Your Concierge Host
Sarah Auda, M.A.
My entire life has truly led me to the launch of The Luxury Hour brand as one of the leading experts on how principles of premium hospitality can be effective in small business models.
I was not born into wealth yet I had a keen eye for what separated a curated environment from everyday life. As a young child I couldn’t explain luxury with words, but I felt it when I observed it. I loved that… special feeling.
I had a grandmother that exposed me to some of the finer things in life, like vacations, valet service, eating out (and ordering dessert), over the top holidays, and occasionally showing off a designer car or handbag. Looking back, it wasn’t anything particularly extravagant, but it was an onramp to an exploration that would shape my values and future businesses.
My first real job was at Disneyland. I was 17 years old and hired to work directly with guests at a very high level. I never worked at that scale, but they told me I was one of a few people who understood how to provide exceptional service. At 17.
Disney provided me with world-class training in the art of guest experiences, which captured language, processes, and principles for the luxury I experienced with my grandmother. That’s when I understood that luxury means human attention.
I applied that idea into every context after that. When I earned my Masters in Organizational Leadership in 2006, I used the same principles in my thesis work.
From my career as a producer in entertainment, to teaching at Pepperdine University, to working with one of the wealthiest family offices in the nation, to launching my own consulting agency almost nine years ago, I’ve used theThe 7 Pillars of Human Luxury in everything I do.
The Luxury Hour merges my 20 years of executive coaching, corporate leadership experience, and nine years of helping hundreds of businesses become more people-centered.
The Luxury Hour is my love letter to you. It is dedicated to integrating premium care principles into how you engage in your businesses.
It’s deeper than a motto. It’s a way of being.
The Luxury Hour Manifesto
We are dedicated to sharing stories, case studies, interviews, and resources that express Premium Human Frameworks for Small Businesses.
We are here as an expert to bridge the gap between principles extracted from 5-star hospitality and brands and how they apply to any business willing to focus on human experience, engagement, and care.
It’s worth stating what The Luxury Hour is NOT…
We understand that the term “luxury” can be polarizing, unfortunately. Some people can get triggered by their own assumptions that come with this idea.
Projections might include judgements and upset about ultra high net worth lifestyles, the general morality of billionaires, extreme excess and consumerism, lack of care for the environment, elite social status, and a range of other personal beliefs.
We are not here to make moral statements or advocate for any of the above.
This is not about focusing on extreme pricing or elite customers. A lot of that is what we call “manufactured luxury,” which is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve.
The word “luxury” is just a word. By definition, it points to ease and comfort (especially in an environment) for things that are beyond necessity. It’s extra. It’s nice. It’s a pleasure.
This is all about how to bring more humanity, intentionality, and heart into your businesses and client experience - no matter who the consumer is. As small businesses, we are nimble and agile. It’s much easier for us to quickly implement and provide world-class human care with a single decision.