Tru Filtered Air is a breathing company that sells air filters. “We produce custom, high-quality air filters, in any size, at one great price, delivered right to your front door precisely when it’s time to replace the old ones,” says David Zimmerman, who co-founded the company with Chris McConnell.
One of Tru’s biggest differentiators is its unique subscription-based model that allows customers to pre-order their air filters online and have them automatically delivered when it is time for them to be replaced. The worst culprit in poor air filtration is not changing air filters frequently enough, and Tru solves that issue with its shipments serving as a seamless reminder that it is time to swap out the old air filters.
In addition to convenience for the customer, the subscription model also provides the company with a recurring revenue stream. “I own a creative agency that builds various brands, and the models I saw with the most ‘financial’ success were definitely the residual ones,” Zimmerman says, then adds, “But I also believe in having a product that inspires, that’s a catalyst for change — so when Chris and I got to talking on a plane ride to L.A. and he pitched me on the idea, I loved it. I was a huge Wim Hof fan, very much into yoga, so the idea of making every breath count in your life coupled with an amazing product and service that ensures you are always breathing the best air … We were both all in!”
They started development in late 2017 and spent 2018 building the brand, creating the website and online shopping cart, designing packaging, figuring out inventory and logistics, and stocking the warehouse. In 2019, they did a soft launch for friends and family, and launched to the public this past fall.
TRU offers all high quality MERV 13 rated air filters, which are the same efficiency rating trusted by hospitals to catch the smallest particles of virus, bacteria, dust, allergens and other toxins. “Breathing the cleanest air possible has never been more important than it is now. Arizona has always had a need for more advanced air filtration because of the excessive dust here and monsoon season, and COVID has significantly compounded that,” says Zimmerman.
Zimmerman says he and McConnell were inspired by the words of Maya Angelou, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Says Zimmerman, “When you improve the quality of the air you breathe, you improve your life. [We believe] that you can turn to the rhythm of breathing to guide you through difficult times, that we’re more than just a company selling filters — we’re a company that wants the world to make every breath count.”
Photo courtesy of Tru Filtered Air
