Hammering It Out: Two Chicks And Their Team

Two Chicks and a Hammer was founded by mother-daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk in 2007. The company was started when Mina purchased a house that needed renovating, and the two discovered a passion for home renovation. As of 2023, the company has gone through a period of downsizing, with Mina stating that she now only has one full-time employee and will be completing fewer renovations per year.

Two Chicks and a Hammer has between 1 and 50 employees

Two Chicks and a Hammer is a company founded by mother-daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk. They began renovating homes in 2007, working on 2-3 houses a year in their downtime between their day jobs. The company now focuses on renovating homes in Fountain Square, Bates Hendricks, and the surrounding areas in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 2019, Laine retired from the company and no longer appeared on their HGTV show, Good Bones. Hawk now works on renovating homes full-time and is able to complete around 12 to 14 houses a year. However, she has expressed a desire to slow down her work pace, which has resulted in a reduction in the number of employees at Two Chicks and a Hammer.

As of 2023, Two Chicks and a Hammer has between 1 and 50 employees. The exact number is unclear, as Hawk has made conflicting statements about the size of her team. In one source, she mentions that she has downsized her team to just two employees, including herself. However, in another source, she mentions having one full-time employee apart from herself. It is possible that the discrepancy is due to the different types of employment (full-time vs part-time) being referred to in the statements.

The reduction in staff is part of a rebuilding year for the company, as Hawk reevaluates the direction of the business and her career. She has put the company's headquarters up for sale or rent and is now running business operations out of her home. Despite the uncertainty, Hawk remains open to new opportunities and has expressed interest in starting a huge construction company or an event planning business in the future.

The company was founded by mother-daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk

Two Chicks and a Hammer was founded by mother-daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk. The company was founded in 2007 when Mina, who had just graduated from Indiana University, bought a house that needed renovation. Karen, a lawyer, and Mina, who worked as a waitress, discovered a shared passion for home renovation while working on Mina's house. They began renovating 2-3 houses a year in their spare time and soon founded Two Chicks and a Hammer, focusing on renovating homes in Fountain Square, Bates Hendricks, and the surrounding areas in Indianapolis.

Karen and Mina's company was discovered in 2014 by High Noon Entertainment, who created a pilot for HGTV. The show, titled "Good Bones," first aired in May 2015 and premiered its first season in July of the same year. The mother-daughter duo became well-known for their appearances on "Good Bones," but their relationship has had its challenges. In 2019, Karen retired from the company to spend more time with her family and focus on other projects. Mina continues to run the company and is able to renovate around 14 houses a year.

Despite their differences, Karen and Mina have maintained a professional relationship. Even after her retirement, Karen continued to appear alongside Mina on "Good Bones," which ended in 2023 after eight seasons. The company, Two Chicks and a Hammer, currently employs between 1 and 50 people and continues to operate in Indianapolis, revitalizing properties one at a time.

Mina has considered starting a huge construction company

Mina Starsiak Hawk, co-founder of Two Chicks and a Hammer, has considered starting a huge construction company. She and her mother, Karen E. Laine, founded Two Chicks and a Hammer in 2007. The mother-daughter duo started renovating homes in their downtime between their day jobs as a lawyer and a waitress, respectively. The company now focuses on renovating homes in Fountain Square, Bates Hendricks, and the surrounding areas in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In October 2023, Mina revealed that she was uncertain about the next chapter of her career as she put the company's headquarters up for sale or rent. She downsized the Two Chicks and a Hammer team, and as of August 2024, she had only one full-time employee and was doing fewer renovations per year. Mina shared that she wanted to have a slower work pace, but she was concerned about the impact on her employees. She also mentioned that she was open to starting a huge construction company or an event planning business in the future.

Mina's consideration to start a huge construction company comes at a time when she is reevaluating her career path and the direction of her company. She has expressed a desire for a slower work pace and a more authentic and fulfilling endeavour. With her extensive experience in home renovation and construction, it is a natural progression for Mina to consider expanding her business into a larger construction company.

Starting a huge construction company would involve a significant amount of planning and resources. Mina would need to assemble a team of skilled professionals, including architects, engineers, project managers, and construction workers. She would also need to secure funding, obtain the necessary licenses and permits, and establish relationships with suppliers and subcontractors. Additionally, Mina would need to develop a business plan, define her target market, and create a marketing strategy to differentiate her company from competitors.

Mina's experience in home renovation, her passion for construction, and her business acumen gained through Two Chicks and a Hammer provide a solid foundation for starting a huge construction company. By leveraging her knowledge, network, and brand recognition, she can navigate the challenges of establishing and growing a successful construction business.

Mina downsized the team to two employees

Two Chicks and a Hammer was founded by mother-daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk in 2007. The company was born when Mina purchased a house that needed renovation, and the two discovered a shared passion for rehabbing homes. Initially, they worked on 2-3 houses a year in their downtime, while also holding down day jobs. Karen retired from the company in 2019, leaving Mina as the sole owner and operator of the business.

In 2023, Mina made the decision to downsize the team, reducing the number of employees to just two. This was a significant change for the company, as they had previously worked on 12 renovations a year with a larger team. The decision to downsize was influenced by Mina's desire for a slower work pace and a more manageable workload. She also wanted to reduce overheads, as the company's headquarters was a large space with a substantial mortgage.

Mina was open about the challenges she faced during this transition. On her podcast, "Mina AF," she spoke about the weight of responsibility she felt for her employees and her struggle to balance her work and personal life. She also shared that she was uncertain about the next chapter of her career, referring to 2023 as her "rebuilding year." During this time, she continued to run the business out of her Indianapolis home, focusing on renovating homes in Fountain Square, Bates Hendricks, and the surrounding areas.

Despite the downsizing, Mina remained committed to her company's mission of 'Revitalizing Indianapolis One Property at a Time.' With a smaller team, she adjusted the company's pace and scope, aiming to complete around 14 houses a year. This reduction in the number of projects allowed Mina to take on a more hands-on role in the renovations and to prioritize her well-being.

Mina has said she will be doing fewer renovations per year

Two Chicks and a Hammer, a company founded by mother-daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk, has gone through a downsizing, according to Mina. The home improvement expert and TV personality revealed that the team has been reduced to just two or one full-time employee, and that she will be taking on fewer renovations per year. This is a significant shift from their peak, when they were completing 12 to 14 renovations annually.

Mina has expressed that she wants to slow down her work pace and reduce her workload. This decision is influenced by her desire to find a better work-life balance and improve her well-being. She has acknowledged the impact of this decision on her employees, but it appears that she is committed to this new direction.

The company's headquarters in Indiana, which Mina built and has now listed for sale or rent, is a physical representation of this transition. Mina has referred to this period as a rebuilding year, indicating that she is open to new ventures, such as starting a construction company or an event planning business.

Mina's decision to downsize and take on fewer projects is a strategic move to improve her quality of life and overall happiness. By reducing her workload, she can focus more intently on the projects she does take on and potentially explore new business avenues. This shift also allows her to adapt to changes in her personal life, such as her son's fifth birthday, which spurred her to reconsider her relationships with certain family members.

Mina's decision to do fewer renovations per year is a bold move that prioritizes her well-being and happiness. It remains to be seen what new directions Two Chicks and a Hammer will take as Mina navigates this "rebuilding year" and charts a course for the future of the company she has worked tirelessly to build.

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