From Finance to Furniture Assembly: A Rewarding Career Transformation
A former City finance professional has revealed how he traded corporate life for a hands-on career assembling flat pack furniture, earning a substantial income while finding genuine fulfillment in his work. Kieran Nagle, 44, from West Drayton near Heathrow, made the bold decision to leave his Square Mile job in 2007, just before the global financial crisis unfolded.
Escaping the Corporate Rat Race
Kieran described his previous office environment as "a thankless task, churning through work" during an interview with the Daily Express. He explained that his current occupation provides much greater personal satisfaction, stating: "My job now is much more rewarding. Every day you make customers happy and get a 'thank you.'" This career shift allowed him to escape what he characterized as the relentless "rat race" of corporate finance.
Building a Profitable Business from Childhood Passion
Nearly two decades after leaving his finance position, Kieran has successfully transformed his childhood aptitude for DIY into a thriving enterprise called We Build Your Flat Packs. The business generates between £40,000 and £50,000 annually, demonstrating that non-traditional career paths can yield substantial financial returns.
The inspiration for this career change came from an unexpected source - his mother Rita. When Kieran expressed dissatisfaction with his City job, she suggested he could monetize his talent for assembling flat pack furniture. This childhood skill first emerged when Kieran was just 15 years old, when an early IKEA delivery arrived at his family home while his parents were on vacation. The teenager seized tools and successfully constructed his new bedroom furniture independently.
Recognition and Media Appearances
Kieran's expertise has earned him significant recognition within his field. In 2025, online marketplace Airtasker honored him as a national winner at its annual awards, describing him as a "highly rated handyman" with a "flawless" completion rate. His skills even secured him a spot on Channel 5's Shop Smart, Save Money program, where he successfully assembled a pair of wardrobes under challenging conditions.
The Psychology of Assembly Work
Kieran draws parallels between his current work and childhood activities, explaining: "As a child, I loved Lego and jigsaws. The best way to describe [flatpack furniture] is that it's like Lego for adults. You have a set of instructions and just have to build it." This perspective transforms what many might consider tedious work into an engaging, puzzle-solving experience.
Benefits of Self-Employment
The entrepreneur highlighted several advantages of working for himself, noting: "I avoid the rush hour. I decide my hours. It's not for everyone, but if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, then you should 100% take the leap." While acknowledging that establishing his business presented initial challenges, Kieran emphasized that persistence has paid off, with work now flowing steadily as his reputation has grown.
Personal Reflections on Career Satisfaction
Engaged to fiancée Claire, Kieran reflected on his career transformation: "It makes me feel good that I'm making people happy. I was a trained trader and saw the amounts of money people were earning. But it didn't make me happy. Changing career was initially quite scary, but it's been an upwards trajectory since."
He added a poignant comparison between his previous and current circumstances: "Being unhappy in the City was tough. That was harder than struggling [as my own boss] at the beginning. But sticking with it was the best decision I ever made." This sentiment underscores a growing recognition that career satisfaction often extends beyond financial compensation to include personal fulfillment and work-life balance.
