Driven to lead: Insights from Missy McKinley, Maaco Chief Operating Officer
Missy McKinley, Maaco’s COO, shares insights from her 30+ years of leadership to drive team growth and operational excellence.
Missy McKinley’s professional journey began with a pivot.
As a college student at the University of Minnesota, she was on track to become an engineer, but a part-time job in retail changed everything.
“I absolutely loved it,” she recalled. “I loved the pace. I loved the fact that it was something different every day, and that you get a scorecard every day on whether you're winning or you're losing.”
That one part-time job changed the trajectory of Missy’s career path, which now spans more than 30 years and involves big-name retail brands such as Circle K, Dollar Tree Stores, and Scooter’s Coffee. Her success in these roles put her on the path to her current role as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Maaco.
Learning to lead at scale
Once Missy decided to shift her focus from engineering to retail, she was all in. The early years of her career were spent in operations roles at companies like Sam’s Club and Best Buy. Each position sharpened her understanding of leadership at scale.
Looking back, one of the most transformative moments in her journey came as she transitioned from a single-unit leader to a multi-unit manager.
“Every new leader, when they first get promoted, thinks they're going to run their district or their region just like they ran their own shop or store, but that’s not reality,” she explained. “One of my mentors took me aside and reminded me that it was about my footprint with the analogy ‘good store, good store manager, but bad store, bad district manager.’”
That lesson shifted Missy’s perspective. She realized that great management wasn’t about applying a one- size-fits-all approach but recognizing the unique skills and strengths of each of the single-unit leaders on her team–and helping them grow.
“My focus became how to get the best results out of each individual person,” Missy said.
Resilience and leadership in uncertain times
Missy continued to steadily build her career by taking on leadership roles across the retail and hospitality sectors. One of the most defining chapters of her journey came when she served as Vice President of Operations for Scooter’s Coffee during the COVID-19 pandemic – a period that taught her invaluable lessons about leading from a distance and prioritizing communication.
“This was a really pivotal time for my leadership style because I wasn’t in front of people every single day. I had to figure out how to influence and lead from a distance,” she said.
This experience also reaffirmed Missy’s commitment to protecting the trust of franchisees, who relied on the corporate staff during that uncertain time.
“Franchisees are really important to me,” she said. “They trust us for an operating model that's going to help them be successful. It’s our job to deliver that.”
Translating talent across industries
Missy joined Driven Brands in 2024 as Senior Vice President of Operations for Take 5 Oil Change. While the transition from drive-thru coffee to automotive might seem like a big shift to some — Missy quickly recognized similarities between the industries.
“On the customer side, it was still about giving them what they need and doing it super fast and super friendly,” she explained. “And on the people side, it was still about hiring, identifying, and growing people to help them be successful.”
During her time at Take 5, Missy remained focused on the two key pillars of operations that have defined her career: people and process. This steadfast approach helped drive Take 5’s sustained success, delivering strong results year over year. According to her, this was made possible by the company’s investment in people.
“We revamped training programs and communication tools to reach people like our technicians, who are not desk employees and didn’t respond to computer-driven programs,” Missy said.
She also attributes Take 5’s success to its unwavering commitment to internal leadership development through programs such as the District Manager Training Program and college recruiting.
Leading as a woman in male-dominated industries
Throughout her career, Missy’s approach hasn’t been about fitting into a mold; it’s been about showing up with confidence, clarity, and consistency.
Rather than focusing on being the only woman in the room, she prioritized communication in a way that connects with her audience — whoever they are.
“I’ve jumped in and wanted to embrace whoever it is that’s there to teach me or whoever I’m there to influence,” Missy said.
Now, as a senior executive, Missy sees her presence as part of a broader industry shift and an opportunity to lead by example: “I like to think I’ve been a role model for other women to jump in, grow, and be successful.”
What’s next for Missy and Maaco
In May 2025, Missy officially transitioned from Take 5 to Maaco, another brand within the Driven Brands portfolio. Maaco has an over 50-year history that Missy is excited to be a part of. But even in a new role at a new brand, her focus remains the same: developing strong teams and building systems that drive flawless execution, especially in an operations world often tempted by the next big innovation.
“There’s a constant desire to reinvent the wheel,” Missy said. “Innovation is important, but in operations, your role is 100% about execution. It's much harder to create something new than to stay the course.”