Privacy Policy
How We Protect Your Information
Last Updated: December 9, 2024
Effective Date: December 9, 2024
1. Introduction
Cogent Solutions, LLC, doing business as Lean Launch ("Lean Launch," "we," "us," or "our"), respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our website leanlaunch.ai (the "Site") or engage with our services.
By accessing or using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.
California Residents: If you are a California resident, please see Section 11 for information about your specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:
- Submit Consultation Requests: Name, email address, phone number, company name, project description, timeline requirements
- Schedule Appointments: Name, email address, appointment preferences (via Calendly integration)
- Contact Us: Name, email address, message content
- Subscribe to Updates: Email address, communication preferences
- Apply for Employment: Name, email, phone number, resume, work history, references
- Provide Testimonials: Name, company name, position, testimonial content, optional photograph
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers
- Usage Information: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring/exit pages, date and time of visits
- Location Information: General geographic location derived from IP address
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: See Section 4 for detailed information
2.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information from third-party services integrated with the Site:
- Calendly: Appointment scheduling data, calendar integration information
- Affirm: Financing application status (if you apply for financing)
- LinkedIn: Professional information if you interact with our LinkedIn presence
- Analytics Providers: Aggregated usage statistics and behavioral data
- Microsoft Azure: Hosting and analytics
3. How We Use Your Information
We use collected information for the following purposes:
3.1 Service Delivery and Communication
- Responding to your inquiries and consultation requests
- Scheduling and conducting initial consultations
- Providing information about our services
- Processing financing applications through Affirm
- Communicating updates about ongoing projects (for clients)
3.2 Business Operations
- Analyzing website usage to improve user experience
- Conducting market research and competitive analysis
- Recruiting and evaluating job applicants
- Managing client relationships
- Maintaining records for legal and accounting purposes
3.3 Marketing and Promotional Activities
- Sending newsletters and updates (with your consent)
- Displaying targeted advertisements on third-party platforms
- Publishing case studies and testimonials (with explicit consent)
- Retargeting visitors who expressed interest in our services
3.4 Legal Compliance and Protection
- Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
- Protecting against fraud, security threats, and illegal activity
- Enforcing our Terms and Conditions
- Responding to legal process (subpoenas, court orders)
5. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
5.1 Service Providers
We share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf:
- Calendly: Appointment scheduling and calendar management
- Affirm: Payment processing and financing applications
- Cloud Hosting Providers: Data storage and website hosting
- Email Service Providers: Newsletter delivery and marketing communications
- Analytics Providers: Website usage analysis
These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes we specify and to maintain appropriate security measures.
5.2 Business Transfers
If Lean Launch is involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or prominent notice on the Site of any change in ownership or use of your personal information.
5.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:
- Court orders, subpoenas, or other legal process
- Government or regulatory requests
- Requests to protect the safety of individuals or prevent illegal activity
- Enforcement of our Terms and Conditions or other agreements
5.4 With Your Consent
We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly consent, such as:
- Publishing testimonials with your name and company
- Including you in case studies or marketing materials
- Referring you to partner organizations
6. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical, administrative, and physical security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
- Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS protocols
- Secure data storage with access controls and authentication
- Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Employee training on data protection and confidentiality
- Incident response procedures for data breaches
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
7.1 Retention Periods
- Consultation Inquiries: 3 years from last contact (for follow-up and relationship building)
- Client Records: 7 years from engagement completion (for legal and accounting purposes)
- Marketing Communications: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
- Employment Applications: 2 years from application date
- Website Analytics: Up to 26 months (Google Analytics default)
7.2 Deletion and Anonymization
After the applicable retention period, we will either delete your personal information or anonymize it such that it can no longer be associated with you.
8. Your Rights and Choices
8.1 Access and Portability
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and, in certain circumstances, receive a copy of that information in a portable format.
8.2 Correction and Update
You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information by contacting us at privacy@leanlaunch.ai.
8.3 Deletion
You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal retention requirements, ongoing business relationships). To request deletion, email privacy@leanlaunch.ai.
8.4 Opt-Out of Marketing Communications
You may opt out of receiving promotional emails by:
- Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
- Emailing privacy@leanlaunch.ai with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line
Note: Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send transactional messages related to your inquiries or ongoing engagements.
8.5 Cookie Preferences
You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings as described in Section 4.2.
9. Third-Party Websites and Services
The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including:
- Social media platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter)
- Partner websites
- Resources and tools referenced in our content
This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.
10. Children's Privacy
The Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it promptly.
If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us at privacy@leanlaunch.ai.
11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
California Residents: The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal information. This section explains those rights and how to exercise them.
11.1 Categories of Information Collected
In the preceding 12 months, we have collected the following categories of personal information:
- Identifiers: Name, email address, phone number, IP address
- Commercial Information: Project descriptions, service inquiries, purchasing history
- Internet Activity: Browsing history, search history, interaction with the Site
- Professional Information: Company name, position, work history (for employment applicants)
- Geolocation Data: General location derived from IP address
11.2 Sources of Information
We collect personal information from:
- Directly from you (forms, emails, consultations)
- Automatically through cookies and tracking technologies
- Third-party services (Calendly, Affirm, analytics providers)
11.3 Business Purposes for Collection
We use personal information for the business purposes described in Section 3, including:
- Providing and improving our services
- Communicating with you
- Marketing and advertising
- Legal compliance and fraud prevention
11.4 Categories of Third Parties
We share personal information with:
- Service providers (cloud hosting, email, analytics)
- Scheduling and payment processors (Calendly, Affirm)
- Advertising networks (Google, LinkedIn)
11.5 Your CCPA Rights
California residents have the following rights:
- Right to Know: You may request disclosure of:
- Categories of personal information we collected
- Categories of sources from which we collected information
- Business purposes for collecting information
- Categories of third parties with whom we share information
- Specific pieces of personal information we collected about you
- Right to Delete: You may request deletion of personal information we collected, subject to certain exceptions.
- Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell personal information. If this changes, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide an opt-out mechanism.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights by:
- Denying goods or services
- Charging different prices or rates
- Providing a different level of quality
- Suggesting you will receive different pricing or quality
11.6 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise your CCPA rights, submit a verifiable consumer request by:
- Email: privacy@leanlaunch.ai
- Phone: Available upon request
Verification Process: To protect your privacy, we will verify your identity before responding to requests. We may request additional information such as:
- Email address associated with your account
- Date of last interaction with Lean Launch
- Details about your inquiry or engagement
Authorized Agents: You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf. The agent must provide written authorization, and we may require you to verify your identity directly.
Response Time: We will respond to verifiable requests within 45 days. If more time is needed (up to 90 days total), we will notify you of the extension.
11.7 California "Shine the Light" Law
California Civil Code Section 1798.83 allows California residents to request information about disclosure of personal information to third parties for direct marketing purposes. We do not share personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes without your consent.
12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
12.1 Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data based on:
- Consent: For marketing communications and optional features
- Contractual Necessity: To provide services you request
- Legitimate Interests: For business operations, fraud prevention, and analytics
- Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws
12.2 Your GDPR Rights
- Right of Access: Obtain confirmation of data processing and access to your data
- Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to Restriction: Limit processing of your data
- Right to Data Portability: Receive data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior processing)
12.3 Data Transfers
Lean Launch is based in the United States. If you access the Site from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.
12.4 Supervisory Authority
You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your jurisdiction if you believe our processing of your personal data violates the GDPR.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
- Notify you via email if you have provided your email address
- Post a prominent notice on the Site
Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
14. Contact Information
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Cogent Solutions, LLC
DBA Lean Launch
Privacy Officer
Email: privacy@leanlaunch.ai
General Inquiries: hello@leanlaunch.ai
For CCPA requests: privacy@leanlaunch.ai (Subject: "CCPA Request")
For GDPR requests: privacy@leanlaunch.ai (Subject: "GDPR Request")