Fixer Upper's Chip And Joanna Gaines Reveal The Secret To Their Happy Marriage

Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines seem like they have it all: fame, fortune, a successful business, and a gorgeous family. Their marriage seems like it's solid from what we can see on TV, and we've got to know their secret. How do they stay so happy while dealing with the pressures of running a business, raising kids, and being in the public eye? 

Things weren't always so picture perfect for Chip and Joanna. The Fixer Upper couple opened up about their marriage and what it was like starting their own home renovation business at Hubspots' "Inbound" event on September 6 (via ABC News). "Every Friday, we were saying, 'Are we gonna make it?'" Joanna said of the troubles they faced when they first started their business. 

Running a business took a toll on their relationship, but the couple kept fighting not just for their professional dreams, but for each other. "The four or five years before we did the show, when the housing crisis hit, things were so hard for us," said Joanna. "We kept pressing through, even in those hard times."

She added, "The value of what we learned in that is something I'd never want to do again, but I'd never not want that. The hard is what makes us appreciate this."

Chip and Joanna have five children together and still struggle sometimes to find a balance between their home and work lives. "We definitely disagree," said Chip. "It's not perfect. But for Jo and I, it really is a special bond we're extremely proud of. We work really well together."

So how do they keep their marriage going strong after sixteen years as husband and wife? "Solid mutual respect," said Chip. "A lot of hard work goes into this, but if you can get to a mutual place of respect, you can change the world."

Fixer Upper wrapped in 2018, but Chip and Joanna Gaines are launching their own network, set to debut in summer 2020.