As part of the Morning Lazziness series highlighting empowering women who are making a remarkable impact with their ideas, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chelsea Ross.
Chelsea Ross is the founder of Goddess Retreats, an award-winning wellness sanctuary in Bali dedicated to empowering women through transformative experiences. A lifelong spiritual seeker, Chelsea weaves her deep understanding of yoga philosophy, meditation, and holistic practices into the very fabric of Goddess Retreats. With a global upbringing, a passion for creating meaningful spaces, and a keen ability to anticipate emerging trends, Chelsea pioneered the luxury women’s retreat model, launching one of the world’s first women-only surf and yoga retreats in 2003. Her retreats blend holistic wellness, cultural immersion, and sustainable practices, fostering a safe and supportive community for women seeking self-discovery and connection. Beyond Goddess Retreats, Chelsea has a proven track record as an entrepreneur, having successfully scaled other businesses while always prioritising her commitment to empowering women.
In this interview, she opens up about the strategies, challenges, and key turning points that have fueled her decade-long career in the women’s wellness retreat space.
What inspired you to start your business, and what problem were you passionate about solving?
Back in 2003, there were very few options for solo travel, and almost none created just for women. Surfing especially was difficult for women to access, it was a male-dominated industry, and there weren’t any welcoming entry points. I wanted to change that. I envisioned a holiday for women who felt they’d outgrown backpacking but still craved adventure and connection. At the same time, I wanted to make surfing accessible, because I knew firsthand how empowering and beautiful it could be, and I wanted to open that experience up to more women.
How has your business evolved since its launch, and what key decisions helped drive that growth?
We began as the world’s first surf and yoga retreat exclusively for women, but after a few years I had women telling me, “We love the transformational experience, but we don’t want to learn to surf.” That feedback led to Bali Goddess, which opened the door to wellness-focused retreats beyond the waves. From there, we expanded into Fitness Goddess, Pilates Goddess, and now deeper wellness offerings. At first, the star was surfing, but over time it became clear the true heart of our retreats is wellness and connection. We’ve created an intentional space for women to reset, reconnect, and transform, and we offer a wide variety of ways to do that.
In your view, what truly sets your brand apart in today’s competitive market?
When I began, it was long before “wellness travel” as we know it today existed. There wasn’t a model for women’s retreats, so I created one. The schedule and flow I developed is rooted in my background as a life coach, in yoga, and in the traditions I experienced at ashrams and silent retreats, and became the foundation of our retreats and it has changed very little in over two decades. I now see elements of that echoed in many modern retreats. What has made our retreat stand the test of time is the depth of understanding behind it, which informs every aspect of our retreat experiences.
Over the years, the word “retreat” has come to have a wide scope of meaning, and many offerings today may have the same ingredients as ours, but it’s the delivery that makes the difference. I also come from a luxury hospitality background, and I personally train our team in how a retreat differs from a hotel or resort stay. It’s not just about service, it’s about holding space. You can attend a wellness resort or a retreat with yoga and spa on the schedule, but without intimacy, skillful facilitation, and an understanding of why each element is there, it won’t create the same depth of transformation.
What sets us apart is how we guide women, both internally and externally, through an intentional journey. Our guests rave about the way we balance connection and solitude, depth and joy. They praise the warmth and intuition of our team, the sisterhood that blossoms among guests, and the sense that every detail has been thoughtfully considered. They love that our retreats combine authentic transformation with the luxury of being deeply cared for, and that authentic culture and a space for personal discovery and empowerment is woven naturally throughout the experience. Ultimately, while many programs may look similar on paper, the way we deliver them is what makes ours consistently described as life-changing.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to date, and why do you think it worked so well?
I’ve always believed that the best marketing is simple. At its core, it’s about clearly articulating the solution you offer to the problem your audience has. For us, that’s creating an experience where women can travel solo with ease and enjoy a personal development retreat that feels both transformative and joyful.
We’ve never relied on gimmicks. If you offer something people genuinely want, your job isn’t to invent an audience, it’s to reach the right women and speak to them authentically. We also believe in under-promising and over-delivering, which is why the most common feedback we hear is, “It was even better than I expected.” That authenticity builds trust, and trust creates loyalty.
The most effective strategy for long term growth has been word of mouth. Over the past 23 years, women have returned home and shared their experiences with friends, sisters, and daughters. We don’t aim to go viral or chase likes, we aim to create something meaningful. And when women tell others, “You have to experience this,” that’s the most powerful marketing of all.
How do you stay connected to your ideal audience and understand their needs or behaviors?
I’m fortunate because I created a business and offering that I would have wanted for myself, so I am very much part of our target market. That keeps me closely connected to what women are looking for – their desires, their fears, and what drives their choices. I believe a good marketer has to be able to step fully into the shoes of their audience, not only to highlight benefits but also to remove friction and fear, making the experience as seamless and safe as possible. For us, that often means taking away the intimidation around solo travel and creating a retreat that feels both empowering and easy. The majority (80%) of our guests choose to travel solo, drawn by the safety and sisterhood that Goddess Retreats is known for.
Equally important is listening. For 23 years we’ve gathered feedback from every single guest. We take it seriously, we act on it, and over time we’ve refined our retreats in response. That ongoing dialogue is how we stay in touch with what women truly need, and it’s also how we remain clear on who our retreats are for. That combination, being part of the audience myself and treating guest feedback as gold, is what keeps us genuinely connected.
