Teen Mom to CEO: Ingrid Best Built IBest Wines

About this episode

In this powerful conversation, Lisane Basquiat sits down with Ingrid Best—founder of IBest Wines, global brand builder, mother, grandmother, and a woman who has carved her path with courage, culture, and authenticity. Ingrid shares how her journey began as a young mother navigating adulthood and responsibility at the same time, and how an early message from her own mother—that she was “a star”—became the internal compass that guided her through uncertainty, setbacks, and reinvention.
Ingrid opens up about her unexpected entry into the wine and spirits industry, from street promotions in Oakland to becoming a global marketing leader at some of the world’s largest luxury portfolios. She explains how the lessons that came from being overlooked, under-titled, and underestimated ultimately shaped her vision for building something of her own. This episode explores how her travels across the African continent, particularly South Africa, unlocked a new sense of identity and purpose that inspired her to create IBest Wines.
The conversation expands into themes of authenticity, community, and self-forgiveness, as both women reflect on their experiences as teenage mothers and the unique resilience that grows from raising a child while still growing up yourself. Ingrid’s transparency creates space for anyone questioning their path—at 18 or at 48—to see that greatness can still unfold in unexpected ways.
Finally, Ingrid shares how IBest Wines became not just a brand, but a love letter—to South Africa, to the women who invested in her, to the communities she serves, and to her younger self. She discusses where the company is headed next and how listeners can support her mission of building a global brand rooted in culture, representation, and creative freedom.

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