In 2000, British aristocrat Ben Elliot and his partners started Quintessentially, which they conceived as a luxury concierge service for their posh friends in London. On the corporate website, Quintessentially.com, they sell themselves less as a for-profit business than "first and foremost a club, a club for those who believe that life is too short to waste time on the mundane or second best."

Business, nevertheless, has boomed, and eight years later, Quintessentially is a global giant with 3,000 employees in 45 countries, dedicated to the proposition that no excess is too wretched for the rich, the very rich, and those who merely want to be perceived as such.
            
Elliot's company—which counts Harvey Weinstein, Gwyneth Paltrow, and several royals among its clients—has branched out into every conceivable service (well, nearly every conceivable service) that members of the moneyed class might like to consume, including real estate, cuisine, exotic travel, and security. Their success is largely due to the 31-year-old Elliot, whose seething ambition is masked by an understated charm and a knack for attracting press as one of Britain's more eligible bachelors. It doesn't hurt that he has dated a glittering array of models and starlets, and that his aunt is Camilla Parker-Bowles, otherwise known as the future Queen of England.

Lloyd Grove: Mr. Elliot, I've read in some of your interviews that punctuality is very important to you, even though you're 10 minutes late for our appointment.
 
Ben Elliot: Well, I said 10 a.m., but we did go back and forth. I know what you're saying. I am usually very punctual. I thought we did agree to 10:15. Forgive me. And so therefore I'm not late.
 
L.G.: I wasn't party to the agreement, but you're forgiven. You have a place in New York, right?
 
B.E.: Yes, it's been three years. I live in Chelsea. I rent, but I'm looking to buy now. There are three neighborhoods that I'm looking in. Where I am is a great building actually, in Chelsea. I like the West Village, and a friend of mine just bought something in the East Village, which I love.
 
L.G.: So let me ask you this: How much of your business is in America?

B.E.: It's growing massively. We're now in 45 countries, but in terms of America, we have offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington. We just opened San Francisco, and we're about to do Chicago and Houston. And we have partners in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Barbados—so I think that Pan America will actually be our largest market.
 
L.G: In terms of the United States, do you have a sense of ballpark percentage of market share?
 
B.E.: Of the whole business, it counts for about 40 percent. My business partner and I actually think it will be the majority of our business for the next three years, and I know everyone's terrified by something which could be branded as a kind of breakfast cereal, which is credit crunch. But for what we do, I think for the individuals that are our members, we are not oblivious to it, but we've become, I hope, so ingrained in how they do things that it doesn't affect the business. I was actually in a board meeting earlier today. I'm on the board of Phillips de Pury, the art auctioneers, and we're about to do an event in Moscow with them. And if you're looking at what they're doing—everyone said, the real estate market, the financial market, the art market will be next. At the moment, that seems to be not true.

L.G.: It's not true? I mean, a lot of people on Wall Street have lost their jobs.
 
B.E.: And more people will lose their jobs.
 
L.G.: More people will lose their jobs, and there have been massive write-downs. You've obviously paid close attention to all that. That's not totally off mark, is it?

B.E.: No, it's not totally off mark. And the people that we look after, some are employed by those institutions, and some people have money at those institutions. Everybody is a bit like a startled rabbit to an extent, but I don't think in terms of what we do—which is looking after peoples' lives—I don't see any trouble facing us. And actually, no bullshit, April was the best month we've ever had in New York since we've started.
 
L.G.: Really? What are your metrics? What kind of volume are we talking about?
 
B.E.: We're talking about people coming to New York, so that's from the rest of the U.S. and that's from our members internationally, and secondly, people who have recommended other people to become members of Quintessentially.

 
L.G.: In other words, people from Europe coming and spending U.S. dollars as though they're Nicaraguan córdobas.
 
B.E.: No, I think if you look, the dollar against the euro has taken a little bit of a bashing, but against the pound, it's risen recently. And look, this isn't a new trend. If you speak to Mayor Bloomberg, he'd be saying thank God for all of that European money coming in. No, in terms of New Yorkers, they're still dining out, they're still going to shows, they're still going on holiday. Maybe they won't do some of the things they did, but for the price of the Quintessentially membership, I don't necessarily think that affects us. Now, if we go to long-term decline, I'm sure there are lots of industries that will suffer, and we might be one of those. But I don't think we should be thinking about that. There are lots of people who should be our members who are not, and we welcome them.
 
L.G.: How many members do you have worldwide at this point?
 
B.E.: We don't really tell people in any great detail, but we limit it to any specific city we're in for up to 5,000 individuals, because we think if there's more than that, the service starts getting diluted.
 
L.G.: What's the demographic profile of members in New York?
 
B.E.: Unbelievably discerning, brilliantly demanding, unbelievably well-connected.
 
L.G.: If they're so well-connected, why do they need you?
 
