Landing a job at Google is the ultimate goal for most people in the Tech Industry. However, there is one individual who did the unthinkable when she left her handsome paying job at one of the most sought-after companies in the world. Florence Poirel, a 37-year-old woman working at Google’s Zurich Office, left Google to prioritise time over Money, a decision which looks very brave.
Florence Poirel was earning around $390,000 at Google in Zurich, Germany. However, she left her job 18 months ago for something she refers to as an “Early Retirement”. According to Florence, she had already saved and invested around 1.5 million before resigning from her role. These savings provided her with confidence and a cushion to cover her expenses for at least a year and a half.
Many people think that taking an “early retirement” is a decision which might be a regretful one. However, Florence says in the past 18 months never once has she regretted her decision of leaving her job for a retirement. She says her retirement is filled with reading, swimming in Lake Zurich and, importantly, travelling with her partner to Brazil and Australia.
Florence’s Early Career and Background
According to her LinkedIn account, Florence Poirel’s career began in Belgium in 2013 after completing a master’s in business and economics. Feeling unfulfilled, she quit her job and moved to Dublin, where she soon landed a contract role at Google. Within a few years, she transferred to Zurich, rising steadily through the ranks with three promotions. She has worked with Google for over 10 years. Her last role at the tech giant was as Senior Program Manager in Developer Community Programs Lead for Europe.
Early Retirement- FIRE strategy!
One of the primary reasons behind Florence considering an early retirement is her relationship with Jan. He is 17 years older, and according to her has changed her perspective on the Corporate race and early retirement issue. She says, “I realised I couldn’t just wait until retirement to spend quality time with him — because by then, he would be much older,”. That’s when she began exploring the idea of early retirement.
Upon exploring her search led her to the FIRE movement, which encourages disciplined saving and investing for long-term freedom. Using detailed spreadsheets and aggressively saving her salary hikes, Florence Poirel built her $1.5 million portfolio. “People think FIRE means living frugally or depriving yourself. For me, it wasn’t like that. I never felt deprived — I just managed my spending carefully and invested consistently,” she said.
Eureka Moment!
By 2024, Poirel had reached a point where climbing the corporate ladder no longer excited her. “More promotions meant more stress, late meetings, and responsibilities. Financially, I didn’t need that anymore. Time with the people I love became the priority.”
Managing Expenses in Retirement?
Florence Poirel and her partner split household expenses proportionally, about 35% for her and 65% for him. All of this while keeping their finances separate to maintain independence. In May 2025, her share of monthly expenses came to around $4,600. While rent in Zurich is her largest expense, Poirel calls her bright, lake-view apartment her “sanctuary.” She keeps costs manageable by shopping at discount stores, rarely dining out, and spending much of her time hiking in Switzerland’s scenic mountains.