How Chip And Joanna Gaines Have Changed Since Fixer Upper's Premiere

Chip and Joanna Gaines have changed a lot since Fixer Upper's premiere. When the HGTV television show first introduced the world to the small town couple, they became a success story they never could have imagined. "My dream was really small," Joanna admitted on "Today." All she wanted to do was open a home decor shop called Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. Her husband, Chip, was working hard on the construction side, and when HGTV found them, they were trying to make a living flipping houses. They had no aspirations to ever be on air.

Though Chip and Joanna were terrified of television at first, now they go after every opportunity they're given with humility and humor. "The worst thing that happens: you go start a store, it doesn't work," Chip explained. Fast forward many years later, and Fixer Upper has completely flipped their world upside down. "Best thing that happens: you go start a store, you're picked up by a reality television show, you become a multimillionaire, and you move to the Bahamas," he joked. Here's how Chip and Joanna Gaines have changed since "Fixer Upper's" premiere.

What started as a small way for Joanna Gaines to share her love of design with the world turned into a massive media frenzy. Her world completely changed when a producer from HGTV just happened to stumble across her small blog in 2012. "I don't think we ever knew it was going to be this national thing," Joanna admitted to "Today."

By the time fans had followed "Fixer Upper" into Season 3, it was the number show one on cable television. Before the Season 4 premiere, it was taking up 10% of HGTV's air time (via Dallas News). And by the time their television series came to an end after five seasons, it had received two Emmy nominations.  

In 2018, after becoming the most popular duo in HGTV history, Joanna and Chip Gaines left HGTV for a special reason. "We really want to focus on this break and take a step back to let this all soak in," Joanna told People. Understandably, fans were frazzled that "Fixer Upper" was ending, but it was just the beginning of what the Gaines were building.

As if Chip and Joanna Gaines weren't busy enough, they decided to tackle television while also working a construction business and chasing after four kids. However, when the couple signed on for "Fixer Upper," their dance card wasn't full yet. Many other opportunities followed, and alongside their growing businesses came a growing family.

In 2018, Chip and Joanna Gaines welcomed their fifth child, Crew. It was then that the pair decided to take a break from TV. Watching their kids grow up while working on "Fixer Upper" had already been enough of a whirlwind for the overwhelmed family. "Those years just flew by because there was so much happening in the moment," she explained to People. "I feel like I can really take this one in and relish these moments." However, the Gaines family decided to take on television once again in 2021, and they show no signs of slowing down — in all aspects of their life.

Before "Fixer Upper" catapulted Chip and Joanna Gaines to mega-celebrity status, few people knew that the couple was having financial troubles. Money was tight when it came to making their mortgage and feeding their family. "I remember when we first got married the only money we had was what was in Chip's pocket," Joanna told People. It was thanks to the successful show that the couple was able to make a real change, building the foundation for their futures. 

However, this Hollywood-type career took the pair even further than that. As Chip and Joanna's fan base continued to grow, so did their bank account. So just how much are Chip and Joanna Gaines really worth? According to Celebrity Net Worth, the pair is worth a staggering $50 million as of this publication. 

A year before "Fixer Upper" premiered, Chip and Joanna Gaines fell in love with a farmhouse outside of Waco, Texas. Its 40 rolling acres seemed like the perfect place to raise their family — and dozens of farm animals (via Country Living). However, much like all the properties the pair work on, it required a bit of labor.

Throughout Season 1 of "Fixer Upper", Chip and Joanna released a series of YouTube videos showing fans how they were renovating their home. As their fame came to fruition, so did their own fixer upper. "Just like all of us, our homes have a journey of their own," Joanna posted to her blog, sharing a look inside their gorgeous farmhouse.

While the Gaines family have a busy life running their businesses and appearing on our television screens, Chip and Joanna still claim to be homebodies at heart. "You can drag us out and make us travel and even put us up in some fancy place way nicer than where we live, but the reality remains the same," Chip posted to their blog. "We want to go back home."

