When Jaclyn Sienna India started her luxury travel concierge, Sienna Charles, in 2008, she focused on projecting confidence and competence, despite lacking clients initially. Early on, she deceived potential customers into thinking her services were in high demand.
Fast forward sixteen years, India has successfully built a clientele that includes notable figures such as former President George W. Bush and celebrity icons like Mariah Carey. Her exclusive services cater to individuals with annual incomes exceeding $100 million, catering to clients who appear to have everything. So what unique offerings does India provide that her clients can’t find elsewhere?
India believes that the key to her success lies in her genuine care for clients, saying, “My clients are way more powerful than me… But that’s not what gets things done. It’s care.” Drawing on her five years of experience as a server, she emphasizes the importance of understanding her clients’ needs and preferences.
Sienna Charles is backed by an extensive network of over 2,000 connections within the hospitality sector, including yachts, hotels, and fine dining establishments. This network enables her to create personalized travel and dining experiences tailored to her clients’ desires.
“My clients explain what they’re looking to achieve… They just don’t have the tools, the time, the access, and the creativity,” she said. India prides herself on the ability to grasp her clients’ visions quickly and then bring those ideas to life.
Her aim isn’t solely to secure bookings at the most exclusive venues but to provide genuinely memorable experiences. For instance, she has chosen not to promote certain highly prestigious restaurants, like French Laundry in Napa Valley, despite their acclaim, favoring more unique dining experiences such as Single Thread Farms.
India frequently curates extraordinary events for her clients, like arranging a candlelight dinner at Versailles or brunch atop the Arc de Triomphe. She also facilitates access to notable names, having organized breakfasts with the Hermes family and lunches with the Fendi family.
At times, her clients crave simpler comforts. For instance, when George W. Bush visited Ethiopia, she ensured he had familiar favorites, including peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer, along with a warm welcome from local children wearing Texas Rangers caps.
“I genuinely care about people,” India explains, highlighting the importance of connection in her work. She spends her days engaging with various individuals, from taxi drivers to restaurant staff, to uncover the most authentic experiences 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.”