What’s one branding move or campaign that helped elevate your business to the next level?
One of the most important branding shifts was expanding beyond Surf Goddess Retreats. In the beginning, women loved the idea, but many would write saying, “I’d love to join, but I don’t want to learn to surf.” I listened, and from there Goddess Retreats was born, designed to offer a much wider variety of ways to experience transformation.
That evolution happened to coincide with a cultural moment, just as Eat Pray Love was inspiring women everywhere to travel in search of renewal. By listening to what women wanted, we opened the door to a broader audience. Today, we offer more than 30 different activities, ranging from holistic detox therapies, personal training and sound healings, to creative workshops, cultural immersion, and, of course, surfing, so each woman can personalize her retreat to reflect her own journey.
We don’t expand simply for the sake of it; every new offering has grown out of the real requests of our guests. That spirit of listening and evolving alongside the women we serve is how Goddess Retreats has flourished, and why it continues to thrive.
What does success look like for you, not just in numbers, but in purpose or impact?
For me, success has never been measured in numbers, it’s always been about impact. When I first began, one of my missions was to open surfing to women, and I feel proud that we were part of creating that shift. Another was to carve out space for women in travel, at a time when the industry didn’t really recognize the value of solo women travelers. Those boundaries have changed now, and I feel our retreats helped lead the way.
But at the heart of it, our mission has always been the same: to help women access their higher selves…the Goddess within. That means creating a space where women can look inward, rediscover self-love, and feel empowered to share their authentic selves. On retreat, women often realize that their stories and experiences are valuable, and that they are not alone. To witness that transformation, women opening up, supporting each other, and returning home more confident, creative, and inspired, that is what success looks like for me.
It goes beyond business. This is my life’s work. I am simply offering to other women what was once offered to me by mentors who guided me into a fuller, wiser version of myself. I believe strong, empowered women don’t just transform their own lives, they transform families, communities, and cultures. That ripple effect is the real measure of success.
How do you personally define success, beyond revenue and growth metrics?
For me, success is about living in authenticity and alignment. I feel deeply grateful that what I offer through Goddess Retreats is a true expression of who I am, and that it reflects my values and beliefs. To be able to build a life and a business around something so authentic is already success in itself.
Beyond that, I think about legacy. I want my time on this planet to have made life better for others, not only for the women who come on retreat, but also for the families of our staff, our local suppliers, and the charities we support. My hope is to be a positive influence in the lives of everyone touched by this work.
True success is also proving that business can be built differently. It doesn’t have to be extractive; it can be sustainable, generous, and beneficial for all involved. To create something that empowers women, uplifts communities, and models sustainable growth, that, to me, is a great gift and a true measure of success.
Can you share a challenge or setback that ultimately became a turning point for your brand?
Over the past two decades, one of the biggest shifts I’ve observed in tourism, and one that is now making headlines, is the increasing modernization which leads to homogenization of international travel landscapes. Destinations can begin to feel interchangeable, and in that process, so much of the richness of culture is lost.
From the very beginning, my vision has always been about creating retreats that honor and celebrate cultural enrichment, especially when traveling internationally. We’ve hosted retreats in Bali, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and in each place the heart of the experience has been to carry a true sense of place. For me, cultural immersion is not an add-on, it’s essential. Today that commitment is a fundamental focus for our brand, keeping us deeply connected to the communities that welcome us and offering our guests something far more meaningful than just another destination holiday.
What daily habits or rituals keep you focused, creative, and grounded as a leader?
I love solitude because it’s where I get creativity downloads. Most mornings I wake before dawn, ride my motorbike with my board down to the same beach where I first learned to surf nearly three decades ago, and paddle out. Surfing has always been my meditation. I’ll gaze at the horizon and let my mind drift, and then, when a wave rises, snap into sharp focus and action. It’s very much like the creative process. An inspired idea arrives, and then I bring it to life with clarity and power.
Returning to that same spot where I began is also a reminder that life is long, that I don’t need to sweat the small stuff, and that building something meaningful takes time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Goddess Retreats. That perspective keeps me grounded and helps me lead with patience, vision, and joy.
How do you approach innovation and risk in your business strategy?
I’ve always been a risk taker by nature. New ideas and new technologies excite me, and I have always been an early adopter. For me, innovation is about being curious, trying things, and seeing where they can lead.
When it comes to risk, I try to be both fearless and pragmatic. I look ahead and ask, what’s the worst-case scenario, and can I live with it? If the answer is yes, then I’m willing to take the leap. Sometimes risks work, sometimes they don’t, but I don’t see failure as the end, I see it as a lesson and then I pivot. Part of being a risk taker is also being able to let go of what doesn’t work as quickly as you embraced it.
That willingness to experiment, to adapt, and to keep moving forward has been a big part of sustaining and evolving Goddess Retreats over more than two decades.
What advice would you give to someone starting a business in today’s fast-changing digital world?
The fundamentals of business are timeless. A sustainable business must offer something people genuinely need, not just a trend, but a true solution that adds value. The digital world gives us extraordinary opportunities to reach a global audience, but it also means competing in a sea of noise. That’s why clarity and authenticity matter more than ever.
In today’s digital landscape, my advice is also to resist the urge to chase instant success or vanity metrics. Focus instead on building real relationships with your audience, because trust is the currency that lasts. Technology will always change, but if you keep your business anchored in genuine value, clear communication, and steady growth, you’ll build something that can stand the test of time.
