NewHavenBIZ

10 n e w h a v e n B I Z | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m By Matthew Broderick D avid Salinas traces his passion for entrepreneurship back to age 12 — and his first job as a busser in a New York City restaurant. He recalls quickly realizing he could earn extra money as a percentage of tips the waiters got, which Salinas knew was based in large part on the customer experience. "In my early jobs, I always saw area for improvement in places that I worked," Salinas said. "Everything comes down to [providing] better ex- periences and I've built my businesses around that philosophy." Experiences, he says, build relation- ships and relationships build brands. Salinas' most high-profile business — which opened in 2018 — is District, a 9-acre, $25 million campus on James Street in New Haven that features more than 110,000 square feet of office space for technology and innova- tion-driven startups and businesses. Located on the site of a former Connecticut Department of Transpor- tation bus depot, Salinas said many people doubted that he could bring his vision of a startup ecosystem to fruition. Among the early skeptics of the project was Matt McCooe, CEO of Connecticut Innovations, the state's quasi-public venture capital arm, who said he valued Salinas' vision but understood the daunting challenge of converting the space. "It was a tough location and I remember [wondering] why anyone would take that on, or how [Salinas] would raise the money [for the proj- ect]," McCooe said. "But David is a visionary, and not just someone with the vision, but who can also execute on it." Asking tough questions Salinas said he credits his father with instilling in him a sense of fearlessness and getting out of his comfort zone, characteristics he's found valuable in his entrepreneurial ventures. "One of my favorite lessons from my dad was never to be afraid to ask questions," Salinas said. "Even if it makes people uneasy to [be] asked the question, it's OK, as long as you don't fear the answer." Salinas, for instance, recalls ques- tioning his managers and making recommendations for improvements. "ey were reluctant to listen to me and one person told me at [age] 16 that I should run my own business if I wanted to tell people how to run theirs," Salinas said. In time, Salinas took that advice to heart and started an Italian ice busi- ness in Florida at age 19, and then a small recording studio in Connecticut in his early 20s. "I am interested in a lot of things and I think the world is very blended and cross-functional," Salinas said. "[Lessons] I learned in the music industry can be applied to a variety of businesses and industries." In 2007, at age 26, Salinas co-found- ed Digital Surgeons, a digital mar- keting agency and consultancy firm, which has worked with a wide range of clients — from stars like Lady Gaga to startups and Fortune 50 compa- nies. e company has grown from Salinas' initial $5,000 investment to a multimillion-dollar business with 52 employees. But given his passion for economic development, entrepreneurship and New Haven, Salinas wanted to do a project that would benefit all three. His original plan was to transform the building where Digital Surgeons was located, but when he failed to sell the property owner on his vision, Salinas found the James Street District location with the goal of creating a robust community of entrepreneurs. And its design and amenities — which include a brewery and athletic club — have attracted a wide spectrum of businesses including digital health, biotech, fintech, marketing, education and finance companies. e property is currently 100% leased with coworking space and more than 400 members. New ventures Garrett Sheehan, president and CEO of the Greater New Haven Chamber e Entrepreneurs' Entrepreneur David Salinas CEO & Co-Founder Distict New Haven Education: University of Bridgeport, bachelor's degree in marketing Age: 41 C o r n e r O f f i c e PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED The District is a 9-acre, $25 million campus on James Street in New Haven that features more than 110,000 square feet of office space for tech and startup companies. Salinas helps build talent pipeline, innovation ecosystem with New Haven's 'District' David Salinas

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