Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

The Business Development Alliance ("BDA," "we," "our," or "us") provides a website, professional memberships, events, business-development services, and related online experiences. This policy explains how we handle personal information when you visit, contact, join, or interact with BDA. It applies to BDA services unless a separate notice governs a specific offering.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we collect:

• Contact and business information: your name, business name, role, email, phone number, location, industry, business description, goals, and information you provide through inquiries, applications, forms, events, or conversations.
• Account and service activity: registration and login details, membership and eligibility status, preferences, support requests, event participation, communications, and your use of BDA services.
• Profiles and submitted content: the professional or business information, photos, directory details, posts, messages, endorsements, and other content you choose to submit or authorize others to provide.
• Transactions: purchase, invoice, payment-status, and subscription records received from our payment providers. Card and other payment credentials are entered with the third-party provider; BDA does not store full card numbers.
• Device and usage information: browser and device type, approximate location derived from IP address, IP address, pages visited, referral information, timestamps, and cookies or similar technology used for site operation, security, and general analytics.
• Information from other sources: details from a person who refers or endorses you, a participating sponsor administering membership support, or an account you choose to connect, where applicable.

Please do not include sensitive personal information in a public profile or message unless it is necessary and appropriate to share with its intended audience.

3. How We Use Information

We use information to answer inquiries; manage accounts, membership, payments, and sponsor-supported eligibility; provide requested services and events; maintain directories and community features; facilitate introductions when the people involved consent; respond to support requests; send permitted communications; protect people and the service; comply with law; and improve BDA. We may use general analytics and AI-assisted tools to help organize information, support service delivery, and improve the experience. People remain responsible for consequential business decisions and communications.

4. Profiles, Directories, and Introductions

Information you make available in a profile or directory may be visible to other members or to the public, depending on the feature and its visibility settings. This may include your name, business, professional description, contact details you elect to share, and endorsements. Consider that others may save information they can view. Contact BDA if you need help correcting or removing a listing.

BDA may help facilitate potential connections, but an introduction is not automatic. We share the information needed for an introduction only with the appropriate people and subject to their consent; a potential connection does not guarantee a meeting or result.

5. Sponsor-Funded Memberships

If a participating sponsor helps fund an eligible membership, BDA uses the information needed to confirm eligibility, apply the support, and administer its duration. Sponsorship does not give a sponsor access to your private member data, messages, account activity, or private business information. BDA may provide a limited administrative confirmation needed to account for the funding, without opening your private member records to the sponsor.

6. Payments and Service Providers

Third-party payment providers process payment credentials and return transaction and subscription information needed to administer purchases, billing, and records. We also use providers for hosting, account access, communications, scheduling, storage, support, security, and general analytics. They receive information appropriate to their services and are expected to handle it under applicable agreements and law. Their own privacy notices may also apply when you interact with them directly.

7. Optional Connected Accounts

Some features may let you connect an outside account, such as a Google account or calendar. Connecting is optional unless you choose a feature that requires it. The authorization screen describes the permissions requested. We use information obtained through a connection to provide the feature you requested, and you can revoke access through the provider or available BDA controls. Revocation stops future access through that authorization but may not remove records already created at your request; contact us about those records.

Our use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including its Limited Use requirements. We do not use Google user data for personalized advertising or sell it. Human access is limited to circumstances permitted by that policy, such as your affirmative agreement for support, security, or legal requirements.

8. Email and Text Messages

We may send account, billing, event, or service messages related to your transactions or requests. We send promotional email or text messages when you have provided any consent required by law. You may unsubscribe from promotional email using the link in the message or by contacting us; reply STOP to an optional promotional text to opt out of those texts. Message and data rates may apply. Opting out of marketing does not stop necessary service communications, where permitted by law.

9. Other Disclosures

In addition to the visibility and provider disclosures above, we may share information with your direction or consent, to complete a requested event or introduction, when required by law, to protect rights and safety, or as part of a business reorganization subject to appropriate protections. We do not sell your personal information. BDA does not give a sponsor access to private member records simply because it funds a membership.

10. Retention

We keep information while an account or service relationship is active and as reasonably needed afterward for transactions, legal obligations, security, disputes, and legitimate administrative records. Retention varies by record and applicable requirements. On request, we will delete or de-identify information where appropriate and legally permitted; limited records and secured backup copies may remain until normal retention or backup cycles expire. Disconnecting an outside account stops new access through that authorization; it does not automatically delete prior transaction or appointment records.

11. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards, including access controls and secure transmission where appropriate. No internet service can promise absolute security. Please protect your account credentials and notify BDA if you suspect unauthorized use.

12. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

You may ask to access, correct, obtain a copy of, or delete personal information we hold about you, and may change available profile visibility settings or withdraw consent where applicable. Some requests are subject to identity verification, legal exceptions, and the rights available in your jurisdiction. Contact us using the details below; we will respond as required by applicable law. You may also manage cookies through your browser, though disabling essential cookies may affect the service.

13. Third-Party Sites

BDA may link to outside websites, events, businesses, or services. Their privacy practices are their own. Please review their notices before sharing information with them.

14. Children

Our services are intended for adults and are not directed to anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a minor has provided information to us, contact BDA so we can address it.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as our services or legal obligations change. We will post the revised policy with a new effective date and provide additional notice when required by law. The version posted when you use the services describes our then-current practices.

16. Contact BDA

For privacy questions or requests, contact: