How Chip and Joanna Gaines Built an Empire Rooted in Family, Faith

Published: October 28, 2024

How Chip and Joanna Gaines Built an Empire Rooted in Family, Faith

By Movieguide® Contributor

By staying true to themselves and putting family first, Chip and Joanna Gaines have managed to garner a massive audience who appreciate their down-to-earth nature.

“TV shows impact the culture, but Chip and Jo impact people’s lives. They provide something very rare in America today: a sunshiny hopefulness that you can make things with your own two hands and your life will be better for it,” Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.

The Gaines’ uplifting stories come from their commitment to their family. While they have worked extremely hard to build their brand, their focus on their kids keeps them rooted and helps them better understand what their audience wants. For example, learning to be vulnerable with her kids helped Joanna feel comfortable being more open with her audience.

“The older I’ve gotten, I’ve realized the more humanity these kids can see in me, the more we’re going to connect,” Joanna said. “I want them to see the highs and lows, so when they’re feeling anxieties about school or relationships, they know it’s a safe place for them to come to me.”

Realizing this encouraged her to write her memoir, The Stories We Tell, in which she confides the struggles she faced from the high pressure she placed on herself for years.

“In the beginning, I never thought I would share this with anyone. But then when I realized in that vulnerability, when you do share your story, if it inspires one other person to write their story down so that they can see that clarity and purpose in their own life, it’s worth it,” Joanna said. “It brings connection. I just started realizing, this isn’t just a process for me. I truly believe that we all have these amazing stories that we have to hold. And when you hold them well, I mean that’s where life is, that’s where beauty is.”

The Gaines’ faith has also played a major role in their journey, guiding their decisions both on and off-screen.

“I had to learn that this whole God thing isn’t just this big religion. It’s really that He wants this relationship with us on a personal level,” Joanna told PEOPLE in 2016. “Even today with the opportunities that are coming our way…I need His guidance. Otherwise, I’d say yes to everything.”

“Without God, for me, I’m not the best version of myself,” Chip added.

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