Charikleia Stouka
A Revolutionary Realtor With an Undaunted Mind
“You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people.”
– Herbert Kelleher
Armed with resolve, perseverance and an agile mindset, Charikleia Stouka, founder of ALMA Real Estate Hellas, has built a solid global reputation as one of Greece’s leading real estate professionals, who, with a fresh outlook and a commitment to offering each client outstanding
personalised service, has established ALMA as one of the country’s top boutique real estate firms.
Charikleia’s story is a testament to the power of determination and commitment to truly transform lives. An avid learner since childhood, she dedicated herself to her education and, despite challenges, excelled at school, going on to study civil engineering at the University of West Attica in Athens. Coming in contact with the real estate industry through her studies and experiencing it further through managing some family properties, she identified and analyzed gaps and shortcomings in the market and resolved to address these. After working briefly at a local real estate office, Charikleia ventured out on her own, determined to forge her own path and build a business that would reach the pinnacle of success driven by values, principles and excellent business practices.
Charikleia launched ALMA Real Estate in 2001, running her fledgling business from a desk in the corner of her parents’ living room. Her mission was clear: to deliver a sophisticated and bespoke real estate experience centred on empowering clients with genuine, personal interaction. With a wild heart and mind and her unique blend of creativity and flamboyance, Charikleia knew from the get go that growth for the sake of growth is more trouble than it’s worth, so she choose to grow selectively but remain small. Two decades on, and known as ALMA Real Estate Hellas since 2021, the business has grown into a key dynamic presence in the Greek property market and has built a very loyal and steadily growing clientele by offering clients the best guidance based on their individual circumstances and specific needs in a streamlined, stress-free experience.
Over the years, Charikleia’s dedication to providing extraordinary customer-focused service and excellent results to every client, every time has remained unwavering, and her commitment to lifelong learning and keeping up to date with developments in her field has proven one of the most valuable tools in achieving this.
But lifelong learning isn’t just about training and qualifications. For Charikleia, lifelong learning is a mindset, an insistence on seeing every experience, and every mistake, as an opportunity to learn, learn, learn! and to grow. “We have to put in the work and keep gaining experience,” she points out, stressing that while patience and dedication are crucial, they must be paired with enthusiasm, creativity, and an agile mindset.
Now spanning over two decades, Charikleia’s remarkable journey in the real estate business has been full of accomplishments. Her success has been driven by her love for her work and by the satisfaction she gets from every achievement, every completed deal, and every satisfied client—from that triumphant feeling of succeeding through creativity. “I’m passionate about my work, about learning,
about achieving excellence,” she says. “In the words of Confucius, the will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”
Today, ALMA’s clientele reaps the benefits of Charikleia’s considerable knowhow and industry expertise. Charikleia’s team provides truly exemplary client-focused service, in a boutique real estate experience that delivers bespoke actionable solutions to clients’ real estate needs, adds value to their properties, and helps them make smart and informed decisions that maximize their real estate investments.
Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, Charikleia Stouka remained steadfast in her commitment to excellence. “There were multiple challenges, but we were able to remain open for business, taking all appropriate precautions and implementing the necessary protocols to ensure that we could continue providing the high level of service and results that clients expect from ALMA,”Charikleia says of doing business during the pandemic. “I also used the extra time to take a remote learning course in Marketing from the
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which enhanced my marketing skills and helped boost my business, and I completed the course with flying colors”. I also took the opportunity to put everything in order, at the office and at home, which helped me hit the ground running when the restrictions ended.”
For Charikleia, this continued and growing success comes with a responsibility to contribute to making the country’s economy stronger, and understanding that economic growth is driven by consumer spending and business investment, she recognises the importance of contributing at both the business and the personal level. “On a professional level, I work to help local and international clients invest in the Greek property market,”she says, “and on a personal level, recognize and exercise the potential impact of small individual actions, from being a responsible fiscal citizen to consciously targeting my spending to support local shops and businesses, particularly during the pandemic.”
Today, ALMA Real Estate Hellas holds its rightful place as one of the leading boutique real estate firms in Greece, and Charikleia is globally recognised as a leader in the local market, renowned for the personal touch and authenticity that she imbues into every aspect of her business. Her unique ability to combine a wild heart and mind with extraordinary discipline and determination has propelled her to the top of her field and earned her a host of accolades, not least the title of Most Influential Leader in Real Estate 2021 — Greece. Her long, and growing, list of accolades includes numerous distinctions in recognition of her business acumen and ALMA’s successful trajectory. In the past year alone, Charikleia has been named one of “The Most Admired Women in Business 2021” and recognised as one “The 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders Revamping the Future 2021”, whilst ALMA Real Estate Hellas has been listed amongst the “50 Fastest-Growing Companies of the Year 2021”.
Asked to share a few words of advice or her mantra for success, Charikleia shares the words of Indonesian economist and author Toba Beta: “When walking alone in a jungle of true darkness, there are three things that can show you the way: instinct to survive, the knowledge of navigation, creative imagination. Without them, you are lost.
Having successfully turned passion and ideas into a successful business with a loyal and growing clientele, Charikleia Stouka, founder of ALMA Real Estate Hellas, certainly knows a thing or two about navigating challenges and finding the way to your goals. “Listen to your instincts,” Charikleia says. “Persevere, grasp opportunities that come your way, give it your all, and remember to always be adaptable and innovative.”