A FATHER of three gave up a lucrative career in banking to start his own eco-friendly wooden furniture company.

James Cahill worked at a major UK bank in Canary Wharf for 12 years after rising through the ranks from sales to software.

James, a father of two young boys at the time, found that he was struggling to find time for his wife and children due to the lengthy commute each day.

The 40-year-old would be at his desk at 7.30am and not leave the office until 6pm, with his "high octane" job begging to take its toll on him.

After many years of travelling and long hours, he felt he was heading for a "burn out" due to stress and over work.

He said: "By the end of the 12 years, after a pretty decent career and with the next step to be to rise up even further, I was just experiencing serious burn out. 

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

"It was having a massive effect on me but also my family as well. I knew I couldn't sustain it for much longer."

Despite his job providing generously for his family, James felt that he needed to take a break from the corporate world and left his job in 2019.

James and his family lived in Brighton up until a few years ago, they now live in Small Dole, West Sussex.

While taking a break from work, James began to spend more time with his children Charlie, 17, William, 10, Jackson, 8, and his wife Dominique, 39.

He also spent a lot more time in the countryside around their home, walking for miles every day with their dogs.

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

"It was almost like a bit of therapy. I was walking around two hours every day just listening to music or audio books. The stuff I never got to do when I was working," he said.

James said that while he was enjoying this time, he knew he needed to start working in some capacity to help pay the bills.

In this period, he started making wood furniture for his home, beginning with a coffee table and then a desk.

"My dad used to have a shop in Brighton selling antique furniture, I had always loved that side of it all, I used to go in and help him out," he said.

While James was out walking he noticed excess wood being discarded in the local industrial estate, he approached the companies and asked if he could use the pieces they were throwing away.

"Dominique, my wife, was like 'who are you?' because she'd just never seen that side of me before.

"So, I had made a few bits and bobs and our friends were coming over they would compliment them, which was a bit weird for me because they were just my own little thing,

"At that point I'd been looking for work but it was all along the same lines as what I'd been doing before."

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

James wanted to see if he could sell something he had made, so he listed an item on Etsy. He made his first sale in December 2019 on his birthday.

He and Dominique then sat down and spoke seriously about whether he would want to take this on as a permanent job and make a business.

The couple needed to assess whether this was something they could realistically make work for them and their children.

"I think she was a bit hesitant at first and wasn't really convinced. But we said we would give it a go and we worked out how long, financially, I could be out of work for."

"We basically said 'we'll trial it until the end of January 2020 and if it hasn't taken off by then, I'll do something else'."

James continued with his use of reused materials that he had taken, with permission from companies, that would end up on a tip or being burned.

"When I was younger I studied around environmental management, but I ended up in this banking career, which of course was enjoyable and fruitful, but I think in my heart I had always wanted to be outside working in a role that used my hands and ideally linked with the environment," he said.

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

He began producing more furniture in the back garden. Within the first month, he had sold a total of 18 products via the Etsy market place due to its drive towards sustainability and carbon off setting programme.

Dominique then also joined the enterprise and began researching the most environmentally friendly ways to package and ship the products across the UK, Europe and the US.

"It was quite challenging I think at first but she managed to ensure all of our packaging is made from recycled products and is completely biodegradable so no bubble wrap, no polystyrene, nothing you would associate with like furniture deliveries."

The pair continued into the early months of 2020, but as the pandemic took the UK into the first lock down in March, they suddenly saw a sharp increase in sales.

"March was crazy, there was such a huge demand suddenly and we were selling far more than we expected," he said.

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

"I guess it was two things, people were stuck at home so they were spending more money online and things, but a main factor was there was a massive demand for desks because everyone was now working at home."

As well as the range on Etsy, Sussex Wood Furniture have worked with private customers and businesses to make custom pieces which fit their requirements.

Before long they had rented and set up a work shop to build the furniture because they found that the garden was no longer feasible.

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

 

"It was at a time that the whole world was closing down and reopening, and then closing down again. So, we had to quickly learn how to set up a business and make sure we could still obtain timber and supplies."

Sussex Wood Furniture has grown into a fully fledged business, bringing in many customers locally and abroad. James is grateful that his family have been so supportive of him in this time.

The Argus: James Cahill gave up a lucrative banking career in London to start his own furniture company near Henfield with his wife.

He said: "I need to really stress how important Dominique is and has been in terms of supporting me through the move and how as business partners it really is a family business which is now the heart of our life."

James' brother also began working for the company and they now employ a further two carpenters.

"It's a lot more rewarding and its nice to see something I've physically made, rather than being sat behind a screen and never really seeing the product of your energy.

"My quality of life has improved massively. I'm so much happier now I can see my family and I get to be in our lovely countryside, rather than looking out a train window or being on a Blackberry

"I feel much more awake these days, just in my mind I guess. It's been an incredible journey from feeling quite low to doing something so worthwhile."

James said that in the near future they are hoping to collaborate with local businesses and also hire new people to expand the brand.

Anyone looking to purchase from Sussex Wood Furniture can do so via www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SussexWoodFurniture or email at info@sussexwoodfurniture.co.uk.

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.