Beyond Sarah luxury concierge service for High Net Worth Individuals
Please introduce yourself and your startup Beyond Sarah to our readers
My name is Sarah Asgaraly and I am the CEO and founder of Beyond Sarah. Beyond Sarah is a luxury concierge service, catering to High Net Worth Individuals who enjoy luxury, are struggling with time and in pursuit of a bespoke service. I organise things such as flights, villa rentals, hotel bookings, private jets, yachts, property investments, supercars, film premieres, red carpet events, personal shopping, nannies and private chefs. Members usually contact me through WhatsApp, which differentiates me from all other concierge services.
Once members sign up, they get additional benefits that change every month. As I value and listen to my members, I also try and offer them the best value for brands they are interested in and am open to suggestions. For instance, last month I went to purchase some creams at Celestolite for one of my members and managed to get him 5% discount on any future purchases.
At the moment, I also offer 50% discount on retail brands such as Nike, Adidas, Hamleys, Kurt Geiger, Levi’s, Suit Direct, and Villeroy & Boch, a reduced membership fee at South Kensington Club (at £600 for three months), 15% discount at Notre Fleur London, one complimentary class at any Psycle studios, 20% discount for the first month’s private lessons at Breathe Yoga and Pilates, £100 discount on any suits at Jasper Littman, 5% discount at the British Hamper Company, 20% discount at The Elixir Clinic on any IV therapy treatment (IV Vitamin Therapy, IV Laser Therapy, IV Ozone Therapy), Intramuscular Vitamin injections, or any Elixir Facial as well as access to exclusive in-store events at Hermes, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Strathberry, Valentino, Gucci, and Eisenberg Paris.
How did you get the idea for Beyond Sarah?
I have always been fascinated by luxury brands and my goal was to have my own business. It was only a matter of time until I put the two together. I have a Master’s degree in Luxury Management from the International University of Monaco and have worked for some of the most prestigious luxury concierge companies in London. After noticing that other large concierge companies often fail to meet member’s requests with quantity rather than quality, I have decided to change the industry with a new objective revolving around client satisfaction. I felt that with my academic knowledge, experience and contacts in the industry, I could offer the best service to my clients, that is truly bespoke and tailored to their individual needs.
How difficult was the start and what challenges you had to overcome?
I would say that the hardest step was building the confidence to start my own business. There were many people who would say “aren’t you scared of failing”, “are you ready to quit a full time job”, “aren’t you scared of doing it alone”?
I believe if you are passionate about anything, you will be able to achieve it. You often feel like you need to know everything before starting your own business, but trust me you will learn on the job. I have learned much more by being an entrepreneur than from studying or working at any company.
One of the biggest challenges I have faced was being a female entrepreneur. As a female entrepreneur in a male-dominated industry, being taken seriously is not as easy as it seems. To overcome this, I have had to learn to build my confidence and overcome my negative self-talk.
Who is your target audience?
My target audience are High Net Worth individuals who enjoy the finest things in life, but don’t always have the time to organise it.
What is the USP of your startup?
Client satisfaction is my main priority and as a result, I offer a WhatsApp Concierge which allows for members to feel comfortable sending their requests conveniently via the popular messaging app, even when abroad. This method astutely breaks down barriers, allowing for members to feel at ease with instant updates.
Can you describe a typical workday of you?
In the morning, I check my requests through WhatsApp, go through my emails and check the traffic analytics on my website to spot any new opportunity.
Then, I post content on Social Media to keep my audience engaged (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn).
I go to the gym at 11:00, as I believe it is just as important to take care of yourself physically and mentally.
In the afternoon, I go to meetings with new partners and clients (usually in exciting locations).
In the evening, I go to events to network and potentially find more clients.
As I offer a 24/7 service, my phone is always next to me and I am available anytime, even on weekends.
Where do you see yourself and your startup Beyond Sarah in five years?
In five years, I want Beyond Sarah to grow the number of members and win more corporate deals in the luxury and travel industry. One of my goals is to partner up with and support female start-up companies.
What 3 tips would you give other Start-up founders on the way?
1) If you have an exciting idea – don’t be scared, take the jump and believe in yourself. You will learn all the skills you need on the job.
2) Network as much as you can and reach out to people who can mentor and help you. You will be surprised by how supportive some people are. Even some of my so-called competitors offered me some of the best advices.
3) Be open minded – always find ideas to build brand awareness by listening to people’s suggestions.
More information you will find here
Thank you Sarah Asgaraly for the Interview
Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.
