A former City worker says he has no regrets after giving up his job in finance to pursue his side hustle putting together flat pack furniture. While the prospect of building wardrobes, shelves and cabinets might fill some with horror, Kieran Nagle, 44, said he quit the “rat race” to do just that.

He told the Daily Express: “Working in an office can be a thankless task, churning through work. My job now is much more rewarding. Every day you make customers happy and get a ‘thank you’.” The handyman, from West Drayton near Heathrow, left the Square Mile to pursue his dream in 2007 just before the financial crisis, which triggered a severe global downturn. Almost 20 years later, Kieran has turned a childhood talent for DIY into a money-spinner, making £40,000 to £50,000 per year. The online marketplace, Airtasker, named him national winner at its annual awards in 2025, describing Kieran as a “highly rated handyman” with a “flawless” completion rate.

Kieran’s decision to change careers came after his mum, Rita, suggested he turn his hand to flat-pack assembly when he admitted he was unhappy in his City role.

The owner of We Build Your Flat Packs first discovered a talent for putting furniture together at the age of 15 when an IKEA delivery arrived at the family home early.

While his parents were away on holiday, teenage Kieran grabbed some tools and started hammering, screwing and fitting together his new bedroom furniture.

Kieran, explaining his love for DIY, said: “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.”

On the perks of being his own boss, Kieran said: “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.”

He admitted that striking out on his own wasn’t easy at first, but after years of building his reputation, business is brisk.

Kieran’s success even led to an appearance on the Channel 5 series Shop Smart, Save Money, where he was tasked with assembling a pair of wardrobes.

The handyman, who is engaged to fiancée Claire, said: “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.

“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.”