Tuesday, following Memorial Day, brought unexpected news that stopped me in my tracks: I've been diagnosed with shingles on my eyelid. If you're like me and thought shingles was something that only happened to much older people, think again.
What Exactly Are Shingles?
For those who might not be familiar, shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox—varicella-zoster virus. After you recover from chickenpox (usually in childhood), the virus doesn't leave your body. Instead, it lies dormant in your nerve tissue and can reactivate years or even decades later as shingles.
Most people get a painful rash on one side of the body. For me? It showed up right on my eyelid. (10/10 do not recommend.) The pain started before the rash, which made the early signs easy to ignore.
The Importance of Early Detection
The silver lining in my diagnosis is that my doctors caught it early. Shingles is highly treatable with antiviral medication, but there's a crucial window: treatment needs to begin within 72 hours of symptoms appearing for maximum effectiveness. Catching it early can make a huge difference in how severe it gets.
I'm sharing this experience because shingles is far more common than I realized. The risk increases with age, but stress, fatigue, and compromised immune systems can trigger it in younger adults too. If you notice unusual pain followed by a rash that looks like blisters, don't wait—get it checked out immediately.
The Solo Entrepreneur's Dilemma
Being diagnosed with shingles as a solo entrepreneur has been more than just a health scare—it's been a business reality check. When you're the sole person responsible for every aspect of your company, illness doesn't just affect you personally; it can bring everything to a grinding halt.
This experience has taught me several critical lessons that every solo entrepreneur should consider:
Understanding Your "Bus Number"
Ever heard of the “bus number”? It’s how many people would need to get hit by a bus (yikes) before your company can’t function. For solo entrepreneurs, the answer is one. And that’s... not great. That's a terrifying realization when you're facing a week or more of recovery time.
How Long Can Your Business Function Without You?
During my recovery, I've had to honestly assess how long my company can operate without direct leadership support. The answer was uncomfortably short. This has highlighted the urgent need to build systems and processes that can function independently, even for brief periods.
The Non-Negotiable Nature of Self-Care
As entrepreneurs, we often treat self-care as a luxury rather than a necessity. This health scare has reinforced that taking care of myself isn't selfish—it's essential for business continuity. Regular sleep, stress management, and preventive healthcare aren't just nice-to-haves; they're critical business investments.
Building Your Support System
One of the most valuable lessons from this experience has been recognizing the importance of having a support network in place before you need it. Whether it's other entrepreneurs who can offer advice, family members who can handle basic tasks, or professional contacts who can step in temporarily, having these relationships established is crucial.
The Power of Delegation and Systems
This illness has accelerated my timeline for implementing systems that don't require my constant involvement. Automated processes, documented procedures, and gradually building a team, even if it starts with just freelancers or part-time help, are no longer future goals but immediate necessities.
Planning for Scale from Day One
Perhaps most importantly, this experience has shown me that building scalable systems isn't just about growth—it's about resilience. Creating processes and structures that can operate without constant oversight provides both growth opportunities and crucial backup when life throws unexpected challenges your way.
Moving Forward
I'm taking the next week to focus on recovery, which means being less responsive than usual. But I'm also using this time to implement some of the lessons learned. I'm documenting processes, setting up automated systems, and beginning to build the support structure that should have been in place from the beginning.
If you’re a solo entrepreneur, let this be your nudge: Don’t wait until you’re sidelined to get serious about backup plans. Ask yourself—what would happen if I couldn’t work next week? Then do one thing today to make the answer less scary.
Because sometimes your business needs training in resilience, too. 😉
If you're experiencing unusual pain or notice a rash with blisters, especially if you've had chickenpox before, don't delay seeking medical attention. Early treatment can make a significant difference in both the severity and duration of shingles.
