Today we’d like to introduce you to Chip Wade. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Chip is a rare Atlanta native. He grew up in Lilburn and then went to Georgia Tech to study mechanical engineering. While at Tech, Chip got “suckered” into trying out cheerleading. That’s where he met his wife, Pauli. They got married the weekend after graduating from Georgia Tech and Chip started a desk job as a structural engineer for Atlanta-based home builder John Weiland. Chip had been there less than a year when he received an interesting email from the neighborhood HOA. An HGTV show called “Designed to Sell” was coming to Atlanta and they were looking for houses, real estate agents, a contractor, and a carpenter….and the Carpenter role seemed right up Chip’s alley. Chip grew up helping his dad with all kinds of renovation projects and in fact the family had completely renovated a home built in 1894 for Chip and his college friends to rent while at Georgia Tech.
Chip, who had no television experience (but also no lack of confidence), sent a self-promotional email to the casting department along with a “headshot” that was a wedding photo with Pauli cropped out (because who would actually take a picture of just himself). He also sent them a picture of him holding up Pauli with the tagline, at least he had the arms for the job. Somehow Chip was cast for the show and it filmed in Atlanta for 4 seasons. It was grueling work. They really only had three days to complete these amazing transformations. Most Tuesday-Thursdays were 16-hour days. The hard work bonded that group of individuals and so the majority of that show crew continued on with a new show called Curb Appeal: The Block. Chip continued in the side-kick, carpenter role but he also had a great collaborative working relationship with designer/host John Gidding. After filming two seasons in Atlanta and then another two seasons in San Francisco, Chip got a call from an HGTV exec telling Chip they wanted to create a show with him as the designer and host. So, “Elbow Room” filmed its Pilot in the summer of 2011 and would continue filming in Atlanta for four seasons.
Elbow Room was the perfect outlet for Chip’s creativity to shine. Chip became known for his innovative design, tailoring renovations to a family’s lifestyle and usually encorporating a moving, multifunctional/engineering element or custom furniture. Chip’s creative vision also allowed him to efficiently step into an executive producer role. And in 2014, Elbow Room won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Program. Chip has continued to find success in media with hosting/producer roles for networks such as Fox News, Weather Channel, HGTV, DIY, and CBS. Chip represents several national brands as a spokesperson and enjoys hosting media appearances, tradeshows, and conferences.
Along the way, Chip and Pauli also built their company, Wade Works Creative, to serve both homeowners (residential architecture, design, and real estate brokerage services) and fortune 500 companies (marketing, video and innovative digital production services). As a GT grade, Chip has always been an early adopter of technology, but what set him apart in developing a business to successfully leverage tools like AR/VR and gaming engine technologies for lifestyle brands was Chip’s hands-on design experience and in-depth building science knowledge combined with a passion for making technology purposeful, not novelty. The success of Wade Works Creative really can be attributed to Chip’s ability to cast a vision and pull in the exact right team players to make those visions come to life.
His work and latest projects can be seen here:
www.wadeworkscreative.com
www.mistymill.com
www.pinhotipeak.com
Chip and Pauli live in North Atlanta with their three children.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Of course not! In the beginning, it was simply grueling work. Trying to actually pull off a major renovation in three days was physically and mentally exhausting. Chip’s family has a crazy work ethic and Chip’s attitude really carried him and his crewmates during those late nights of hard work.
Another huge struggle was the time our family spend bi-coastal. Television is very unpredictable. When Curb Appeal the Block moved to San Francisco, our family had to decide if that was an opportunity worth taking…and if so, what safety net could we leave in place. Ultimately, we decided (and thanks to the flexibility of Pauli’s CPA employer) was for Pauli to work remotely 10 days a month in San Fran combined with Chip flying home the other two weekends a month was the answer. We had a 2-year-old (Mac) at the time. Pauli also got pregnant with our daughter, Mara, during this year. Whether is was the continual red-eye or flying pregnant with a toddler, these flights were exhausting. That year was very hard but also great in pushing us as a couple to be intentional in our communication and commitment to spending time with each other.
Our most recent project, Pinhoti Peak, has also been a struggle. We started the project as material shortages and pricing shot up…Chip was able to successfully engineer alternative solutions but what we didn’t anticipate was the sheer lack of labor. With a more commercially leaning, modern design, many residential contractors felt inadequate to help and we were too small for commercial contractors. So Chip and his dad physically built about 80% of this home with their two hands. Reminiscent of those early days, it’s been a year+ of long, physically exhausting days…but now (on top of 1.5 hour’s drive each way) Chip also has to manage a much more mature and demanding business we’ve built. It’s very exciting to be in the home stretch now!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Wade Works Creative?
What we are known for: Whether it’s designing a renovation perfectly tailored to a family’s lifestyle or crafting a cutting-edge video production and immersive digital environment for brands to better connect with their customers, Chip’s vision always pushes the envelope of what’s possible and resonates with the every-day homeowner and fortune 500 companies alike.
Most proud of:
Maybe our current project, Pinhoti Peak (www.pinhotipeak.com). It’s the culmination of every single aspect of a show-house build, from sourcing the land, designing, general contracting, framing, finish work, capturing and editing content and delivering a digital version for people to experience.
What we offer:
1. To “homeowners” – Architecture & design + Real estate brokerage services. We start every design relationship with a 3-hour consultation with Chip. This is where he explores your property and its challenges, he outlines a couple of solutions and then he casts a vision for the best solution. Sometimes that vision and notes is all a client needs to move forward, other times we bring in our affiliate Architects to draft permitable documents. We stay the client’s advocate throughout the process by NOT building. Rather we helping connect the dots of the design with the builder. We also offer a “Renovate or Relocate” consultation by pulling in the talents of our real estate brokerage to arm our clients with all the necessary info to make the best-educated decision.
2. To “businesses”
a) hosting & talent – personal appearances, testimonials, editorial & copy, tradeshow, other events
b) video production – broadcast, social content, full creative agency deliverables (storyboarding through final deliverables)
c) virtual/interactive environments – virtual showhomes/digital twin, AR/VR room scenes,
d) product placement – home & lifestyle/renovation shows, satellite media tours, live media segments on national broadcast.
Our Business “Bio”
As two Ramblin’ Wrecks from Georgia Tech with a passion for all things home, design, and creative, Chip and Pauli Wade never imagined that they would build a business together. After graduating first in her class and achieving Georgia’s top score on the CPA exam, Pauli headed up the corporate ladder for an Atlanta-based accounting firm while Chip began his career as a mechanical engineer and the couple spent the weekends renovating their 1894 historic first home. But life took a turn when TV came knocking, casting Chip as the carpenter on HGTV’s Designed to Sell, and Wade Works Creative was launched pairing the couple’s talents to service both homeowners and business with an outside-the-box approach to problem-solving. For over 15 years, Chip has hosted countless TV shows on multiple networks leveraging the Wade’s real-life expertise in the home and lifestyle category with nearly a thousand renovations and real estate transactions under their belt. As an Emmy-winning host, designer, and executive producer, Chip leads the firms Architecture & Design as well Advertising and Production engagements while Pauli leverages her talents and certification as a REALTOR® and Broker to oversee their Real Estate clients and investments. Chip also represents several national brands as a spokesperson and enjoys hosting media appearances, tradeshows, and conferences. With a solid foundation in the housing market and continual investment into evolving technologies, Wade Works Creative has become a trusted partner in the development of virtual and interactive media assets for niche product companies as well as several Fortune 500 industry giants.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Usually, its the fact Chip was a cheerleader in college… 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wadeworkscreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chipwade/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wadeworkscreative
- Other: www.pinhotipeak.com