Needless to say, fans quickly fell in love with Fixer Upper. So to share their in-demand designs, Chip and Joanna Gaines launched their Texas based retail businesses, Magnolia Market at the Silos – but countless viewers all over the country wanted to bring the heart of Waco into their own homes, too.

To that end, in 2017, the Gaines family finally made a deal with Target and created a collection called Hearth & Hand to share with the world. "When guests visit [our shops at] the Silos in Waco, Texas, they get to experience the true essence of what Magnolia is," Joanna said in a press release. "We know that not everyone can come visit, so we are excited to bring some of our home to yours." That was a welcome change for eager fans!

To preserve the Magnolia image in the Hearth & Hand collection, Joanna made sure that the national collection shared a similarity to their small store in Waco. "It's like a little shop inside of Target," Chip explained on their blog. "Jo keeps calling the look 'modern farmhouse,' whatever that means."

Chip and Joanna Gaines didn't have to leave the small world of Waco, Texas, in order to get famous — rather, the fame came to them instead. This "Fixer Upper" couple now has fans all across the country, and the entire world knows them by name. In fact, in 2017, the pair's social media presence earned them a spot on The Hollywood Reporter's list of Top TV Personalities. 

With over millions of followers on Instagram alone, Joanna was named the number one personality that people loved to follow across all platforms. It turns out that she had more fans posting to her social media pages than Jimmy Fallon and even Oprah Winfrey. "We get tweets from celebrities," Joanna told Today. "It's very surreal."

However, these two homebodies — and now household names — have remained hopeful that they can still lead normal lives outside of the limelight; the urge to live the simple life hasn't changed for them.

What made "Fixer Upper" so successful wasn't just the fact that fans loved to watch Chip and Joanna Gaines flip houses. People also loved that these two Texans came across as an average family that fans can relate to. 

In 2016, the Gaines realized there was more to them than renovations — and that publishers were interested in their story. To that end, the couple gave fans an inside look at their lives in their book, "The Magnolia Story." Within its pages, Chip and Joanna explain how they began their businesses, what life lessons they've learned, how they've changed, and even shared the secrets to their success. Not surprisingly, the book quickly became a New York Times Best Seller. "Getting to tell this story together was like uncovering and reliving half-a-lifetime's worth of happy memories, failures, and adventures," Joanna said in a statement (via Starcasm).  

In addition to "The Magnolia Story," Chip and Joanna have published additional tomes to the delight of "Fixer Upper" fans. That includes the countless cookbooks they've written, as well as a children's book inspired by their own little ones.

Before Chip and Joanna Gaines gained fame on "Fixer Upper," they originally thought no one but locals would tune in (via "Today"). Boy, were they wrong, as things have changed significantly for the couple. In fact, the Gaines family can't go anywhere anymore without being recognized. "No matter how many times someone asks me to sign their hat or asks Jo for a picture, it still feels surreal," Chip Gaines told The New York Times. "We don't think of ourselves as 'famous' even now." Rather, they view themselves simply as a family of fixer uppers. 

Yet even as they've gotten super famous, the Gaines always remember to stay grounded. "We're trying to make it to where it's as normal as possible for our kids, that they don't get the magnitude of this," Joanna explained in an interview with People. So while television has treated them well, raising their kids right will always come first.

Joanna Gaines had always dreamed of opening her own businesses. In fact, when she met Chip Gaines, "she had this whole book, a notebook, full of businesses that she would hypothetically start one day," he shared in a chat with BUILD Series. Impressed by Joanna's ideas, Chip wanted her to make what she wrote down a reality.

Once they took over the world of television, another industry seemed to be calling out to Chip and Joanna. And after releasing countless cookbooks, it really should be no surprise that the pair wanted to get into the restaurant business. So in 2016, Chip and Joanna Gaines fixed up an abandoned restaurant that the locals had always loved. They turned it into Magnolia Table, and when that was a hit, they also opened a quaint coffee shop called Magnolia Press in 2020.

At the end of the day, fixing up a food-related business wasn't so foreign to Chip and Joanna, either. "We're especially excited about the custom furniture Jo designed that you'll find throughout the Press," they wrote on their blog.

