Mark McNally’s journey from Belfast, Ireland, to co-founding Filters Direct USA in North Carolina is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the entrepreneurial spirit. As an immigrant with no initial job prospects, McNally turned a leap of faith into a thriving eco-friendly air filter business—all while navigating cultural shifts, family responsibilities, and the chaos of launching during a global pandemic. His story, shared on the 21st Century Entrepreneurship Podcast, offers practical lessons for anyone wondering how to turn an idea into a sustainable venture, especially as an outsider in a new country. Through grit, community support, and a focus on solving real problems, McNally proves that success doesn’t require a big budget—just a willingness to hustle and adapt.
Born in Belfast, McNally grew up watching his parents juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet. That hustle became his foundation when he, his wife Charlene, and their daughter Kristen left Ireland for America in pursuit of opportunity. Landing in Florida with $500 and a dream, he stumbled into the air filter industry—a field he knew nothing about. Fast forward to today, and he’s not only co-owner of FSI Mechanical but also the visionary behind Filters Direct USA, a company revolutionizing home air filtration with sustainability at its core. This article explores his path, highlighting the strategies that fueled his success and the lessons any aspiring entrepreneur can apply.
From Ireland to America: A Leap Worth Taking
McNally’s story begins with a bold decision. At 26, he and Charlene rented out their Belfast home, packed their suitcases, and moved to Florida, where her grandparents owned a holiday home. “We were just gonna wing it and see what happens,” he recalls. The emotional airport farewell to his family underscored the stakes, but his parents’ faith in his potential kept him grounded. That leap paid off when, just two days after arriving, a chance diner interview landed him a job with Joe Briquetto’s air filter company. As an immigrant entrepreneur, McNally embraced the unknown, turning a fresh start into the foundation for a thriving career.
This wasn’t a glamorous start—McNally had never carried a ladder or worked with his hands beyond a brief stint in 3D design school. Yet, he embraced the challenge, learning the ropes of air filtration in South Florida’s humid climate. Six months later, a family connection drew them to North Carolina, where another diner meeting with Dave, a mechanical company owner, secured his next role. With $500 left in the bank, that job was a lifeline. “He saw something in me,” McNally says of Dave.
“I had energy and excitement about working in America.”
That hustle—born from necessity—laid the groundwork for his entrepreneurial ascent.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
By 2019, McNally and business partner Tim Hobbs had bought FSI Mechanical, growing it into a stable operation. But it was the COVID-19 pandemic that sparked Filters Direct USA. As businesses slowed, homeowners grew anxious about indoor air quality. McNally saw a gap: traditional filters were wasteful, expensive, and hard to source for odd sizes. Drawing on his 3D design background, he prototyped a reusable, eco-friendly filter frame—starting with a pizza box cutout.
Manufacturing locally in Garner, North Carolina, wasn’t easy. Overseas samples were delayed by shipping snarls, and initial U.S. quotes—like $30,000 per mold—were out of reach. Undeterred, McNally pitched his pizza box prototype to local plastics engineers.
“We laid the pizza box flat and said, ‘We need this in plastic,’” he explains.
That scrappy ingenuity paid off, yielding an affordable product now shipped to 33 states—all made in-house with equipment they gradually acquired to cut costs from $35 to $6-$7 per unit.
Bootstrapping with Community Support
Filters Direct USA launched mid-COVID with no investors—just McNally, Hobbs, and a tight-knit circle of supporters. When a planned website shoot fell apart due to a neighbor’s COVID diagnosis, McNally rallied his community. Neighbors posed as models on his couch, with his daughter Alex and dog Tito stealing the scene. “It takes a village,” he reflects. “We bootstrapped this, but it turned out great—everyone thinks we’re a franchise.”
This DIY ethos extended to their mission. Partnering with Tidy Ocean, they remove a pound of ocean plastic per customer order, aiming to one day recycle it into their filters. It’s a slow burn—eschewing fast growth for sustainability—but McNally sees the reward: “The stories we tell make me smile every time.”
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
McNally’s journey offers actionable insights for anyone building a business, immigrant or not:
Start Small, Think Big: A pizza box prototype became a scalable product. Begin with what you have and refine as you go.
Leverage Your Network: Friends, family, and neighbors turned a low-budget launch into a professional brand. Community can bridge gaps funding can’t.
Solve Real Problems: Filters Direct USA tackled air quality, odd sizes, and forgetfulness—pain points customers feel daily.
Embrace the Hustle: Night classes, DJ gigs, and soccer coaching fueled McNally’s early years. Hard work builds the foundation for later freedom.
His focus on time over money resonates universally. Now working a four-day week, he prioritizes family vacations, crediting Charlene for keeping him balanced. “The end goal should be getting back my time,” he says—a reminder that success isn’t just financial.
Why Filters Direct USA Stands Out
Unlike mass-market filters, Filters Direct USA offers custom reusable frames (free with your first order) and a subscription model delivering fresh filters on schedule. It’s eco-friendly, cost-effective, and made in North Carolina—not overseas. “We solve their problem and make their lives easier,” McNally notes, citing glowing customer feedback. For homeowners tired of hunting rare sizes or forgetting replacements, it’s a game-changer.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
Mark McNally’s story shows that building a thriving business as an immigrant is possible with adaptability, persistence, and a problem-solving mindset. From Belfast to North Carolina, he turned uncertainty into opportunity, bootstrapping an innovative company that’s both profitable and purposeful. His advice? Take it slow, lean on your community, and keep learning—whether at home shows or from customers.
Ready to simplify your air filtration while supporting a sustainable mission? Visit Filters Direct USA to explore their offerings. Follow them on TikTok or Instagram for a peek at McNally’s energetic pitches. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a homeowner, his journey inspires action—start small, but start now.
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