When Jacqueline Sienna India founded boutique travel concierge Sienna Charles in 2008, she was determined to fake it until she made it.
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“My husband thought I was the dumbest person in the world because people would call me and say, ‘I read your article and I want to go to Disney,’ or ‘I’m going to New Jersey for the weekend,'” she told Business Insider. “I was like, ‘Sorry, I’m so busy. I’m fully booked with high-net-worth people this season.’ But I didn’t have any clients.”
But 16 years later, the deception worked. India now counts multiple world leaders, including former President George W. Bush, and celebrities like Mariah Carey among its clients. Her services are aimed at clients earning more than $100 million a year — people who already have everything. So what is India offering its customers that they can’t get for themselves?
“My clients are much more powerful than I am and know a lot more people, but that doesn’t make things work. It’s about compassion and leading from the heart,” she explains. “I worked as a server for five years before I started my business, so I know what people are feeling, and being attentive and compassionate to them is the most important thing.”
Sienna Charles boasts a “black book” of over 2,000 relationships across India’s hospitality industry, including yachts, hotels, fine dining restaurants, etc. This relationship building that allows India to connect with people working in the hospitality industry has allowed her to create unique travel and dining experiences for her clients.
“[My clients] “They already know what they’re trying to accomplish, so I’m just describing it to them. They just don’t have the tools, the time, the access or the creativity to make it happen,” India said. “Part of my talent is being able to capture that vision in just a few words and communicate it to them.”
But her goal with her clients isn’t just to take them to the most glamorous and exclusive venues: it’s also to ensure that the final experience is one that is truly worthwhile.
“I don’t think the French Laundry in Napa is that interesting,” India said, referring to the three-star Michelin restaurant in California. “That’s why I’m not selling it,” she continued. “Would I put someone in there? Of course I could, but I think what we’re doing down the road at Single Thread Farm is much more interesting.”
India emphasizes that her focus is on giving her clients the best personal experiences, not simply providing the most luxurious experiences, and what she offers are often unique events: On one occasion, she arranged a candlelit dinner in Versailles; another time, a client had brunch at the Arc de Triomphe.
“We also like to combine dining with meetings with great people,” India explained. “We’ve had breakfast with the Hermes family and lunch in Rome with the Fendi family.
But sometimes her clients want something much simpler: When President Bush visited Ethiopia, she made sure he had the same comforts he had back home: peanut butter and non-alcoholic beer, and the former president was greeted by dozens of children wearing Texas Rangers caps.
“I genuinely care about people,” she explains. India says she spends her days talking to everyone from taxi drivers to restaurant staff to find the most interesting options for her customers. “The world is not just about luxury. The world is not just about luxury experiences. It’s everything, [my clients] They want an authentic experience.”