B.E.: People have said that to us since we've started. You know, some of our high-profile members, they said, "Hang on, why do we need a Quintessentially membership?" And it's because we're the most well-connected, firstly; and secondly, you're not going to be unbelievably well-connected everywhere in the world. I mean, I just read a funny email from an L.A.-based film producer who was wanting to be at Manchester United versus Chelsea in Moscow, and he can't get a room in that city. Well, Quintessentially Moscow can get you a room. It's the length and breadth of what we do, and therefore we're able to go and negotiate great rates. If you stay in this hotel where we're meeting today, you'll get the best rates as a Quintessentially member.

L.G.: What kind of discount can you get me at the Gramercy Park Hotel?
 
B.E.: Well, discounts at the Gramercy Park, um, at the moment they're doing very well, so it's about making sure that you get availability, and if you stay here you can get an upgrade. If you look at any hotels we look after, whether it would be the Four Seasons or the Peninsula or some boutique hotels, one, we will guarantee the best rack rates, and also make sure you get all the best rooms that are available.

L.G.: What's the income demographic of your members?
 
B.E.: Well, we don't know. One, because we don't ask them, and two, because it's none of our business.
 
L.G.: You don't ask?
 
B.E.: No. Our job is to service our members and to look after them, it's not to ask them how much money they've got in their bank account. You would say unequivocally that most of the people would have large sums of income, or wealth, simply because you know the things they're choosing to actually acquire or buy through us.
 
L.G.: What does the membership cost?
 
B.E.: These days, it starts at $1,500 as an annual membership, and then there's the next membership up, which is the one that's most popular in New York. It's almost like having your own personal assistant, which starts at $4,500. So you get your own account manager, who will come meet with you, your husband, your wife and partner, or whatever. The membership fee covers everything for you as the member. In terms of the commissions, there are certain vendor agreements that we have in place, but that isn't passed on. It's not that we put the commission onto the price of the members and sort it out with the vendors beforehand. Then there's a membership which allows you to have your own personal account manager in certain cities, so you can travel in four to five international cities or cities in America, and then you get your own account manager, and that's grown massively as well. And that kind starts from $2,000 a month.
 
L.G.: So you've been following the presidential campaign?
 
B.E.: Yeah, big time. I think Mrs. Clinton will continue to carry on, but I mean, some commentators, like the New York Times, were saying that this is the final nail in the coffin for her.
 
L.G.: There's obviously a lot of talk about the economic slowdown. Normal people, regular people in this country, are hurting, gas prices are through the roof, etcetera. This is obviously counterintuitive, what you're doing.
 
B.E.: The nature of our business is completely international, and you just have to look in other parts of Europe and the U.K. and all around the world, the same question is being asked. We're in Dubai, we're in Kuwait, we're in Saudi, we're in Bahrain, we're in Beirut, Israel, all of those places. We work with lots of corporate partners as well, real estate developers and airlines—I mean I run the first class for British Airways worldwide.And if you've seen one example of a business that's had real trouble probably because of the fundraising ability, it's the airlines. Look at Eos, which is a business-class premium airline, which went into receivership last month. Then there was Silver Jet, which is a U.K. business. But our job is to get our members the best price and the best seats. But to answer your question, while everybody's frightened about what's happening, history shows us that often it's the financial markets, not political leaders, that will correct themselves. I think it's terrifying that oil prices might go to $200 a barrel. It's terrifying for all sorts of people. I think what's terrifying is the commodities, particularly food in some parts of the world. I mean, you read about food riots in the streets of India, in Africa. I've got some friends who work there, and they're having a very difficult problem.

L.G.: Are you providing those people in those markets with the best security?
 
B.E.: Well, we have an office in downtown Maputo, Mozambique, and that's for our members.
 
L.G.: You don't have a deal with Blackwater?
 
B.E.: No, are you suggesting that we should?
 
L.G.: I just ask questions! 
 
B.E.: No, we do have Quintessentially Secure. If you go to the website, we of course help members there.
 
L.G.: By the way, I'm not suggesting this either, but just a question—a lot of your client base does make use of escort services.

B.E.: How do you know that?
 
L.G.: I don't know that for fact.
 
B.E: Neither do I.
 
L.G.: But it's legal in many places where you operate. What if somebody says, "I want the best call girl"? 
 
B.E.: No, sir. I think you'd have to ask Eliot Spitzer for that number. That's not what we do at Quintessentially.
 
L.G.: Presumably, if Eliot Spitzer had come to you and you were providing that service, he wouldn't be in the fix he's in.
 
B.E.: No, because we would be saying to the former governor, "Mr. Spitzer, or Governor Spitzer, I'm afraid that's not what Quintessentially membership entitles you to, and I'm sure as governor you'd be able to sort yourself out in terms of that. That's not what we do."

L.G.: At least I provided you with an idea for a future growth opportunity.
 
B.E.: Very generous. Thank you very much!
 
L.G.: By the way, in every article about you, and there have been many—
 
B.E: I apologize for that.
 
