When Jaclyn Sienna India launched Sienna Charles, her boutique travel concierge service, in 2008, she committed to the idea of “faking it until making it.” She recalls a time when her husband doubted her ambitions due to the calls they received from potential clients seeking vacations. “I told them we were sold out for the season with high-net-worth clients,” India shared, despite having no clients at the time.
Fast forward sixteen years, and India’s initial strategy has paid off. She now caters to high-profile clients, including former President George W. Bush and various celebrities like Mariah Carey. Her clientele consists of individuals earning over $100 million per year, requiring her to provide exceptional services that they cannot easily arrange on their own.
According to India, the key to her success is not just her connections but the genuine care she offers. “I was a server for five years before starting my business. I understand what makes people tick. Paying attention to and caring about clients is paramount,” she stated.
Sienna Charles maintains an extensive network of more than 2,000 relationships within the hospitality sector, encompassing yacht rentals, luxury hotels, and fine dining locations. This network allows India to craft unique and memorable experiences for her clients. She explained that her clients often have a vision of what they want to achieve but may lack the tools, time, and creativity to realize it. “One of my gifts has been understanding that vision with only a few words and then delivering that to them,” she noted.
India emphasizes that her mission goes beyond accessing exclusive venues; she focuses on ensuring that the experiences are genuinely fulfilling. For instance, while some may consider the three-Michelin star restaurant French Laundry in Napa a highlight, India prefers to suggest alternatives that may offer more excitement, such as Single Thread Farms.
Her services frequently result in extraordinary experiences. For one client, she organized a candlelight dinner at Versailles, and for another, a brunch on the Arc de Triomphe. India also combines dining experiences with opportunities to meet influential personalities; she has arranged breakfasts with the Hermes family and lunches with the Fendi family in Rome.
Sometimes, however, her clients seek simpler pleasures. During Bush’s trip to Ethiopia, she made sure he had his favorite comforts: peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer, along with a warm welcome from local children wearing Texas Rangers baseball caps. India maintains that genuine care for people drives her work. She often interacts with everyone from cab drivers to restaurant staff to uncover the most intriguing options for her clients. “The world is not just luxury. It’s about authentic experiences,” she concluded.