July 26, 2024 • 37 mins
Have you ever wondered what it takes for a DJ to become a successful entrepreneur and a city councilman? Join us as we uncover the remarkable journey of Robert "Twixx" Taylor, from his early days DJing in fourth grade to founding the Feta Mall Barbershop at just 23. Robert shares how his father’s enthusiasm for life insurance sales ignited his own passion for business, emphasizing the critical importance of long-term investments over fleeting pleasures. This episode is packed with invaluable lessons for anyone aiming to thrive in the business world.
What happens when city infrastructure projects threaten the survival of small businesses? Robert opens up about his experiences managing multiple businesses amid disruptive city projects and the lack of support for small business owners. His relentless pursuit of success led him to local government, where he now champions the cause of entrepreneurs. We delve into the adaptability and sustainability of business models like barbershops and tattoo shops, and Robert offers a unique perspective on the responsibilities of a councilman who truly understands the struggles of small business owners.
Wondering how to make a significant impact on youth and combat homelessness? Robert passionately discusses the importance of mentorship and inspiring young people in underserved communities like North Las Vegas. He shares his strategic approach to addressing homelessness, focusing on effective support measures such as funding shelter beds. Robert also reflects on the influence of his mentors and offers practical advice for those considering a political path. Finally, we wrap up with some fun, as Robert shares his favorite dining spots in Las Vegas. This episode promises to leave you inspired and equipped with actionable insights for personal and community growth.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Paki (00:11):
Welcome to Vegas Circle Podcast with your hosts, paki
and Chris.
We are people who arepassionate about business,
success and culture, and this isour platform to showcase people
in our city who make it happen.
On today's podcast, we're goingto be exploring the inspiring
journey of an entrepreneur whohas made his mark across various
industries and now he's takingon the role as North Las Vegas
Ward 2 Councilman, who's one ofthe most votes currently.
(00:32):
We're welcoming to the circleentrepreneur Robert Twix, taylor
man.
So welcome to the circlebrother, how you doing.
Robert (00:38):
Hey guys, hey guys, what's going on?
Paki, chris, my guy.
Paki (00:40):
Appreciate you, man.
So first shout out to Abdul manfor connecting us man.
Robert (00:44):
Shout out to Abdul Adim, that's my brother from another
mother.
You know, great guy, great,energy, smart.
Congratulations to his son Justgoing to college to play ball.
I love the family.
Yes, one of the top players inthe state period.
Yeah, I was just telling.
Paki (00:57):
Chris, he's like him so, but let's jump right in, man.
So your entrepreneur journeyspans just various industries,
right?
So from barbershops to tattooshop.
You know, photography,promotion events, I think is how
you and Abdul connected.
But what inspired you to kindof get into this business and
(01:18):
business ownership, like whatwas kind of the entry of getting
involved?
Robert (01:22):
Great question.
So my mother and father weren'tentrepreneurs, right?
But my dad deals did sell lifeinsurance, okay, and what I
learned was, uh, the only timehe would get excited is when he
would, uh, sell someone lifeinsurance.
And it wasn't the money, it wasthe fact that he said it came
from his mind and his mouth andhis heart.
Okay, he literally wake me upsometimes like, hey, wake up,
(01:43):
let me show, show you.
He showed me the check and hewould say, hey, son, I want to
perum three times just to talkto this family so I can get life
insurance.
He said the money's good, butnow when someone passes away,
you know they'll have to go docar washes.
They don't have to ask theirfamily for money.
And me seeing that like that'shis joy and I wanted that type
of joy in my life.
So I think that kind of likeled me on to get that feeling of
(02:03):
my mind, my mouth and my heart.
You know what I mean.
That's what's up.
Chris (02:07):
What was like your first foray into business and what was
your first you know, businessthat you kind of kicked off
started, and how did that kindof process go?
Robert (02:13):
So the great question the first time I got paid was a
fourth grade to DJ at CC CoxElementary.
Okay, so I was always therapper.
I've been rapping like I'm 46.
Chris (02:22):
I never guessed that I appreciate that.
Robert (02:28):
So my sister and brother used to rap and dance and all
those things right.
So I'm emulating them, butthey're six and seven years
older than me.
So because of that I startedyoung on everything I did and
because of that, like remember,in elementary they would have
the announcements in the morningLike boop the morning
announcement.
So I always did the morningannouncement, so I always did
the morning rap for the holidays.
So if it was Christmas, they'llbe like and we have the
(02:48):
Christmas rap by Robert Taylor.
So because of that, my fourthgrade year, cece Cox, my
teachers asked me.
She said hey, the dance iscoming up.
Can you DJ?
And I'm like I don't know howto DJ.
She said but you can rap.
I said yes.
She said that means you can DJ,she's like, and you get paid
$20.
Paki (03:04):
I'm like well, I'm in Especially at that age, man,
especially at that age $20 islike $1,000.
Robert (03:09):
Yeah, that's like $2,000 back then for real.
Paki (03:12):
So you started Fade Em All Barbershops, right.
Robert (03:17):
So is that like the franchise model?
So it turned to a age of 23,shouted House of Fades.
I got hired at House of Fades,first, okay.
And then when House of Fadeswas doing the pivot, moving
their locations, that's when Ihad the money saved up to buy
another car.
At the time it was 99.
Bling, bling was out, everybodywas wearing jewelry and stuff
Got it.
So I was going to cash out mythird car without owning a house
.
It was ridiculous.
(03:40):
Once they pivoted and had tochange to another location,
there was a three-month span towhere we had to cut it home.
And during that three-monthspan I said, instead of me
buying a third car withoutowning a home or a business, let
me take this money towards thiscar I'm going to purchase and
get my first barbershop, whichis 300 East Lake Mead Feta Mall
Barbershop in North Las Vegas,500 square feet, wow, yeah,
(04:00):
that's pretty exciting.
Paki (04:05):
Where'd you get the mindset to know you wanted to
buy a house, because most peopleyou would think is now,
everything is now.
You had a plan, obviously, so.
Robert (04:12):
I feel like the plan for the house came too late.
I should have got the housefirst.
I got the house when I was 25.
I got the barbershop when I was23.
Paki (04:20):
Oh, okay.
Okay, I follow you now.
I misunderstood you.
Robert (04:22):
Yeah, I had two cars without a house.
I misunderstood you and always.
I think it's important to saythat, especially as a black man,
to say, yeah, I had two cars,but I didn't own a house, and
that was ridiculous, right, andI was about to buy my third car
without owning a house 1,000%and thank.
God, I bought a businessinstead of that third car was
changing the trajectory of mylife.
Chris (04:41):
Yeah, that's a big deal, especially that young, to be
able to start setting anentrepreneurial journey like
that you're starting, and howdid you learn how to get that
process?
Being 23, having the money isone thing, but going through the
processes, getting the licenses, getting clientele how did that
kind of work through?
Robert (04:57):
that Great question.
So with that me being a barber,once you're a barber, you're
already your own business personright to a point.
Chris (05:03):
Yeah Right, Like what do they call it?
Are you a what's the term?
Independent contractor?
Yes, sir, independentcontractor Yep.
Robert (05:09):
So because of that I already knew the business of you
, know me and my clients, I knewhow many clients I had, et
cetera, et cetera, right.
What I didn't know was thisthis is one of the biggest.
Your boss won't tell you or theowner won't tell you.
Sometimes you'll make moremoney doing it yourself than
working for them.
So the shop I used to work fordid 22%, as in whatever I made,
(05:30):
they got 22% of right.
At that time that was about atleast $1,000 a month.
I was paying in booth rent.
Right Got you Now, well, $880to $1,000 a month.
I was paying a month.
My first barbershop was 500square feet, a dollar a square
foot.
So that's 500 a month.
Chris (05:48):
So you're actually saving money by going to open up your
own barbershop, by having yourown independent barbershop.
Robert (05:50):
So because of that I didn't even plan on having
barbers.
I'm like, by myself I'm alreadywinning.
But as soon as I had to addmore chairs because you got to
show the bar board, you're setup, so I have four other chairs.
So as soon as I was tellingpeople you got to get my own
barbershop, other barbers werelike, oh, we're going to get
your shop.
I'm like, for real, I didn'tknow how to hire anyone.
Paki (06:08):
Right, but you have the relationships and the energy.
You got a great energy andthat's how it works.
Robert (06:17):
So two years later I expanded my barbershop.
A year after that I got 3, thenFeta Mall Centennial, then Feta
Mall University, then Feta MallSummerland Ivory Salon, and it
kept going and kept going, so ifI wanted to buy, say Chris, and
I wanted to buy at Feta Mall.
You sell those franchises outnow, so I don't do it like Trump
does when it's just a name.
Chris (06:34):
What I do, and no, not with him, but that's what he
does.
He does licensing Like amarketing man, right.
Robert (06:39):
What I.
I got to make sure that we'rein the same mindset because you
know my barbershop is norigmarole, you know no profanity
, you know.
So I got to make sure we're inthe same mindset first.
Then with that I'll let youknow how much it costs to get
the shop and I'll be yourpartner.
So I'm not selling it as just afranchise, I'm doing it as a
partnership because I want youto succeed.
It's not about me making money.
Paki (07:05):
It's seating because smiles make money.
I 1000% agree.
And not only that, you had theknowledge, you know literally
what the blank canvas is on howto actually build it.
Yes, sir, that's awesome man.
Thank you.
So talk about I know, when we,when we sat down, I had coffee
the tattoo shop, right?
Yes, sir, if I remembercorrectly so were you the first
person to open a tattoo shop.
It was in North Las Vegas, Iremember, I remember.
No, you're on point, you'regetting there.
Robert (07:24):
So I'm the first black-owned black artist tattoo
shop in.
Paki (07:28):
Las Vegas?
Robert (07:29):
I wasn't sure, I couldn't remember and that was
downtown, at first on MerlinParkway and then once North Las
Vegas had changed theirordinance.
A lot of people know this.
North Las Vegas has hadordinances to where certain
businesses were restricted.
So that's why, before 2008,you've never seen a tattoo shop
in North Las Vegas, because itwasn't allowed Up until 2008.
Up until 2008.
Chris (07:49):
That's not long ago, it's not long ago at all.
That's crazy Right.
