Nicole Curtis knows she has come a long way to realize the dream of sharing her talents on HGTV. As she explains on her website, "Most know me as the 'Rehab Addict' on HGTV/DIY Network. However, I wasn't 'made' for TV."
The reality realtor opened up about her past in her book, "Better Than New: Lessons I've Learned from Saving Old Homes (And How They Saved Me)." Curtis previously worked as a waitress at two very well-known restaurant chains, including IHOP (via People). But then, according to the mom of two, a friend suggested that she apply for a job at Hooters.
Curtis also cleaned houses in between serving customers at the wings joint. "I never regretted giving up a corporate job to clean houses so that I could make Ethan's second grade Halloween party happen," she said about her commitment to supporting her son as a single mom.
The star also told Country Living about people who don't know her back story, "I want them to know I was working for $9.75 an hour at Banana Republic, I was waiting tables, I was cleaning toilets."
