Chip and Joanna Gaines have some new TV shows — they usually’re in all probability not what you count on.
When most followers consider the Gaineses, they consider dwelling and life-style. Their first TV present, a house renovation format referred to as Fixer Higher, helped launch a cable community (Magnolia) full of comparable fare, together with a retail complicated of their hometown of Waco, a big line of dwelling merchandise, and even a lodge enterprise. However now they’re additionally launching… competition shows on Max about curler skating (Curler Jam), rodents (Human vs. Hamster), and singing (Second Probability Stage)?
However to the Gaineses, this makes excellent sense — as a result of like all nice entrepreneurs, they’ve outlined a mission for themselves. And it could be slightly completely different from what you suppose.
“The sword that we refuse to die on,” says Chip, “is any individual forcing us to do one thing we do not actually really feel great about, and we put it on the market as a result of it is ‘what they need’ or ‘what we’re imagined to do.'”
You possibly can hear our entire conversation here, or within the audio participant. Under is an edited model.
After I noticed this new slate of programming and the way enjoyable and intelligent it was, I instantly puzzled: How did you draw the road between your previous work and this? You guys have been so considerate concerning the enlargement of Magnolia, so there have to be a logic to it.
Chip: Jo and I are very adamant that what bought us right here was slightly little bit of thought and technique — however what we beloved was, it was dangerous. Now Jo and I are trying again on these twenty years going, “What’s it about this expertise that we would like extra of?”
We had a thousand TV present choices up on a wall, and at the least briefly it grew to become a bit paralyzing. However as we began narrowing them down, we stored laughing as a result of the 4 had actually no clear by way of line. Then [President of the Magnolia Network] Allison Web page stated, “You recognize what? The one factor it does have in widespread is authenticity and pleasure. And that is what Chip and Joe have at all times been about.” That simply felt lovely.
The sword we refuse to die on is any individual forcing us to do one thing we do not actually really feel great about, and we put it on the market as a result of it is “what they need” or “what we’re imagined to do,” after which we remorse it later as a result of we knew all alongside it actually wasn’t about us and the issues that we care about.
Joanna: Once we take into consideration Magnolia, whether or not it is the journal, our store, the community — the entire level of it for us as an organization is: How can we convey individuals collectively for these significant moments? As a result of after we step again and see who’s coming to the outlets, it is all ages. It is a woman’s group of pals. It is a grandma, a grandpa, it is grandkids—it is household. And if you happen to’re along with the individuals you’re keen on, and also you’re watching one thing and all experiencing the identical emotion, there’s one thing actually particular about that.
Chip talked about not doing issues simply because it is anticipated of you. That is exhausting. It is usually a lot simpler to play by the numbers and say, “We all know individuals need this, so we’ll simply maintain doing it.” How do you push yourselves to do extra?
Joanna: I really feel like that is innately who Chip is. He says, “Jo, life is only one massive experiment.” However my consolation is: “Let’s do that for the remainder of our lives and never pivot ever.” That is the place I really feel the most secure.
Chip: However how do you, as an individual that does not really feel comfy doing that naturally, get to these locations?
Joanna: The very first thing that involves thoughts is this concept of skydiving—which I’ve by no means performed. However my complete life, with each resolution I’ve ever made, I equate it to feeling like I am standing on the fringe of a mountain, and I’ve to leap by saying “sure.” Most of my life, that worry stored me again. So I by no means felt the exhilaration of, I do not know what’s subsequent. I did not wish to. I wished to know I used to be safely planted on the bottom. However the extra I exercised that muscle, the extra exhilaration I might really feel.
It is not addictive in a manner the place I will at all times say “sure” to stuff. However after I hear Chip say, “Let’s experiment,” meaning there might be a failure, however there may be a win. There’s one thing that is liberating about “Let’s experiment.”
So I feel my mindset now could be: How are we evolving? How are we creating? How are we preserving our eyes open? As a result of I really feel like most of what we constructed has been fairly instinctive. It has been extra intestine. And regardless of how massive this enterprise will get for us, that is actually core to who we’re: How can we really feel? Regardless that it is smart to say sure to this, if we’re not feeling it, we’re nonetheless gonna say no.
From the Gaineses’ new present, Human vs. Hamster.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Max
Joanna, you would possibly consider your self as risk-averse, however you additionally decided to belief Chip — an individual who thinks completely in another way than you. That by itself is a form of risk-taking, is not it?
Joanna: That is a very good level.
Chip: We have been married for 20 plus years now. Early in our marriage, I believed I used to be proper and he or she was unsuitable. I used to be an optimist, and he or she was a little bit of a pessimist—although she would seek advice from herself as a “realist.” However as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that she has the a lot tougher place. Danger-taking comes very naturally to me. I really feel comfy when uncomfortable. However for you, Jo, it was a really exhausting resolution.
I’ve a good friend who defines success as “distance traveled.” Below the way in which that we’re framing it right here, Joanna, the space traveled so that you can these varieties of selections is bigger—which is the larger accomplishment.
Chip: Completely. Amen. She’s very considerate, and that has been very useful for somebody like myself who is just not.
Our group additionally helps push us. We like to have individuals round who’re questioning our ideas, questioning our intentions: “Is that this proper for Magnolia? Is that this proper for Chip and Joanna?” We additionally love individuals who go, “Hey, we truly agree with you, however this is a counter-argument.”
How do you discover individuals who can disagree with you, however that you simply nonetheless belief? It is not simple.
Joanna: Chip and I actually worth individuals whose lives are completely different from ours. We all know we’re gonna sharpen one another. In some methods, we discover this center place, and we’re like, “Oh, we’re alike in these areas.” However for probably the most half, we discover energy in our variations. We come to the desk recognizing that these variations are going to make us see in a brand new manner, and we’re all going to return out of the room richer, smarter, extra curious. I feel that is the great thing about relationships, whether or not it is only a couple or it is a group.
As for the way we discover these individuals: I do not know if that is the appropriate reply, however I feel we entice all completely different varieties of individuals to work right here with us. It is lovely that whenever you sit at a desk of 15 individuals, you take a look at all people, and nobody’s life is similar.
Chip: It wasn’t even actual strategic. It wasn’t completely intentional. However we wished the individuals round us to care extra about what we have been making an attempt to perform than our emotions or opinions on the way to accomplish it. Consequently, the concepts that we articulate are a lot, a lot stronger—as a result of there have been so many alternative angles that have been thought of as we have been wrestling by way of them.
Jo and I joke concerning the inception of our present, Fixer Higher. The producers, and possibly even a community government or two, have been like, “You’ve got gotta get outta Waco. This has to scale. No person’s gonna have the ability to relate to this factor.” However because it began evolving, individuals did relate—not as a result of we seemed to be an odd couple with too many animals and too many youngsters, however on the contrary, we have been a pair that actually cared about each other and cared about our neighborhood and cared about our shoppers. And that resonated with those who lived in utterly completely different ecosystems.
The underside line of all of it is: We wish to present alternatives for an increasing number of individuals to speak about concepts that make them take into consideration the world differently.
In different phrases, the whole lot goes again to how Joanna outlined your mission: How can we convey individuals collectively for these significant moments?
Chip: Man, brother — landing!