Since the first episode of "Fixer Upper" aired in 2013, Chip and Joanna Gaines have had quite an effect on audiences everywhere — so much so that in 2019, a whole year after they wrapped up their show, they made Time's list of the 100 Most Influential People. These two small town celebrities have built up a big fan base!

During the awards gala, Chip and Joanna found themselves rubbing shoulders with celebrities like Taylor Swift and Dwayne Johnson — quite the change from their humble Texas roots. "It set in really quickly and overwhelmingly," Chip shared in an interview with Today. "It was like, what are we doing here?"

Truly, the Gaines never dreamed they'd be where they are today. "If I had planned my life, it never would have ended up like this," she explained in The Magnolia Story. "So maybe it's kind of fun not to plan."

Everywhere Chip and Joanna Gaines go, they want it to feel homey. They want others to feel the same, too, so bringing people to Waco is what they're most passionate about. "What it really comes down to is our desire to create a place where people feel welcomed," Joanna explained on their blog.

Fans can spend the night in homes that were featured on "Fixer Upper," but in 2019, Chip was dreaming bigger. He decided to buy a boutique hotel close to their downtown shops, and naturally, fix it up. But at nearly 53,000 square feet, it was a much larger project than the pair was used to. "Let's just stick with houses," Joanna initially said in a chat with "Today." But after hearing Chip's plans for the place — and getting over the fact that it may be haunted — she began to share his vision. It makes you wonder: can you hire Chip and Joanna Gaines to do your house? Later that year, the couple purchased a historic castle in Waco as their next fixer-upper. Talk about ambition!

Two years after "Fixer Upper" ended, Chip and Joanna Gaines let fans know that they were bringing it back in 2021 — finally! "We are mostly just giddy about getting the band back together again so we can share the story of these families and their homes with you," the couple revealed (via Instagram). However, that's not the entire story.

It turns out that these two Texans have more to share than just their love of fixer-uppers. To that end, in 2019, Chip and Joanna announced the launch of a new TV network, appropriately called Magnolia Network. Set to replace the DIY Network, the Gaines family were creating their own lineup of original content, from cooking to crafting.  

Truly, fans have become obsessed with Chip and Joanna, something that Magnolia Network president Allison Page is keenly aware of. "It was their authenticity, relatability, family focus and zest for life that made America fall in love with them," she told Variety.

During Joanna Gaines' time on "Fixer Upper," she found herself falling in love with cooking. But with dozens of growing businesses and her five kids to contend with, how could she possibly find time to cook? By being paid do it on TV! Here's the truth about Joanna Gaines' new TV show.

Clearly the Gaines family can do more in the kitchen than just design it. So after authoring cookbooks and even whipping up some at-home cooking videos on YouTube, Joanna was set to host her very own cooking show on Magnolia Network. "I want to share recipes with you that I love," she wrote on her blog. "But, even more than sharing recipes, I hope it reminds you of what a gift it is to spend time in the kitchen, being creative and making good food for people you love."

To tease her new television show, Joanna starred in a special on the Food Network; three million viewers tuned into "In the Kitchen with Joanna Gaines" to see her cook (via Variety). Is there anything this Waco woman can't do?

Waco, Texas wasn't necessarily a tourist destination before Chip and Joanna Gaines featured the town on television. But ever since "Fixer Upper" became a massive hit, more people make the pilgrimage to Magnolia Market than the Alamo; over 30,000 visitors from all over the world stop by the shops each week (via Waco Tribune-Herald). "This entire business idea was born completely out of a dream I didn't know could ever come to life," Joanna admitted (via Closer).

While "Fixer Upper" may have started out as a show about flipping houses, for the Gaines, it's so much more than that: it's special footage of their family, town, and way of life. "It makes sense that we like it, it makes sense that my grandmother likes it, but why does everybody else like it?" Chip shared in an interview with "Today." While their mass appeal is something that Chip and Joanna still can't wrap their minds around, they have revitalized Waco and given it a new energy. "We just feel extremely thankful," Chip added.