Robert (07:52):
That's pretty outdated 16 years Right.
Paki (07:54):
16 years ago.
Robert (07:55):
Wow.
So because of that, once theyallowed tattoo shops, started
having my tattoo shop from thereto my first barbershop.
So I'll have Fade the MallBarbershop and tag it up.
And that's when I ran againstthe speed bump of the city of
North Las Vegas because theydenied my tattoo shop after they
allowed tattoo shops to bethere.
(08:16):
And that's why I'm here rightnow talking about my counseling
journey, because ever since thenI've been focused on changing
certain situations, just fromgetting punched in the face like
we were talking about yes a fewtimes.
Paki (08:26):
Yes, sir, can you share a little bit of just kind of the
adversity of the roadblocks,right Like dealing with
construction, dealing with a lot, I mean, unfortunately we've
turned into the cone capitalright, yes, we are, but can you
share, kind of, some of thethings that you had to deal with
to be able to deal with allthose detours and be able to get
back on, you know, back onpoint basically?
Robert (08:46):
So with that, my barbershop is right off the
freeway exit and that's why Igot it, because it's off the
freeway exit and it was on theone-way street also right.
So they ended up shutting downthe freeway for, if I'm not
mistaken, around three months,but the street was shut down for
like six months.
So if you wasn't going to mybarbershop you would have to get
off on Cheyenne exit.
But if you want to go to mybarbershop you have to get off
(09:07):
on Cheyenne and go through twoother neighborhoods literally
neighborhoods to get to mybarbershop.
That's crazy Right, and all mybarbers quit because of that,
because they're frustrated.
Paki (09:15):
They're frustrated.
Robert (09:15):
No one was there.
Like all the businesses quit,they went out of business.
I had my other businesses and Iwas doing parties to be able to
allocate money towards payingthat rent there.
And I'm the type of personwhere you know I have to die
before I stop.
You know, every day I wake upI'm ready to go.
So I'm there every day bymyself, and back then, you know,
google wasn't good with maps sopeople couldn't get to my
(09:38):
barbershop and I remember agentleman came to my barbershop
after the mayor at the time saidyou're right, robert Taylor,
you should be what's the word?
Financially taken care of Tobless you for all the detour BS.
Paki (09:53):
Right and she's like, but it's not our fault.
Robert (09:54):
You have to talk to NDOT .
And when the gentleman fromNDOT came to my barbershop and
he told me to pass out moreflyers, I just took that as a
slap in the face and because ofthat, ever since then I've been
focused on city government,local government and how can we
run a better way?
Chris (10:09):
Nobody realizes how disruptive that is.
I'm sure people do realize it,but there is no support for
businesses.
They're paying their taxes,they're employing people and
they just get hit over the headwith these.
Paki (10:21):
We're always under construction, all these detours
and trying to really get peopleyou see, with the F1, really, in
fact, a lot of people in LasVegas, f1 was a pain in the butt
.
Chris (10:25):
I'm not going to lie.
Paki (10:26):
And I feel bad for a lot of the businesses in there and
take that.
Robert (10:28):
So F1, at least everybody knows about that
because it hindered a lot ofpeople.
Right, it was just me and I'mthe young man who's trying to
fight, so nobody really cared.
Exactly I went through the samething.
It was just me and fighting thegood fight by myself, but
because of that fight I'm hereright now.
So that's awesome, man.
Paki (10:50):
It's all I got a reason.
Yeah, let's jump into that man.
So one thing you know, chrisand I talked about this earlier,
right, and Ty, my wife how canyou have all these businesses?
Like, how can you keep all yourlife together and run for
councilman, cause it's you inthe streets every day knocking
on doors.
I mean you share with me yourschedule of how you're able to
do it.
But, like, who are yourpartners to be able to keep the
(11:10):
businesses running and how, howdo you make it all happen?
Robert (11:13):
Shout out to my managers at my shops.
Okay, so right now, uh, I havemanagers at my shop who pretty
much it's it's runs by itselfbecause barbershops are pretty
easy.
Sure, that's why I likebarbershops, sure, and
barbershops one of thosebusiness to where you're not
paying employees because they'reindependent contractors.
They're paying to be therethat's right so that makes it
much easier.
Also, that's right, they're notcash cows at all, right, but
(11:35):
it's good, sustainable moneywhere you constantly get it.
Long as they're there andthey're cutting hair or doing
hair, you constantly get it.
So that part isn't the hardpart.
The the hard part is being busyalready.
And I am a community.
I'm big in the community.
You know I'm big on thecommunity, I'm big in the
community.
So the hardest part is tryingto uh navigate my time with all
the community service that I dowith the barbershops while
(11:57):
running.
That's a hard part.
But now, uh, uh, I lost 60pounds.
You know I want to talk aboutit.
Yeah, I feel really good andbecause of that I wake up super
early.
I go to bed around 9, 10 pm, Iwake up around 4 o'clock and
then before 9 o'clock I getabout 20 things done before then
, so by the time it's 10 am.
You know I'm good and that'show I'm able to compartmentalize
(12:20):
my time and I think once peoplestart doing that like, your
days become so much better.
Chris (12:25):
Yeah, is that kind of why you like this business model?
Can you see what the business?
The barbershops, the tattooshops and the salons are all
independent, contract orientedbusinesses.
Robert (12:33):
Yes, sir, yeah.
Chris (12:34):
That's why, yeah, it makes sense it gives you a
little bit more freedom to like,be flexible, it does.
Paki (12:38):
Sure For our listeners, and just me included.
What does a councilman do?
Robert (12:42):
right, what is it?
So the duties of a councilmanpretty much all around in
America is planning and zoning,right and ordinances.
So, as I mentioned earlier,that was an ordinance where they
didn't have tattoo shops.
So ordinance is like a lawspecifically set for that city
right.
It can't be a law for the statebecause it's only for that city
(13:04):
, so it's an ordinance.
So the council comes up withdifferent ordinances.
They have Right and planningand zoning.
For instance, let's just saythis was Ward 2 in North Las
Vegas Right, which has Ward 2,has about 79,000 people Right.
So let's just say it has 200businesses.
So anytime someone goes totheir business for business
licensing Right, as yourcouncilman you know, I would be
(13:26):
there to help your business andnot hinder it.
Love this conversation.
Chris (13:30):
And not hinder it.
Robert (13:31):
And if you need a special use permit, you will go
to planning and zoning.
First they will have to say yesto it and then you will go to
the council, which I will be acouncil member.
I will look at it.
I will ask you the goodquestions, you know you give me
tangible answers on why you wantthis business and then I would
deny or approve that business.
But the difference of me andother councilmen and
councilwomen is me being a smallbusiness owner.
(13:52):
Unlike the time when I had mybusiness, and none of them were,
I understand how it is tooperate, to be a small business
owner.
So I have the back of all smallbusiness owners who hire more
than 53% of the working force inAmerica.
So if you are hindering smallbusiness owners, you are
hindering us everyone.
Chris (14:11):
Yeah, 100%.
With that being the case,that's the whole job of the
councilman.
Why is it that some would wantto hinder it?
Because why would they declinea business?
There's really just a curioussituation to be in.
You're trying to growspecifically North Las Vegas,
right, they really are trying tocompete in a lot of senses with
the business development of LasVegas.
So if you don't get as muchexposure, you would think you
want more small business in thatarea.
(14:32):
You would think so.
Yeah, very, very interestingdynamic.
Robert (14:35):
But here's the thing Also a lot of people don't know
Las Vegas, inner of Las Vegas,is a part-time position.
So even though of course, weall get paid, it's labeled as a
part-time position.
You only have to go to onemeeting a month.
Chris (14:52):
Right now.
Robert (14:52):
Usually you only have to go to one meeting a month.
Now most council members are ondifferent, like the housing
board Okay, got it.
Yeah, so you will be a part ofboards and stuff, right, sure.
So I think the problem issometimes council members
literally think that in theirhead it's a part-time position,
so they're not doing their realdue diligence when it comes to
(15:13):
looking at different planningand zoning and approving things.
They're like ah no, we don'twant that.
Oh, we do.
Paki (15:30):
Versus taking it serious because it's people's lives.
I'm running because it'speople's lives and the
productivity from the city I'mborn and raised in.
I love about when we first satdown is you don't want people to
experience what you experienced, too, being a business owner
and like I'm glad you're running, but also the frustration like
we've had.
I mean, we've had this podcastfor almost six years and
everybody we've interviewed isbusiness owners and one of the
things they always talk about isthe challenges of getting
permits, getting a businesslicense.
I remember we probably pissed alot of people off because it's
like why is it so hard and whyis it so expensive?
(15:56):
So that's the other thing.
Is that something?
Robert (15:57):
that you're trying to figure out.
Yes, I want to look into that,or not figure out, but you know
what I'm saying.
Definitely, because some thingsare unfair.
For instance, if you have abarbershop in the city of Las
Vegas, right, okay, yourplumbing fee would be about $400
a year.
So for every sink you have,it's $400 a year.
Chris (16:13):
Oh, I didn't know that was a.
Thing.
Robert (16:14):
But that's cheap compared to a bar.
With a bar it's around $2,600 ayear for each sink.
What?
Paki (16:21):
kind of sinks.
We got gold sinks and thinkabout this.
Robert (16:24):
Barbershops and salons use much more water than a bar
does, so why is it more money?
It's more money because theaverage person who owns a bar is
a millionaire.
Paki (16:35):
Oh, yeah, because liquor.
Robert (16:36):
So to me.
But that's still unfair though.
Yeah, Because it's stillprejudging your prejudice.
When people think of prejudice,you think of negative
connotations.
Prejudice your prejudice.
When people think of prejudice,you think of negative
connotations.
Prejudice means prejudgingYou're prejudging the business
owner to make a certain amountof money, so because of that,
now you're charging that persona different fee than everyone
else, and that's not rightThings like that.
Chris (16:53):
And that makes it more likely for that bar to not be
successful, especially right offthe bat.
You're having to pay these feesand you're not even generating
any income at that point Exactly.
That just seems unfair, becausethe whole point of politics is
for consistency, right, yes, sir, and laws are for everything to
be on a basis.
So that, just, you know, makesit really that's very terrible
to hear.
Yes, I did not even know that.
That's a new one for me.
