Joanna Gaines Wasn’t Always a Home Improvement Star! Find Out Her Job Before ‘Fixer Upper’

While designing homes definitely comes naturally for Joanna Gaines, it shockingly wasn’t always her job. The Magnolia Network personality initially worked in a completely different field before skyrocketing to fame with her husband, Chip Gaines. Keep scrolling to find out more about her career path before Fixer Upper. 

What Was Joanna Gaines’ Job Before ‘Fixer Upper’? 

Prior to becoming an HGTV star, Joanna worked at her father’s tire shop. She opened up about her experience as an employee at the family business.

“I always thought I would take over his shop when he retired, this was at least the plan,” the Baylor University graduate captioned a June 2019 Instagram post. “Once I met Chip, I started realizing I had some hidden dreams in my heart but was scared to let my dad down. When he got wind that I was ready for something else, he quickly sat me down and told me to go for it and do what my heart was telling me to do.” 

How Did Chip and Joanna Gaines Become Famous? 

After Chip and Joanna’s 2003 wedding, they got to work flipping their first home. Transforming the property to their liking was no easy task. 

“The front room had sailboats in it, the kitchen was mustard yellow and French themed and the back den was rustic with cedar paneled walls, hanging horns and cowhides,” the Magnolia Table author once recalled of their first house to HGTV. “I guess I was testing out my style.”

Photos of the renovation were posted on the blog Design Mom in January 2012, eventually catching the eyes of HGTV producers. The pair shot the pilot for Fixer Upper in May 2013 and the series was quickly greenlit for a full season soon after. 

When Did ‘Fixer Upper’ End? 

Fixer Upper aired on HGTV for five seasons until the series finale in January 2018. The pair have since focused their time and energy on Magnolia Network and their Magnolia Market shopping center. On top of their successful home improvement empire, Chip and Joanna are parents to their kids, Drake, Ella Rose, Duke, Emmie Kay and Crew. 

Joanna candidly shared how she manages her busy work life and family time. 

“I deeply love being a wife and a mother, and I feel a profound sense of purpose with my work,” the mom of five wrote in an August 2019 issue of Magnolia Journal. “Whatever it might be that fills the scope of your life — marriage, kids, work, relationships, a project you’re devoted to or all of the above — I truly believe that when we show up for the things we care for deeply with our whole selves, that’s where we’ll find the kind of meaning and fulfillment that can withstand any sort of shifting sand — no balance required.”