1. Introduction & Data Controller

Ladies Entrepreneurship Club Limited (“LEC,” “we,” “us,” “our”) operates https://www.ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com (the “Website”). We are committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy rights.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your personal information when you:

• Browse our Website
• Create an account and become a member
• Purchase memberships, Challenges, or products
• Participate in events, workshops, or retreats
• Communicate with us via email, contact forms, or WhatsApp
• Access the member portal
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Apply for Executive Committee roles

Data Controller Information:
Ladies Entrepreneurship Club Limited
c/o Apples and Pears Ltd
Labone, Accra
Ghana
Contact: legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com

2. Data We Collect

A. Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or make a purchase, we collect:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number (optional, for WhatsApp integration)
• Billing address
• Pod location preference (Accra, Dubai, Kigali, London, New York, Virtual)
• Business name and industry
• Membership tier selection (Club, Learn, Connect, Exchange)
• Exchange Challenge selections (3, 5, or all 15 challenges depending on tier)
• Payment information (processed securely via third-party payment processor; we do NOT store full credit card details)
• Referral source (how you heard about LEC)
• ExComm application details (if applicable): leadership experience, referral count, community participation evidence

Optional Information:

• Bio/About you section
• Company website
• LinkedIn profile URL
• Coaching goals and business challenges (for LEC Member Coach interactions)
• Retreat/event attendance preferences
• Dietary restrictions or accessibility requirements

B. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, we automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device type (desktop, tablet, mobile)
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referral source (which website linked to us)
• Clicks on CTAs (“Take your place,” “Buy Challenge,” etc.)
• Form interactions and completion rates
• Shopping cart behavior

C. Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

• Payment processors (confirmation of successful transactions)
• Email marketing platforms (engagement metrics: opens, clicks)
• Analytics providers (aggregated traffic data)
• Social media platforms (if you log in via social sign-on)
• WhatsApp (if you interact via WhatsApp integration)
• Pod coordinators (event attendance confirmation)

3. How We Use Your Data

A. To Provide Membership Services

• Create and manage your member account
• Process membership purchases and renewals
• Grant access to member portal (includes all 52-week curriculum materials, resource drops, live session access, pod calendars)
• Provide LEC Member Coach (Amazon Alexa) weekly check-ins, goal reviews, and blocker coaching
• Deliver Challenges and associated curriculum
• Organize pod events, workshops, and 3-Day Retreats
• Send you welcome materials and challenge tracker documents
• Update you on membership renewal dates and billing

B. To Communicate With You

• Send transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets, account updates)
• Respond to your inquiries via email or contact form
• Send newsletter emails (if you opt in)
• Send event reminders and registration confirmations
• Notify you of new Exchange Challenge offerings or membership tier updates
• Provide marketing communications about LEC programs (see “Marketing” section below)

C. For Business Operations & Legal Compliance

• Process payments and prevent fraud
• Maintain accounting and financial records
• Comply with tax obligations (UK, US, and international)
• Respond to legal requests from authorities
• Enforce our Terms & Conditions
• Resolve disputes
• Improve our Website and services based on user feedback

D. To Improve Member Experience

• Analyze how members use the portal and which challenges are most popular
• Identify feature requests and improvements
• Segment members by tier, location, or interests for targeted resources
• Track completion rates of challenge curriculum
• Measure satisfaction with events and retreats
• Create usage reports for your member dashboard

E. For Marketing & Business Development

• Send promotional emails about new tiers, challenges, or events (if you opt in)
• Share testimonials or success stories (with your explicit consent)
• Create case studies highlighting member achievements (anonymized, unless you consent to identification)
• Feature members in LEC magazine or social media (only with your consent)
• Survey members about satisfaction and needs
• Invite you to exclusive member-only events

F. For Executive Committee (ExComm) Administration

• Manage ExComm applications and elections
• Track monthly meeting attendance and strategic contributions
• Monitor referral counts toward the 3-referral requirement
• Document leadership portfolios and quarterly initiatives
• Manage voting on programme changes
• Distribute ExComm-only resources and communications

4. Legal Basis for Data Processing (GDPR)

Under GDPR, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

A. Contractual Necessity (Article 6(1)(b))

• Creating your account and providing membership services
• Processing payments for membership tiers and Challenges
• Delivering portal access and curriculum materials

B. Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f))

• Improving our Website and services
• Preventing fraud and unauthorized access
• Analyzing member behavior to enhance user experience
• Marketing our membership tiers and products (where you haven’t explicitly opted out)
• Running our business efficiently (accounting, HR, IT security)

C. Consent (Article 6(1)(a))

• Sending marketing emails and newsletters (you can withdraw consent anytime)
• Publishing your testimonial or success story
• Using WhatsApp for member communications
• Collecting optional information (bio, coaching goals, etc.)