Yes, sir.
Robert (17:14):
I can keep going.
I know a million others.
Paki (17:20):
No, really behind the curtain, right, you know what I
mean.
We need people like yourself tobe able to say, hey, this is
the real, this is what we'rereally dealing with, you know,
and I'm glad we were able to sitdown and kind of discuss a
little bit.
But youth, you know, youth isbig for both of all of us
sitting at the table.
What's your plans for the youth?
Right, because the education istough, obviously in Vegas.
Right, 49th every year.
(17:41):
I don't even know what NorthLas Vegas is, but what is your
plan to kind of help empower theyouth here All?
Chris (17:47):
right listeners, let's take a break from our podcast to
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Paki (17:54):
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So, for our listeners, let'sget back to the podcast.
Robert (18:30):
I'm a part of the SOT board.
The SOT board is a board that'sactually the assembly made a
law to, where every high schoolhas an SOT board.
So it's kind of like the PTA,but on another level.
So I'm the vice chair of CanyonSprings High School's SOT board
.
So once a month we meet on theZoom and when it comes to proms,
(18:50):
homecomings, as a communityservant and a parent, we talk
about what we can do for thekids.
So one I'm big with safety forour children my son, israel
Taylor.
He was with a young man thatgot killed at Canyon Springs
years ago.
That's one of his closestfriends.
Sorry to hear that.
Yeah, and my son would hang outwith him after school every day
, right, and then my son wouldwalk home and his friend would
(19:14):
take the— I think his friendwould get picked up or something
right.
Well, same thing.
My son left and said bye andthen the gentleman came to the
school, tried to fight him thekid's protecting themselves and
they literally killed them onthe campus.
So because of that, that's whyI joined the SOT board.
But when it comes to a broadspectrum of what I want to do is
give these kids hope, for over20 years, every high school,
(19:35):
every high school, junior highschool, elementary, who asked me
to come speak to them.
I've spoke, I've been a keynotespeaker, career day, and I give
my time to give hope, becausethese kids, if they don't have
hope, they are hopeless andnothing else matters.
I agree, you know, and me,growing up in North Las Vegas, I
love to see North Las Vegas,but I've never seen anyone who
looks like me, who came to anyof my schools, speaking life
into me.
And because of my differentbusiness ventures and because of
(19:57):
my positive attitude, I believethat it is good to have more of
us in these schools, to talk toour children, to give them an
idea oh, I could be that.
And I always say you'll bebetter than me, not just you
could be me, you could be betterthan me, you will be better
than me.
And that, right there, leads tohope and that leads to
(20:17):
different opportunities.
I want to start a thing calledthe pipeline to where the
seniors in high school.
I want to get three seniorsfrom each high school in my ward
, so Canyon Springs, canyonSprings, cheyenne and Mojave, to
where I have the principal.
Choose three different, youknow, hopefully, young men,
right, because you know the menare doing the worst versus our
young ladies.
And then tag them, team them upwith a fire department, tag
(20:38):
them up with the policedepartment or someone in the
trade.
Yeah With trades, you knowelectrician, plumbing department
or someone in the trade yeah,with trades you know electrician
, plumbing or barber,beauticians, business owners
that way for sure we know these.
These kids are being looked atand now, the next year, when
they're 19 and 20 and they'restarting to be successful, other
(21:01):
kids look up to them, startemulating them, because kids
follow the popular kids.
It's on us, as the adults, tohone the popular kids, to make
them positive popular kids,because once they're negative
popular kids, the other kidswill follow that also.
Paki (21:09):
I love that you're talking about this, like specifically,
because I had hoop dreams right,like, being from Chicago, I
thought we're going to go to theNBA, whatever.
You know you had that mindset.
But we need more people withtrades, we need more doctors, we
need more engineers.
You know people in propertymanagement, real estate, you
know that whole setup, so it'sgreat that you're given the
opportunity and even being ableto share with them.
Literally, this is what I'vebeen able to do.
(21:30):
You know that's awesome, thankyou.
Let's talk a little bit aboutthe homeless situation.
Yes, we've got a really badhomeless situation.
Yes, sir, what's the plan foryou?
You know just maybe what youwould plan to do in North Las
Vegas with the homeless scenariowe're dealing with, which is
very challenging.
Robert (21:44):
Very challenging.
So right now, what I've learnedfrom what I'm seeing is kind of
like a tug-of-war situation,because where you could say
ground zero is where we have themost misplaced and homeless
people.
It's on the borderline of LasVegas and North Las Vegas, so
it's constantly usually likepushing them here, pushing them
there, pushing them here.
Paki (22:02):
Situation that's what you see everywhere, right.
Robert (22:05):
Versus.
Just first we have to figureout who is able to get back in
the job market Right, who hasmental problems right, and who
just doesn't care.
Because a lot of people don'tknow that we are a right to fail
nation, you have a right tofail.
So if you want to be homeless,you know you can be homeless,
not saying that means you'refailing, but, as in, you have
(22:27):
the right to do that, yeah Right.
So some people don't want help.
One of my mentors, who was verysuccessful in the music industry
, had a lot going on money,corvettes, beautiful women, et
cetera, et cetera.
Things that as men would deemsuccessful end up being homeless
.
Successful end up beinghomeless.
And for years he passed awaynow.
(22:49):
But for years I would try tomotivate him to get back in
music or something and hestopped me once.
He said Robert.
He said I want to be homeless.
He said you keep trying to cureme, but there's no cure for
what I want to be.
That is wild, he said.
And he said you guys alwaystalk about helping the homeless
out and giving out money.
He said a lot of homelesspeople have never slept on a bed
in years.
He said.
So if you want to help ahomeless person out, don't give
them money.
He said go down where he wouldstay at some time the shelter.
(23:11):
It costs a few dollars to havea bed or a mattress, he said you
guys go down there and just payfor mattresses.
Paki (23:22):
That way they can sleep comfortable at one night.
Robert (23:23):
I'm saying this on purpose, because I never heard
that until I heard it and Ican't unring that bell.
That's deep and for your viewerswho listen to this.
Now, we're always trying tohelp something, but how can you
help something that doesn't wantto be helped If they feel
they're not in danger and that'show they want to live their
life?
That's why I say we've got toseparate and figure out who's
who.
Who wants to be like this Okay,who wants to be there, who
(23:44):
wants help, who wants to getback in the job market.
So we have to do that first.
Once you do that, automaticallywe'll help it out.
But another big thing is wehave a whole sheet of people who
are about to be homeless.
So the first thing we do ismake sure these people, these
individuals if you notice, lasVegas has a lot of new homeless
people and you could tell bylooking at them.
Chris (24:02):
I could tell this is a new homeless family.
Robert (24:06):
You know, I see a family on.
I see a family on Craig Roadalmost every day when I leave my
barbershop and other day I sawhim.
I told myself next time I seehim I'm going to turn around and
try to give him some money.
And it's women, right, it'sblack women.
I literally just saw them.
I saw them.
Oh, there they go.
I was all happy I could try tohelp.
Maybe a U-turn.
I pulled around, I got in mytruck, I said hey.
(24:27):
I said you ladies are always onCraig Road, right?
The younger one answered yes, Ithink it was her mom and she
said I don't even know.
Now.
Paki (24:36):
And I said okay.
Robert (24:38):
Yeah, she was like I don't even know now, and I said
I want your money.
The daughter looked at her andI'm like no, I said I know
you're not asking for money.
They had no signs, right.
I just see a lot of luggage andstuff they're carrying every
day.
That's why I knew they washomeless, right, and the mother
was like I don't want anything,sir.
And then they hit me.
There I go again.
There we go again, thinkingthat we're trying to fix someone
(25:00):
.
So when it comes to that, wehave to figure out different
resolution solutions.
It's not just oh, they'rehomeless, no, we've got to
figure out what do they want?
Paki (25:09):
And set the foundation.
Chris (25:10):
try to help the foundation A lot of times you
can see they're trying to avoidsome of those pressures.
When you're forcing thepressures on them of doing
things that they don't want todo, it's almost like you're
reinforcing their want to be inthat situation versus trying to
help them.
Robert (25:22):
I'm an NPR nerd, so sorry, sorry, seeing another
station, but I'm NPR nerdbecause it gives you statistics,
right.
And when I was running formayor two years ago, I'm
listening to NPR news and theysaid they did a survey and they
said only 2% of mayors in thenation believe that they could
cause a positive effect towardshomeless.
And I was like only two percent, oh, that's wild.
And I was like, wow, I feelproud because even though I was
(25:44):
running for mayor, I wasn't amayor.
I knew that I was focused ontrying to help the situation, so
I'll be part of that twopercent, right.
So right after that I did a tourat the same place downtown
where not downtown but north lasvegas downtown area, where
everywhere everyone's at for thehomeless population, uh.
So I went down there and Italked to the woman who ran the
center and I'm like when I sawit, it was much nicer than I
(26:06):
thought it was.
It was really nice inside there.
From the outside you wouldthink it's bad, but it's really
nice inside.
And I'm like why there isn'tmore people inside here and
they're outside on Main Street?
She said because we have rulesin here and the people on Main
Street don't like rules.
A lot of them don't.
(26:27):
That's why they're homeless.
She said that's an everydaystruggle for us, because we have
a curfew at a certain time, wehave this and a lot of people
don't want rules.
She said our hardest problem istrying to give people rules who
don't want rules, but help themat the same time.
I was like that makes so muchsense.
And there we go again, thinkingwe could just help out the
homeless situation.
No, it's much more complex andperplexing than you ever could
imagine.
Chris (26:46):
Yeah, because the solution is always let's build
more homes, let's do more ofthis, but that usually is not
the solution.
Paki (26:52):
You touched a little bit about mentorship, right.
You know Vegas Circle.
Let's talk about who's in yourcircle, right?
Would you be able to share,like, who's impacted your circle
you know and what they've doneto be able to make that impact?
Definitely, thank you.
Robert (27:03):
So one of my mentors that passed away, I express, was
homeless David Bowie.
Okay, Not David Bowie, butDavid Bowie, but he's still a
musician also.
Got it.
He was one of my first mentors.
You know that his glory days mysister, alicia Taylor.
She's a mortgage mogul.
She was born in Tulsa but cameto Las Vegas like eight months
(27:27):
later.
So she's yeah, so she ain'tfrom Vegas.
Paki (27:30):
Basically, sound like a shop she's from, not a home.
Yeah, yeah, sound like a shop,because I always say I'm the
person born in Vegas.
Robert (27:35):
She's like I was a few months old.
Paki (27:37):
That's hilarious.
Robert (27:39):
She's definitely a mentor of mine.
She's my financial advisor.
She's the only one I trust whenit comes to money.
You know who else?
Frank Hawkins, mccurdy Sr.
William McCurdy Sr.
He's an amazing campaignmanager, but an amazing man in
general.
Pauly Mack I have a few peopleand everyone's different.
They're all like.
You know, it takes a village.
It takes a village of mentorsalso, because you learn
(28:01):
something from everyone mymother and father's first.
My father passed away.
He was the most intelligent manI ever knew in my life.
My dad was a really, really,really intelligent person.
He watched Jeopardy and getevery question right.
I haven't met anyone who coulddo that Built different, you
know.
So he was a different type ofperson and because of this I and
I was the youngest I was ableto see all these different
people, my brother, all thesedifferent people with different
(28:21):
skills, and I just emulated eachskill that I liked.
Paki (28:24):
That's what's up.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Yeah, so for business advice,right, you being a business
owner, you running forcouncilman, trying to grow the
business market right here,what's one nugget you would
share for somebody that rightnow, that maybe is on the fence
right Trying to decide hey, do Iwant to invest this money Like
you did with not buying a car,whatever the scenario could be?
But what would you share withthem?
You know, or maybe they want toget into politics?
Robert (28:45):
So I do business and I do politics Perfect, Okay.
So I would say this for thebusiness aspect just know this.
Know that people work hard fortheir money, right, and just
because you open up yourbusiness, your family and
closest friends will not supportyou like you think, Because why
you haven't showed them you'rea winner.
And that sounds bad.
But let's be real, because wedon't have time to lie to people
(29:05):
right.
At the end of the day, peopleonly bet on the team that they
believe that's the winning team.
People have to see you win somany times for them to be like
okay, that's a winner.
Your business is the same way.
If you open up a bakery,they're not going to just come
because it's you they're goingto.
They want to hear how good itis.
They want to constantly hearhow good it is first.
They're going to check yourYelp reviews and all those
(29:26):
things first.
So just know you have to proveso many times that you are a
winner in your business forpeople to contribute and support
you.
So don't take it personal.
Just know it's an uphill battle, but once you're on top of the
hill, you're on top of the hill.
Then you bring others up withyou.
That's on the business aspect,On the political aspect.
Just know this when it comes topolitics, people who are elected
(29:49):
officials, they're regularpeople.
We're all special, Everybodyjust doesn't know it.
Once again, we're all special,Everyone just doesn't know it.
So, with that being said,they're the people that
represent your classroom.
Think of your ward, your area,your city, your state as a
classroom, and you guys arepicking the student president
for your classroom Right Now.
(30:09):
If you want to be in politics,are you able to be?
Are you able to represent yourclassroom?
Meaning men, women, all races,all backgrounds.
Can you represent them?
Because if you can't, youshouldn't be the leader for that
classroom.
I agree.
And that classroom needs to knowwho you are.
That's why I knocked on doorsyeah, right, because your
classroom needs to know you areso much to where when they try
(30:31):
to come and make you look bad,when you're running against
another classroom, that's real,that's real they can speak up
for you.
I'm like no, we know his or herpersonality, right.
So that's very important.
And I think this when peoplesay I'm not into politics, yes,
you are, because when you'refollowing laws, you're following
laws made by who?
Politicians, politicians.
And if you break the law andyou go to jail you.
(30:58):
So don't act like I don't careabout.
Yes, you do.
Paki (31:01):
It's impacting your life.
It's impacting your life.
Robert (31:03):
Taxes you pay on the drinks, the gas, everything you
do it has to do with localgovernment.
And who prints out money?
Government?
You're working for what Money?
So, at the end of the day, justknow that it's much bigger than
what you think it is and youcan be a part of it.
And if you want change, insteadof you complaining like me, I
could have been complaining mysister she expressed to me.
(31:24):
She said, robert, it's an easylawsuit.
What happened with the city?
I said, alicia, if I win, Ionly win and that's not a win
for my people.
I said, if I run and I win,then I change what's happening,
then it's a win for all thepeople who are like me, who want
to be a business owner, andthat changes everything.
So you got to be focused,steadfast and be serious.
Paki (31:45):
That's what's up.
Yeah, that's great man, I likehow you're breaking that down,
man, Just transitioning a littlebit, pivoting a little bit,
with you being from Vegas.
We always ask everybody thiswhat's your favorite restaurant
in Vegas?
Robert (31:57):
I'll just change my whole diet.
That's probably what I need.
Chris (32:00):
I'll just change my entire diet.
Robert (32:05):
Shout out to Ella M's.
I used to love Ella M's all thetime.
Soul Foods on Craig.
Shout out to Grits Cafe.
Paki (32:09):
Grits Cafe.
Robert (32:11):
But now I pretty much eat healthy.
Paki (32:13):
You eat real clean, I eat clean and.
Chris (32:16):
I eat once a day.
Robert (32:17):
So with that I might go to Tropical Smoothie.
So with that I might go totropical smoothie.
Besides that, I'm at home now.
I never cooked until now.
I never cooked until this timeof my life where I'm trying to
eat healthy, because thehealthier you try to eat, the
more you realize it's not a lotof places that are healthy to
eat.
Chris (32:32):
You're talking about the stuff in the background.
Robert (32:34):
You're like what's going on in here?
Chris (32:35):
Right right.
Robert (32:36):
So mainly you know I'm at home just putting stuff
together, but you eat once a day, once a day.
Paki (32:41):
We were just talking about that earlier.
Yeah, that's awesome, man, oncea day, but I could talk to you
all day, man, your energy iscontagious.
Robert (32:46):
I appreciate that.
Paki (32:48):
What do you want to leave us out on?
Anything that we forgot aboutor what's next up?
Right, Because we have the primon what we should pay attention
to Got you.
Robert (32:57):
So I just ended up being number one in the primary.
It was three of us.
Congratulations, thank you,thank you.
So now I'm going to the general.
So the general is the actualpresidential election.
So in the primary a lot ofpeople don't vote in the primary
because a lot of people don'tunderstand what the primary is
about.
Real quick on that, so peopleget it, because I didn't
understand until I ran.
For mayor could run theclassroom scenario In the
(33:17):
primary if you have 40 studentsin the classroom, 20 could run,
right, but the class is onlygoing to pick the top two for
the general.
So 20 could run.
18 would be eliminated in thatnumber scenario.
Now the general you're pickingthe number one to be the
representative of your classroom, of your city, of your ward, of
your state, etc.
Right, so now I'm in the toptwo in the classroom which is my
(33:41):
ward two in North Las Vegas.
Got it.
Now I'm number one out of thetwo going against an incumbent,
which is really crazy.
Right, because of the mostvotes, because of the most votes
.
Okay, right, I won by 47 votes.
Wow, that's how much votesmatter.
So I'm winning by 47 votes, gotit?
It's counted.
So, with that being said, thegenerals in November, which is
the presidential election, right?
(34:01):
So now, when people go vote fortheir president and everyone
down the ballot, I'm on thatballot if you live in my area.
So I say, please, I hope thatyou vote for me if you live in
Ward 2.
If you don't live in Ward 2,let your friends know.
Hey, I saw this podcast withRobert Twiggs Taylor.
He's a good guy.
Vote for him, because myplatform is community, commerce
and change.
I'm from the community, I'm abusiness owner, I understand
(34:23):
commerce and the simple factthat I'm bringing this energy to
the table, and I have aplethora of ideas to bring more
money to North Las Vegas andthings for our children to do,
so it's less crime and to addmore police officers,
community-orientated police.
That's part of the change andthat's why I'm the clear choice.
No, there's a word to counsel.
Chris (34:38):
And how do you know what word you're in?
Just people who want to findout if they're a person
representing you.
Robert (34:42):
Great question, let me.
Let me say this Is that acamera right there?
Chris (34:45):
Yeah, Let me say this camera.
Robert (34:48):
When I was running, when I, while I'm running right now,
people say Councilman orcouncilwoman is doing a good job
, you would know what wardyou're in.
You would know the ward you'rein because you're, like they're,
doing such a great job.
So one you'll know when I'm thecouncilman right.
But two.
You can look it up, you can goto see it at NorthLasVegascom
(35:10):
and there's maps.
You could type in Ward 2, mapsof North Las Vegas.
You could type in Las Vegasward maps and then you'll see it
because there's no signs, andthat's something else.
I'll let the Cal to back when wedo win for council, I do.
I have this plan to put on thepolls actual numbers to let you
know what wards you're in whileyou're driving.
Chris (35:30):
Ward one, ward two so at least now you already know it
makes sense, it does.
Everybody wants to know becauseI would never have known.
Robert (35:38):
I wouldn't have known either, and Chris let me give
you a little quick one too.
Also, A lot of people don'tknow this either.
When I ran for mayor, I didthis Everybody's like.
I never knew that.
Do you know the difference ofbeing in Las Vegas and North Las
Vegas just by driving?
Chris (35:49):
No.
Paki (35:50):
I thought the signs changed, though, don't they the
color Yep, las Vegas the signsare blue.
Robert (35:56):
Yeah, they change Las Vegas.
The signs are green.
Paki (35:59):
A lot of parts of Henderson.
Robert (36:00):
They're brown.
Paki (36:01):
Yeah, I learned that from my driving through.
Robert (36:02):
But these are the neighborhood signs.
So all the main streets aregreen for the city of Las Vegas.
But all you got to do is lookinto the neighborhood and if
it's blue, you're in North LasVegas.
Paki (36:12):
I did not know that.
Robert (36:14):
Okay, good stuff, man.
We're all about the educationover here.
Entertainment, entertainment.
Paki (36:18):
Driving gems man.
Where can people reach out toyou at man for your social
handles and all that good stuffGot you.
You know what?
Go to my personal Instagrampage.
Robert (36:27):
That's more fun.
Go to at Vegas Twix.
That's Vegas with Twix with twoX's.
