RALEIGH, N.C. — A mom's career switch during the pandemic is allowing her to be more present for her middle school daughter.

Before the onset of the pandemic, Shay Love worked as a certified surgical technologist in the operating room at Duke Hospital. She says throughout 2020, she was picking up shifts and working overtime.

"When the end of the year comes around and you've made $12,000 in overtime alone, that shows you how much time you spend away from your family," Love said. "Away from home."

Love said when she found herself in a different tax bracket, she knew something needed to change. 

During the 2020-2021 school year, Spectrum News 1 talked to Love about how she had to send her daughter to live with family in Maryland. Since Love worked so often, she could not be home to help with virtual learning.

"I'm grateful to my village for being able to do that, but at the same time being mom, being hands on, talking to teachers, doing whatever needs to be done, helping with homework and school projects, it was so hard to do those things virtually," Love said.

Now, Love is an entrepreneur working on her own time. She launched Shay Love's Lashes in December 2020 and was able to stop working at Duke Hospital in early 2021. 

Her daughter, KyOmi Keesee, says she already can feel the difference.

"If I need help with something, she is already there, and I can ask her for help," Keesee said. "Before, if I needed help or something, she would be at work. She could be in surgery. I couldn't call her."

Love says she may return to the operating room one day, but now it's time to focus on being a mom and running her dream business.