In May 2023, Chip and Joanna Gaines received a rare invitation, beckoned to the White House by President Joe Biden to be guests at a state dinner held for the president of South Korea. Joanna commemorated the moment on Instagram, where she shared some photos of herself and her hubby, dressed up in formalwear, while at the White House. "What an honor it was to be a part of tonight's State Dinner to celebrate the 70 year alliance between the United States of America and my mother's home country of South Korea," Joanna wrote in the caption, referencing her own Korean heritage.

When Joanna subsequently appeared on "Today," she reflected on what an emotional moment that was, for both her and her mom. "When my mother found out that we were going — I mean, she cried immediately," she said. "She was like, 'I would have never thought that my daughter would meet the Korean president. So it was such an honor. It was such a dream, for sure."

As she explained, that state dinner came not long after she and Chip visited the South Korean capitol of Seoul, where she connected with family members on her mom's side whom she'd never met before. "[It was] just this full-circle moment of understanding where my mother was from, walking the same street she walked," Joanna added. "It kind of completed something in me ..."

The simple fact that Chip and Joanna Gaines managed to parlay a successful HGTV home renovation show into their own media empire is representative of both their vision and ambition. While launching their branded Magnolia Network would seem to be the pinnacle of success, it wasn't enough for them. That sense emerged in late 2024 when minor professional hockey league ECHL announced that Chip and Joanna had joined former football star Tim Tebow and wife Demi in the ownership group behind the Tahoe Knight Monsters. 

"We are excited to have Chip and Jo join our ownership group. It is obvious they share our passion for giving back to the community and have a love of sports," said the ex-NFL quarterback in an announcement (via ECHL), gushing about the creative new ideas and fresh perspective they would bring to the team.  

For the Gaines, getting involved with a minor-league sports team was another way in which they could contribute to a community. "As parents and lifelong sports fans, we've always believed in the magic of sports to connect people," said Chip. "For us, this partnership is a chance to celebrate the joy of the game and be part of something that inspires people to cheer loud and make memories that last a lifetime," added Joanna.

During the summer of 2024, Joanna Gaines decided to step away from the Magnolia Network and her other businesses. Her absence was temporary, and was ultimately intended to strengthen her connection with the business empire she shared with husband Chip Gaines.

The following year, she appeared on the "Business at Home" podcast, where she explained why it was important for her to put some distance between herself and all things Magnolia — something she'd never done during the 20 or so years since first beginning the business. "That time away gave us clarity for what's next, and [reinforced that] sometimes it's important to step away for a second so you can understand what you're holding and also understand, What do I need to let go of?" Joanna said. She explained that her bandwidth only allows so much, and that sometimes certain responsibilities must be droped in order to pick up new ones that will propel the business forward even further. 

According to Joanna, being able to give herself time to dream and scheme and think about the enterprise in big-picture terms, without becoming enmeshed in the day-to-day intricacies of the business, was a revelatory experience. "Whether it's three months, a week or a day, it's that intention to really see above and beyond, is what I would just say to anybody who has a business," she added. 

Fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines are well aware that the couple are parents to five children. While that would be more than enough kids for most people, the couple were unsure whether or not they wanted to expand their family even further by having a sixth. 

So, are Chip and Joanna having another baby? As early as 2018, they discussed the possibility of a sixth kid in interviews. Speaking with People that year, Chip insisted that they weren't done making babies just yet. "I think we have to have another one because I'm particular about the only child thing. Crew needs a sister to manage this whole thing out," Chip said of the couple's youngest child, son Crew. "Don't be surprised if No. 6 is in the cards!"

In that same interview, Joanna proved to be a bit more circumspect. "When I first got pregnant I kept telling everyone at the office, 'Guys, I am my best self when I'm pregnant.' And then, for whatever reason, I was limping into work and I couldn't breathe," she said, conceding that having babies in one's 20s isn't the same as doing it a decade-plus later. "At 40," she added, "it's definitely a little different." As of July 2025, though, there was still no sign of a sixth Gaines baby.