You can email me atRobertTaylor4Nevada at gmailcom.
That's RobertTaylorFordNevadagmailcom.
You can go to my website atRobertTaylorFordNevadacom or you
can call me at 702-355-8392.
Paki (36:45):
You know I'm for the community.
It's all going to blow up, man,or just.
Robert (36:49):
Google Fatemult Barbershop, or just Google
Robert Twiggs Taylor.
Paki (36:53):
Support this man.
He's doing some great things inthe community.
Man, I support you and I'm gladwe got a chance to sit down
with you and pick your brain forthe short period, man, but
check us out at thevegasurgecomand support us.
Man, subscribe man.
Robert (37:04):
I'll be back after we win Appreciate y'all have a good
one.
Root, let's go.
Welcome to Vegas Circle Podcast with your hosts, paki
and Chris.
We are people who arepassionate about business,
success and culture, and this isour platform to showcase people
in our city who make it happen.
On today's podcast, we're goingto be exploring the inspiring
journey of an entrepreneur whohas made his mark across various
industries and now he's takingon the role as North Las Vegas
Ward 2 Councilman, who's one ofthe most votes currently.
(00:32):
We're welcoming to the circleentrepreneur Robert Twix, taylor
man.
So welcome to the circlebrother, how you doing.
Robert (00:38):
Hey guys, hey guys, what's going on?
Paki, chris, my guy.
Paki (00:40):
Appreciate you, man.
So first shout out to Abdul manfor connecting us man.
Robert (00:44):
Shout out to Abdul Adim, that's my brother from another
mother.
You know, great guy, great,energy, smart.
Congratulations to his son Justgoing to college to play ball.
I love the family.
Yes, one of the top players inthe state period.
Yeah, I was just telling.
Paki (00:57):
Chris, he's like him so, but let's jump right in, man.
So your entrepreneur journeyspans just various industries,
right?
So from barbershops to tattooshop.
You know, photography,promotion events, I think is how
you and Abdul connected.
But what inspired you to kindof get into this business and
(01:18):
business ownership, like whatwas kind of the entry of getting
involved?
Robert (01:22):
Great question.
So my mother and father weren'tentrepreneurs, right?
But my dad deals did sell lifeinsurance, okay, and what I
learned was, uh, the only timehe would get excited is when he
would, uh, sell someone lifeinsurance.
And it wasn't the money, it wasthe fact that he said it came
from his mind and his mouth andhis heart.
Okay, he literally wake me upsometimes like, hey, wake up,
(01:43):
let me show, show you.
He showed me the check and hewould say, hey, son, I want to
perum three times just to talkto this family so I can get life
insurance.
He said the money's good, butnow when someone passes away,
you know they'll have to go docar washes.
They don't have to ask theirfamily for money.
And me seeing that like that'shis joy and I wanted that type
of joy in my life.
So I think that kind of likeled me on to get that feeling of
(02:03):
my mind, my mouth and my heart.
You know what I mean.
That's what's up.
Chris (02:07):
What was like your first foray into business and what was
your first you know, businessthat you kind of kicked off
started, and how did that kindof process go?
Robert (02:13):
So the great question the first time I got paid was a
fourth grade to DJ at CC CoxElementary.
Okay, so I was always therapper.
I've been rapping like I'm 46.
Chris (02:22):
I never guessed that I appreciate that.
Robert (02:28):
So my sister and brother used to rap and dance and all
those things right.
So I'm emulating them, butthey're six and seven years
older than me.
So because of that I startedyoung on everything I did and
because of that, like remember,in elementary they would have
the announcements in the morningLike boop the morning
announcement.
So I always did the morningannouncement, so I always did
the morning rap for the holidays.
So if it was Christmas, they'llbe like and we have the
(02:48):
Christmas rap by Robert Taylor.
So because of that, my fourthgrade year, cece Cox, my
teachers asked me.
She said hey, the dance iscoming up.
Can you DJ?
And I'm like I don't know howto DJ.
She said but you can rap.
I said yes.
She said that means you can DJ,she's like, and you get paid
$20.
Paki (03:04):
I'm like well, I'm in Especially at that age, man,
especially at that age $20 islike $1,000.
Robert (03:09):
Yeah, that's like $2,000 back then for real.
Paki (03:12):
So you started Fade Em All Barbershops, right.
Robert (03:17):
So is that like the franchise model?
So it turned to a age of 23,shouted House of Fades.
I got hired at House of Fades,first, okay.
And then when House of Fadeswas doing the pivot, moving
their locations, that's when Ihad the money saved up to buy
another car.
At the time it was 99.
Bling, bling was out, everybodywas wearing jewelry and stuff
Got it.
So I was going to cash out mythird car without owning a house
.
It was ridiculous.
(03:40):
Once they pivoted and had tochange to another location,
there was a three-month span towhere we had to cut it home.
And during that three-monthspan I said, instead of me
buying a third car withoutowning a home or a business, let
me take this money towards thiscar I'm going to purchase and
get my first barbershop, whichis 300 East Lake Mead Feta Mall
Barbershop in North Las Vegas,500 square feet, wow, yeah,
(04:00):
that's pretty exciting.
Paki (04:05):
Where'd you get the mindset to know you wanted to
buy a house, because most peopleyou would think is now,
everything is now.
You had a plan, obviously, so.
Robert (04:12):
I feel like the plan for the house came too late.
I should have got the housefirst.
I got the house when I was 25.
I got the barbershop when I was23.
Paki (04:20):
Oh, okay.
Okay, I follow you now.
I misunderstood you.
Robert (04:22):
Yeah, I had two cars without a house.
I misunderstood you and always.
I think it's important to saythat, especially as a black man,
to say, yeah, I had two cars,but I didn't own a house, and
that was ridiculous, right, andI was about to buy my third car
without owning a house 1,000%and thank.
God, I bought a businessinstead of that third car was
changing the trajectory of mylife.
Chris (04:41):
Yeah, that's a big deal, especially that young, to be
able to start setting anentrepreneurial journey like
that you're starting, and howdid you learn how to get that
process?
Being 23, having the money isone thing, but going through the
processes, getting the licenses, getting clientele how did that
kind of work through?
Robert (04:57):
that Great question.
So with that me being a barber,once you're a barber, you're
already your own business personright to a point.
Chris (05:03):
Yeah Right, Like what do they call it?
Are you a what's the term?
Independent contractor?
Yes, sir, independentcontractor Yep.
Robert (05:09):
So because of that I already knew the business of you
, know me and my clients, I knewhow many clients I had, et
cetera, et cetera, right.
What I didn't know was thisthis is one of the biggest.
Your boss won't tell you or theowner won't tell you.
Sometimes you'll make moremoney doing it yourself than
working for them.
So the shop I used to work fordid 22%, as in whatever I made,
(05:30):
they got 22% of right.
At that time that was about atleast $1,000 a month.
I was paying in booth rent.
Right Got you Now, well, $880to $1,000 a month.
I was paying a month.
My first barbershop was 500square feet, a dollar a square
foot.
So that's 500 a month.
Chris (05:48):
So you're actually saving money by going to open up your
own barbershop, by having yourown independent barbershop.
Robert (05:50):
So because of that I didn't even plan on having
barbers.
I'm like, by myself I'm alreadywinning.
But as soon as I had to addmore chairs because you got to
show the bar board, you're setup, so I have four other chairs.
So as soon as I was tellingpeople you got to get my own
barbershop, other barbers werelike, oh, we're going to get
your shop.
I'm like, for real, I didn'tknow how to hire anyone.
Paki (06:08):
Right, but you have the relationships and the energy.
You got a great energy andthat's how it works.
Robert (06:17):
So two years later I expanded my barbershop.
A year after that I got 3, thenFeta Mall Centennial, then Feta
Mall University, then Feta MallSummerland Ivory Salon, and it
kept going and kept going, so ifI wanted to buy, say Chris, and
I wanted to buy at Feta Mall.
You sell those franchises outnow, so I don't do it like Trump
does when it's just a name.
Chris (06:34):
What I do, and no, not with him, but that's what he
does.
He does licensing Like amarketing man, right.
Robert (06:39):
What I.
I got to make sure that we'rein the same mindset because you
know my barbershop is norigmarole, you know no profanity
, you know.
So I got to make sure we're inthe same mindset first.
Then with that I'll let youknow how much it costs to get
the shop and I'll be yourpartner.
So I'm not selling it as just afranchise, I'm doing it as a
partnership because I want youto succeed.
It's not about me making money.
Paki (07:05):
It's seating because smiles make money.
I 1000% agree.
And not only that, you had theknowledge, you know literally
what the blank canvas is on howto actually build it.
Yes, sir, that's awesome man.
Thank you.
So talk about I know, when we,when we sat down, I had coffee
the tattoo shop, right?
Yes, sir, if I remembercorrectly so were you the first
person to open a tattoo shop.
It was in North Las Vegas, Iremember, I remember.
No, you're on point, you'regetting there.
Robert (07:24):
So I'm the first black-owned black artist tattoo
shop in.
Paki (07:28):
Las Vegas?
Robert (07:29):
I wasn't sure, I couldn't remember and that was
downtown, at first on MerlinParkway and then once North Las
Vegas had changed theirordinance.
A lot of people know this.
North Las Vegas has hadordinances to where certain
businesses were restricted.
So that's why, before 2008,you've never seen a tattoo shop
in North Las Vegas, because itwasn't allowed Up until 2008.
Up until 2008.
Chris (07:49):
That's not long ago, it's not long ago at all.
That's crazy Right.
Robert (07:52):
That's pretty outdated 16 years Right.
Paki (07:54):
16 years ago.
Robert (07:55):
Wow.
So because of that, once theyallowed tattoo shops, started
having my tattoo shop from thereto my first barbershop.
So I'll have Fade the MallBarbershop and tag it up.
And that's when I ran againstthe speed bump of the city of
North Las Vegas because theydenied my tattoo shop after they
allowed tattoo shops to bethere.
(08:16):
And that's why I'm here rightnow talking about my counseling
journey, because ever since thenI've been focused on changing
certain situations, just fromgetting punched in the face like
we were talking about yes a fewtimes.
