entire family", to be exact.

Admittedly, the entertainment industry pays generously. But the competitive nature of the industry made it difficult for one to reach the top. Realising this, Carrie decided to head home and became an entrepreneur instead.

"Upon returning to Malaysia, I contacted the pageant organiser, and expressed my intention to buy the franchise. I was only 20 years old at that time, but luckily the organiser took my offer seriously," Carrie says.

She subsequently founded White Fairy Sdn Bhd, a company that deals with event organising business, including Miss Chinese Cosmos pageant. According to the 25-year-old Kepong girl, becoming an entrepreneur was the turning point in her life.

Soon, as her business was growing, one of her dreams came true: She bought a luxurious 3,000 sq ft residence for her family. Another stroke of luck came in 2009, when her pageant business became a hit in neighbouring countries.

While not busy running a business empire, Carrie spends time at home with her family. StarProperty.my chats about property investment, saving habit and interior design with the SMK Segambut Jaya recently.