In June 2025, Chip and Joanna Gaines celebrated doing something that the two hadn't done in a quarter-century: hit the gym together. In an Instagram post, Joanna revealed that she and her husband had enlisted the services of trainer-to-the-stars Don Saladino, whose other celebrity clients have included other celebrity spouses — Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, in addition to John Krasinski and Emily Blunt — and the likes of Sebastian Stan, Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and several others.

"Last year @donsaladino did the impossible and got Chip and me in a gym TOGETHER for the first time in 25 years," Joanna wrote in the caption, accompanying a photo of the couple hitting the gym — albeit with Chip wearing cowboy boots for his workout. "Chip showed up in his boots and Don thought he was joking (Chip finally converted to tennis shoes)," she added. "We have honestly loved the workouts so much."

Meanwhile, Saladino had his own news to share about the couple, revealing that he'd spearheaded a "Fixer Upper"-style renovation of a small room in the Gaines' home into their own gym. "It's amazing what you can do with 219 sq ft," he shared in an Instagram post. "If you think you don't have enough room, guess again."  

In May 2025, Chip and Joanna Gaines marked a milestone in their lives together when the celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. They were not taking that milestone lightly, as they demonstrated in an Instagram post that Joanna shared.She revealed that they'd decided to try something new. "We've loved turning our date nights into dance nights. We are going to need quite a few more lessons but this is so much fun!" she wrote in the caption, accompanying a video of the couple practicing their dance-floor moves during one of their lessons. 

She concluded the post by writing, "Happy Anniversary — Here's to learning new things the older we get!" Judging by that video, Chip's footwork had progressed considerably in the years since he showed off some wild moves in a 2018 episode of "Fixer Upper," when he hit the dance floor with what Closer Weekly described as "hilariously bad dance moves."

In April 2025, Variety reported that Joanna Gaines was set to go solo, sans husband Chip, for a new show for the couple's Magnolia Network. In each episode of that new show, titled "Mini-Reni," Gaines tackled mini-renovation projects, demonstrating how making just a few intentional changes can meaningfully transform a small space. 

"What I love about 'Mini Reni' is the freedom to go all-in on just one or two smaller spaces," she told the outlet, explaining why taking on a small renovation was a big change from the major renovations that she and Chip had been doing for all those seasons of "Fixer Upper." She pointed out that because each renovation is simply a single space, she was hopeful the show would inspire viewers to take on smaller projects that would allow them to trasform their home on a gradual, ongoing basis.

As she explained in an interview with TV Insider, "Mini Reni" marked a return to her early days, pre-dating when she and Chip began flipping homes. "Helping people make their spaces feel special and personal has always been at the heart of what I love, long before 'Fixer Upper,'" she said, explainig that "Mini Reni" offered a unique opportunity to demonstrate that one doesn't have to renovate an entire home, because sometimes transforming a small space can make a large impact that reverberates throughout the entire home. 

As Chip and Joanna Gaines continued to build their Magnolia Network, new shows continued to be produced. In early 2025, they announced they were executive producers of a new reality show that sent participants nearly 150 years into the past. In "Back to the Frontier," three typical American families relinquish all their modern conveniences as live as homesteaders from the 1880s, eschewing the comforts of modern life to immerse themselves in frontier living and learn the skills needed to survive a harsh winter. 

"This series taps into something we've always believed–that stepping away from the noise of everyday life can bring you closer to what matters most," said the couple in a news release. "It is proof that no matter where you find yourself, the most important part of home is the people you share it with."

In a statement they issued to People ahead of the show's July 2025 debut, the couple revealed that the idea for "Back to the Frontier" had been percolating with them for some time. "We've always been drawn to the back-to-basics way of life and loved the idea of giving families a chance to go back in time to experience life as 1880s homesteaders — without all the distractions and technology of the 21st century," they said. Ultimately, the couple added, the hardship they encountered wound up pulling those families together in a profound way that tightened their familial bonds. "We can't wait to share their journeys with you this July!" they added.