What If It Did Work?

Building a $280M Business Without Investors: The FilterBuy Story


Listen Later

What happens when you walk away from a seven-figure Wall Street career to save your family's dying business? For David Heacock, it led to building FilterBuy, a $280 million manufacturing powerhouse that's revolutionizing the air filter industry—all without a single outside investor.

The journey wasn't glamorous. Heacock describes the brutal reality of his first few years, including the pivotal moment in 2015 when humidity in Alabama was destroying his production materials and he was down to his last $150,000 in credit. With bankruptcy looming, he drove to Indiana, rented a truck to bring back a specialized machine, and nearly lost his finger while training his team. That near-catastrophe became the turning point that saved his company.

Unlike the polished success stories dominating social media, Heacock's path reveals what entrepreneurship truly demands. While others contracted during COVID, he made the audacious move to open a new manufacturing facility in May 2020, allowing FilterBuy to double in revenue within a year. His approach to business—manufacturing domestically, creating nearly 1,000 American jobs, and building a sustainable cash-efficient model—stands in stark contrast to the quick-fix solutions marketed by business gurus charging thousands for seminars.

What makes Heacock's perspective particularly valuable is his brutal honesty about entrepreneurship. "People consistently overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade," he shares, emphasizing that clarity of long-term vision combined with patience is what separates successful founders from those who quit too soon. Now expanding beyond direct-to-consumer into retail partnerships with Walmart and launching a nationwide HVAC service business, Heacock is on track to build what he calls "the world's leading indoor air quality company."

Whether you're struggling six months into your business journey or contemplating making a bold career pivot, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into what building a substantial company actually requires. Find David on YouTube where he shares his business knowledge freely through weekly Q&A sessions—no $40,000 mastermind required.

Join the What if it Did Work movement on Facebook
Get the Book!
www.omarmedrano.com
www.calendly.com/omarmedrano/15min

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

What If It Did Work?By Omar Medrano

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

81 ratings


More shows like What If It Did Work?

View all
The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

The Joe Rogan Experience

226,206 Listeners

The School of Greatness by Lewis Howes

The School of Greatness

21,302 Listeners

THE ED MYLETT SHOW by Ed Mylett | Cumulus Podcast Network

THE ED MYLETT SHOW

14,077 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,917 Listeners

The Game with Alex Hormozi by Alex Hormozi

The Game with Alex Hormozi

4,370 Listeners

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

7,143 Listeners

Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson

Modern Wisdom

3,771 Listeners

On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

27,164 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

13,053 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

28,473 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,562 Listeners