Hello, I’m Steven Callas, founder of Gilded Travels. As an independent travel agent based in Chicago, I cut the stress out of DIY booking by being your human advocate. Someone who knows your itinerary inside out and can fix problems before you even know they exist. Before I started designing trips for couples, families, and close friend groups who travel together, I spent years managing complex film productions across multiple countries. Moving crew and equipment through unfamiliar cities on a tight schedule requires absolute precision and reliable local contacts. When things go wrong, you need a plan that holds. That skill set carried over when I left Hollywood. Today it’s what goes into your bespoke vacations. An algorithm can’t tell you that the ocean-view suite actually overlooks ...