Channing Frye – Wild Business Growth Podcast #195: NBA Champion, Chosen Family Wines

You just won the NBA Championship. What do you do next? For this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Channing Frye, there were plenty of celebratory drinks involved. And a bit later, a whole company focused on drinks started forming. Channing is the Founder of Chosen Family Wines. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth Podcast Summary

Episode 195: Channing Frye – NBA Champion, Chosen Family Wines

Channing Frye, the Founder of Chosen Family Wines, joins the show to share his journey from NBA Champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Road Trippin’ Co-Host to wine entrepreneur. Hear how it feels to win an NBA Championship, what Channing did after winning, lessons from the NBA that parallel to the wine business, what he looks for in potential wines to offer, and the most intimidating player he ever played against. This episode covers everything from Willamette Valley to Rome. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Why did they use duct tape for the first recording of Road Trippin’
• What was the best margarita of Channing’s life
• The best email of all time
• Where did Channing’s passion for wine come from
• What has been the most challenging part of the wine business so far
• The Metaphor Extraordinaire
• Who’s the most underrated player of all time
• Which episode of Road Trippin’ featured the most surprising guest

Connect with Channing at ChosenFamilyWines.com, Road Trippin’, and social media @ChanningFrye.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro, Road Trippin’, and the Cavs 2016 Championship Run
  • [0:30] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:38] Connect with Channing at ChosenFamilyWines.com, Road Trippin’, and social media @ChanningFrye
  • [2:25] GRAMMY
  • [3:12] He just brings nothing to the table
  • [3:36] “1. Richard, Channing & Allie feat. Kyrie Irving“
  • [4:34] How did Road Trippin’ get started
  • [4:49] Richard Jefferson
  • [5:32] Why did they use duct tape for the first recording
  • [5:40] M&M’s
  • [6:29] The Draymond Green Show
  • [7:13] NBA (National Basketball Association), ESPN
  • [7:28] “8. Richard, Rafa & Allie feat. Bill Walton“
  • [7:49] Richard Jefferson Snapchat
  • [8:15] How does it feel to win an NBA Championship
  • [9:11] Marreese Speights
  • [9:44] What did Channing do after winning the NBA Championship
  • [10:32] Don Ramon (Westlake)
  • [10:43] That’s big
  • [12:18] Was that the best margarita of Channing’s life
  • [12:53] Shoutout Grandpa Henry & Grandma Adele!
  • [13:22] The best email of all time
  • [13:47] J. R. Smith’s lack of shirt
  • [14:11] Brand Ambassador
  • [14:45] Shoutout Allie Clifton!
  • [15:22] Yessssssssss
  • [15:47] What was it about the 2016 Cavs Championship team that made it happen
  • [16:06] The best mixed nuts analogy
  • [17:00] LeBron James
  • [17:19] James Jones
  • [17:32] Direwolf from Game of Thrones
  • [18:35] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool

• The Chosen Family Wines Story
  • [19:21] Shoutout Dana & Michael!
  • [19:34] Willamette Valley
  • [19:47] Where did Channing’s passion for wine come from
  • [20:05] Portland Trail Blazers
  • [20:50] Jacob Gray (Jake), Chase Renton (Chase), Dundee Hills
  • [20:58] Technically
  • [22:07] CCA (Children’s Cancer Association)
  • [23:02] Kevin Love
  • [23:41] True!
  • [24:19] Joe Harden, Phil Holbrook
  • [25:44] Walla Walla, WA
  • [25:52] What does Channing look for in potential wines to offer
  • [27:09] Napa Valley
  • [27:55] The nose shoutout
  • [28:09] Bazinga
  • [28:20] What has been the most challenging part of the wine business so far
  • [31:04] What do Channing and his team do to stay creative
  • [31:28] Feedback
  • [32:52] Tasting Room
  • [33:22] Small Business
  • [33:29] POS System (Point-of-Sale), TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau)
  • [33:48] What’s a lesson Channing learned in the NBA that parallels into the wine business
  • [34:42] Marathon
  • [35:36] The Metaphor Extraordinaire

• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [35:52] Pump fake
  • [36:11] Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal), Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan
  • [36:42] Who’s the most underrated player of all time
  • [37:34] Couldn’t resist
  • [37:46] Pinot Noir
  • [38:31] “65. Derrick Rose“
  • [38:56] D-Wade (Dwyane Wade)
  • [39:21] What’s Channing’s favorite analogy of all time
  • [39:50] Connect with Channing at ChosenFamilyWines.com, Road Trippin’, and social media @ChanningFrye
  • [40:03] Il Rione, Dante
  • [40:32] Special Guest Appearance
  • [40:54] Shoutout Mark, Cam, and Jon!
  • [41:10] What are Channing’s Final Thoughts
  • [42:23] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And 5 stars on Apple Podcasts & Spotify if you’re feeling super nice
  • [42:50] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [42:52] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
  • [42:56] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Channing Frye on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. And check out Road Trippin’ while sipping on some Chosen Family Wines and watching Cavs Championship highlights. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!