Benjamin: To get started, please share your full name and introduce yourself to our readers. What is the core focus of your work here in the Las Vegas Valley?
Coyal: Thanks for having me, Benjamin. I am Coyal CJ Harrison III, the host and owner of the Visit Vegas Places podcast. We are streaming across all major audio platforms, so listeners can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, or directly on our Buzzsprout Podcast Page. You can also explore our digital hub online at visitvegasplaces.com. Our main focus is entirely on the small business owners here in the Vegas Valley, making sure we give them the reach and community awareness they deserve.
Benjamin: That's an excellent focus. What originally got you into this space, and why did you decide to launch the platform?
Coyal: I actually started during the pandemic. Our very first episode aired in 2021, so we are five years in now! We do 21 episodes each season. We're actually ending season 9 next month and heading straight into our milestone season 10.
Coyal: Before launching the podcast, my family and I spent a lot of time creating local content for Google Maps. If you look us up on there, our business reviews and photography have actually passed over 85 million views.
Benjamin: Over 85 million views is a massive milestone.
Coyal: Thanks! But during the pandemic, back when we were just posting still pictures and writing standard 200-character reviews, I would talk to the business owners directly. My family and I really got to know them, and we started seeing the real pros and cons of what they go through just to keep their doors open. I started thinking, how can I capture the actual story as opposed to just posting pictures of the food and the establishment?
Benjamin: Highlighting that human element changes the whole perspective.
Coyal: Exactly. So, I came home and put together the podcast format. I wanted a space where I could capture more than just the surface layer of marketing. I wanted to get the true story and give the audience the behind-the-scenes reality: the trials, tribulations, sweat, and tears. It lets people see that business owners are just like us; they just have the heart and courage to create a service for the public.
Benjamin: Looking back through your episodes, is there a particular story that really changed your perspective or left a lasting impression on you?
Coyal: One of the guests I had back in season 5 or 6 runs a barbecue place called House of Smoke. When I first crossed paths with them, they were literally towing a smoking pit behind their car, fresh out of California. My wife and I saw them at a store, and I told her, "Man, pull over. Let's get some barbecue from them."
Coyal: The whole family was out there working in their company t-shirts. I told him I wanted to record some digital content for them, and he said, "Man, I don't really do content. I don't get on camera." But his wife looked at him and said, "Just do it!" They had no clue who I was, and I had no clue who they were, but we shot a little skit and instantly connected.
Coyal: We kept in touch, and I have watched them grow from a pit on the back of a car, to a small corner spot, to a massive food truck, and next up is a brick-and-mortar location. They called me one time and said, "Man, you didn't even have to do that. You stopped by when you didn't know us, we just had a pit on the back of a car, and you made a video that got things moving. That will forever stay with us." Being part of someone's growth like that and seeing them succeed, that is the true reward for me.
Benjamin: That's a great testament to what you're building. Turning to your personal background, how long have you lived in Vegas? Are you originally from here?
Coyal: No, I'm originally from Los Angeles. I've been here for 21 years now.
Benjamin: What originally brought you out to Nevada?
Coyal: My wife. Her family came out here first, so she convinced me to make the move for a change of scenery and to get away from the fast-paced, expensive California lifestyle. I came here and raised my kids. We've been married 21 years now; we got married blending our families with a son each, and then had three more together for five kids total. We only have one left in the house now since they're all grown up. We love it here. This is home.
Benjamin: What is one of your favorite things about Las Vegas? What keeps you anchored here?
Coyal: Man, we've watched it literally grow out of the desert. When we first came out here, the public transit system was incredibly tough, and the city looked completely different. I remember telling my kids about how it used to be a massive community event just to watch a classic casino get imploded on the Strip. If you weren't out there watching it live in person, you were glued to the local news channel watching it happen.
Benjamin: Oh yeah, absolutely.
Coyal: We always knew that the destruction of something old here just meant something bigger and better was on the horizon. That’s what I love about Vegas. Transformation is built into our DNA.
