Meet lifestyle managers of the rich and too-busy
Summary
Post covid, there’s been a slow but steady rise in platforms that help the wealthy make decisions for them, ranging from the mundane to bizarreAanchal Kohli starts her day at 5.30am. After meditation and breakfast, she sits at her table and makes a to-do list. The list on the day we spoke included: Get fresh amaranth flour delivered, organise a walk-in closet, get clothes dry-cleaned, get the drawing room fan fixed, zero in on a caterer to make satvic food for a forthcoming puja, and organise an all-healthy party menu for an all-girls’ house party.
None of these are personal tasks. These are demands of the five clients whose lives Kohli manages 24x7. “My prime job is to remove their micro-stresses so that they can focus on what’s more important, like their work. Basically a PA (personal assistant) but working in the background," says Kohli, 27, who works as a lifestyle manager at Pinch, a Gurugram-based lifestyle management company that was started in 2021 with the idea to bring “comfort and convenience to families in their day-to-day household chores".
“Like the amaranth flour, for example. This client is on a strict diet, and can only eat fresh flour (as recommended by her dietitian), so I have to ensure that every two-three days, a fresh organic batch gets delivered to her house. Another client wants her wardrobe colour coordinated so she doesn’t have to ask herself ‘What to wear’ every morning. The next time, I have to organise her bag closet. In a way, I’m making decisions for them, based on who they are as an individual and what they desire."
There’s been a slow but steady rise in platforms that help the wealthy make decisions for them, ranging from the mundane to bizarre. These are essentially concierge services packaged as lifestyle companies with one promise: just say what you desire and it will become a reality.
Want a private jet to attend a Sting performance at the Wembley Stadium, UK, in the VVIP box? Want someone to unpack your suitcases after a holiday? Planning to gift your partner a Himalayan Birkin that’s no longer in production? Need a nanny for your twins? Prefer blessings from the Pope before getting married? Flying to New York but want Indian masalas delivered to your apartment before you reach? Can’t decide what to watch on Netflix? These platforms are ready to do anything and everything for you. “Until you aren’t asking for anything illegal," laughs Nitin Mohan Srivastava, the co-founder of Pinch, which has 100-odd high-net worth individuals (HNIs) as clients, spread across the National Capital Region (NCR) and Mumbai. Their monthly subscription fee starts at ₹30,000 (for a shared lifestyle manager) and goes up to ₹1 lakh (for a fully dedicated lifestyle manager); they bill the clients separately for outside services like purchasing a bag, or hiring a mechanic.
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“There have also been instances when, despite trying, we couldn’t deliver. We recently had this demand from a client where they wanted a pair of Ray Bans that went out of production in 2012. We ended up sending someone to the Essilor Luxottica (the manufacturer) factory in Europe to check if they were available. They weren’t. That’s on the more luxury side; we also focus a lot on the day-to-day household chores. The idea is to take away the immense pressure of taking decisions every day."
IT’S ALL ABOUT SERVICE
Srivastava’s belief stems from the phenomenon of “decision fatigue" that’s supposedly hurting the productivity of today’s workforce, the masses and the elite alike. Research shows by the time the average person goes to bed, they’ve made over 35,000 decisions—from what to eat, what to wear, what to watch/read, and where to buy groceries from. All of this can cause anxiety and a drop in energy levels. Plus, the wealthy, especially, prefer not to waste their time standing in queues or surfing the Net, looking for the best-priced business-class tickets.
“Even the rich want good discounts," Manoj Adlakha says. He’s the founder of RedBeryl Lifestyle Services, a luxury one-year-old lifestyle management company that helps the rich live the rich life without moving a finger. They have tie-ups with five-star hotels, clubs, spas and restaurants across India that help them offer discounts to clients whenever they are looking for suggestions for dining, ticket booking and hotel stays.
While Adlakha, who was the senior vice-president and head of international marketing at American Express for over 30 years, doesn’t share any client numbers, he says his company has over 20 lifestyle managers with each taking care of at least 10 clients in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The RedBeryl Red Card (offers more discounts and access to exclusive events) costs ₹6.9 lakh (plus GST) in the first year, with a fee of ₹1.9 lakh plus GST every subsequent year. Its Black card costs ₹2.4 lakh plus GST in the first year, with ₹90,000 plus GST every subsequent year.
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Like Pinch, RedBeryl’s clients are HNIs in the 40-plus age group. “I was actually surprised that younger people are seeking such services. It’s not a new concept; in the West, there have been services like these but in India, it’s relatively new," says Adlakha. “The rich have always had someone to take care of their needs but what makes having a lifestyle manager different is that this person understands what you like and will cater to your demands accordingly. He or she will not just give you what you want but two-three more options as per your liking. Plus, we will get you access without moving an inch. And good service. That has a different kind of charm."
For instance, one of RedBeryl’s clients asked his lifestyle manager to secure a 1960s vintage car. “Within 72 hours, the deal was signed. You know, organising a lunch tomorrow in New York with the most rare wine is not a big deal for us. But instances like these (referring to the vintage car request) challenge us," says Adlakha. “And it’s good because it helps us become better and network more."
That’s what drives lifestyle managers. “You get to know so many people and see a kind of lifestyle that we probably would never live," says Pinch’s Aanchal Kohli. “It’s not that they can’t order groceries online on their own. It’s more about prioritisation for them. They would rather spend that time in a meeting, or studying a contract. They seek clearance of mind space; and that’s what a lifestyle manager is offering them—managing their life 24x7, the way they want, without even being visible."
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