Jaclyn Sienna India started her luxury travel concierge business, Sienna Charles, in 2008 with the mindset of “fake it until you make it.” Initially, she received inquiries from potential clients who had seen her work, but at that time, she had no actual clients to speak of.
Fast forward sixteen years, and her strategy has proven effective. India now serves an elite clientele, including prominent figures like former President George W. Bush and celebrities such as Mariah Carey. Her clients typically earn over $100 million annually, meaning they often already have access to exclusive experiences. So, what sets India apart in providing value?
India emphasizes the importance of genuine care and personal connection. Drawing from her experience as a server, she understands the nuances of customer service and strives to make her clients feel valued. She maintains a vast network of over 2,000 relationships in the hospitality sector, which allows her to curate exceptional travel and dining experiences.
She listens closely to her clients’ desires, which they often articulate in broad terms. With her intuition and creativity, she helps bring their visions to life, filling in the gaps of what they might lack in time or access.
Her focus isn’t solely on luxury; instead, India aims to create meaningful, memorable experiences. For instance, she doesn’t promote high-end dining options just for prestige—she prefers to recommend places she believes offer more unique offerings.
India has organized extraordinary events, such as a candlelight dinner at Versailles and brunch on the Arc de Triomphe. She often combines meals with encounters with influential personalities, having arranged breakfasts with the Hermes family and lunches with the Fendi family in Rome.
Sometimes, her clients request simpler comforts, as in the case when Bush visited Ethiopia, where she arranged for him to have peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer, alongside a warm greeting from local children wearing Texas Rangers caps.
India’s passion for her work is evident as she engages with cab drivers, restaurant staff, and others to discover authentic local experiences for her clients. She believes that genuine connections and diverse experiences matter just as much as luxury, stating that “the world is not just luxury. The world is not just fancy experiences. It’s everything, and my clients want authentic experiences.”