After nearly a decade in the city Richard Hunter could see his future mapped out - and he did not like what he saw.
Now after quitting the rat race the financial adviser says it is the best decision he has ever made and is calling on others to follow him.
The 43-year-old said that surprisingly although it meant giving up the long-hours, gruelling commute and high-stress, it did not not mean giving up his big salaries.
Mr Hunter, who set up his company in Wimbledon village, Equity Invest, is now urging others to follow him as he hunts for City high-flyers.
He said: "I was doing the usual thing of living in the suburbs and doing the daily grind into work.
"I was in my 30s and could see my colleagues never getting the time to see their families or enjoy much of a home life.
"Even doing something as simple as a school sports afternoon meant taking off the best part of a day.
"I decided that I did not want to go down that path. I thought I don't want to be doing that when I have a family.
"So I quit. It was nerve wracking because the rewards were good and you get to live - and enjoy - a certain lifestyle.
"But that's what I did and I set up my own company. It was the best decision I ever made.
"It wasn't long afterwards that I met my future wife. And we now we have two children and foster a third."
He said that as well as benefiting from the good life business for him and his six staff is booming - and he is looking to take on more people.
"I see it with a lot of financial people, they spend the whole of their 30s working really hard to achieve success in their careers and then having to stay with it because they grow used to the money and the lifestyle it brings.
"But it means never getting to see their partners and children. It's a big sacrifice to make."
Equity Invest provide relationship-based investment advice to private clients, businesses and charities.
They distinguish themselves within the market by putting ‘Equity’ at the heart of all they do and for his team this means being fair. He has taken his city experience and brought it to village life.
Client of ten years Jonathan Edwards, CBE, said: "First and foremost, I know my financial affairs are safe with Equity Invest. I would not hesitate in recommending them."
For more, visit http://www.equityinvest.co.uk/
