I was looking at a couple of the lifestyle management companies, Quintessentially and Ten Group (which just floated on AIM; TENG:LON) and thought "Huh, party planning and investment management, sounds like a family office" and remembered this piece....And today, from the BBC's Capital:
Using vast networks of global connections, insider knowledge quick thinking, these people make the impossible possible – for a price.
Say you want a private breakfast on the top of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, last minute dinner reservations at The French Laundry or better yet, a private meal prepared by Thomas Keller in his home.
Such unique experiences remain out of reach for the vast majority. But for a privileged few – the travelling elite, who are time-poor and prepared to pay top dollar – there exists a whole industry of fixers who cater to their every whim.
Top-tier members of these clubs have dedicated “lifestyle management” teams across continents who do everything from arranging travel, to introductions to influential people and invites to hot social events.
For Jaclyn Sienna India, founder of luxury travel company Sienna Charles, telling clients “no” would be a good way to torpedo her business.
She juggles seemingly impossible requests. Booking sought-after hotel rooms that have been sold out for months and arranging private shopping sessions with top fashion designers in France are all just part of the job.
“If I need to get on a plane to make a reservation happen, or hop in a taxi and talk to someone in person, I will do it,” she says. “I operate in a world where anything is possible.
She once arranged a trip to Ethiopia for former President George HW Bush and personally brought non-alcoholic beers and peanut butter in her luggage to make sure he had the right ingredients for his desired snack while abroad.
“There is no way to prepare for these things, we get a request and I just figure out the way to get it done no matter what it takes.”
The deep pockets of many of her clients helps: “Obviously, anything is possible if you have enough money,” she says.
India’s company is just one of many luxury travel concierge services in a growing industry: People with disposable income are increasingly spending their money on experiences rather than things, and a 2017 study revealed that the luxury travel industry is outpacing overall travel in terms of annual growth.
An attention-grabbing study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last year found that using money to outsource tasks and free up time for experiences lowered stress and improved happiness.
So it’s little wonder people who can afford it are spending money to buy back some time....MORE