Paki (08:26):
Yes, sir, can you share a little bit of just kind of the
adversity of the roadblocks,right Like dealing with
construction, dealing with a lot, I mean, unfortunately we've
turned into the cone capitalright, yes, we are, but can you
share, kind of, some of thethings that you had to deal with
to be able to deal with allthose detours and be able to get
back on, you know, back onpoint basically?
Robert (08:46):
So with that, my barbershop is right off the
freeway exit and that's why Igot it, because it's off the
freeway exit and it was on theone-way street also right.
So they ended up shutting downthe freeway for, if I'm not
mistaken, around three months,but the street was shut down for
like six months.
So if you wasn't going to mybarbershop you would have to get
off on Cheyenne exit.
But if you want to go to mybarbershop you have to get off
(09:07):
on Cheyenne and go through twoother neighborhoods literally
neighborhoods to get to mybarbershop.
That's crazy Right, and all mybarbers quit because of that,
because they're frustrated.
Paki (09:15):
They're frustrated.
Robert (09:15):
No one was there.
Like all the businesses quit,they went out of business.
I had my other businesses and Iwas doing parties to be able to
allocate money towards payingthat rent there.
And I'm the type of personwhere you know I have to die
before I stop.
You know, every day I wake upI'm ready to go.
So I'm there every day bymyself, and back then, you know,
google wasn't good with maps sopeople couldn't get to my
(09:38):
barbershop and I remember agentleman came to my barbershop
after the mayor at the time saidyou're right, robert Taylor,
you should be what's the word?
Financially taken care of Tobless you for all the detour BS.
Paki (09:53):
Right and she's like, but it's not our fault.
Robert (09:54):
You have to talk to NDOT .
And when the gentleman fromNDOT came to my barbershop and
he told me to pass out moreflyers, I just took that as a
slap in the face and because ofthat, ever since then I've been
focused on city government,local government and how can we
run a better way?
Chris (10:09):
Nobody realizes how disruptive that is.
I'm sure people do realize it,but there is no support for
businesses.
They're paying their taxes,they're employing people and
they just get hit over the headwith these.
Paki (10:21):
We're always under construction, all these detours
and trying to really get peopleyou see, with the F1, really, in
fact, a lot of people in LasVegas, f1 was a pain in the butt
.
Chris (10:25):
I'm not going to lie.
Paki (10:26):
And I feel bad for a lot of the businesses in there and
take that.
Robert (10:28):
So F1, at least everybody knows about that
because it hindered a lot ofpeople.
Right, it was just me and I'mthe young man who's trying to
fight, so nobody really cared.
Exactly I went through the samething.
It was just me and fighting thegood fight by myself, but
because of that fight I'm hereright now.
So that's awesome, man.
Paki (10:50):
It's all I got a reason.
Yeah, let's jump into that man.
So one thing you know, chrisand I talked about this earlier,
right, and Ty, my wife how canyou have all these businesses?
Like, how can you keep all yourlife together and run for
councilman, cause it's you inthe streets every day knocking
on doors.
I mean you share with me yourschedule of how you're able to
do it.
But, like, who are yourpartners to be able to keep the
(11:10):
businesses running and how, howdo you make it all happen?
Robert (11:13):
Shout out to my managers at my shops.
Okay, so right now, uh, I havemanagers at my shop who pretty
much it's it's runs by itselfbecause barbershops are pretty
easy.
Sure, that's why I likebarbershops, sure, and
barbershops one of thosebusiness to where you're not
paying employees because they'reindependent contractors.
They're paying to be therethat's right so that makes it
much easier.
Also, that's right, they're notcash cows at all, right, but
(11:35):
it's good, sustainable moneywhere you constantly get it.
Long as they're there andthey're cutting hair or doing
hair, you constantly get it.
So that part isn't the hardpart.
The the hard part is being busyalready.
And I am a community.
I'm big in the community.
You know I'm big on thecommunity, I'm big in the
community.
So the hardest part is tryingto uh navigate my time with all
the community service that I dowith the barbershops while
(11:57):
running.
That's a hard part.
But now, uh, uh, I lost 60pounds.
You know I want to talk aboutit.
Yeah, I feel really good andbecause of that I wake up super
early.
I go to bed around 9, 10 pm, Iwake up around 4 o'clock and
then before 9 o'clock I getabout 20 things done before then
, so by the time it's 10 am.
You know I'm good and that'show I'm able to compartmentalize
(12:20):
my time and I think once peoplestart doing that like, your
days become so much better.
Chris (12:25):
Yeah, is that kind of why you like this business model?
Can you see what the business?
The barbershops, the tattooshops and the salons are all
independent, contract orientedbusinesses.
Robert (12:33):
Yes, sir, yeah.
Chris (12:34):
That's why, yeah, it makes sense it gives you a
little bit more freedom to like,be flexible, it does.
Paki (12:38):
Sure For our listeners, and just me included.
What does a councilman do?
Robert (12:42):
right, what is it?
So the duties of a councilmanpretty much all around in
America is planning and zoning,right and ordinances.
So, as I mentioned earlier,that was an ordinance where they
didn't have tattoo shops.
So ordinance is like a lawspecifically set for that city
right.
It can't be a law for the statebecause it's only for that city
(13:04):
, so it's an ordinance.
So the council comes up withdifferent ordinances.
They have Right and planningand zoning.
For instance, let's just saythis was Ward 2 in North Las
Vegas Right, which has Ward 2,has about 79,000 people Right.
So let's just say it has 200businesses.
So anytime someone goes totheir business for business
licensing Right, as yourcouncilman you know, I would be
(13:26):
there to help your business andnot hinder it.
Love this conversation.
Chris (13:30):
And not hinder it.
Robert (13:31):
And if you need a special use permit, you will go
to planning and zoning.
First they will have to say yesto it and then you will go to
the council, which I will be acouncil member.
I will look at it.
I will ask you the goodquestions, you know you give me
tangible answers on why you wantthis business and then I would
deny or approve that business.
But the difference of me andother councilmen and
councilwomen is me being a smallbusiness owner.
(13:52):
Unlike the time when I had mybusiness, and none of them were,
I understand how it is tooperate, to be a small business
owner.
So I have the back of all smallbusiness owners who hire more
than 53% of the working force inAmerica.
So if you are hindering smallbusiness owners, you are
hindering us everyone.
Chris (14:11):
Yeah, 100%.
With that being the case,that's the whole job of the
councilman.
Why is it that some would wantto hinder it?
Because why would they declinea business?
There's really just a curioussituation to be in.
You're trying to growspecifically North Las Vegas,
right, they really are trying tocompete in a lot of senses with
the business development of LasVegas.
So if you don't get as muchexposure, you would think you
want more small business in thatarea.
(14:32):
You would think so.
Yeah, very, very interestingdynamic.
Robert (14:35):
But here's the thing Also a lot of people don't know
Las Vegas, inner of Las Vegas,is a part-time position.
So even though of course, weall get paid, it's labeled as a
part-time position.
You only have to go to onemeeting a month.
Chris (14:52):
Right now.
Robert (14:52):
Usually you only have to go to one meeting a month.
Now most council members are ondifferent, like the housing
board Okay, got it.
Yeah, so you will be a part ofboards and stuff, right, sure.
So I think the problem issometimes council members
literally think that in theirhead it's a part-time position,
so they're not doing their realdue diligence when it comes to
(15:13):
looking at different planningand zoning and approving things.
They're like ah no, we don'twant that.
Oh, we do.
Paki (15:30):
Versus taking it serious because it's people's lives.
I'm running because it'speople's lives and the
productivity from the city I'mborn and raised in.
I love about when we first satdown is you don't want people to
experience what you experienced, too, being a business owner
and like I'm glad you're running, but also the frustration like
we've had.
I mean, we've had this podcastfor almost six years and
everybody we've interviewed isbusiness owners and one of the
things they always talk about isthe challenges of getting
permits, getting a businesslicense.
I remember we probably pissed alot of people off because it's
like why is it so hard and whyis it so expensive?
(15:56):
So that's the other thing.
Is that something?
Robert (15:57):
that you're trying to figure out.
Yes, I want to look into that,or not figure out, but you know
what I'm saying.
Definitely, because some thingsare unfair.
For instance, if you have abarbershop in the city of Las
Vegas, right, okay, yourplumbing fee would be about $400
a year.
So for every sink you have,it's $400 a year.
Chris (16:13):
Oh, I didn't know that was a.
Thing.
Robert (16:14):
But that's cheap compared to a bar.
With a bar it's around $2,600 ayear for each sink.
What?
Paki (16:21):
kind of sinks.
We got gold sinks and thinkabout this.
Robert (16:24):
Barbershops and salons use much more water than a bar
does, so why is it more money?
It's more money because theaverage person who owns a bar is
a millionaire.
Paki (16:35):
Oh, yeah, because liquor.
Robert (16:36):
So to me.
But that's still unfair though.
Yeah, Because it's stillprejudging your prejudice.
When people think of prejudice,you think of negative
connotations.
Prejudice your prejudice.
When people think of prejudice,you think of negative
connotations.
Prejudice means prejudgingYou're prejudging the business
owner to make a certain amountof money, so because of that,
now you're charging that persona different fee than everyone
else, and that's not rightThings like that.
Chris (16:53):
And that makes it more likely for that bar to not be
successful, especially right offthe bat.
You're having to pay these feesand you're not even generating
any income at that point Exactly.
That just seems unfair, becausethe whole point of politics is
for consistency, right, yes, sir, and laws are for everything to
be on a basis.
So that, just, you know, makesit really that's very terrible
to hear.
Yes, I did not even know that.
That's a new one for me.
Yes, sir.
Robert (17:14):
I can keep going.
I know a million others.
Paki (17:20):
No, really behind the curtain, right, you know what I
mean.
We need people like yourself tobe able to say, hey, this is
the real, this is what we'rereally dealing with, you know,
and I'm glad we were able to sitdown and kind of discuss a
little bit.
But youth, you know, youth isbig for both of all of us
sitting at the table.
What's your plans for the youth?
Right, because the education istough, obviously in Vegas.
Right, 49th every year.
(17:41):
I don't even know what NorthLas Vegas is, but what is your
plan to kind of help empower theyouth here All?
Chris (17:47):
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So, for our listeners, let'sget back to the podcast.
