Since his childhood, David Joseph “D.J.” Salinas III dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player.
“I never imagined that, instead, I would become part-owner of an auto detailing and tint company by age 21,” Salinas said.
Yet it was his love of baseball that eventually gave birth to the family business. According to his father, David Salinas Jr., owner of Texas Excellence Detail and Tint Services, the idea sprang from the desire to teach his son responsibility.
“My son, D.J., loved sports and baseball, and we traveled every week for his games; therefore, he constantly needed equipment and gear,” the elder Salinas told Corpus Christi Business News. “So instead of just buying him everything and giving him money, I wanted him to learn how to earn it.”
The father-and-son duo began detailing cars as a side job, cleaning for friends and family to earn money for D.J.’s baseball passion. At age 12, D.J. was already learning skills that would later transform his future.
“It was not only a way to make extra money but also quality time with my dad,” D.J. said. “We both enjoyed it a lot.”
For father David, what started as a way to teach his son, grew into something more.
“We didn’t need the extra money, I just wanted to instill life values in my son,” David Salinas said. “But we kept acquiring more and more clients. And, then, when I retired, I decided to buy an auto detailing business. I loved cleaning cars. And, suddenly, we were getting many contract jobs from other companies.”
In 2014, the family decided they could branch out and began catering to the public.
Starting a family business is not without its challenges. The Salinas family not only had to invest personal time, they had to find good workers and come up with ways to stand apart from the competition. From humble beginnings at a small private warehouse in Flour Bluff, the family moved operations to Corpus Christi on Crescent Drive.
After outgrowing that space, the company relocated once again. Texas Excellence Detail and Tint Services now has two locations: its home base on South Padre Island Drive between Nile Drive and Airline Road and a downtown location at 606 N. Carancahua St.
“We’ve been at our location on SPID for the past two years, and it’s been a blessing,” David Salinas said. “Our customer base is growing — we get a lot of referrals. My son and I work together as a team. We’re partners. And my daughter, Katie, also works here.”
What started as a two-person operation has now grown to include 30. For David Salinas, having a hardworking, dedicated staff is one secret to success.
“Our business is successful because of the teamwork of our employees,” he said. “Some companies might only be after the numbers, but our employees are individuals, and here, we are all like family. If you treat your staff with respect and appreciation, they will feel inspired to do quality service for the customers, who, in turn, are happy to refer other customers to us.”
The sense of family and teamwork also creates a warm, happy atmosphere, according to D.J.
“It’s like coming to work with your favorite people,” he said. “Everyone gets along, we tell jokes, it’s a positive workplace environment. And when there’s a tough job, we all pitch in to help one another.”
Choosing the name Texas Excellence evokes a standard of quality that customers can expect from the services provided, David Salinas said.
“We try to be as perfect as we can, and if we discover a mistake, we do our best to resolve it ASAP,” he continued. “That’s the key: taking care of problems and issues right away. The customers are the ones building our business. They keep sending even more customers our way.”
While dad takes care of marketing, administration, acquiring new business, and social media, son D.J. manages operations and employee schedules.
Through Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media, the company runs monthly promotions.
“This month, we are giving up to 50 percent off on window tints and auto detailing packages,” D.J. said.
This year, the company expanded to add retail products sales to its business.  
“We now offer detailing products as well as car and truck accessories for sale, such as truck caps/toppers, side steps, brush guards, drop-in and spray-on bed liners, tool boxes, backup cameras and more,” David Salinas said. “This has taken our business to another level. We are growing one step at a time.”
As for son D.J., though his dream of becoming a professional baseball player did not come true, he got something even better in return.
“Thanks to my dad, I learned the value of working towards your dreams,” he said. “Being in business with him as a part-owner of our growing company is better than I expected. I love what I do. I enjoy doing this work with him, and, thanks to him, I didn’t have to worry like other students about what I would do after graduation, where would I work, because he established a legacy for our family and for our future.”
As for the future, David Salinas hopes to open more locations in Corpus Christi — and beyond.
“Ultimately, if all goes well, we would love to establish a few more here in town and even all the way into San Antonio,” he said. “Dreams come true if you work hard for them. That’s the whole reason why we built this business: to have something for our children and their families. I could not have started this business without the support of my wife and my kids. Because of family, this is why we are here.”
Texas Excellence Detail and Tint Services has two locations:
• 6358 South Padre Island Drive
• 606 N. Carancahua St.
For more information, contact (361) 452-0594  or TexasDetail361@gmail.com. Or visit www.texasexcellence.com. You can find them on Facebook at TexasExcellenceDetail.