Founder and mother of two, Siw Hansson Kaulbach, had her life turned upside down when she became seriously ill. From her sickbed, she created her own sauna universe.
It's autumn outside and hectic inside. At least for the entrepreneur, who has just dropped her two-year-old son off at daycare. Now she sits at the kitchen table with a breast pump in one hand, while the other hand flies across the keyboard. She uses her foot to rock her five-month-old daughter to sleep. Life today bears little resemblance to her life ten years ago.
– From being healthy and working as a Nordic communications manager in Copenhagen, I was completely knocked down. Doctors didn't understand what was wrong, and I was sent home with a ME diagnosis without any offer of help.
An indispensable aid
Siw lay in a dark room. The complete turnaround from being at the top of her life to not being able to take care of herself, she describes as a shock.
– The pain, the sleeplessness, the exhaustion were unbearable.
It took several years of doctor visits at home and abroad before Siw discovered that her ME diagnosis was untreated Lyme disease. With treatment came improvement, and an infrared sauna proved to be an indispensable aid along the way.
In the dark, the entrepreneur awakened
During her medical treatment, Siw was recommended to try an infrared sauna for pain relief and detox. She visited a spa in Oslo. As the sweat poured, she noticed immediate improvement.
– I just thought, wow, she exclaims and laughs.
For the first time since she fell ill, Siw experienced a real health boost.
– It was fantastic. I had more energy and less pain. I started searching online for an infrared sauna for home use, but couldn't find one that met my needs. Either they were too big, or I didn't feel confident about the quality.
In the dark, the entrepreneur in her awakened. Siw began to design her own dream sauna. Through the family business, which her mother started fifty years ago, she had the opportunity to build a brand at her own pace.
– The mind doesn't stop working even if the body is out of action. If there's one thing you have when you're confined to bed year after year, it's time to think. I've always enjoyed working and was given the opportunity to develop a product I could fully stand behind.
It wasn't profit that motivated her, but a desire to help others and to find an entry point back to life.
Southern warmth in the living room
From her bed, the Radiant Health brand emerged. The dream sauna proved to be a bestseller in Norway and the beginning of a sauna universe. Today, seven years later, Siw sells a unique range of infrared heating products throughout Scandinavia, and regularly receives inquiries from all over the world.
– Instead of going to the South, you can get southern warmth at home in your living room, she smiles.
The most significant thing for the entrepreneur is the positive feedback she constantly receives from satisfied customers. Whether people are struggling with illness or are healthy, she hears that the heating products bring joy and benefit, depending on their needs. That they contribute to better health and quality of life.
– Rheumatics report less pain. My doctor lost five kilos in a month without changing her lifestyle other than taking regular infrared sauna sessions. People experience softer skin and better sleep. Top athletes say they use the sauna for recovery. – This makes me incredibly happy and motivated, she exclaims.
Grateful and happy
Personally, the infrared sauna has been one of Siw's best health investments. Three to five times a week, she sets it up in the living room.
– I watch Netflix while I sweat for half an hour. It doesn't look sexy, but I feel like a new person afterwards. The sauna has significantly improved my quality of life. I am completely dependent on it.
Siw sometimes has to pinch herself when she thinks about the journey that has led her to where she is today. A lot of good has come out of what was a difficult life situation.
– I feel grateful and happy. I have a wonderful family, I have my health back, and I am so lucky that I can work with my hobby. I truly love what I do, she concludes.
