The SIGRUN Show · Episode 43

How I Retired My Husband When He Lost His Job

Host SigrunPublished Updated 7 min listen2 min read

Many female entrepreneurs around the world dream of retiring their husbands. Some even want to be able to work with their husbands, side by side, in their online business, but only a few women actually achieve this dream. I am one of those lucky few. I retired my husband when he lost his corporate job, and we were both delighted with the outcome.

If you would have told me ten years ago that I would one day retire my husband, I would probably have laughed. When I first started my online business, I was relying on my husband’s income. I was starting to grow my business, and was not generating enough income to support us both in the lifestyle we wanted. After all, we lived in Switzerland, one of the most expensive countries in the world.

A few years later, my husband lost his corporate job. Thankfully, my online business was successful enough that I could retire my husband after he was laid off. He had worked very hard for so many years, and I was delighted that I could offer him this opportunity. My husband has now joined my team and worked within my business, and we have never been happier.

In this episode, I share my story of how I retired my husband when he lost his job and some of the lessons we have learned from working together.

The idea that I could replace both of our incomes was outrageous to me, but I worked very hard. - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

  • The turning point in my online business
  • How my husband getting laid off became a blessing in disguise
  • How I was motivated to replace our previous corporate incomes
  • Why having clear roles and responsibilities is critical when working with your partner in your business
  • Having emotional support while growing your business

Key Takeaway:

  • Follow Oprah Winfrey’s advice: “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
Sigrun Gudjonsdottir

About the author

Sigrun Gudjonsdottir

Sigrun helps smart female entrepreneurs build AI-first companies. She has trained 229,426 women, worked with 10,000 clients and generated over €22M in revenue. In April 2026, she closed all her programs and is now turning 13 years of proven business methodology into AI agents. She is the host of The SIGRUN Show and the bestselling author of Kickstart Your Online Business.