Vegas Circle

The Vegas Circle

The Exclusive Vegas Podcast. We are the voice of Las Vegas. On our Podcast we discuss business, society, culture, education and current events

  • 32 minutes 42 seconds
    The Judge behind million-dollar business battles | Judge Joanna Kishner

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    Justice doesn’t happen by accident; it’s built on preparation, clarity, and access. We sit with Judge Joanna Kishner, a lifelong Nevadan and veteran district court judge, to unpack how Las Vegas handles business court disputes, construction defect claims, and the everyday civil cases that shape our city’s growth. From the first filing to appeals, she explains how disciplined reading, careful analysis, and open hearings produce decisions people can trust.

    We dig into the realities behind the robe: what a district judge actually does, how trials and motions differ, and why volunteer settlement conferences often save litigants years of time and money. Joanna breaks down Nevada’s evolving legal landscape—where precedent is still maturing—and how judges adapt by drawing smart analogies from other jurisdictions. She shares candid insights on jurisdiction battles, complex multi-party matters, and the sheer diligence it takes to manage thousands of pages without losing the thread of fairness.

    Entrepreneurs get clear, actionable advice. Handshakes aren’t enough. Define ownership and roles, write operating agreements, track orders and changes, and know your timelines because statutes of limitations can make or break a case. “Good” lawyers are the ones who prepare and advocate clearly, regardless of seniority. We also talk about jury duty as a civic education, mentoring and community work at Boyd Law, and the importance of pro bono service to support neighbors across Clark County. This is a grounded, human look at how courts protect consumers and businesses while strengthening a fast-growing city.

    If you value smart conversations about law, business, and community, hit follow, share this with a friend who’s building something, and leave a quick review with your biggest takeaway. Your feedback helps more listeners find the show and join the circle.

    30 January 2026, 10:00 pm
  • 32 minutes 21 seconds
    From Soles to Souls: How Al Baker Turned Jordans Into Art

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    What happens when you take a beloved sneaker, dissect it with surgical care, and present it like a museum specimen? We sat down with Al Baker, the artist behind Deadstock Anatomies, to unpack how an entomology display at home inspired a breakout art form that sneakerheads, athletes, and brands can’t stop talking about. From a carefully pared-back booth at ComplexCon to commissions for high-profile clients, Al shows us why restraint and intention can draw bigger crowds than flashy builds ever could.

    Al breaks down the craft with clarity. Some silhouettes like the Jordan 1 come apart cleanly, but modern foams and rubbers fight back, forcing slow, blade-by-blade work to preserve both sole and upper. That discipline protects the shoe’s story while creating a striking frame that reveals design lines, textures, and engineering choices. He talks authenticity checks, why he refuses to work with replicas, and what it feels like to cut into a $12,000 grail without flinching. We also get the origin story: years of sketching sneakers as a kid, a detour through competitive billiards that taught focus, and a move to Las Vegas for outdoor access and a rising arts scene.

    We cover growth, too: scaling from single-shoe frames to multi-pair pieces, navigating the business basics, and the dream of a future collaboration with a major brand. Al shares a grounded take on AI—useful for research and light marketing, but no replacement for the tactile honesty of hand-built art. Along the way we spotlight Vegas culture, from the Arts District to food gems worth a detour, and the idea of a gallery model that lowers the barrier for new artists.

    If you care about sneakers, design, or building something original in a noisy world, this one’s for you. Follow Deadstock Anatomies for the latest builds, then tell us which silhouette you’d want framed next. If you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.

    16 January 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 26 minutes 22 seconds
    JAMES TRADER: 20 Years in Vegas Nightlife → Now Owning One of the Hottest Omakase Spots

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    The best meals start with trust, and few dining styles embody that more than omakase—“leave it up to you.” We sit with James, the force behind Kase Sake Sushi, to unpack how he translated two decades in hospitality and a stint as a DJ into a neighborhood sushi bar that delivers traditional technique, razor-sharp sourcing, and an approachable price point. If you’ve wondered how to enjoy pristine nigiri without the $300 shock, or how a restaurant maintains freshness in the desert, this conversation delivers the playbook.

    James breaks down his casual omakase approach: a core lineup of 16–18 fish, rotating weekly Japanese specials, and set menus that expose guests to variety instead of repetition. We get into his trip to Japan and why Kase’s sushi tasted strikingly familiar there—because the methods were already traditional. He opens up about sake as a world as rich as wine (and brewed more like beer), and how their tasting dinners turn education into unforgettable pairings and loyal regulars.

    Beyond the food, we talk entrepreneurship and the realities of running a restaurant in Las Vegas. James shares the operations behind daily freshness, the discipline of ordering whole fish, and the power of margins and organic marketing. He also wears his mortgage-lending hat to talk Vegas housing affordability, timing purchases, and why “marry the house, date the rate” still resonates when done responsibly. The through-line is mindset: know your why, stop comparing, and show up every day.

