The SIGRUN Show · Episode 280

How Getting Sick for Seven Months Inspired Me to Become an Entrepreneur

Host SigrunPublished Updated 18 min listen1 min read

Online business, much like life, rarely runs smoothly. I know this for myself. I was once sick for 7 months, which meant that I was unable to work. While this was a very hard time for me, I managed to turn this negative into a positive.

Chronic pain and illness affects millions of people worldwide. In many cases, it leads to having to retire, being let go from a job and having a hard time finding a new job. This is what happened to me.

Before I started my online business, I was the Managing Director at a medical technology company and was experiencing excruciating pain. Despite visiting multiple doctors and specialists, no one could figure out what was wrong or how to treat my pain.

I could no longer work.

In this episode, I share my journey with Repetitive Strain Injury and how being diagnosed with a chronic illness has inspired me to become an online entrepreneur.

It may not be the best solution for everyone with a chronic illness, but for me, it was the best medicine. - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

  • How I was diagnosed with Repetitive Strain Injury
  • My struggle with getting a proper diagnosis
  • My employer’s reaction to my chronic pain
  • How I finally began finding relief for my RSI
  • What finally inspired me to follow my dream and start my own business
  • How I’m managing my RSI while running a business
  • The hardest part about having my own business
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.