When Jaclyn Sienna India established Sienna Charles, her boutique travel concierge, in 2008, she adopted a strategy of projecting confidence even before achieving success. During the early stages of her business, potential clients often reached out after seeing articles about her services, expressing interest in lavish trips to Disney or weekend getaways to New Jersey. Despite her lack of clients at the time, India confidently assured them her firm was fully booked with high-net-worth individuals.
Fast forward sixteen years, and her initial strategy has paid off significantly. Today, India counts former President George W. Bush and singer Mariah Carey among her clientele. Her services cater specifically to individuals earning over $100 million annually, who may have access to wealth but seek exclusive and high-quality experiences.
According to India, the key to her success lies in the personal touch she provides. She believes that her clients, while often more powerful and well-connected, still value the care and attention she brings to her service. Drawing from her background as a server, India understands the importance of knowing what makes people unique. “Paying attention and caring about those people is paramount,” she states.
Sienna Charles features an extensive network, or “black book,” filled with over 2,000 contacts in the luxury hospitality sector, including high-end yachts, hotels, and exclusive restaurants. This relationship-building allows her to offer clients tailored travel and dining experiences that go beyond what they might achieve independently. “They just don’t have the tools, the time, the access, and the creativity to be able to fulfill that,” India explains.
Her focus is not on providing the flashiest or most exclusive venues, but rather ensuring that her clients enjoy genuine and memorable experiences. For instance, while acknowledging the prestige of the French Laundry restaurant in Napa, she prefers promoting places like Single Thread Farms, which she finds more innovative.
India’s unique offerings often include extraordinary events, such as arranging a candlelit dinner at Versailles or brunch on the Arc de Triomphe. She also looks to combine meals with networking opportunities, having organized breakfasts with the Hermes family and lunches with the Fendi family in Rome.
Sometimes, her clients seek something less extravagant. During Bush’s trip to Ethiopia, she made sure he was comforted with familiar items like peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer, while children wearing Texas Rangers caps welcomed him.
“I genuinely care about people,” India asserts. Her day is spent connecting with various individuals, from cab drivers to restaurant staff, to uncover unique experiences. “The world is not just luxury. The world is not just fancy experiences. It’s everything,” she concludes, reflecting her clients’ desire for authenticity in their adventures.