Having lived in 4 countries and always being a keen observer, Elias likes to compare countries and cultures. "There is good and bad with every place" he likes to say. Some favorite questions are: why are Taiwanese buildings so badly insulated, why Taiwanese waiters generally do not remember who around the table ordered what (waiters in the US always do, how? Operating system? A note book perhaps?) and what exactly IS the ROI on keeping Taiwanese kids at school at all hours? Can one see that torturing kids with night school and extra homework really does the national culture or economy any good?
Elias has tried many different professions and long had the dream to start a company. In 1992 he was bidding for one of the national licenses for commercial radio that the Swedish government were auctioning off. While in the end an 18 year-old had no chance against national and international companies, it was an educational experience.
Elias grew up in Sundsvall, a small town 400 kilometers north of Stockholm. He had some pet desert rats (Agaton and Johan) for a while but due allergies and an overwhelming desire to spend all his money on comic books, they were soon sold to a friend. A new pet would not come along until Jane Wei in 1998 insisted on the couple getting a dog. In February 1999 a snow white American Eskimoe puppy was purchased and named "Sun-Tzu" after the famous Chinese military strategist and author of " The Art of War". When the couple later moved to Taiwan, he also had to endure the long plane ride over the Pacific Ocean.
Back in Sweden, Elias mother and father are still teaching art, his father in high school and his mother in a voluntary art school for interested children.
His younger sister is one of Sweden's most famous radio and TV personalities. She became famous with a wild character for children that adults either loved or hated called "Grynet".
His younger brother has travelled a lot and in 2006 pulled off a feat that few people have done; paddling a kayak, walking and biking around the complete Swedish border, all 4600 kilometers of it in a project they called Sverige Runt 2006. It took over half a year and many adventures to make it around the country but Simon and his companion thought it was well worth the effort.
Elias says that what his parents has given him more than anything is the belief that he can if he wants to. They never push for any of their children to do anything specific but encourage and support them to pursue their individual interests. To great success one might add.