Benjamin: I love that concept. I remember when the Stardust was still on the Strip, and then one day you look up and it's just completely gone. It was wild to experience that era firsthand.
Coyal: Yes, exactly! My very first casino experience was actually back in '94 or '95. I had visited all my life because of family ties, but that was my first time coming down as a teenager without my parents. My high school buddies and I went to Lady Luck downtown. I'll never forget getting out of the car and looking around thinking, "Man, this place is so clean compared to LA." I mistakenly thought the entire city looked exactly like the casino lights! I knew right then and there that as soon as I grew up, this is where I was moving.
Benjamin: That's a great story. If you had a magic wand and could change just one thing about the city, what would it be?
Coyal: The main thing I would change is focusing more resources on our youth, their schooling, and our education system. Raising kids out here, I always found myself balancing what they learned in the classroom with what I needed to fulfill and cover at home.
Coyal: Having lived in different regions across the country, I've seen how the West Coast school systems compare to the East Coast or down South. We have the budget here in Vegas, and if we invest heavily into developing our youth right from elementary school, we will see incredible local results 10, 15, or 20 years down the line. Especially now that the city is booming with sports, entertainment, and thriving small businesses.
Benjamin: I 100% agree with you on that. I have two daughters who graduated high school here and went on to college, so I completely understand the push to keep our kids engaged. A lot of times, local kids just want to leave the state as soon as they graduate, and I'm always telling them, "Stay here! There is so much opportunity opening up right now in our own backyard."
Coyal: Exactly! They want to go, but this city has so much to offer right now if we build that foundation early.
Benjamin: Spot on. Switching gears to a food question: where is your absolute go-to spot in Las Vegas when the family wants an exceptional meal?
Coyal: I'm glad you framed it like that, because since I interview businesses for a living, I try not to give a standard "Top 5" list. But for my wife, my kids, and myself, the spot we are absolutely loving right now, going probably three or four times a month, is Natalia's Pretty Little Kitchen up in Centennial Hills. It's incredible Thai food. My absolute go-to orders are the Thai Fried Rice and the 5-Spice Ribs. The portions are beautifully hefty!
Benjamin: Oh man, do you get the Thai iced tea there? I am completely addicted to it lately. Once you jump on that train, there's no going back. My kids always order it, and now I have to get my own every single time.
Coyal: (Laughs) You know, I actually haven't tried it yet! But because of your recommendation, I'm absolutely ordering it next time I go.
Benjamin: Definitely do! In closing, how can our audience best connect with your platform, and what major projects are you working on right now that the community should look out for?
Coyal: You can find everything on our main website at visitvegasplaces.com. We are on every podcast directory, including our Buzzsprout Feed, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify; just look up Visit Vegas Places with Coyal. You can also connect and follow our updates directly on our Instagram Profile. We are active across all major social networks, including Meta, X, Threads, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Coyal: If you're a local business owner looking for reach and awareness, please reach out to me; I am very easy to connect with. I also highly recommend local entrepreneurs check out Alignable. It's a fantastic app for meeting like-minded business owners through highly engaging networking events all across the valley, whether you're in Summerlin, Henderson, or Centennial Hills.
Coyal: On the project front, I'm running a special segment called Vegas Ventures Off. I conduct high-level interviews with prominent business owners outside of Nevada. We've already featured entrepreneurs from 11 different countries and 19 different states, with the ultimate goal of hitting all 50. The concept is that since the whole world eventually comes to Vegas, Vegas is going to venture out to your home state or country to tell your story!
Benjamin: That is a phenomenal concept for global growth, and it perfectly highlights how connected our local ecosystem truly is. For anyone looking to tune in or collaborate, the best place to find everything Coyal is doing is over at visitvegasplaces.com. Coyal, I want to sincerely thank you for sharing your insights, your passion, and your incredible journey with us today. It has been an absolute pleasure.
Coyal: The pleasure was completely mine, Benjamin. Thank you for giving local voices a platform to shine, and for highlighting the true spirit of entrepreneurship in this city. I look forward to watching our community continue to win together.