As the saying goes, you learn a lot about someone when traveling with them. And while luxury travel agency Stevens & Co. founder Maureen Stevens and her team are not there in person, they touch every facet of their clients’ trips. Plus, they are only a phone call away to grant every desire, from suite upgrades and reservation changes to securing a coveted Hermès appointment abroad. Using their knowledge of family dynamics, likes, dislikes and more, the team elevates each day that their clients are away through a concierge approach that sees Stevens & Co. as longtime travel partners, rather than just one-off planners.

Designed for people who take five or more trips a year, the concierge service is not a cookie-cutter membership but a unique offering custom-fit for each client.

“It’s agreeing to a longer commitment when it comes to choosing a travel agency and realizing the value of having someone who will have the best understanding of you and your family,” Stevens says. “We really get to know the members of this service.”

After seeing similar programs based in London, New York City and Los Angeles, Stevens decided it was time to bring this offering to the Southern region, securing her LLC in 2022, while still working a full-time corporate job.

“There are so many high-net-worth small business owners in the South,” she explains. And through her extensive career experience prior to launching Stevens & Co. in event planning, company group travel and more, she knows what these executives expect, as well as how to execute each request flawlessly.

After having her second daughter, Stevens was ready to leave the corporate world once and for all in 2024, going all in on pursuing Stevens & Co. “I knew I wanted an all-female team, and I wanted it to be something super different from your average travel agency,” she says.

With four women on the in-house planning team (in addition to four independent agents), located in Dallas, Birmingham, New Orleans and Tuscany, three of the four have family in Baton Rouge, and two of those three are natives of the Capital City. Those roots bring the connections and culture of Stevens’ hometown into the company. Along with a strong work ethic, every member of the team offers something crucial to Stevens and her business: a vantage point different from her own.

“I never wanted this to be the Maureen Stevens company,” she says, emphasizing the “Co.” in Stevens & Co. “No one has been everywhere, and even the well-traveled may not know about new restaurant or resort openings. I want women who can offer their perspectives and different experiences. I never want to be the only opinion, and we’re all staying curious and open to different ideas about how the world works for our travelers.”

Witnessing one another’s big life moments, the team is becoming a kind of extended family, moving with clients through life and from place to place at every stage. “Growing with our clientele has informed our custom trips and positioned the Stevens & Co. team as lifelong partners and friends, helping each concierge member cross off bucket-list destinations while creating memories to last a lifetime.”

Meet three Stevens & Co. team members with Baton Rouge ties:

Kate Barton

Current home base: Tuscany

Living in Italy for nearly six years, Kate Barton has always been the person friends and family text for travel recommendations, even long before entering the travel industry. Originally from Baton Rouge, Barton now lives in Tuscany, Italy, giving her a unique position within the company.

Beach or mountains?

Beach, every time

Window or aisle seat?

Window for short flights; aisle for long flights

Carry on or checked bag?

Checked bag. I will never be a carry-on person, unless forced.

Kelly Clare Stephens

Current home base: New Orleans

While working for an advertising agency in New York City, Kelly Clare Stephens began to imagine a move into travel. With lots of personal travel planned, it naturally got her thinking about the move more seriously. Now, Stephens works closely with clients to create trips that feel personal to them.

Beach or mountains?

Beach

Carry on or checked bag?

Checked. I am a chronic overpacker.

Adventure or leisure?

Leisure

Catherine Beard

Current home base: Birmingham

Catherine Beard began her career with Stevens & Co. after graduating from the University of Alabama last May. One of the things she enjoys the most about the travel industry is that there is always something new to learn.

Beach or mountains?

I’m split right down the middle.

Window or aisle seat?

Aisle seat, always

Adventure or leisure?

A balance of both