    Hungry for a new off-strip favorite or curious about building a brand on passion and precision? Hear how Kase balances tradition and value, and why this city’s food scene keeps pushing past the strip. If you enjoy the show, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—what should James serve on the next sake pairing dinner?

    3 January 2026, 12:00 am
  • 33 minutes 1 second
    How Steve Phillips Landed Mr. Fries Man Inside the Raiders Stadium!

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    What does it take to turn a late-night hustle into a stadium-ready brand? We sit down with Steve Phillips, owner of Mr. Fries Man Las Vegas, to pull back the curtain on a journey powered by street marketing, credit smarts, and unapologetic belief. From LA catering to a Flamingo storefront to a coveted concession at Allegiant Stadium, Steve shows how grit and quality can beat perfect timing—and how one pitcher of Kool-Aid can win a room full of decision-makers.

    We get honest about the real math of stadium deals: why section placement is pure real estate, how event mix affects margin, and the inventory traps that can push a small operator into the red if crowds get shuffled to lower levels. Steve walks through his game-day prep, the 7:30 a.m. starts, and the variable staffing that keeps service tight when doors open. Then we tackle delivery. Fries don’t travel well, so he enforces a three-mile radius to protect quality and reviews. Not all money is good money; sometimes the best marketing is saying no to orders that hurt the brand.

    The conversation widens to life insurance and family security. Steve lays out practical guidance on term coverage for young parents, when an IUL makes sense, and why he refuses to sell policies that clients can’t sustain. We also explore Vegas nightlife from the inside—late headline sets, free-entry shifts, and how clubs lean on bar revenue. Through it all, Steve’s theme is consistent: believe to a “delusional” degree, set clear boundaries when hiring friends, and stack small operational edges until they become momentum.

    We close with what’s next: a sports bar concept that pairs fries, wings, and screens; and a nonprofit plan that connects at-risk teens to paid kitchen work and trade certifications in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. It’s business with a backbone—profitable, community-forward, and built to last. If this story moves you, follow, share with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review to help more builders find the show.

    19 December 2025, 7:00 am
  • 31 minutes 30 seconds
    From LVMPD Blackballed to Rick Ross Signed: Yowda’s Rise from Vegas Rapper to Movie Producer

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    A friend hits play in a car and everything changes. That’s how Yada first landed on Rick Ross’s radar, and it’s where this story of independent moves, relentless output, and Vegas grit really begins. We sit down to unpack how a Maybach co-sign became a mandate to own his path, why he built a 600-song catalog without chasing gimmicks, and how being blacklisted from local venues pushed him to write, finance, and star in his own films.

    We dig into the real mechanics of momentum: relationships that turn features into friendships, the lesson learned from paying for a verse once, and the quiet patience required to survive the “nobody cares yet” phase. Yada breaks down Mustard’s place as a West Coast legend, his Bay Area-heavy influences, and the difference in energy he feels as an actor compared to a rapper. The film play comes alive through Loyalty Over Trust—rooted in loyalty, betrayal, and karma—and extends to his new suspense project Smoke and Mirrors, headed to Amazon and Tubi. He explains why he casts actors over rappers, how financing shapes creative control, and why he’s determined to shoot in Vegas, where access is unmatched.

    Beyond the studio and set, we explore discipline and mindset. Yada credits jiu-jitsu for patience, presence, and two national golds, and he doesn’t shy from hard takes on AI: useful as a tool, dangerous as a creativity eraser. We also tackle streaming economics, the tradeoffs between reach and revenue, and the ownership mindset that keeps artists afloat. Bonus: his favorite Vegas vegan spots, including Down To Earth and Prones and Plants, because fueling the grind matters.

    If you’re building in music, film, or any creative lane, this conversation is a field guide to staying independent, choosing relationships over optics, and letting your catalog do the talking. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs the push, and drop a review with your biggest takeaway.

    5 December 2025, 1:00 am
  • 32 minutes 24 seconds
    How a Mexico City Dreamer Built 7 Restaurants in Vegas. Meet the Owner of Tacotarian & Good Morning

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    A working trip to Mexico City turned into a bold idea: serve the soul of Mexican food with plant-based craft so good that non-vegans line up for it. We sit down with co-owner Regina Simmons to trace how Tacotarian grew from a teased opening to six busy locations across Las Vegas and San Diego, all while keeping flavor first and labels second.

    Regina breaks down the playbook: position as plant-based to lower the barrier, design a menu that delights both meat-memory seekers and veg-forward purists, and build a commissary that safeguards consistency, controls food cost, and cuts waste. From seitan techniques for carne asada and al pastor to jackfruit birria that holds its own, every item is engineered to taste right before it reads right. That approach fuels a surprising stat—about 70% of guests aren’t vegan—and that’s exactly the point.

