In 1974, West Pine Street — located in the small, charming town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi — was known as “Automobile Row.” Dealerships selling all makes and models lined either side of the road. People traveled long distances to visit Automobile Row and take advantage of the large selection of what they hoped would be their next car. That same year, Danny Dossett Sr. was looking to purchase a dealership in the area and happened to find one that was for sale right on Automobile Row. The dealership was in financial trouble, and the factory was in the process of taking it back from the previous owners due to their aggressive sales tactics — they set all kinds of sales records of heavy duty trucks and then set records for the highest number of repossessions. That did not deter Danny — he saw the potential and bought the store. “We got right to work. It was seven days before we sold a car and I remember thinking to myself ‘What have I done?’ Then, we sold our first Pontiac and took a trade-in, and I realized that with persistence, we were going to make it,” Danny said. Dossett GMC Pontiac — now Dossett GMC Cadillac — was just beginning their journey. A few years later, Pontiac Catalinas had a 25% price increase, so the invoice went from $4,000 to $5,000. “I thought I’d never sell another car and that it was all over,” Danny recalled. But once again, Danny and his team got to work and rose to the challenge. Through difficulties and changes, Danny learned that success comes from showing up and doing the work, even on the hardest days. He also realized the importance of strong leadership. To this day, Danny arrives at the office bright and early and is always the last one to leave. The longevity of the employees at Dossett GMC Cadillac speaks to Danny’s strengths, good guidance and genuine care for people. What started as 15 employees has grown to 40 employees today — some of them have worked at Dossett GMC Cadillac for 10, 20, 30 10
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==