Before becoming the go-to carpenter on Fixer Upper alongside Chip and Joanna Gaines, Clint Harp was working in a completely different field. The HGTV star wasn’t always pursuing his dream career of furniture building and restoring homes. Keep scrolling for more details on his job history before rising to fame on TV.
What Was Clint Harp’s Job Before ‘Fixer Upper’?
Prior to making regular appearances on Fixer Upper, Clint worked in medical sales in Houston. He ended up quitting the job and moving to Waco, Texas, with his family when he realized his true passion for woodworking and craftsmanship.
The road to making a steady income in his dream role wasn’t easy. Clint recalled breaking down when he felt he wasn’t providing enough for his family in the early stages of his carpentry career.
“This is bad. I need to go find a job,” he remembered of the difficult time in a May 2018 interview with House Beautiful. “I was making six figures in Houston, and now we’re broke. I wasn’t selling any furniture.”
Years before pursuing carpentry full-time, the handyman also worked an array of other jobs.
“I’ve done so many different things: area director for a kids ministry, janitor at a church, junior high youth minister, handyman, project manager at a licensing firm, missionary overseas, director of operations at a licensing firm and a salesman,” he previously told Central National Bank.
How Did Clint Harp Meet Chip and Joanna Gaines?
After moving to Waco, Clint inquired about a job at Chip and Joanna’s company Magnolia Homes but never heard back. His first meeting with the home improvement couple actually happened by chance. In 2012, Clint saw a Magnolia Homes truck at a gas station and decided to chat with the person driving it.
“I just threw a Hail Mary,” he recalled. “I just went up to the guy pumping gas and said, ‘Hey, I’m a woodworker, and a few months back, I left a message for a guy named Chip. I don’t even know if he’s still over there at Magnolia, but I’d love to talk to you guys about doing some work.'”
It turns out, the man pumping the gas was Chip himself! The construction expert invited Clint and his wife, Kelly Harp, over for dinner that week and their friendship blossomed quickly.
Soon after, Chip, Joanna and Clint filmed the Fixer Upper pilot, which aired in May 2013. Clint opened up his own furniture business, Harp Design Co., in Waco after making his TV debut. The series ran for five seasons on HGTV before coming to an end in April 2018.
Where Does Clint Harp Work Now?
Clint and Kelly share three kids, Hudson, Holland and Camille, all of whom are incredibly supportive of their dad’s booming career. Spending quality time with his family was one of the reasons the Fixer Upper alum decided to close Harp Design Co. in January 2023.
He now hosts his own show, Restoration Road, on Chip and Joanna’s Magnolia Network. The series follows Clint as he travels across the U.S. to delve deep into the history of long-standing properties and efforts to restore them.
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