Jaclyn Sienna India established Sienna Charles, a luxury travel concierge service, in 2008 with a determination to succeed despite starting with no clients. Her husband was skeptical when they received inquiries from potential clients, which she couldn’t fulfill at the time. However, over the years, her strategy of “faking it until you make it” has proven successful.
Now, India serves high-profile clients, including former President George W. Bush and celebrities like Mariah Carey, all of whom have annual incomes exceeding $100 million. Her clients are influential figures who often require more than just access to exclusive venues; they seek genuine, personalized experiences.
India credits her success to empathy and understanding, a skill developed during her five years as a server. She emphasizes the importance of attention and care, which she believes are essential in building strong relationships within the hospitality industry. Her extensive network, or “black book,” includes over 2,000 contacts in luxury yachting, high-end hotels, and gourmet restaurants.
“Clients often have a vision of what they want but lack the resources to achieve it,” she explains. India specializes in translating their ideas into unique experiences, such as arranging a private candlelit dinner in Versailles or brunch on the Arc de Triomphe. While she has the connections to secure reservations at prestigious locations, like the three-Michelin star French Laundry, she prioritizes providing authentic experiences over conventional luxury.
Her dedication to creating memorable moments includes arranging meetings with notable personalities, such as breakfasts with the Hermes family and lunches with the Fendi family in Rome. India also acknowledges that sometimes her clients prefer simpler comforts, demonstrated by her efforts to provide former President Bush with peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer during his trip to Ethiopia, where he was also warmly welcomed by local children.
Ultimately, India focuses on delivering individual experiences that resonate with her clients, merging luxury with authenticity and real-world connections. She believes that true luxury encompasses a wide array of experiences, not just opulence, and her commitment is to provide her clients with both memorable and meaningful adventures.