    We also get into the real engine behind the brand’s momentum: community-first marketing, roles with clear ownership, and a service culture that empowers fixes in the moment. Regina shares how Good Morning Kitchen leverages a second-generation space with breakfast, cocktails, and nighttime commissary production, why franchising starts close to home, and how distributor alignment and ingredient parity shape expansion. Plus, a look at their growing retail line bringing birria and barbacoa jackfruit to grocery shelves. It’s a masterclass in building a resilient restaurant brand in a tough market: lead with flavor, scale with systems, and earn trust one guest at a time.

    If the story resonates, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who loves great food, and leave a review so more people can discover these Vegas-grown insights.

    22 November 2025, 5:00 am
  • 41 minutes 27 seconds
    Hormones, Labs, Acupuncture, Massage & More: Kelley Nemiro Built Vegas’ Only All-In-One Wellness Hub

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    If you’ve ever felt dismissed, rushed, or patched up with a prescription that didn’t solve the problem, this conversation will feel like a deep breath. We sit down with Kelly Nemiro to unpack how she’s building Rhea, a women-only wellness space in Summerlin that starts with data and ends with real relief. No guesswork, no generic plans—just diagnostics, smart coaching, and the right mix of treatments to help women sleep better, think clearer, and feel like themselves again.

    Kelly takes us inside the model: breath tests for metabolic health, blood and stool panels, and adrenal stress testing that inform a credits-based plan for IV therapy, acupuncture, colonics, massage, low-impact fitness, Reiki, and guided meditation. We talk about daily realities too—why a women-only environment creates a calmer, more focused place to heal; how a hybrid approach blends at-home convenience with the connection of in-person classes; and the messy, unglamorous work of licensing, hiring, and building a multidisciplinary team in Las Vegas.

    Hormones are the throughline. From thyroid slowdowns and insulin resistance to progesterone dips that wreck sleep, Kelly explains what to test, what to watch, and how targeted support pairs with sustainable lifestyle changes. We get practical on habit formation—the one-thing rule for 30 days beats all-or-nothing sprints—and we tackle diet myths with a simple frame: protein and healthy fats build hormones, steady carbs fuel the brain, and strength training won’t “bulk” women. Along the way, Kelly shares hard-won business lessons on burnout, trusting your gut, and hiring for your blind spots, plus honest talk about routines, support systems, and finding balance through community work.

    Ready to rethink wellness with clarity and compassion? Tap play, share with someone who needs answers not band-aids, and subscribe to support more conversations like this.

    7 November 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 54 minutes 10 seconds
    Game Changers Sports Academy: Building Scholars and Athletes of Tomorrow

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    Forget the cliché of “student-athlete.” These founders flipped the order for real. We sat down with the team behind Game Changers Sports Academy to unpack how a bootstrapped vision became a rigorous school where a 3.0 GPA is the ticket to train, block schedules fight boredom, and phones go in a cart so attention can come back to class. They call the transcript “life insurance,” and their model proves why: small ratios, direct instruction, and accredited online platforms combine to meet kids where they are and push them where they can go.

    We walk through the system end to end: interviews that require students to read their essays aloud, uniforms that cut status games, and real-time dashboards that trigger instant academic interventions. When progress slips, training stops. When mindset wobbles, coaches treat it like any muscle—trainable through standards, language, and reps. Their “isms” stick: hard work isn’t punishment, it’s payment; opportunities don’t vanish, they pass to someone prepared. The result is tangible—early graduates, rising GPAs, Division I opportunities, and quieter wins like a sixth grader who finally believes he can.

    This is Las Vegas education with an edge: people-first, purpose-driven, and built for the reality of modern youth sports and NIL-era pressures. The founders share plans connected to the Hilo project in North Las Vegas, painting an Olympic-village vision where elite training lives beside focused classrooms. They’re not trying to out-glitz anyone. They’re proving that structure, mentorship, and accountability still outperform hype. If you care about youth development, performance coaching, or how schools can actually hold attention, you’ll feel the energy—and maybe borrow a few policies for your own home or team.

    If this conversation challenged your thinking, follow the show, share it with a parent or coach, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find it.

    24 October 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 46 minutes 4 seconds
    From Franchisee to Franchisor: Morris Jackson’s Game-Changing Leadership Journey.

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    What if youth esports had the same structure, safety, and upward path as Little League or AAU? We sit down with Valhallan Esports’ Morris Jackson to unpack how he went from owning a single arena to acquiring the entire brand and relocating HQ to Las Vegas—transforming a scattered scene into a true pipeline for kids, parents, schools, and colleges. From 23 locations across 12 states to an online platform that removes geography as a barrier, Morris lays out a plan to make Valhallan a destination where young gamers train, compete, and grow with purpose.

