Every week we sit down with business leaders and entrepreneurs for Maker’s Row Live. We get to discover their road to success, what drives them, and what their hopes are for the future. On a special visit to San Francisco, Tanya Menendez was able to visit Alex Snyder, owner of The D.N.A. Group, a creative development, manufacturing, and brand management firm. Alex gave us a tour of his factory and tips on success.
On starting The D.N.A. Group
Before owning The D.N.A. Group, I had my own fashion apparel line. However when the economy declined, I stopped to help my friends with their endeavors. I knew a lot of major manufacturers in New York and started helping them with their supply chain.
Eventually, I traveled to California to take a break from work and finish my master degree. While in California, I was asked to be a creative director for the manufacturing side. After some time, the owner fell ill and could no longer manage the business, so I decided to seize the opportunity to acquire it.
Our main location is in San Francisco, but we are excited to be opening up a location in Los Angeles really soon.
Why 3D Printing
One of my favorite toys is the 3D printing/digital workstation. We digitize, we grade, and we 3D prototype all on site. We are able to developing color stories before you even buy fabric which allows for clients to save time and money. 3D Printing is also a great communication tool that makes it feel like we are there with them.
His Advice for Entrepreneurs
Don’t stop and keep pushing. There is always adversity but it makes you a stronger, more innovative person.
You will start seeing areas of opportunities in your business and it will challenge you. When trying to acquire this factory, I was turned down by 40-50 banks until finally one person believed in what I could do. Now, we have grown 3x the amount of people in 3 years.
Start Working With a Factory Near You
Consider supporting the Made in California by working with the apparel and furniture factories. Message The D.N.A. Group or browse the nearly 1500 manufacturers based in California.