Robert (18:30):
I'm a part of the SOT board.
The SOT board is a board that'sactually the assembly made a
law to, where every high schoolhas an SOT board.
So it's kind of like the PTA,but on another level.
So I'm the vice chair of CanyonSprings High School's SOT board
.
So once a month we meet on theZoom and when it comes to proms,
(18:50):
homecomings, as a communityservant and a parent, we talk
about what we can do for thekids.
So one I'm big with safety forour children my son, israel
Taylor.
He was with a young man thatgot killed at Canyon Springs
years ago.
That's one of his closestfriends.
Sorry to hear that.
Yeah, and my son would hang outwith him after school every day
, right, and then my son wouldwalk home and his friend would
(19:14):
take the— I think his friendwould get picked up or something
right.
Well, same thing.
My son left and said bye andthen the gentleman came to the
school, tried to fight him thekid's protecting themselves and
they literally killed them onthe campus.
So because of that, that's whyI joined the SOT board.
But when it comes to a broadspectrum of what I want to do is
give these kids hope, for over20 years, every high school,
(19:35):
every high school, junior highschool, elementary, who asked me
to come speak to them.
I've spoke, I've been a keynotespeaker, career day, and I give
my time to give hope, becausethese kids, if they don't have
hope, they are hopeless andnothing else matters.
I agree, you know, and me,growing up in North Las Vegas, I
love to see North Las Vegas,but I've never seen anyone who
looks like me, who came to anyof my schools, speaking life
into me.
And because of my differentbusiness ventures and because of
(19:57):
my positive attitude, I believethat it is good to have more of
us in these schools, to talk toour children, to give them an
idea oh, I could be that.
And I always say you'll bebetter than me, not just you
could be me, you could be betterthan me, you will be better
than me.
And that, right there, leads tohope and that leads to
(20:17):
different opportunities.
I want to start a thing calledthe pipeline to where the
seniors in high school.
I want to get three seniorsfrom each high school in my ward
, so Canyon Springs, canyonSprings, cheyenne and Mojave, to
where I have the principal.
Choose three different, youknow, hopefully, young men,
right, because you know the menare doing the worst versus our
young ladies.
And then tag them, team them upwith a fire department, tag
(20:38):
them up with the policedepartment or someone in the
trade.
Yeah With trades, you knowelectrician, plumbing department
or someone in the trade yeah,with trades you know electrician
, plumbing or barber,beauticians, business owners
that way for sure we know these.
These kids are being looked atand now, the next year, when
they're 19 and 20 and they'restarting to be successful, other
(21:01):
kids look up to them, startemulating them, because kids
follow the popular kids.
It's on us, as the adults, tohone the popular kids, to make
them positive popular kids,because once they're negative
popular kids, the other kidswill follow that also.
Paki (21:09):
I love that you're talking about this, like specifically,
because I had hoop dreams right,like, being from Chicago, I
thought we're going to go to theNBA, whatever.
You know you had that mindset.
But we need more people withtrades, we need more doctors, we
need more engineers.
You know people in propertymanagement, real estate, you
know that whole setup, so it'sgreat that you're given the
opportunity and even being ableto share with them.
Literally, this is what I'vebeen able to do.
(21:30):
You know that's awesome, thankyou.
Let's talk a little bit aboutthe homeless situation.
Yes, we've got a really badhomeless situation.
Yes, sir, what's the plan foryou?
You know just maybe what youwould plan to do in North Las
Vegas with the homeless scenariowe're dealing with, which is
very challenging.
Robert (21:44):
Very challenging.
So right now, what I've learnedfrom what I'm seeing is kind of
like a tug-of-war situation,because where you could say
ground zero is where we have themost misplaced and homeless
people.
It's on the borderline of LasVegas and North Las Vegas, so
it's constantly usually likepushing them here, pushing them
there, pushing them here.
Paki (22:02):
Situation that's what you see everywhere, right.
Robert (22:05):
Versus.
Just first we have to figureout who is able to get back in
the job market Right, who hasmental problems right, and who
just doesn't care.
Because a lot of people don'tknow that we are a right to fail
nation, you have a right tofail.
So if you want to be homeless,you know you can be homeless,
not saying that means you'refailing, but, as in, you have
(22:27):
the right to do that, yeah Right.
So some people don't want help.
One of my mentors, who was verysuccessful in the music industry
, had a lot going on money,corvettes, beautiful women, et
cetera, et cetera.
Things that as men would deemsuccessful end up being homeless
.
Successful end up beinghomeless.
And for years he passed awaynow.
(22:49):
But for years I would try tomotivate him to get back in
music or something and hestopped me once.
He said Robert.
He said I want to be homeless.
He said you keep trying to cureme, but there's no cure for
what I want to be.
That is wild, he said.
And he said you guys alwaystalk about helping the homeless
out and giving out money.
He said a lot of homelesspeople have never slept on a bed
in years.
He said.
So if you want to help ahomeless person out, don't give
them money.
He said go down where he wouldstay at some time the shelter.
(23:11):
It costs a few dollars to havea bed or a mattress, he said you
guys go down there and just payfor mattresses.
Paki (23:22):
That way they can sleep comfortable at one night.
Robert (23:23):
I'm saying this on purpose, because I never heard
that until I heard it and Ican't unring that bell.
That's deep and for your viewerswho listen to this.
Now, we're always trying tohelp something, but how can you
help something that doesn't wantto be helped If they feel
they're not in danger and that'show they want to live their
life?
That's why I say we've got toseparate and figure out who's
who.
Who wants to be like this Okay,who wants to be there, who
(23:44):
wants help, who wants to getback in the job market.
So we have to do that first.
Once you do that, automaticallywe'll help it out.
But another big thing is wehave a whole sheet of people who
are about to be homeless.
So the first thing we do ismake sure these people, these
individuals if you notice, lasVegas has a lot of new homeless
people and you could tell bylooking at them.
Chris (24:02):
I could tell this is a new homeless family.
Robert (24:06):
You know, I see a family on.
I see a family on Craig Roadalmost every day when I leave my
barbershop and other day I sawhim.
I told myself next time I seehim I'm going to turn around and
try to give him some money.
And it's women, right, it'sblack women.
I literally just saw them.
I saw them.
Oh, there they go.
I was all happy I could try tohelp.
Maybe a U-turn.
I pulled around, I got in mytruck, I said hey.
(24:27):
I said you ladies are always onCraig Road, right?
The younger one answered yes, Ithink it was her mom and she
said I don't even know.
Now.
Paki (24:36):
And I said okay.
Robert (24:38):
Yeah, she was like I don't even know now, and I said
I want your money.
The daughter looked at her andI'm like no, I said I know
you're not asking for money.
They had no signs, right.
I just see a lot of luggage andstuff they're carrying every
day.
That's why I knew they washomeless, right, and the mother
was like I don't want anything,sir.
And then they hit me.
There I go again.
There we go again, thinkingthat we're trying to fix someone
(25:00):
.
So when it comes to that, wehave to figure out different
resolution solutions.
It's not just oh, they'rehomeless, no, we've got to
figure out what do they want?
Paki (25:09):
And set the foundation.
Chris (25:10):
try to help the foundation A lot of times you
can see they're trying to avoidsome of those pressures.
When you're forcing thepressures on them of doing
things that they don't want todo, it's almost like you're
reinforcing their want to be inthat situation versus trying to
help them.
Robert (25:22):
I'm an NPR nerd, so sorry, sorry, seeing another
station, but I'm NPR nerdbecause it gives you statistics,
right.
And when I was running formayor two years ago, I'm
listening to NPR news and theysaid they did a survey and they
said only 2% of mayors in thenation believe that they could
cause a positive effect towardshomeless.
And I was like only two percent, oh, that's wild.
And I was like, wow, I feelproud because even though I was
(25:44):
running for mayor, I wasn't amayor.
I knew that I was focused ontrying to help the situation, so
I'll be part of that twopercent, right.
So right after that I did a tourat the same place downtown
where not downtown but north lasvegas downtown area, where
everywhere everyone's at for thehomeless population, uh.
So I went down there and Italked to the woman who ran the
center and I'm like when I sawit, it was much nicer than I
(26:06):
thought it was.
It was really nice inside there.
From the outside you wouldthink it's bad, but it's really
nice inside.
And I'm like why there isn'tmore people inside here and
they're outside on Main Street?
She said because we have rulesin here and the people on Main
Street don't like rules.
A lot of them don't.
(26:27):
That's why they're homeless.
She said that's an everydaystruggle for us, because we have
a curfew at a certain time, wehave this and a lot of people
don't want rules.
She said our hardest problem istrying to give people rules who
don't want rules, but help themat the same time.
I was like that makes so muchsense.
And there we go again, thinkingwe could just help out the
homeless situation.
No, it's much more complex andperplexing than you ever could
imagine.
Chris (26:46):
Yeah, because the solution is always let's build
more homes, let's do more ofthis, but that usually is not
the solution.
Paki (26:52):
You touched a little bit about mentorship, right.
You know Vegas Circle.
Let's talk about who's in yourcircle, right?
Would you be able to share,like, who's impacted your circle
you know and what they've doneto be able to make that impact?
Definitely, thank you.
Robert (27:03):
So one of my mentors that passed away, I express, was
homeless David Bowie.
Okay, Not David Bowie, butDavid Bowie, but he's still a
musician also.
Got it.
He was one of my first mentors.
You know that his glory days mysister, alicia Taylor.
She's a mortgage mogul.
She was born in Tulsa but cameto Las Vegas like eight months
(27:27):
later.
So she's yeah, so she ain'tfrom Vegas.
Paki (27:30):
Basically, sound like a shop she's from, not a home.
Yeah, yeah, sound like a shop,because I always say I'm the
person born in Vegas.
Robert (27:35):
She's like I was a few months old.
Paki (27:37):
That's hilarious.
Robert (27:39):
She's definitely a mentor of mine.
She's my financial advisor.
She's the only one I trust whenit comes to money.
You know who else?
Frank Hawkins, mccurdy Sr.
William McCurdy Sr.
He's an amazing campaignmanager, but an amazing man in
general.
Pauly Mack I have a few peopleand everyone's different.
They're all like.
You know, it takes a village.
It takes a village of mentorsalso, because you learn
(28:01):
something from everyone mymother and father's first.
