Of all the skills designer and businesswoman Joanna Gaines has, the ability to slow down and take a break isn’t the most obvious one.
But nevertheless, it’s an acquired skill the busy mom of five says she’s learning to embrace.
Joanna spoke to Dennis Scully on the April 28 episode of his “Business of Home” podcast. In the interview, she talked about her decision to step away from her Magnolia Empire temporarily last year.
Joanna says she decided to take the summer off for the first time in 20 years. And she gained a lot more than just rest and relaxation.
“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? Because you can’t carry everything with you as you move forward. You’ve got to drop something if you’re going to keep picking more up,” she said on the podcast.
“When people ask, ‘What would you do [if you could do anything]?’ Even if it’s a day to step away and journal, just get outside of it. It’s that intentional time that you’re creating for yourself to be able to dream for what’s next that’s important. 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.”
After Learning to Say ‘No,” Joanna Learned to Say ‘Yes’
Once the “Mini Reni” host got comfortable with saying no to things, then she had to learn not to fear saying yes.
In the podcast, Jo says, “There’s no fear in saying yes—there’s only more to learn, more to gain, even though there could be a loss. Trust me, we failed many times. But the way I look at it now is, I’m just so much smarter because of that failure. I think that’s why I’m so thankful for having a partner like Chip, because he pushes on all the uncomfortable places for me. The comfort for me is still saying no, and really, that’s not living.”
Yes or no, Joanna says her ultimate goal is to stop being afraid to fail. And husband Chip is her secret weapon.
“He took that veil of fear away and almost gave me this sense of empowerment, like, ‘Well, if you fail, who cares? We’ll do better on the next one,” she told host Dennis Scully.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
In 2003, the couple opened Magnolia Market, a home goods store.
They would go on to attract the attention of HGTV and star in five seasons of “Fixer Upper” leading to the development of their massive Magnolia Empire.
Joanna Gaines Talks About Learning to Pivot
In the podcast, Joanna talks about how her dream of becoming a broadcast journalist led her to where she is now.
During an internship in New York City during her senior year of college, Jo quickly became disillusioned with her career path. And she coped with it by hitting the city’s shops.
“The beauty of life is that sometimes the things that get you to one point may not be actually what you need to carry with you in the future, but because you’re there, you may find something you would have never found,” she tells Scully.
“Now I’m in New York, I’m missing home. What do I do on the weekends? I find these local boutiques, and I go into these shops, and it makes me feel at home. … That was the dream that started in New York City. In my heart, when I got back, I kind of wrote this thing down: One day I want to have a shop that makes people feel at home.”
Chip and Joanna Gaines Start Planning 2025 Silobration
That shop that makes people feel at home has turned into the Magnolia Silos, which attract a whopping two million visitors a year to Waco, Texas according to local television station KXXV.
And Chip and Joanna are hoping to top that number in part with their annual “Silobration” festival.
In a “Save the Date” Instagram video Jo posted April 25, she writes, “Our annual #Silobration is October 23-25 at the Silos! We can’t wait to host you in our hometown for live music, fall food, a vendor fair, after-hours events, and more free fun for everyone. See y’all soon!”
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Joanna Gaines Talks About Taking a Break