A love of whiskey and philanthropy inspired San Diegan Basem Harb to launch Fierce & Kind in 2023, an award-winning spirits company that donates 25% of its profits to bolster local causes. This year, he was named CEO of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal and unveiled limited-edition Pride bottles of his beloved bourbon and vodka to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Here, Harb serves up a taste of his life off the clock.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIERCE & KIND
WAKE-UP TIME: 5:30 a.m.
CURRENTLY WATCHING: The Bear
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: The White Buffalo and Beth Hart
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: “Father and Daughter” by Paul Simon
BIGGEST INSPIRATION: My mother—a woman who was the epitome of fierce and kind
UNIFORM: A black shirt, jeans and boots
ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius
ESCAPE: The Valle de Guadalupe has been a go-to for years. There’s no place like it—the food, the eco-culture, the architecture and the people!
HOTEL: Casa Gran 1771 at Montrubí Winery in the Penedès mountains of Spain
DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: Cases of bourbon, loads of chocolate, music by the Gorillaz, my partner Cyndi (and all those books I bought hoping to read someday)
LOCAL HAUNT: Balboa Park—a jewel!
LAST MEAL ON EARTH: The eight-course tasting menu at Animalón
ON MY WISH LIST: Building our retirement ranch in Spain
MENTOR: My father, an amazing man with a strong moral compass and a determination to always make things work
PET: Tessa, the adorable labradoodle
BEST ADVICE: Always ensure that your reach extends beyond your grasp.
PHILANTHROPY: The Fierce & Kind Equity Foundation
MANTRA: Never give in, and never give up.
SOULMATE: My partner in love, life and Fierce & Kind, Cyndi
COCKTAIL: Single barrel, cask-proof whiskey, neat
DINNER: For us, dinners are deliberate and meditative. We turn on music and prepare several dishes from whatever is in the fridge.
BEDTIME: A nightcap, a good book and lights out by 11 p.m.
Photography by: COURTESY OF FIERCE & KIND
