Built On Trust, Driven By Friendship
With nearly 50 years in the car business, Mickey McGough proves relationships outlast sales
Words by Anna Duncan Owens | Image by Ryan McGill
Spend a few minutes talking to Mickey McGough, and you’ll feel like you’ve known him for years. Maybe it’s his warm laugh, or how he listens with intent, more curious about your life than his own. Either way, that kind of easy connection isn’t something you can fake, and it’s exactly what’s helped him thrive for nearly 50 years in the car business. And for Mickey, it’s never just been about the cars. It’s always been about the people.
His career journey began on July 1, 1976, at Atkins Ford in Jasper. “I’m not much for talking about myself,” he says, “but I’ve been blessed.” And blessed he was—with a natural knack for the job and a reputation that spread fast. Within a year, Carl Cannon Chevrolet Buick GMC recruited him. He joined the team on October 27, 1977, and stayed for the next 34 years. As the used car manager, he earned a level of trust that brought customers and their children and grandchildren back time and again. One family bought over 50 vehicles from him. Another topped 40.
After retiring from Carl Cannon, Mickey didn’t stay put for long. He worked at a Ford dealership in Georgia for seven years and even lived out a dream by spending a little time down in Gulf Shores. But no matter where he went, his heart stayed in Jasper, especially with his sons Matt and Cody raising their families there. “Every time I’d leave, my grandson would ask, ‘Poppy, when are you coming back?” Mickey recalls. “I couldn’t stay away.”
Sure enough, after moving back home, a quick conversation with Ronnie and Rick Waldrop turned into a new chapter at Waldrop Motors. “I told them I’d pray about it,”Mickey says. “By Monday, I was back at work.” And just like that, he was right where he belonged.
Early in his career, he went to a seminar where speaker Jackie Cooper said, “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” That stuck with him. “It’s not about the cars,” Mickey says. “It’s about selling yourself, and to do that, you’ve got to slow down and listen. Whether it’s a young couple buying their first car or a grandparent picking out something safe for the grandkids. People want to feel respected. If they don’t believe in you, they’re not buying anything you’re offering.”
Mickey has helped young folks buy their first car, and years later, helped their kids do the same. “There’s nothing like seeing that look in a young person’s eyes when they drive off in their first car,” he says. “It’s like scoring a touchdown.”
Even health setbacks haven’t slowed him down. After a hip replacement, doctors told Mickey to rest for three weeks. “I was back on the lot in twelve days. I missed my friends,” he says. “That camaraderie…if I were to stop working, that’s what I’d miss most.”
At Waldrop Motors, Mickey is surrounded by that camaraderie every day. With Ronnie, Rick, and Josh by his side, the team brings over 120 years of combined experience. And with Christy keeping the office humming, the place feels less like a job and more like a second home. “We’ll help you any way we can,” Mickey says. “That’s what this has always been about.”
Now in his seventies, Mickey has no plans to stop anytime soon. He says he will continue to work, “as long as the good Lord lets me.” The car business has given him a life full of purpose, community, and friendships he’ll always treasure. “I’ve made more friends than I probably deserve,” he says.
But ask anyone who’s bought a car from Mickey McGough over the last 50 years, and they’ll tell you-he’s earned every one. 78