Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Devon Mckelvin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Devon, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

As a new business owner, the idea for HVAC Actor LLC came from a real place in my life where two worlds collided, my experience as an actor and my hands-on training in a skilled trade.

In the acting world, there’s this well-known phase called the “starving artist.” It’s almost like a rite of passage. You’re chasing your dream, but at the same time, you’re working jobs that don’t always reflect your full potential, just trying to stay afloat until the next opportunity comes. I went through that phase myself, and I’ll be honest, it can be exhausting. However, it also builds something in you. It builds resilience, discipline, and a deeper commitment to your purpose.

When I stepped into HVAC, it initially came from a practical need of wanting stability and a reliable skill. But as I got deeper into it, something clicked. I realized I didn’t have to separate who I was as an actor from who I was becoming in this trade.

That’s when HVAC Actor LLC was born.

I decided to combine my on-camera experience and personal brand as an actor with my hands-on HVAC work to create something unique. Instead of hiding one side of myself, I leaned into both. I used the identity I had already built in entertainment to help bring personality, storytelling, and connection into a field that doesn’t always get seen that way.

What made it feel worthwhile was the alignment. At the core, both acting and HVAC serve a similar purpose for me in ways they impact people.

As an actor, I entertain, tell stories, and create moments that people can connect with emotionally. I can inspire, make someone laugh, or help them see themselves differently.

With HVAC, I get to do that in a more physical, immediate way. When someone’s air goes out in the middle of summer or their heat stops working in the winter, that’s not just an inconvenience but that’s real discomfort. Being able to show up, fix that problem, and bring relief… there’s a real sense of service and satisfaction in that.

So in a way, I’m still doing the same thing, I’m just serving people on two different levels.

That’s what excited me the most. I wasn’t just starting a business. I was building a life where I didn’t have to choose between stability and passion. I could master both.

Devon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Devon McKelvin. I’m an rmy veteran born in Westbury, a town on Long Island, New York, and my journey has been shaped by two worlds consisting of storytelling and service.

I first got into acting as a kid doing plays at church. My very first role was actually Jesus Christ at 12 years old. I didn’t even plan on being in the play, but the original actor had to step away, and my mom who was directing asked me to step in. That moment changed everything for me. From there, acting never really left my life. Whether it was sitting in math class writing plays, participating in military training exercises where I played insurgents, competing in college pageants, or even just being the “new kid” at different schools learning how to navigate fear. Performance, storytelling, and presence were always there.

As I got older, life took me down a more traditional path. I spent years working in logistics, but by the time I reached my mid-30s, I hit a breaking point. I was frustrated, unfulfilled, and it started affecting my health. I had to be honest with myself and realize that, whether consciously or not, I was choosing that unhappiness every day. That realization forced me to make a change.

Around that time, I kept crossing paths with people in the HVAC trade almost randomly, but there was something different about them. They carried a sense of stability and contentment that I didn’t have. A lot of them had stories similar to mine. Men who had been searching for something more and found it through learning a trade. That stuck with me.

Once I got into HVAC school and began to understand how deep and complex the field really is, it gave me a renewed sense of purpose. It wasn’t just about fixing systems or the money but it was about problem-solving, providing real value, and building something tangible.

That’s where everything came together for me.

Through acting, I tell stories about people overcoming adversity, whether it’s a husband fighting for his marriage or a detective seeking justice after loss. I’m drawn to roles that inspire, that reflect growth, and that give people something to connect to.

Through the HVAC Actor LLC, I provide hands-on services that solve real, everyday problems. I focus on preventative maintenance helping homeowners avoid costly breakdowns by catching issues early. That includes things like identifying refrigerant leaks, performing electrical testing, changing filters, charging systems properly, cleaning furnaces, and maintaining condenser and evaporator coils. It’s about saving people money, increasing efficiency, and giving them peace of mind.

What sets me apart is the combination of both worlds.

I bring personality, communication, and a human touch into an industry that can sometimes feel purely technical. I don’t just fix systems, I connect with people. At the same time, I bring discipline, structure, and real-world problem-solving into my creative life.

