Five Minutes With...Beulah International Founder Adelene Teh

Adelene Teh is making a name for herself on the Melbourne property scene after launching Gardenhill - the first development in Australia to have its own dog off leash park—earlier this year.

The daughter of Malaysian developer, Datuk Teh Kean Ming, Teh has attributed much of her passion and interest in the property industry from her father who has been in the sector for over 35 years.

After graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Master's degree in architecture she co-founded Beulah International, which is rapidly moving from boutique developments to a series of high profile projects, continuing their mission to deliver exception luxury homes to the Australian market.

I was born and raised in Malaysia and my father was, and still is, in the property development and construction industry. I then moved to

Australia and completed my Master’s degree in architecture. I attribute a lot of my interest in property and design to my father, who is incredibly dedicated and passionate about what he does.

I have always been passionate about creating something from nothing, and seeing ideas come to life.

Changing the built environment and improving the community’s lifestyle and amenities was something that really appealed to me, so therefore there was no better way to achieve this than to be a property developer myself!

What drives you – has there been someone or something that has inspired your career? 

My father has been a huge inspiration to me and has greatly influenced my career path.

He has been in the property development and construction industry for over 35 years and growing up; he would take me for walk-throughs on project sites and explain the details to me.

What drives me today is seeing a built product, something that adds value to the surrounding landscape as well as to the lives of the residents.

As a developer, how do you set yourself apart from other companies?

By not being afraid to push the boundaries. Our vision as a developer has always been to transform a space into something people will enjoy and something that will add value into their lives, rather than just use.

It’s in our culture to always push the boundaries and not accept what’s considered normal and safe. My dad has always tried to do things differently and that’s what inspired us to put a dog park in our Gardenhill development.

What are some of the challenges you have faced in your industry?

It’s been challenging to try and be different and innovative in the industry to set ourselves apart, while still maintaining and balancing the overall cost, the quality of the project and the project's timeline.

It’s also challenging trying to balance the affordability from a buyer’s point of view, while getting the best outcome/value for our clients.

Also as a young female developer in a male dominated industry who are experts in their own respective fields, it’s sometimes difficult to get what we want and achieve our vision, while coming up against different individual opinions and interests.

What projects do you have in the pipeline now?

We are currently planning a few projects in the eastern suburbs, unfortunately these are confidential at the moment.

▲ Hallmark features 32 large-scale luxury residences over five storeys, designed by Fender Katsalidis.
 

What is your favourite project that you’ve developed and why?

My own home which I have designed myself as it is my own personal space where I unwind, relax and gain inspiration; and is special to me as I’ve handpicked everything myself and designed it to reflect my own personal taste, without having to worry about what others would or wouldn’t like. 

What has been your career highlight?

My career highlight so far has been starting Beulah International with my other cofounder and working incredibly hard towards achieving our vision, and although we are quite young and fresh to the industry, we’ve been getting great feedback and results and we’re very encouraged by that. We believe this is just the beginning for the company, and can’t wait to contribute more and see more of our work make an impact.

What piece of advice would you give yourself?

I think whenever you're starting something new, whether it be a new development, a new business venture or even a change of pace, there's always going to be apprehension due to the unknown.

The biggest problem when starting something new is to avoid being swayed by others' thoughts and opinions, as ultimately, you know yourself the best and if you want something, you just need to give it all you've got.

I would tell myself to listen to my gut instinct more sometimes, but so far I am thankful everything has been going well and I'm really enjoying the path I'm currently on.

What’s your long-term vision for your company?

Our long-term vision is to be one of the leading property developers in the industry, on a worldwide scale. Our vision is dedicated to creating quality developments that will change people’s lives, the community and the surrounding landscape.

Apart from those by your own company, what do you think are the best projects in the world at the moment?

The project my father incepted: the Light - An award winning waterfront development in Penang that features a big self-sustaining marine ecosystem, the first of its kind in a residential setting.