Laura Fursdon set up Calder & Co in 2021 when the world was “reawakening” following the Covid-19 pandemic. She previously spent nearly 20 years in the private concierge sector, including 12 years at lifestyle management specialist Quintessentially.
“After Covid, it was all about having the freedom to travel again and making up for lost time,” she told TTG Luxury. “I thought there was a bit of a gap in the market between private concierge and travel clients. There really wasn’t one advisor to provide both services to ultra-high net worth (UHNW) clients.”
Calder & Co now operates two business models – the first is a private membership service for clients who pay an annual fee, while the travel concierge side also works with luxury businesses, such as private jet, superyacht and automotive firms, to provide services to their customers.
“When we started, I was looking for leads and new business,” said Fursdon. “We find that now leads are coming in organically and we’ve become more selective about members and the partners we work with. They have to be the right fit for us.
“When they have signed up for annual membership it really does increase the loyalty”
“When they have signed up for annual membership it really does increase the loyalty and over time, their spend with us.”
Fursdon said the team book a full range of travel, from one-night business trips to package holidays with tour operators. They also provide a 24/7 concierge service with staff on call through a rota system, with most communication with clients coming via “old school” phone calls and emails.
Global gains
Initially, Calder & Co’s client base was primarily from the UK but it has grown its international members in recent years, particularly in Australia, the US and Middle East.
“We’re selective about our members – our brand is so important and we want to make sure their experience with us is amazing. We have long conversations with them about their aims and expectations – we spend so much time getting to know every member of the family,” Fursdon said.
The business has now grown to a team of four, but there is in no rush to recruit more staff - even though Calder & Co is set to take on two new corporate clients imminently.
“Hiring is really important and I don’t want to rush into hiring people for the sake of it – you have to find the right people,” added Fursdon. “I want to stay boutique and keep it small – I don’t want to grow too quickly. Finding UHNW clients is time-consuming so growth is slower as it’s mostly from referrals and word of mouth.”
“Finding UHNW clients is time-consuming, so growth is slower”
As for current booking trends, Fursdon said the Maldives has been one of the most popular destinations so far for clients this year. She has also noticed more demand from clients for “authentic” experiences.
“They definitely want that luxury but they also look for those really authentic experiences – especially if they are travelling with children and they want them to learn about local cultures,” she added.
There have also been more very late bookings for ski breaks for Calder & Co this winter as clients wait until the last minute to ensure snow conditions are good in their chosen resort.
“We’re seeing a return to volume bookings for multigenerational family trips this year when they are going away for two or three weeks,” said Fursdon. “We saw demand for these holidays go down last year but it seems to be coming back now.”