    We get practical about what parents really want to know: how to keep kids safe, how to make gaming productive, and how to navigate a space that now includes scholarships and academic tracks. Morris connects specific games to real skills—Rainbow Six Siege to cybersecurity, Minecraft to engineering and systems thinking—and explains how monitored communities, age tiers, and coaching turn screen time into skill time. We also explore how colleges like Boise State and Syracuse are investing, why UNLV’s Cyber Week matters, and how scholarships are expanding fast.

    Las Vegas emerges as the perfect hub: HyperX Arena, global access, and a city that embraces innovation. Morris shares why Valhallan is moving to a corporate‑led model for consistency and quality, how online demand will guide future arena placements, and why this youth‑first focus can capture meaningful share in a $500B ecosystem. He closes with candid, hard‑won advice for entrepreneurs about stretching beyond comfort zones and refusing to let fear set the limits. If you care about kids, education, esports, or building a brand with real community impact, this conversation will stick.

    Enjoy the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us.

    10 October 2025, 2:00 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras, Chef Jeff’s Recipe for Redemption

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    What does it take to transform your life after hitting rock bottom? Chef Jeff Henderson knows firsthand. His journey from South Central LA drug dealer to award-winning chef, bestselling author, and youth mentor is a masterclass in personal reinvention and the power of redirected hustle.

    Growing up in a single-parent home, Jeff absorbed entrepreneurial traits from family members who modeled hard work without formal business education. As a curious child riding the school bus through wealthy neighborhoods, he pressed his face against the window, dreaming of one day owning a beautiful home with a white picket fence. This early exposure to economic disparity planted seeds of ambition that would drive him throughout his life—though initially down a destructive path.

    When crack cocaine flooded his community in the early 1980s, Jeff saw an opportunity to achieve his American Dream through illegal means. By 19, he had become a millionaire drug dealer with custom cars and a three-story house. But the law eventually caught up with him, resulting in nearly ten years in federal prison. Rather than becoming bitter, Jeff used this time to transform himself through education, reading voraciously and learning from the white-collar criminals around him. Most crucially, he discovered cooking in the prison kitchen, which became his pathway to legitimate success.

    After his release, Jeff strategically worked his way up from dishwasher to executive chef in elite restaurants, eventually becoming the first Black executive chef at Caesar's Palace. His remarkable story caught media attention, leading to appearances on Oprah, a book deal, a movie deal with Will Smith, and multiple Food Network shows. Today, through The Chef Jeff Project, he mentors at-risk youth using culinary arts to teach leadership and life skills—passing forward the second chance he received.

    Jeff's concept of "hustlepreneurship" perfectly encapsulates his philosophy: you don't need to change your hustle, just change your product. His story resonates because it proves that with grit, strategic thinking, and willingness to learn, anyone can transform their life regardless of their past. Ready to be inspired by the raw truth of one man's remarkable journey? Listen now.

    26 September 2025, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Blackballed but never broken: Dula-Mite’s real Las Vegas story

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    Forget everything you thought you knew about making it in music. Abdullah "Dulamite" Franklin pulls back the curtain on an industry built on smoke and mirrors, revealing why artists with millions of streams can still be broke while those you've never heard of are quietly building empires.

    "A billion streams on Spotify equals fourteen thousand dollars," Franklin explains, cutting through the fantasy that streaming success equals financial freedom. As a rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur who's written for some of the biggest names in music (though NDAs prevent him from naming most), he's navigated both the spotlight and the shadows of an industry that often exploits creative talent.

    Growing up as a Sunni Muslim in Las Vegas shaped Franklin's perspective as "an acquired taste" – someone unwilling to compromise authenticity for acceptance. From watching his brother get lyrically "murdered" in a neighborhood battle that inspired his own rap career, to facing religious stereotypes and industry blackballing after an altercation with a well-connected artist, his path has been anything but conventional.

    What sets Franklin apart is his business acumen. While many artists chase streams and social media followers, he's built a direct-to-consumer model that puts him in control of his data and dollars. "If somebody buys my album for $1, I got the 1,500 streams," he explains, but more importantly, "I know exactly who bought it, what city they're in. I get their email address, their phone number." This intelligence has allowed him to tour strategically in cities where his true fans live, not where streaming algorithms suggest.

    Beyond music, Franklin has diversified into beverage brands, clothing, and acting – embodying his "renaissance man" approach to creative entrepreneurship. His parting wisdom? "Let God be God, you do the rest" and "The decisions you make determine your destiny." For anyone looking to build something meaningful in a world of fleeting viral moments, this conversation is essential listening.

    12 September 2025, 3:00 pm
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