I’m most proud of the fact that I didn’t choose one path and abandon the other. I built something that allows me to fully be myself, both a creative and a skilled tradesman.

What I want people to know about me and my brand is simple: I’m about growth, service, and authenticity. Whether it’s on screen or in someone’s home, my goal is the same which is to show up, solve problems, and leave people better than I found them.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Exactly a year ago, in 2025, I found myself at a major turning point in my life.

At the time, I was working in logistics. On paper, everything looked great, I had a solid job, was making good money, and had just received a promotion. But internally, I wasn’t fulfilled. That’s when I realized something had shifted in me. I had grown from being a man who chased a paycheck to someone who needed purpose to feel alive.

Around that same time, I had stepped away from acting for about two years. The frustration of the industry had gotten to me. I had come close to landing life-changing roles, gave everything I had in auditions, and still didn’t get picked. That kind of rejection can wear on you. So I walked away.

But acting is one of those things that never really leaves you.

Even during that break, I found myself missing the excitement of getting auditions from my agent, reading lines with friends, being in acting class breaking down scripts, dressing up for events, the whole creative process. It took stepping away to realize just how much I truly loved it.

At the same time, I had to confront something deeper. I realized I had been settling not just in my career, but in my life. That awareness pushed me to start therapy, which I committed to for about a year and a half. That process helped me see patterns, heal, and ultimately make a decision: I wanted more for myself, and I was willing to fight for it.

That decision led to a complete pivot.

I went on a serious fitness journey and got my body back into shape. I walked away from my job in logistics, even though it gave me stability, and enrolled in HVAC school to learn a trade that could support me long-term. At the same time, I stepped back into acting and reconnected with my passion.

It wasn’t easy. Walking away from comfort and security is one of the scariest things you can do. There were moments of doubt, uncertainty, and pressure. But looking back now, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Today, I’m in the best shape of my life, working in a field I respect as an HVAC technician, and fully back in my creative lane as an actor. I’ve been able to combine both worlds into something meaningful, and even share that journey with others artists, tradesmen, and people who feel stuck between passion and responsibility.

One of the most rewarding parts is when someone tells me they’ve seen my work or that my story inspired them to make a change in their own life. That’s when it really hits me that I didn’t just pivot for myself, I pivoted into purpose.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My social media journey really started with a decision to stop playing it safe.

Around June of 2025, I came across an article saying that 50 Cent was casting for a new show in the Power universe called Power Origins. I’ve always been a big fan of that world, and something in me said, “At least put yourself out there.”

At the time, I didn’t even have representation, no agent, no manager, no real pipeline into the industry. And on top of that, I had a fear of posting my raw acting work online. It felt vulnerable. But I decided to push past all of that and bet on myself.

I took the time to prepare two monologues that matched the tone and energy of the Power universe. pieces that were gritty, emotional, and grounded. Then I posted them on social media using targeted hashtags, just putting my work out there with no guarantees.

The response surprised me.

Those videos didn’t just get views, they created opportunity. Through that exposure, I connected with my now manager, Troynae George, who has direct ties to the Power casting network. Even though I didn’t land a role in the first season, I went from having no representation to being in rooms and conversations I wasn’t in before.

After connecting with my manager, I was also given the opportunity to perform in front of Erica Hart and Rico Ross from Beauty and Black. Both of them gave me valuable feedback that helped sharpen my craft and pushed me to grow as an actor.

From there, things started building.

Troynae helped connect me with my current agent, Tonya Hensley, who has been the best agent I’ve worked with. She’s very hands-on and consistently puts me in position with strong auditions. Through her, I was submitted for a role earlier this year and ended up booking my first lead role since returning to acting in a film called Veneer where i play a character that’s very personal to me.

At the same time, social media didn’t just grow my acting but it expanded my HVAC brand too. I’ve been able to connect with HVAC companies, build partnerships, and even get opportunities to work with casting teams like Kountry Wayne’s skit platform.

So for me, building an audience wasn’t about chasing followers but it was about creating visibility when I had none. So for anyone looking to build a social media presence I’d say go for it. Put yourself out there and most importantly have fun.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devonmckelvin_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devon-mckelvin

Image Credits

Rhyen Dunn
Aaron Brawley