I Left Nursing to Launch My Own Business

**Six years ago, Desiree Hill was donning scrubs and diagnosing patients** in a bustling oncology unit. Today, she wields wrenches and diagnoses cars at her own auto repair shop, Crown’s Corner Mechanic.

While working as an oncology nurse at Northside Hospital Duluth in Georgia, Hill earned approximately **$40,000** annually. Yet despite her dedication, she found herself feeling **unfulfilled** both professionally and personally. “I wasn’t happy in my career at that time, nor in my personal life,” she recalls. Long commutes through Atlanta traffic and the struggles of parenting as a single mom took a significant toll on her well-being.

Fast-forward to today. **Hill now runs a thriving business, generating nearly $440,000 in net revenue last year**. Crown’s Corner Mechanic, located a mere **15 minutes from her home**, is thriving with projections to earn **$70,000 in monthly revenue this year**, doubling the previous average.

Desiree started her journey with a **Registered Medical Assistant diploma** from Florida Metropolitan University (formerly Everest University) in 2011. Over the course of a decade in nursing, she climbed her way to a demanding role in oncology—only to feel overwhelmed by relentless hours, taxing commutes, and the emotional burden of patient loss.

In **2019**, driven by a desire to boost her income and rekindle her happiness, Hill discovered her passion for cars. She began a side hustle of buying and renovating vehicles, despite initially not knowing the first thing about car repair. “I didn’t even know how to change my own oil!” she admits.

**”Everybody needs transportation,”** she says, recognizing it as an unquenchable need. Her first investment was a modest **$1,200 truck**. After investing a mere **$60 and an hour of labor**, she flipped it for **$4,000** within two days. **”It felt like a high—almost beautiful,”** she smiles, and that was just the beginning.

Juggling night shifts and her blossoming automotive venture, **Hill burned the midnight oil**—literally—working until **3 a.m.** before waking up at **6 a.m.** for her nursing shift. After just 15 months of this relentless grind, she decided to quit her nursing job in **January 2020**. In the year that followed, Hill managed to purchase, repair, and sell **38 cars**, pocketing around **$100,000** in the process.

In **June 2023**, she expanded her services to include mobile mechanics, reaching customers directly at their locations. Investing a few thousand dollars into **business licenses, tools, and marketing**, she brought in an additional **$13,000** in just six months. Her creative flair didn’t stop there; she captivated audiences by documenting her work on **TikTok**—a move that significantly boosted her clientele.

A serendipitous **RV repair job** turned into an unexpected windfall when a client, impressed by her tenacity, offered her a **$10,000 interest-free loan**. Hill negotiated 10% interest and drafted a solid contract, paving the way for her to secure space for Crown’s Corner Mechanic.

Today, as a **4-foot-11-inch** woman in the automotive industry, Hill often finds herself unexpectedly under scrutiny. Customers frequently struggle to believe she is the owner until she proves her extensive knowledge about vehicles. **”I have to wow them with my expertise every single time,”** she states, emphasizing the constant need to break stereotypes.

Hill predicts that Crown’s Corner Mechanic will bring in an impressive **$1 million in revenue this year**, nearly **double** last year’s figures. While she dreams of owning the building, which would require about **$4 million**, Hill remains focused on scaling her business with plans to grow her social media presence. **”If TikTok disappeared overnight, that would be devastating,”** she admits.

Furthermore, she hopes to one day obtain a **mechanical engineering degree**, aiming for an online program that offers flexibility. **”We don’t stop,”** Hill asserts, confident in her ability to pivot and adapt.