Rising Stars: Meet, Paul, Connor & Chanda

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Novielli.

Hi Paul, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.

The podcast started about halfway through the pandemic while the beginning of the pandemic was in 2020. Things really weren’t open so the only thing to do was have cookouts and hang out by the fire and kind of just talk silliness. That evolved as people started coming back around a lot of them started saying “hey, ya’ll are funny and should start a podcast?

One night we had enough whiskey, thought we were hilarious and decided we should do a podcast.

Since that time, two of the founding members have since moved on from the show. Connor who has a podcast called Who Gives A Dram was a friend of Paul’s via social media. He joined the show in November of 2021 bringing a log of enthusiasm and experience in podcasting and whiskey to the show. He also brings a desire and work ethic to make Bourbon With Friends bigger and better from a podcast and brand perspective.

Connor and Paul knew they wanted to take the show to another level and launched a monthlong search for a third cohost in the summer of 2022. This is where Chanda came in. The newest member of the team. Chanda has a wealth of experience in the bourbon/whiskey world. Teaming up with Horse Soldier Bourbon to do tastings and events around the state of Florida. Chanda also brings a unique perspective as well as a balance to Paul and Connor within the show.

Two years plus later. Bourbon With Friends has been ranked the #1 whiskey-based podcast in the world in the summer of 2021. Consistently one of the top 5 ranked podcasts in the USA on Apple Podcasts and recently announced a tour of Scotland for October 2022. We continue to bring in high profile guests, everyday bourbon/whiskey drinkers and top people in the industry to our show.

AS the brand has grown, we wanted to do more for our communities and veterans. We teamed up with musicians, influencers, and celebrities when Western Kentucky was ravaged by tornados. We raised over $13,000 on Instagram lives’ in a weekend. That really set us on the path to creating the Bourbon With Friends Charity. Anytime there is something in our local areas that we can help with we can now help directly in raising funds for our community. We also partnered with Folds of Honor to create the Bourbon Ball. The Bourbon Ball is an annual event held at the Kentucky Castle. The 2022 version raised over $30,000 for Folds of Honor and we are anticipating almost double that for the 2023 version on July 1^st, 2023. Tickets and info should be coming out shortly. You can visit www.bourbonballky.com to check for updates and ticket info!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

The road to building any successful brand is lined with great times as well as some struggles along the way. The show shot up the charts rather quickly. With that comes a lot of learning curves. Who to trust, who you can’t trust. People who will talk behind your back for whatever reason and those who are in your corner no matter what. I think we have seen it all in the two and a half years we have been doing the show. The #1 thing we have learned is just be true to who we are and not worry about acceptance from other parties.

The amazing thing is that the Bourbon/Whiskey community has been amazing and mostly accepting of our brand and show. We have made lifelong friends and met people (celebrities, athletes, musicians, those in the industry etc.) that we would have never imagined being able to associate with. In the end that is the ultimately cool side and worth every struggle and challenge that comes along the way.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

The podcast is really something that started as a hobby that’s only recently started to make a shift into an overall brand. What we’ve done is specialize in bringing whiskey and bourbon to our listeners in a fun and creative way that most other podcasts in the space don’t do. You’re not going to get the types of reviews on our show using words and notes that the everyday person can’t relate to.  We do have good pallets and understanding of whiskey overall. What we have noticed is so many people, especially the people new to whiskey/bourbon are craving a real experience that they can related to. That is ultimately how we want to structure our show, social media, and brand. With the type of shows, interviews and conversations like you are sitting around a fire in you back yard having a Bourbon With Friends.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?

The most important lesson learned is that bourbon/whiskey is the great equalizer for everyone. We have never sat down with someone, had a dram and not been able to find common ground. Our motto is “A Bourbon With Friends Can Change The World”. We really believe that our national spirit, whiskey, whisky is enjoyed by millions around the world. It doesn’t see class, race or gender it just sees a community. That inclusiveness is something that we value and try to make the core of our brand moving forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bourbonwithfriends.com
• Instagram: @bwfpodcast
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bourbonwithfriends1
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCPnd0fZZfL5-MRFAPOA_ITQ
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bourbon-with-friends/id1524170030