STRATEGY CONSULTANT TO FASHION DESIGNER

roSie CooK, 30, left, gave up her consultancy job to found swimwear brand Deakin & Blue. She lives in east london with husband James, 30. She says: dIvINg into my local lido on a sunny morning, my old job as a strategy consultant for a Big Four firm feels a lifetime ago.

For me, success is about picking the career you want, not feeling restricted to suits and boardrooms. I loved the work, but as my career progressed I went from being a reliable person to forever cancelling plans with friends — and my husband — at the last minute.

Work had to come first, and over time I felt increasingly unable to control my life outside it.

A love of swimming set me free. I’ve always been a keen swimmer and in 2014, frustrated with the limited choice of swimwear — you could have pretty but impractical, or athletic and unflattering — I started sewing my own.

In 2016, I resigned from my job to start a swimwear label.

disbelief was the main reaction from colleagues. I had no fashion experience, and I was walking away from a £70,000 salary and a great pension. I knew it was high-risk, but I couldn’t carry on as I was.

Three years on, I have a small team but haven’t taken a salary yet — instead re-investing in the business while James supports us both. The flexibility I’ve gained is life-changing. James and I have dinner together most evenings — my life no longer has to fit around work.