Bridging Cultures, One Tequila at a Time: The Story Behind Jon Basil's Rise in a Celebrity-Driven Industry

In the world of tequila, Black representation is few and far between, with only a handful of Black-owned brands making waves in an industry long dominated by others.

This underrepresentation sheds light on the broader challenges Black entrepreneurs face in the spirits business—from securing funding to navigating cultural gatekeeping. Yet, despite the odds, Uduimoh Umolu and his team at Jon Basil are shaking up the tequila industry, bringing a fresh new perspective to the tequila world.

Umolu is the founder of Jon Basil, a name inspired by two important figures in his life: his grandfather Jon, and Basil, the man who helped his father pursue his dreams in America.

Umolu is a first-generation American with his parents immigrating from Ghana, and grew up in one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods, Rogers Park. Being raised there introduced him to the core of Jon Basil’s identity, enjoying moments with the community you’ve built. 

“It was founded from a place of connection,” Umolu shared in an interview with The Quintessential Gentleman. "We always say we don’t have a lot of money. We don’t have crazy celebrities but we have friends, and that's how we treat our community.”

Umolu’s words highlight that Jon Basil is more than just a tequila brand, it’s rooted in genuine connection. In an industry often driven by big budgets and flashy endorsements, Jon Basil stands out by embracing a different approach: one focused on building relationships and delivering authentic, high-quality experiences. It's this commitment to community and craft that has earned them a loyal and growing following, which is what Umolu wanted from the start.

Coming from a background in event curation like concerts and festivals, he was constantly surrounded by tequila brands reaching out to sponsor events and realized that the brands understood the importance tequila played in creating the memories people experienced there. But there was a problem, no one in the industry looked like us, so he took the challenge upon himself to create exactly what he wanted.

When we started, folks used to say, 'You’re crazy; tequila is mad competitive.' That was in 2015. Fast forward to 2024, and every celebrity has jumped into the market." For most, this daunting challenge would have been enough to dissuade them from continuing the business, but Umolu approached it with a different mindset.

"I think in any industry that you’re entering, you really have to figure out what your angle is, what value you are adding, and how you are going to set yourself apart."

So how does Jon Basil set itself apart?

“We create experiences that we know we want and we know we would want to be a part of.” For all the proof needed, take a look at the meticulously crafted instagram page. It features free drink recipes, cinematic-style advertisements, eye-catching photography, and invitations to exclusive bars and lounges. Their account portrays a dream lifestyle—not only do they invite you to envision it, but they actually invite you to live it.

“We felt that our superpower was being able to truly articulate and have a conversation,” Umolu explained, “Our taste is our strong suit. That's what sets us apart and we show off the things in life that can’t be purchased. Most brands have to try to buy that essence, but for us, tap into it consistently,” he continued.

Tapping into the culture also focuses on highlighting the artists who help create the culture. “If you're a fan of the art or creators, you want to give them a platform and the ability to communicate in a freeway and tell their stories authentically.”

This strategy of honing in on the culture and supporting it is what gave Jon Basil such a loyal following in his hometown of Chicago, and the opportunity for the brand to expand east to New York City, where they have already begun partying with multiple happy hours, mixology workshops, and nightclub sponsorships. It's all come full circle for Umolu.

As all the many moments of operating Jon Basil come flooding back to his mind, there was one that stood out from the rest. “The day the first bottle landed, my father, who unfortunately passed away, got to witness that, and he’s one of the few people who watched the brand from inception to reality.” 

Lastly, the entire team at Jon Basil was shown some love for their collective vision. “Our whole world is about bridging the gap," Umolu explains. "It's about building these bridges to different cultures to ultimately show the similarities among them, whether that's through cuisine, tradition, or stories. Our stories are everything, and the more diverse the stories you have in the room, the bigger the world becomes.”

“It’s always refreshing to see how these diverse stories can now come together to create something new and bold. It’s a story that hasn’t been told yet, and that’s what makes it exciting,” he adds.

The tequila industry is becoming more crowded and commercialized by the day, yet Jon Basil stands out for its authenticity, diversity and commitment to storytelling. By focusing on building bridges between cultures and fostering genuine connections, Umolu and his team have created something truly unique. Their dedication to community and inclusivity has crafted a new narrative within the spirits industry, one that celebrates diverse voices and perspectives, proving that success is about more than just celebrity endorsements.

Jon Basil’s story is still being written, and it’s one worth raising a glass to.