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She left it all for Bali
From founder to free: Emelie Olsson on redefining success.
After spending a decade building the swimwear brand Scampi into one of Scandinavia's most recognised beachwear labels, Emelie Olsson recently made the decision to sell the company she often describes as her third child – and left it all for Bali.
Words by Emma Unckel
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It was something Emelie Olsson had been moving towards for years: a slower life, closer to nature, with more time for family and less attachment to achievement as a measure of success. From Stockholm to the mountains of Åre and eventually to Bali, Emelie has spent the last decade designing a life that looks very different from the one she grew up believing she wanted.
You sold a brand you'd built over ten years. What made you do it — and what did it feel like when you finally did?
– Selling Scampi wasn't a quick decision. It was something I carried with me for a long time. I built the company over ten years, and it truly felt like my third baby alongside my children. In the end, I realised the brand had reached a point where it needed more than I alone could give it. It needed more capital, a larger team and the right structure to continue growing. Living in Bali while running a Scandinavian business came with challenges, and I had taken it as far as I could.The moment the sale happened was incredibly emotional. There was sadness in closing such a significant chapter, but also relief, pride and excitement. Relief in no longer carrying everything on my own, pride in what I had built, and excitement for what comes next. Now it feels like a blank canvas.
Was there a moment when you realised the life you had was no longer the life you wanted?
– I've never really felt that my life wasn't the one I wanted. Instead, there was always a quiet knowing that city life wasn't truly me.I've always felt most at peace near the ocean and the mountains. That's where my creativity flows naturally.When I met my husband, we quickly realised we shared the same vision. We left Stockholm and moved to the mountains, where we spent five years living a much simpler life and where our children were born. Later, when my husband had the opportunity to take paternity leave, we travelled to Bali. We originally came to surf and spend time in nature, but from the moment we arrived, it felt like home. One thing led to another and eventually we bought land and started building a life here.
How do you actually build a life you don't want to take a vacation from?
– What we wanted was surprisingly simple. More time with our children. Less focus on work. More connection to nature. More space to grow as people instead of constantly chasing the next goal. We wanted to create a life we didn't feel the need to escape from. Life in Bali is simple in the best possible way. There is very little pressure around status, trends or material things. The days follow the rhythm of the sun and the ocean, and that has been incredibly grounding. Watching our children grow up outdoors and being truly present for those years feels like the greatest achievement of my life.
You work less than you used to. What did it actually take to get there?
– More than anything, it required redefining what matters. For a long time, like many entrepreneurs, I connected achievement with self-worth. Stepping away from that has been one of the most important shifts of my life. I've had to learn that my value as a person isn't connected to business results or external success. Having children accelerated that realization. When you understand how few years you truly get with them before they create lives of their own, your priorities become very clear.
That mindset didn’t just happen automatically, it’s something I’ve had to consciously work on and come back to again and again. I also think my upbringing shaped this a lot. Both my mom and dad worked all the time, and when I started my own family, I knew very clearly that I didn’t want to recreate that. I wanted something different — more presence, more balance, more life in between the work. So working less wasn’t really about doing less for the sake of it it was about redefining what actually matters, and building a life around that.
Shop Notes
”My parents worked all the time. I didn't want to recreate that for my own family — I wanted more presence, more balance, more life in between the work.”
What have you grown out of?
– Consumerism. The feeling that I constantly need more things, more achievements or more recognition. Living in Bali has made me realise how little you actually need to feel fulfilled. I've also grown out of the idea that success determines your worth. Today I'm far more interested in who I am than what I've achieved. And perhaps most of all, I've grown out of surface-level conversations. I crave depth now, honest conversations – real connection.
What has the spiritual shift been like for you?
– Living in Bali has deepened something that was already there. I've always felt connected to nature, energy and spirituality, but being immersed in Balinese culture has transformed the way I experience everyday life. Through Reiki, traditional Chinese Medicine and Yin Yoga, I've found practices that help me slow down and listen more closely. What I love about Bali is that spirituality isn't something separate from daily life. It's woven into everything. The ceremonies, the offerings, the gratitude and the respect for nature constantly remind you that life is about more than productivity.
What's matters the most to you now?
– Seven years ago my mornings began with alarms, schedules and rushing. Today I wake up with the sunrise, walk our dogs through the rice fields, have breakfast with my family and spend time surfing, practising yoga or meditating before opening my laptop. The rhythm is completely different. And with that shift has come a deeper understanding of what matters. Not doing more, not achieving more. But being present enough to fully experience the life you're already living. Creating a grounded, conscious environment for my children to grow up in feels like the most meaningful thing I can do. Everything else is secondary.