India's new luxury service: Lifestyle managers who handle everyday chores of the wealthy

For generations, affluent Indian households have relied on cooks, drivers, nannies, cleaners, and domestic helpers to keep daily life running smoothly. But as India's wealthy families juggle demanding careers, global work schedules, and increasingly complex lifestyles, a new profession is quietly emerging behind the scenes: the lifestyle manager.

Part concierge, part consultant, and part household chief-of-staff, lifestyle managers are becoming indispensable to urban India's affluent class. Their responsibilities stretch far beyond traditional domestic work, covering everything from pantry organisation and grocery procurement to holiday planning, home renovations, luxury purchases, and family logistics.

Companies such as Pinch, Elitebutlers, Club Concierge, and Indulge Concierge are at the forefront of this growing industry, offering services that promise one thing above all else: time.

"Just like in a luxury hotel, guests never really see the effort behind the scenes—they simply experience comfort and convenience. Many clients now want that same effortless experience at home," said Sheetal, a lifestyle manager at Pinch, told The Print.

Don't Miss: Dhoni or Kohli, Mumbai or Delhi? Vedanta's Anil Agarwal reveals his favourites

Running homes like luxury hotels

A typical day for a lifestyle manager can vary dramatically.

One morning may involve coordinating grocery deliveries and organising kitchen shelves. By afternoon, the same professional could be comparing luxury car models, negotiating with dealerships, or overseeing a home renovation project. Planning international vacations, cataloguing premium liquor collections, managing household staff, arranging medical appointments, and sourcing gifts are all part of the job.

Unlike traditional housekeepers, lifestyle managers are not necessarily present in the home every day. Instead, they function as central coordinators, ensuring that every moving part of a household operates seamlessly.

Most professionals in the field are educated individuals in their 20s and 30s, often recruited from luxury hospitality brands, airlines, or customer service backgrounds. Equipped with laptops and tablets, they resemble corporate consultants more than domestic staff and frequently manage multiple households simultaneously.

Entry-level salaries typically range from ₹4 lakh to ₹6 lakh annually, while experienced managers serving ultra-high-net-worth families can earn substantially more. Service packages for clients can begin at around ₹15,000 per month and rise to ₹1.5 lakh depending on the scope of work.

 

The human 'operating system' of a household

For 24-year-old lifestyle manager Uttaran Sen, managing six to seven households at a time means becoming deeply familiar with the rhythms of each family.

Small details often reveal larger life changes. A subtle shift in grocery orders, for instance, may signal an important personal development within a household.

Sen's role extends beyond recommendations. Whether selecting products, hiring vendors, or solving household problems, he remains involved until every task is completed.

"Anything which takes up their time in the house, even as little as two minutes — if I'm taking care of that, that's our job," he said.

In many ways, lifestyle managers have become living databases for the families they serve, keeping track of schedules, preferences, relationships, household staff, maintenance requirements, and countless daily details.

 

Why affluent families are Paying for convenience

For clients, the appeal is not necessarily luxury — it is efficiency.

Many users of lifestyle management services are dual-income professionals balancing demanding careers with family responsibilities. Long workdays and global schedules often leave little time or energy for supervising contractors, coordinating domestic workers, or planning family events.

One client, a corporate executive, said he and his wife turned to a lifestyle management service after struggling to manage their careers and raise a young daughter.

Their household already employed a cook, driver, nanny, and cleaner. What they lacked was someone to coordinate everything.

The lifestyle manager helped set up their new home after a move, organised family vacations, and handled a host of administrative details.

"For me, it's not about hiring a house manager. It's about buying time for myself and my family," he said.

 

Beyond Logistics: An emotional support system

As lifestyle managers become deeply integrated into their clients' lives, their responsibilities often extend beyond practical tasks.

Sen recalls receiving a late-night call from a distressed client whose daughter had stopped responding while travelling home. The situation required reassurance and emotional support as much as logistical assistance.

Such moments highlight how the profession often operates at the intersection of household management and personal trust.

Lifestyle managers also frequently mediate disputes involving domestic workers, manage staffing emergencies, and navigate the interpersonal dynamics that come with multi-generational families.

"Every household is a unique entity. And they have their own rhythm," Sen said.

 

A rapidly expanding industry

Industry insiders believe demand for lifestyle management services is only beginning to grow.

The role now encompasses everything from meal planning and pantry management to event hosting, travel planning, gift sourcing, and renovation oversight.

According to industry players, many recruits are drawn from luxury hotel chains such as Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, where employees are trained to anticipate customer needs and deliver personalised service. Former cabin crew members are also considered ideal candidates because of their expertise in communication and hospitality.

The business growth reflects the rising demand. Pinch's annual revenue reportedly jumped from ₹78 lakh in 2022-23 to ₹4.8 crore in the most recent financial year.

 

The debate over professionalising domestic work

The rise of lifestyle managers has also sparked conversations about changing labour dynamics in India.

Experts argue that the formalisation of household management reflects broader shifts in the economy and labour market. According to JNU professor Avinash Kumar, what appears to be the professionalisation of domestic work may also mask growing employment insecurity.

Historically, household and care work was largely transferred from middle-class women to other women. Today, digital platforms and economic pressures are drawing more workers — including men — into similar service roles.

Kumar cautions that while technology, uniforms, ratings, and apps create an image of professionalism, they do not automatically improve working conditions. Instead, they can contribute to what he describes as "precarisation"—a process that leaves workers increasingly vulnerable despite the appearance of formal employment.

 

An old concept reimagined

While the industry may appear modern, its roots are centuries old.

Pinch founder and CEO Nitin Srivastava argues that wealthy households have long depended on trusted individuals to manage their affairs. Similar roles have existed in royal households, aristocratic estates, and luxury residences across India and abroad.

 

What has changed is the structure.

Rather than relying on personal networks or inherited staff, affluent families can now access these services through organised companies, standardised processes, and subscription-based models.

As India's professional class grows wealthier—and busier—the demand for people who can manage the complexities of modern life appears set to increase.

For lifestyle managers like Sheetal, success ultimately depends on three qualities: empathy, communication, and proactiveness.