When Jaclyn Sienna India established Sienna Charles, her travel concierge service, in 2008, she adopted a strategy of “fake it till you make it.”
Initially, India faced skepticism from her husband as she fielded inquiries from potential clients. Despite having no actual customers, she claimed to be fully booked with high-net-worth clients, saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, we’re so busy, we’re really sold out this season.”
Fast forward sixteen years, and India’s approach has proven fruitful. She now serves a prestigious clientele that includes former President George W. Bush and pop icon Mariah Carey. Her services cater to individuals with annual incomes exceeding $100 million – affluent clients who have access to almost everything. What, then, does India offer that they cannot secure for themselves?
India asserts that her strength lies in the personal care she provides, rather than just leveraging her clients’ influence. Drawing from her experience as a server, she understands the importance of connecting with clients on a personal level. “Paying attention and caring about those people is paramount,” she emphasizes.
Sienna Charles maintains an extensive network of over 2,000 relationships within the hospitality sector, which enables India to curate unique travel and dining experiences for her clientele. She explains, “[My clients] don’t have the tools, the time, the access and the creativity to be able to fulfill that.”
India’s objective extends beyond simply securing reservations at exclusive venues; she prioritizes ensuring that the experiences she creates are genuinely enriching. She is selective about the venues she promotes, stating, “I don’t think French Laundry in Napa is really that exciting… So I don’t sell it.”
Instead, she seeks out experiences that resonate on a deeper level, like arranging a candlelight dinner in Versailles or brunch on the Arc de Triomphe. Furthermore, she facilitates meetings with notable personalities, such as breakfast with the Hermes family or lunch with the Fendi family in Rome.
At times, her clients request simpler comforts. For instance, during a trip to Ethiopia, she ensured Bush had his preferred snacks, including peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer, and arranged for children wearing Texas Rangers caps to greet him.
India’s commitment is rooted in her genuine care for people. She dedicates her day to connecting with cab drivers and restaurant staff to discover the most intriguing options for her clients. “The world is not just luxury. The world is not just fancy experiences. It’s everything and [my clients] want authentic experiences,” India concludes.