D. Legal Obligation (Article 6(1)(c))

• Complying with tax laws
• Responding to law enforcement requests
• Maintaining billing records

E. Vital Interests (Article 6(1)(d))

• Health or safety emergencies (e.g., accessibility requirements for events)

5. Data Retention Periods

We keep your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes listed above:

Exception: If you have an unresolved complaint or legal dispute, we may retain data longer to defend our position.

After the retention period, we securely delete or anonymize your data so it cannot identify you.

6. Who We Share Your Data With

A. Third-Party Service Providers (Data Processors)

We share your data with these vendors to operate our business. We have Data Processing Agreements with all vendors:

1. Payment Processors (Stripe, PayPal, or other payment gateways) – process name, email, billing address, payment amount. They follow PCI-DSS compliance standards.
2. Email & Marketing Platform (ConvertKit, Mailchimp, or similar) – process email address, member name, engagement metrics. You can opt out of marketing emails anytime.
3. Member Portal & Course Platform (WordPress, LearnDash, or similar LMS) – process full account data, course progress, portal access logs.
4. Analytics Providers (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or similar) – process anonymized IP address, page views, user behavior.
5. CRM & Business Management (HubSpot, Pipedrive, or similar) – process name, email, membership tier, engagement history.
6. Cloud Storage & Backup (AWS, Google Cloud, or similar) – process encrypted database backups.
7. WhatsApp Business API (Meta) – if you communicate via WhatsApp, Meta processes your phone number and message content. WhatsApp Legal
8. AI Member Coach (Amazon Alexa) (Anthropic) – process your coaching goals, business challenges, and weekly check-in conversations. Anthropic Privacy Policy

B. Pod Coordinators & Event Partners

For in-person events, retreats, and pod meetings, we share your information with local Pod coordinators, event venues and hospitality partners, and retreat organizers and coaches – solely for organizing events, managing registrations, and accommodating special needs.

C. Legal & Government Requests

We may disclose your data if required by court orders or subpoenas, law enforcement investigations, regulatory bodies (ICO, EU data protection authorities), or tax authorities (HMRC, IRS). We will provide notice of such requests unless legally prohibited.

D. Business Transfers

If LEC is acquired, merged, or sold, your personal data may be transferred to the acquiring company. We will notify you of any such change and your rights regarding the transfer.

7. Your Data Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

A. GDPR Rights (Applicable to EU/UK Residents)

1. Right of Access (Article 15) – Request a copy of all personal data we hold. Email us with “Data Access Request” in the subject line. We will respond within 30 days.
2. Right to Rectification (Article 16) – Correct inaccurate or incomplete information via your account or by emailing us. Corrections made within 30 days.
3. Right to Erasure / “Right to be Forgotten” (Article 17) – Request deletion of your personal data. Email legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com with “Deletion Request.” We will delete within 30 days except where legally required to retain.
4. Right to Restrict Processing (Article 18) – Ask us to pause processing while you verify accuracy. Email us with “Restrict Processing Request.”
5. Right to Data Portability (Article 20) – Receive your data in CSV, JSON, or XML. Email us with “Data Portability Request” within 30 days.
6. Right to Object (Article 21) – Object to processing for marketing, analytics, or other purposes. Click “Unsubscribe” in marketing emails or email us.
7. Right to Automated Decision-Making (Article 22) – We do NOT use automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects.
8. Right to Withdraw Consent (Article 7(3)) – Withdraw consent at any time; effective immediately for future processing.

How to Exercise GDPR Rights: Email legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com specifying your right. Include your name, email, and account ID. Response within 30 days. No fee unless manifestly unfounded or excessive.

B. CCPA Rights (Applicable to California Residents)

1. Right to Know (CCPA § 1798.100) – Request what personal information we collect and how we use it. Timeline: 45 days.
2. Right to Delete (CCPA § 1798.105) – Request deletion of personal information. Timeline: 45 days.
3. Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing (CCPA § 1798.120) – We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties. Email legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com with “Do Not Sell My Personal Information.”
4. Right to Correction (CCPA § 1798.100(e)) – Request correction of inaccurate personal information. Timeline: 45 days.
5. Right to Limit Use and Disclosure (CCPA § 1798.115) – Request we limit use to what’s necessary to provide services.
6. California Shine the Light Law (Cal. Civil Code § 1798.83) – We do not share personal information with third parties for their direct marketing.

How to Exercise CCPA Rights: Email legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com. We will verify your identity before processing. No discrimination for exercising rights.

