Heidi Straus was born in 1966 in Las Vegas, Nevada to Jay and Joyce Sarno, and spent much of her childhood in the gaming establishments founded by her father: Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino and Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. Early in her career, Straus followed in her father’s footsteps into hotel management. However, she soon switched gears, first owning and operating Las Vegas Flowers, and later becoming a gemologist, her current profession. Straus and her husband, David, have two children named Jaye and Sander.