Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Living Systems Consulting LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company ("LSC," "we," "us," or "our"), collects, uses, and protects personal information. It applies to our website and to the services we provide to clients.

By using our website or engaging our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or provide us with personal information.

 

2. Information We Collect
We collect personal information in two stages, described below.

2.1 Information collected through our website. When you sign up for our newsletter or contact us through the website, we collect:

• Your name.

• Your email address.

This is the only personal information we actively collect through the website.

2.2 Information collected when you become a client. When we prepare a Statement of Work, invoice, or otherwise begin working with you, we may collect additional information needed to deliver and bill for our services, which may include:

• Business or organization name and address.

• Names, roles, and contact details of individuals at the client organization.

• Billing and payment information, processed through our payment provider (we do not store full payment card numbers ourselves).

• Information you share with us in the course of an engagement.

2.3 Information collected automatically. When you visit our website, our website platform may automatically collect limited technical information, such as your device type, browser, general location, and how you interact with the site, through cookies and similar technologies. See Section 7.

 

3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Send our newsletter and other communications you have asked to receive.

• Respond to your inquiries.

• Prepare proposals, Statements of Work, and invoices, and deliver our services.

• Process payments and keep accurate financial and tax records.

• Operate, maintain, and improve our website and services.

• Comply with our legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.

 

4. Legal Bases for Processing (EU and UK Users)

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process your personal information on the following legal bases:

• Consent, for sending marketing emails such as our newsletter. You can withdraw consent at any time.

• Performance of a contract, to deliver services and fulfill a Statement of Work.

• Legal obligation, to meet tax, accounting, and other legal requirements.

• Legitimate interests, to operate and improve our business, where those interests are not overridden by your rights.
  
   

5. How We Share Information and Third-Party Providers

We share personal information only as needed to run our business, and only with the categories of recipients below. We do not sell your personal information.

Service providers. We use trusted third-party providers to operate our website and deliver our services. Each processes personal information on our behalf and under its own privacy terms. They currently include:

• Wix, our website platform, including its newsletter manager, which we currently use to collect and manage newsletter signups.

• Flodesk, which we use for email marketing and newsletter communications.

• Stripe, which processes payments.

• Acuity Scheduling, which manages appointment booking.

• Zoom, which hosts virtual sessions and meetings.
   

Legal and protective disclosures. We may disclose information if required by law, to respond to legal process, or to protect our rights, safety, or property, or those of others.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these providers to understand how they handle your information.

 

6. Email Marketing and Your Choices

If you sign up for our newsletter, we will send you communications using our newsletter and email marketing tools. Every marketing email includes a link to unsubscribe, and you can opt out at any time. We will continue to send you non-marketing messages necessary to deliver services you have requested, such as scheduling or billing communications.

 

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies, primarily through our website platform, to make the site function and to understand how visitors use it. These may include cookies that are essential for the site to work and cookies that help us measure site activity.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling some cookies may affect how the website functions. 

 

8. International Data Transfers

LSC is based in the United States, and our service providers may store and process personal information in the United States and other countries. If you are located outside the United States, including in the EEA or the UK, your information may be transferred to and processed in a country with different data protection laws than your own. Where required, our providers rely on recognized transfer mechanisms, such as standard contractual clauses, to protect your information.

 

9. Data Retention

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy. We retain newsletter information until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it. We retain client and financial records for as long as needed to deliver services and to meet legal, tax, and accounting obligations, which for financial records is generally up to seven years. After that, we delete or anonymize the information. 

 

10. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect personal information from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect your information and to rely on providers who do the same.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the rights below. To exercise any right, contact us using the details in Section 14. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.
 
11.1 All users. You may ask us to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you, and you may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
 
11.2 EU and UK users (GDPR). You have the right to access, correct, erase, restrict, or object to our processing of your personal information, the right to data portability, and the right to withdraw consent at any time. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
 
11.3 California users (CCPA/CPRA). You have the right to know what personal information we collect and how we use it, to request deletion or correction, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under California law.
 
11.4 Minnesota and other US state users. Residents of Minnesota and other states with privacy laws may have rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain a portable copy of their personal information, and to opt out of certain processing. Contact us to exercise these rights.

 

12. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

 

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the current version on our website with its effective date. Significant changes will be reflected in an updated "Last updated" date, and your continued use of our website or services after changes take effect indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.

 

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at:

Living Systems Consulting LLC, [Address TBD]  info@wearelivingsystemsconsulting.com