8. International Data Transfers

LEC operates globally. Your personal data may be transferred to and stored in countries outside where you live, including the United States, European Union, and other countries where we operate Pods or store backups.

Legal Basis for Transfers:

1. EU-US Data Privacy Framework for transfers between EU/UK and US.
2. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for other international transfers.
3. Your Consent: By creating an account, you consent to these international transfers.

9. Data Security & Protection

• Encryption: All data in transit is encrypted using SSL/TLS (https).
• Database Encryption: Data at rest is encrypted using AES-256 or equivalent.
• Access Controls: Only authorized LEC staff can access personal data; access is logged and monitored.
• Multi-Factor Authentication: Members can enable 2FA on accounts; LEC staff are required to use 2FA.
• Regular Security Audits: Third-party security assessments quarterly; penetration testing annually.
• Backup Security: Database backups are encrypted and stored separately from production systems.

No security system is 100% secure. If we become aware of a breach, we will notify affected individuals within 72 hours (GDPR requirement).

You are responsible for keeping your challengeword secure, logging out on shared devices, and reporting suspicious activity to legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com.

10. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Essential Cookies cannot be opted out of; they are required for the site to function.

Optional Cookies: You can opt out of analytics and marketing cookies via browser settings, “Account Settings > Privacy & Tracking,” or Do Not Track settings.

Third-party cookie policies: Google Analytics | Facebook Pixel | LinkedIn Pixel

11. Children’s Privacy

LEC services are for members age 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18. If we learn a child’s data was collected, we will delete the account immediately and notify the parent or guardian. Contact legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com if you believe a child created an account.

12. Third-Party Links & External Websites

Our Website includes links to external websites. This Privacy Policy does NOT apply to external sites. Review the privacy policy of any external site before providing personal information. We are NOT responsible for third-party privacy practices.

13. Marketing Communications & Newsletters

We send marketing emails about new Challenges, upcoming events, success stories, ExComm opportunities, and LEC Magazine updates.

To Unsubscribe:

• Click “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of any marketing email
• Update preferences in “Account Settings > Email Preferences”
• Email legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com with “Unsubscribe” in subject. We will honor your request within 10 business days.

You will continue receiving transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets, account updates) even if you unsubscribe from marketing.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as our practices change or as regulations evolve. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date and notify you via email if the changes affect your rights. Continued use of the Website after changes means you accept the new policy.

Version History:

• May 1, 2026: Initial comprehensive privacy policy aligned with GDPR and CCPA.

15. Contact & Complaints

Email: legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com
Mailing Address: c/o Apples and Pears Ltd, Labone, Accra, Ghana
Phone: [Contact via email]

For privacy inquiries, include your name and account email, description of your request, and preferred response method. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your request, you may lodge a complaint with:

• UK: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
• EU: Your national data protection authority (EDPB list)
• California: California Attorney General

Please contact us first — we will work to resolve your concern before a formal complaint is filed.

16. Specific Use Cases

A. Member Coach (Amazon Alexa) Coaching Sessions

When you use the LEC Member Coach (Amazon Alexa), your coaching conversations are processed by Anthropic. Data shared includes coaching goals, business challenges, weekly check-in conversations, and progress notes. Anthropic’s Privacy Policy applies: https://www.anthropic.com/privacy. Your data is used only to provide coaching, not to train new models. You can disable Amazon Alexa coaching in account settings.

B. Testimonials & Success Stories

If we feature you in testimonials, case studies, or success stories, we require your explicit written consent. You may revoke consent at any time by emailing legal@ladiesentrepreneurshipclub.com.

C. ExComm Voting & Decision-Making

ExComm members’ data is used for voting, recording leadership contributions, documenting portfolios, and sharing ExComm-only resources. All ExComm data is restricted to ExComm members only.

D. Pod Events & Retreat Attendance

When you register for in-person events, your data is shared with Pod coordinators, venue partners, and retreat facilitators solely for event logistics. We will never share your data for Pod or event vendors’ own marketing purposes.

17. Glossary

Personal Data

Any information that identifies you (name, email, IP address, etc.)

Processing

Any action taken with personal data (collecting, storing, analyzing, sharing)

Data Controller

LEC — the entity that decides how data is used

Data Processor

Third parties (payment processors, email platforms) that process data on LEC’s behalf

GDPR

General Data Protection Regulation (EU law)

CCPA

California Consumer Privacy Act (California state law)

Encryption

Converting data into code so unauthorized users cannot read it

Cookie

Small file stored on your browser that tracks your activity

Data Breach

Unauthorized access or disclosure of personal data

Legitimate Interest

LEC’s reasonable business need to use your data