L.G.: Not at all. I mean, we don't need trees, they can die.
 
B.E.: No they can't.
 
L.G.: But every article describes you as "the Duchess of Cornwall's nephew."
 
B.E.: Well, not every article.
 
L.G.: Pretty much every article, which is, in this marketplace, a sort of branding. You are the Duchess of Cornwall's nephew, fine.
 
B.E.: Yeah, I make no apologies for that at all.
 
L.G.: Right, but how valuable is that, as just sort of an ID, in this business world?
 
B.E.: Well, when we started Quintessentially, my aunt wasn't married to royalty.
 
L.G.: She was the royal mistress, right?
 
B.E.: Well, she was the royal—I don't know, I don't know if mistress is quite the correct word. She was dating the future king of England. When we first started, I'm not sure, but I think it counted against us. I'm proud of who my family are and in terms of people being interested, I'm not sure, I don't think people are very interested. I mean, it's nice of the press to take that on, but I'm not sure anybody else necessarily does, or would be that interested anyway.

L.G.: One of your partners was quoted as being asked, "Can you get royals to our events?" And he said, "Some of the minor royals."
 
B.E.: I don't know. There are lots of different royals in lots of different places, who attend lots of our events, and lots of them are proud members of Quintessentially. We're proud to look after them, as we are many others.
 
L.G.: The other thing is, you've dated every fabulous woman and movie star and model, apparently.
 
B.E.: No, I wouldn't believe that.
 
L.G.: Are you dating Jemima Khan now?
 
B.E.: I'd prefer not to—I thought this was about Quintessentially.
 
L.G.: I think it is about Quintessentially, because I think that's part of the profile of the company. Don't you think that it's valuable to be known in the public sphere as being associated with Jade Jagger, Jemima Khan, Sophie Dahl, and all those fabulous women?

B.E.: I don't know. I'd like to think that what I'm dedicated to is looking after Quintessentially members 24 hours a day. What happens in my private life is certainly private.

L.G.: But your clients presumably like to read about those things.
 
B.E.: I honestly think what my clients, our clients, care about is our ability to deliver the best service, 24 hours a day and the rest of it. I wouldn't have thought, one, they're even interested, and two, they would've actually even known. That's why we've been successful. I don't think it's anything to do with who my aunt is or whom I happen to have, um, you know, been out with or anything like that. We employ nearly 3,000 people worldwide. Full-time. And I'm proud of what we as a team created. When we started in London, it was meant for people just in London. And, in fact, we've been able to come to New York, where I live, and this city for us has been the most exciting, brilliant, open opportunity. And for me personally the best thing that I ever did in my life was go to New York.

L.G.: How do you divide your time now?
 
B.E.: I'm going to Asia for three weeks to visit our Tokyo and China offices in three weeks' time. I'm doing a large event at the Cannes Film Festival. I spend a lot of time traveling in the rest of America, so it depends. I mean, there's no rule. My business partner and I spend most of our time visiting our offices and helping the team that we work on.
 
L.G: And you've had as your clients, I've read, people like Harvey Weinstein and Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson and various others.
 
B.E.: We have a number of well-known people and a number of less well-known people, and hopefully they love what we do.
 
L.G.: What are some of the more recent interesting requests that your company has been able to fill lately?

B.E.: Well, there's somebody in London who wanted a Premiership footballer to train his children to be best at football, which I thought was rather brilliant. For somebody in New York, we're being asked, through Quintessentially Estates, to look for an architect who will create a Batman cave for some illustrious member behind a library door. There's somebody who, maybe reading about the new Indiana Jones film, wants to fulfill a fantasy of going to Petra in Jordan, going to explore Indiana Jones-style some of the wonders of that country. We get asked for outlandish things day in and day out, but I think most of the things we do is what you imagine us to do, which is to help people with their lives, and to organize themselves and get the very best deals and those kind of things.

L.G.: And one of the odder requests that I read about was somebody wanting squirrel meat?
 
B.E.: I don't think you're allowed to gather up the squirrels in this great city.
 
L.G.: And eat them.
 
B.E: I think people might think you were peculiar.

L.G.: How did you come up with Quintessentially as a name?
 
B.E.: We just felt it encapsulated what we were trying to do, which is the very essence of what we do.
 
L.G.: Why an adverb? Why didn't you make it a noun?
 
B.E.: You sound like my father, or my Latin teacher. I'm not sure. Quintessentially, I don't know, it runs off the tip of my tongue better, and I liked it.
 
L.G.: So you're here for a couple of weeks and then you're off to Asia?
 
B.E.: I'm going to Cannes one week to throw a party, and then I'm flying to Japan and around Asia and then to Australia, which I haven't been to for maybe 15 years, actually, so I'm excited about doing that. Then I'll be back here for most of the summer. Maybe when we next meet, you could ask me sweeter questions than you asked today, you bastard!