HGTV Star Mina Starsiak Hawk Faced Hard Consequences Of Working With Family
Mina Starsiak Hawk, one of the hosts of HGTV's "Good Bones," is no stranger to working with family. Before the pilot was filmed, she and her mother, Karen E. Laine, started their business Two Chicks and a Hammer, all the way back in 2007. The women worked closely alongside one another for season after season of "Good Bones," often appearing to get along pretty well. Eventually, Starsiak Hawk's half-brother, Thadeus "Tad" Starsiak, joined the crew, helping his sister as the project manager. From time to time, Mina's half-sister, Kelsy Spaeth, could also be seen on-screen getting in on the renovation action.
But when the cameras stopped rolling, it certainly wasn't one big happy family. Since "Good Bones" ended after Season 8, its cast has come out to air their dirty laundry. Starsiak Hawk, in particular, hasn't held back. "There's interpersonal family dynamics that people don't see. There were definitely some challenging [moments] because my mom and I were in some of the most challenging places I felt we've been," she confessed to People.
Things weren't much better with her siblings. On her podcast, "Mina AF," she said of her brother Tad, "I just don't want to be around him because he's not a kind person to me." As of the fall of 2023, Starsiak Hawk was on the rocks with at least two of her family members. It's unclear if the drama stemmed from working together, but the business probably hurt more than it helped.
Mina Starsiak Hawk feels business definitely became a burden
As real estate and renovation-minded women, Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine, along with their team, could handle almost any home improvement project on "Good Bones." However, off-screen, relationships began to deteriorate, reaching a head just as the last season took place.
Starsiak Hawk has come out and said that she and her mother aren't on speaking terms, and she isn't ready to make amends. Personal problems between the women were compounded by the family business, with the HGTV star saying on her podcast, "None of the businesses, none that anyone's ever seen, has been owned by my family. No one has any skin in the game — not Tad, not mom, definitely not Corey — no one has any money or risk," except for her.
It's clear Mina Starsiak Hawk felt the brunt of the burden, especially when her mom, Karen E. Laine, retired in 2019 and her other business venture, Two Chicks District Co., began taking a hit. On her podcast, the HGTV host made another blanket statement about her family, saying she was "naïve to think that these people who came along and were part of this with me and supported me while I gave them an opportunity along the way would always feel the value of that opportunity." She continued to allude to the fact that she couldn't help but feel that they were being a little ungrateful. Although, the family business might have been fuel to an already burning fire.
There were personal feuds, too
Renovating homes and being HGTV stars aside, Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine's relationship may have never been rock solid. On her "Mina AF" podcast, she explained, "It's a cumulative situation from the time I can remember when I was 3, of things that have created the situation that we're in now." Family life for Starsiak Hawk growing up was likely complicated; her mother has tied the knot four times, and from these relationships, Starsiak Hawk has gained several siblings and half-siblings.
Things haven't always been rosy with those siblings. What actually broke up Thadeus "Tad" Starsiak and the podcast host is pure speculation. Some noted that Tad tended to do his own thing on the show, even if it posed a danger to himself or others, and went against Starsiak Hawk's wishes. However, the mom of two has also said via her podcast that some texting drama went down between the two, officially severing their relationship, but didn't reveal what was said.
The other family member on the show, Kelsy Spaeth, hasn't been publicly cited as being on the outs with Starsiak Hawk. However, she is no longer an employee of Two Chicks and a Hammer, and never became a show regular like Tad. Still, that doesn't make her immune to Starsiak Hawk's sentiments on how things turned out with the family business, like her vent about gratefulness. The clan's business may not have been the sole culprit, but it surely was a catalyst in complicating their relationships.