From Rusty to Riches: Meet Mike “Rooster” McConaughey

Mike “Rooster” McConaughey bears a familiar surname. However, this self-made millionaire proved that he’s more than Matthew McConaughey’s brother. His knack for smart investing and upbeat personality set the stage for the older brother of the “Interstellar” actor.

Hailing from Texas, let’s get to know the oil magnate from the South, Rooster, and his rise to stardom from his rusty oil pipes:

Rooster and his family life

Born as Michael Patrick McConaughey, Rooster is your typical Texas native, friendly and approachable. He was born in 1954 in Houston, Texas. Like the “Dallas Buyers Club” actor, he grew up in the town of Uvalde. It’s a small place in Texas that sits southwest of Austin. 

Rooster’s mom, Kay aka K-Mac, still thrives at 89. Meanwhile, his father, Jim, died in 1992 due to a heart attack. 

As a young boy, Rooster spent most of his time with his father. During this period, he started learning about trading. Selling rusty oil pipes was the name of the game. Little did young Rooster know that it would later change the course of his humble life in Texas. 

Rooster, the self-made multi-millionaire

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Rooster spent his pre-teen year in the vast Texas oil fields. While he didn’t go to college, he got his first million before he hit 30. 

As fantastic as his early success sounds, his imminent downfall, later on, taught him that a million shouldn’t be anyone’s limit. He lost all of his hard-earned money a year after he got his first milestone.

Out of his rusted pipes and trusted reputation, he was focused on regaining more than what he lost. His calculated and reckless risks altogether made him trust his gut-instincts better. He looked at potential investments with clearer sight.

Today, Rooster owns a multi-million dollar company that buys and sells used pipes. He takes pride in the risks he takes, which lead him to multi-million dollar oil deals.

Rooster also chose not to put his eggs in one basket as he ventured into other businesses. He also trades consumer products, real estate, corn, ranching, and many more.

It’s clear how his innate skills in trading brought him success. Yet, in several interviews, he thanked the many investors who believed in him from the beginning. 

As he became more successful than before, he also opened doors for other people the same way he was led on. He started an investment group that would fund budding businesses called West Texas Ltd. He started this from the ground up with his tight friend and business partner, Wayne “Butch” Gilliam.

Rooster as a reality TV star

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Rooster starred in a hit reality series that aired from 2015 to 2016, “West Texas Investors Club.”

This CNBC series has a mix of “Survivor” and “Shark Tank” vibes. Along with his partner on the show, Butch Gilliam, they would fly in private jets across Texas in hopes of finding the right products to invest in. 

Rooster caught the public eye with his sharp and hilarious comments when examining the products featured in the show. 

The success of his first reality TV show led him to another one. Still, with his friend Butch, they star in “Rooster & Butch” since 2018. The 10-episode series shows how the humble multi-millionaires try to help upcoming businesses in Texas.

Fans are still wondering whether the series’ second season is already in the pipeline. 

Rooster and his award-winning brother

It’s no secret how Rooster’s mom, Kay, enjoys the limelight that the younger McConaughey brought in for the family. 

However, Rooster stays silent when it comes to his Hollywood star brother. That’s partly because Matthew McConaughey doesn’t like it when details of his personal life are spilled to the public.

In fact, Kay and the Academy Award winner were estranged for about 8 years. It was because one night, the actor was shocked to see his mom tour a press member around the place he grew up in.

Meanwhile, less is known about Rooster’s relationship with his famous baby brother. What’s sure is that when they were younger, the people in the humble town of Uvalde, Texas knew them as popular brothers.

Matthew was voted the most handsome during high school, while Rooster, unsurprisingly, is the life of the party.

Rooster and his daughter’s peculiar names

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Alcohol was a prevalent investment topic in his first reality TV show. So it’s no surprise how Rooster names his children after his favorite drinks.

He revealed in People Magazine that his children go by the names Miller Lyte and Margarita Olympia. Rooster has truly proven how much he loves his alcoholic drinks. 

With his lifetime’s worth of success in trading, it’s fair to say that Rooster might just be raising glasses for his victories. With his $50M worth of net worth, Mike “Rooster” McConaughey proves it pays not to chicken out when life demands more from you.

Did you enjoy Rooster’s reality TV shows, too? Tell us about your favorite episodes in the comment section below: