1. Introduction

Welcome to Ben Sturgill's website ("Site," "we," "us," or "our"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at bensturgill.com and use our services.

By using our Site, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Site.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our Site:

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your first name and email address.
• Contact Information: When you contact us or submit inquiries (such as speaking requests), we collect your name, email, phone number, organization details, and message content.
• Communication Preferences: Information about your preferences for receiving communications from us.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, device type, and unique device identifiers.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, scroll depth, and navigation paths.
• Location Data: Approximate geographic location based on IP address (country/region level only).
• Referral Information: How you arrived at our Site (search engine, social media, direct link, etc.).

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party services you use to interact with us, such as email providers when you click links in our emails.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Provide Services: To deliver our educational content, resources, and services you request.
• Account Management: To create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and enable sign-in functionality.
• Communication: To send you transactional emails (account verification, password resets), respond to inquiries, and provide customer support.
• Marketing: With your consent, to send newsletters, educational content, promotional materials, and updates about our services.
• Analytics and Improvement: To understand how users interact with our Site, identify trends, and improve user experience.
• Personalization: To personalize your experience and provide content recommendations based on your interests and behavior.
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and track information about your activity on our Site. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us improve your experience.

4.1 Types of Cookies We Use

4.2 Analytics Provider: PostHog

We use PostHog, a product analytics platform, to understand how visitors use our Site. PostHog collects:

• Page views and navigation patterns
• Click events and user interactions
• Session duration and engagement metrics
• Device and browser information
• Approximate location (country/region)

For logged-in users: We identify you by your email address in PostHog to provide a personalized experience and understand how our registered users engage with our content. This allows us to improve our services and provide relevant recommendations.

Important: PostHog is a data processor, not a data broker. We own and control our analytics data. PostHog does not sell your data to third parties.

4.3 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View what cookies are stored and delete them individually
• Block third-party cookies
• Block all cookies from specific sites
• Block all cookies from all sites
• Delete all cookies when you close your browser

Note: Disabling cookies may affect Site functionality, including the ability to sign in to your account.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:

5.1 Service Providers

We use trusted third-party service providers to help us operate our business:

• PostHog: Analytics and product insights (data processor, EU-based servers available)
• Vercel: Website hosting and infrastructure
• Neon: Database hosting and management
• Gmail/Google Workspace: Email delivery for transactional and marketing communications
• Stripe: Payment processing services (PCI DSS Level 1 certified - the highest level of payment security)

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and may only use it to provide services to us.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal requests, such as:

• Court orders or subpoenas
• Government or regulatory agency requests
• To protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• To enforce our Terms & Conditions

5.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent notice on our Site before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

6. Payment Information

When you purchase tickets or register for events, we collect payment and billing information to process your transaction.

6.1 Payment Processing

All payment processing is handled by Stripe, a third-party payment processor. We do not directly collect, store, or have access to your full credit card or debit card numbers. Stripe is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, ensuring the highest level of payment security.

6.2 Information Collected for Payments

• Billing Information: Name, billing address, email address, and phone number
• Payment Information: Processed directly by Stripe (card number, expiration date, CVV). We only receive a tokenized reference and the last 4 digits of your card.
• Transaction Information: Purchase amount, date, transaction ID, and payment status

6.3 Payment Data Security

Your payment information is encrypted using industry-standard SSL/TLS encryption and transmitted directly to Stripe's secure servers. We do not store complete payment card information on our servers.

Stripe's Privacy Policy: For more information about how Stripe handles your payment data, please review their privacy policy at https://stripe.com/privacy

6.4 Payment Data Retention

We retain transaction records (amount, date, transaction ID) for accounting and legal compliance purposes for up to 7 years. Full payment card information is retained only by Stripe in accordance with their data retention policies.

7. Email Communications

We send the following types of emails:

7.1 Transactional Emails

These are essential emails related to your account and cannot be opted out of:

• Sign-in magic links
• Account verification
• Payment confirmations and receipts
• Event registration confirmations
• Event reminders and updates
• Security alerts
• Service announcements

7.2 Marketing Emails

With your consent, we may send:

• Newsletters with trading education content
• Updates about new resources and videos
• Event announcements and speaking engagements
• Promotional offers

Unsubscribe: You can opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any marketing email or by contacting us directly.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active and for 30 days after deletion request
• Payment/Transaction Records: Retained for up to 7 years for tax and legal compliance
• Event Registration Data: Retained for up to 3 years after the event date
• Analytics Data: Retained for up to 2 years
• Communication Records: Retained for up to 3 years for customer service purposes
• Legal/Compliance Records: Retained for up to 7 years as required by law

After the retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymized.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encryption of data at rest
• Regular security assessments
• Access controls and authentication
• Secure hosting infrastructure

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

10.1 General Rights (All Users)

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications
• Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format

10.2 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to Know: Request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell personal information, so this right does not apply
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights
• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information: We do not collect sensitive personal information as defined by CPRA

10.3 European Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Legal Basis: We process your data based on consent (for marketing), contract performance (for account services), and legitimate interests (for analytics and security)
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to Restrict: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent for processing
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

10.4 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at admin@bensturgill.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

We may need to verify your identity before processing your request to protect your privacy and security.

11. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites requesting that your browsing not be tracked. Our Site does not currently respond to DNT signals. However, you can manage your tracking preferences through our cookie settings and your browser's privacy controls.

12. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms (LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram). These sites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their content or privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

13. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at admin@bensturgill.com. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will promptly delete that information.

14. International Data Transfers

Our Site is hosted in the United States. If you are accessing our Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using our Site, you consent to this transfer.

We use service providers that may process data in various locations. Where required, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers, such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

15. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will:

• Notify affected users within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach (where feasible)
• Describe the nature of the breach and categories of data affected
• Provide contact information for questions
• Describe measures taken to address the breach
• Notify relevant regulatory authorities as required by law

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Post a notice on our Site
• For significant changes, notify you via email (if you have an account)

Your continued use of our Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 30 days.