My father passed away.
He was the most intelligent manI ever knew in my life.
My dad was a really, really,really intelligent person.
He watched Jeopardy and getevery question right.
I haven't met anyone who coulddo that Built different, you
know.
So he was a different type ofperson and because of this I and
I was the youngest I was ableto see all these different
people, my brother, all thesedifferent people with different
(28:21):
skills, and I just emulated eachskill that I liked.
Paki (28:24):
That's what's up.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Yeah, so for business advice,right, you being a business
owner, you running forcouncilman, trying to grow the
business market right here,what's one nugget you would
share for somebody that rightnow, that maybe is on the fence
right Trying to decide hey, do Iwant to invest this money Like
you did with not buying a car,whatever the scenario could be?
But what would you share withthem?
You know, or maybe they want toget into politics?
Robert (28:45):
So I do business and I do politics Perfect, Okay.
So I would say this for thebusiness aspect just know this.
Know that people work hard fortheir money, right, and just
because you open up yourbusiness, your family and
closest friends will not supportyou like you think, Because why
you haven't showed them you'rea winner.
And that sounds bad.
But let's be real, because wedon't have time to lie to people
(29:05):
right.
At the end of the day, peopleonly bet on the team that they
believe that's the winning team.
People have to see you win somany times for them to be like
okay, that's a winner.
Your business is the same way.
If you open up a bakery,they're not going to just come
because it's you they're goingto.
They want to hear how good itis.
They want to constantly hearhow good it is first.
They're going to check yourYelp reviews and all those
(29:26):
things first.
So just know you have to proveso many times that you are a
winner in your business forpeople to contribute and support
you.
So don't take it personal.
Just know it's an uphill battle, but once you're on top of the
hill, you're on top of the hill.
Then you bring others up withyou.
That's on the business aspect,On the political aspect.
Just know this when it comes topolitics, people who are elected
(29:49):
officials, they're regularpeople.
We're all special, Everybodyjust doesn't know it.
Once again, we're all special,Everyone just doesn't know it.
So, with that being said,they're the people that
represent your classroom.
Think of your ward, your area,your city, your state as a
classroom, and you guys arepicking the student president
for your classroom Right Now.
(30:09):
If you want to be in politics,are you able to be?
Are you able to represent yourclassroom?
Meaning men, women, all races,all backgrounds.
Can you represent them?
Because if you can't, youshouldn't be the leader for that
classroom.
I agree.
And that classroom needs to knowwho you are.
That's why I knocked on doorsyeah, right, because your
classroom needs to know you areso much to where when they try
(30:31):
to come and make you look bad,when you're running against
another classroom, that's real,that's real they can speak up
for you.
I'm like no, we know his or herpersonality, right.
So that's very important.
And I think this when peoplesay I'm not into politics, yes,
you are, because when you'refollowing laws, you're following
laws made by who?
Politicians, politicians.
And if you break the law andyou go to jail you.
(30:58):
So don't act like I don't careabout.
Yes, you do.
Paki (31:01):
It's impacting your life.
It's impacting your life.
Robert (31:03):
Taxes you pay on the drinks, the gas, everything you
do it has to do with localgovernment.
And who prints out money?
Government?
You're working for what Money?
So, at the end of the day, justknow that it's much bigger than
what you think it is and youcan be a part of it.
And if you want change, insteadof you complaining like me, I
could have been complaining mysister she expressed to me.
(31:24):
She said, robert, it's an easylawsuit.
What happened with the city?
I said, alicia, if I win, Ionly win and that's not a win
for my people.
I said, if I run and I win,then I change what's happening,
then it's a win for all thepeople who are like me, who want
to be a business owner, andthat changes everything.
So you got to be focused,steadfast and be serious.
Paki (31:45):
That's what's up.
Yeah, that's great man, I likehow you're breaking that down,
man, Just transitioning a littlebit, pivoting a little bit,
with you being from Vegas.
We always ask everybody thiswhat's your favorite restaurant
in Vegas?
Robert (31:57):
I'll just change my whole diet.
That's probably what I need.
Chris (32:00):
I'll just change my entire diet.
Robert (32:05):
Shout out to Ella M's.
I used to love Ella M's all thetime.
Soul Foods on Craig.
Shout out to Grits Cafe.
Paki (32:09):
Grits Cafe.
Robert (32:11):
But now I pretty much eat healthy.
Paki (32:13):
You eat real clean, I eat clean and.
Chris (32:16):
I eat once a day.
Robert (32:17):
So with that I might go to Tropical Smoothie.
So with that I might go totropical smoothie.
Besides that, I'm at home now.
I never cooked until now.
I never cooked until this timeof my life where I'm trying to
eat healthy, because thehealthier you try to eat, the
more you realize it's not a lotof places that are healthy to
eat.
Chris (32:32):
You're talking about the stuff in the background.
Robert (32:34):
You're like what's going on in here?
Chris (32:35):
Right right.
Robert (32:36):
So mainly you know I'm at home just putting stuff
together, but you eat once a day, once a day.
Paki (32:41):
We were just talking about that earlier.
Yeah, that's awesome, man, oncea day, but I could talk to you
all day, man, your energy iscontagious.
Robert (32:46):
I appreciate that.
Paki (32:48):
What do you want to leave us out on?
Anything that we forgot aboutor what's next up?
Right, Because we have the primon what we should pay attention
to Got you.
Robert (32:57):
So I just ended up being number one in the primary.
It was three of us.
Congratulations, thank you,thank you.
So now I'm going to the general.
So the general is the actualpresidential election.
So in the primary a lot ofpeople don't vote in the primary
because a lot of people don'tunderstand what the primary is
about.
Real quick on that, so peopleget it, because I didn't
understand until I ran.
For mayor could run theclassroom scenario In the
(33:17):
primary if you have 40 studentsin the classroom, 20 could run,
right, but the class is onlygoing to pick the top two for
the general.
So 20 could run.
18 would be eliminated in thatnumber scenario.
Now the general you're pickingthe number one to be the
representative of your classroom, of your city, of your ward, of
your state, etc.
Right, so now I'm in the toptwo in the classroom which is my
(33:41):
ward two in North Las Vegas.
Got it.
Now I'm number one out of thetwo going against an incumbent,
which is really crazy.
Right, because of the mostvotes, because of the most votes
.
Okay, right, I won by 47 votes.
Wow, that's how much votesmatter.
So I'm winning by 47 votes, gotit?
It's counted.
So, with that being said, thegenerals in November, which is
the presidential election, right?
(34:01):
So now, when people go vote fortheir president and everyone
down the ballot, I'm on thatballot if you live in my area.
So I say, please, I hope thatyou vote for me if you live in
Ward 2.
If you don't live in Ward 2,let your friends know.
Hey, I saw this podcast withRobert Twiggs Taylor.
He's a good guy.
Vote for him, because myplatform is community, commerce
and change.
I'm from the community, I'm abusiness owner, I understand
(34:23):
commerce and the simple factthat I'm bringing this energy to
the table, and I have aplethora of ideas to bring more
money to North Las Vegas andthings for our children to do,
so it's less crime and to addmore police officers,
community-orientated police.
That's part of the change andthat's why I'm the clear choice.
No, there's a word to counsel.
Chris (34:38):
And how do you know what word you're in?
Just people who want to findout if they're a person
representing you.
Robert (34:42):
Great question, let me.
Let me say this Is that acamera right there?
Chris (34:45):
Yeah, Let me say this camera.
Robert (34:48):
When I was running, when I, while I'm running right now,
people say Councilman orcouncilwoman is doing a good job
, you would know what wardyou're in.
You would know the ward you'rein because you're, like they're,
doing such a great job.
So one you'll know when I'm thecouncilman right.
But two.
You can look it up, you can goto see it at NorthLasVegascom
(35:10):
and there's maps.
You could type in Ward 2, mapsof North Las Vegas.
You could type in Las Vegasward maps and then you'll see it
because there's no signs, andthat's something else.
I'll let the Cal to back when wedo win for council, I do.
I have this plan to put on thepolls actual numbers to let you
know what wards you're in whileyou're driving.
Chris (35:30):
Ward one, ward two so at least now you already know it
makes sense, it does.
Everybody wants to know becauseI would never have known.
Robert (35:38):
I wouldn't have known either, and Chris let me give
you a little quick one too.
Also, A lot of people don'tknow this either.
When I ran for mayor, I didthis Everybody's like.
I never knew that.
Do you know the difference ofbeing in Las Vegas and North Las
Vegas just by driving?
Chris (35:49):
No.
Paki (35:50):
I thought the signs changed, though, don't they the
color Yep, las Vegas the signsare blue.
Robert (35:56):
Yeah, they change Las Vegas.
The signs are green.
Paki (35:59):
A lot of parts of Henderson.
Robert (36:00):
They're brown.
Paki (36:01):
Yeah, I learned that from my driving through.
Robert (36:02):
But these are the neighborhood signs.
So all the main streets aregreen for the city of Las Vegas.
But all you got to do is lookinto the neighborhood and if
it's blue, you're in North LasVegas.
Paki (36:12):
I did not know that.
Robert (36:14):
Okay, good stuff, man.
We're all about the educationover here.
Entertainment, entertainment.
Paki (36:18):
Driving gems man.
Where can people reach out toyou at man for your social
handles and all that good stuffGot you.
You know what?
Go to my personal Instagrampage.
Robert (36:27):
That's more fun.
Go to at Vegas Twix.
That's Vegas with Twix with twoX's.
You can email me atRobertTaylor4Nevada at gmailcom.
That's RobertTaylorFordNevadagmailcom.
You can go to my website atRobertTaylorFordNevadacom or you
can call me at 702-355-8392.
Paki (36:45):
You know I'm for the community.
It's all going to blow up, man,or just.
Robert (36:49):
Google Fatemult Barbershop, or just Google
Robert Twiggs Taylor.
Paki (36:53):
Support this man.
He's doing some great things inthe community.
Man, I support you and I'm gladwe got a chance to sit down
with you and pick your brain forthe short period, man, but
check us out at thevegasurgecomand support us.
Man, subscribe man.
Robert (37:04):
I'll be back after we win Appreciate y'all have a good
one.
Root, let's go.
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