Privacy policy
1. About this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Alex Spence, trading as Evolve with Alex ("I", "me", "my" or "the Coach") collects, uses, stores and protects personal information in connection with my coaching business.
This Privacy Policy applies across my services generally, including (where applicable to you):
- private 1:1 Somatic Identity Coaching;
- my six-month 1:1 coaching programme;
- 90-minute Breakthrough Breathwork sessions;
- discovery calls and general enquiries;
- my website;
- coaching-related communications;
- Zoom sessions and, where applicable, session recordings;
- payments processed through Stripe;
- bookings made through Calendly;
- marketing communications sent through Mailchimp, where you have opted in; and
- any future coaching or personal-development offers where the same data-processing practices described in this Privacy Policy apply.
This Privacy Policy is intended to remain accurate as I introduce new coaching offers, so long as they involve broadly the same way of collecting and using personal information. Where you enter into a specific coaching agreement with me, that agreement will set out the particular terms of that programme, including its payment schedule; this Privacy Policy explains how I handle your personal information more generally.
I take the privacy of your personal information seriously and aim to collect and use only information that is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
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## 2. Who is responsible for your information?
**Data Controller:** Alex Spence, trading as Evolve with Alex
Address: 89 Springfield Avenue, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY9 8XU
Email: [email protected]
I operate as a sole trader based in England. For data protection purposes, I am the data controller for the personal information I collect and use in connection with Evolve with Alex.
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## 3. What personal information I may collect
Depending on how you interact with me, I may collect:
**Contact and identification information**
This may include:
- your name;
- email address;
- address;
- telephone number, where provided; and
- other contact information you choose to provide.
**Coaching and communication information**
If you become a coaching client — whether for 1:1 Somatic Identity Coaching, the six-month coaching programme, a Breakthrough Breathwork session, or another coaching offer — I may process information that you voluntarily share with me during our work together, including:
- information discussed during coaching or breathwork sessions;
- written communications between us;
- coaching goals and reflections;
- notes relating to your coaching journey;
- information relating to identity, beliefs, behaviours, experiences and patterns; and
- other information reasonably necessary to provide the relevant service.
You should avoid providing information that is not necessary for your coaching relationship. Some information shared during coaching or breathwork sessions may potentially constitute a special category of personal data (for example, information relating to health). Where this occurs, I handle it in accordance with the additional protections described in Section 7.
**Booking information**
When you book a discovery call through Calendly, Calendly may collect information necessary to arrange and manage the booking. Calendly is primarily used for discovery calls and is not currently used to schedule ongoing coaching sessions.
**Payment information**
Payments are processed through Stripe.
I may receive information about your payment and transaction status, but I do not have access to your full card number or card security information.
Where a client saves their payment method through Stripe in connection with a coaching programme, Stripe retains that payment method on my behalf for the purpose of processing the specific scheduled future payment described in the client's coaching agreement — typically a scheduled second instalment. The saved payment method is used only in accordance with the payment arrangement agreed with that client, and this does not create an unrestricted or ongoing payment authority. I do not have access to the client's full card details at any point.
Stripe processes payment information in accordance with its own privacy practices.
**Website information**
My website is hosted/built using Durable.
I do not currently use website analytics or behavioural advertising analytics. If this changes, I will review and update this Privacy Policy where appropriate.
**Marketing information**
If you choose to receive marketing emails from me, I may process your name and email address through Mailchimp.
I will only send direct marketing emails where I have an appropriate lawful basis to do so, including where you have provided the required consent. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe option included in the emails or by contacting me.
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## 4. Coaching session recordings
Where coaching or breathwork sessions are recorded, I will inform you before recording takes place and obtain any consent required by applicable law.
Recordings may be provided to you as a resource to support your personal coaching journey.
Recordings are provided for your personal use and should not be publicly shared, redistributed or commercially exploited.
Recordings will not normally be retained indefinitely. My intended retention period is up to 90 days after the relevant coaching or breathwork service has been completed, after which they will normally be deleted.
If there is a legitimate reason why a recording needs to be retained for longer, I may retain it for as long as reasonably necessary for that purpose, subject to applicable data protection law.
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## 5. How I use personal information
I may use personal information to:
- provide and administer coaching, breathwork and related services;
- communicate with you about your coaching;
- arrange discovery calls and appointments;
- process and administer payments;
- provide coaching materials and session recordings;
- maintain appropriate coaching and business records;
- respond to enquiries;
- manage and improve my services;
- comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
- establish, exercise or defend legal claims where necessary; and
- send marketing communications where I have an appropriate lawful basis to do so.
I will not use your personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes described in this Privacy Policy unless permitted or required by law.
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## 6. Lawful bases for processing
I process personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Depending on the circumstances, I may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases under applicable data protection law:
**Contract**
I may process information where this is necessary to enter into or perform a coaching agreement with you.
**Legal obligation**
I may process information where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
**Legitimate interests**
I may process information where this is necessary for my legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples may include maintaining appropriate business records, administering my services and establishing or defending legal claims.
**Consent**
Where consent is the appropriate lawful basis, I will ask for consent in an appropriate manner. Where you have given consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before you withdrew your consent.
For direct marketing by email, I will comply with applicable electronic marketing requirements as well as data protection law.
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## 7. Special category information
Coaching and breathwork conversations may sometimes involve information that falls within special categories of personal data (for example, information about health), depending on what you choose to share, as noted in Section 3.
I do not seek to collect unnecessary sensitive information. Where special category information is processed, I will do so only where there is an applicable legal condition under data protection law and where the processing is necessary and appropriate for the relevant purpose. Where appropriate, I may ask for your explicit consent before processing such information.
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## 8. Who I share information with
I may use selected third-party service providers to operate Evolve with Alex and provide services to you. These may include:
- Zoom — for coaching or breathwork sessions and, where applicable, session recordings;
- Stripe — for payment processing;
- Calendly — primarily for discovery-call scheduling;
- Mailchimp — for marketing emails where you have opted in;
- Durable — for my website; and
- Apple/iCloud services — where relevant to the secure storage of coaching notes and business information.
These providers may process personal information on my behalf or as separate data controllers, depending on the service and circumstances.
I will only share information where there is a legitimate reason to do so and will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate data protection arrangements are in place.
I may also disclose information where required by law, court order, regulatory authority or where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
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## 9. International transfers
Some of the service providers I use may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is carried out in accordance with applicable data protection law and that appropriate safeguards are in place where required.
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## 10. How I protect your information
I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure. For example:
- my primary device used for coaching information is protected by device security measures such as a passcode and/or Face ID;
- access to coaching notes is restricted to me;
- client information is not intentionally made publicly available; and
- access to third-party services is protected using appropriate account security measures.
No method of storing or transmitting information is completely secure, so I cannot guarantee absolute security.
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## 11. How long I keep personal information
I will retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. Retention periods differ depending on the type of information.
**Financial, accounting and business records**
Records such as invoices, payment records and other financial documentation may need to be retained for longer periods to meet my legal, tax and accounting obligations as a sole trader.
**Coaching notes and personal information**
Coaching notes and other personal information you share are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were collected — such as delivering the relevant coaching or breathwork service and maintaining an appropriate record of our work together — and are reviewed and deleted or anonymised once they are no longer needed for that purpose, subject to any applicable legal obligation to retain them for longer.
**Coaching session recordings**
Recordings will normally be deleted within 90 days after the relevant coaching or breathwork service has been completed, as described in Section 4.
**Marketing information**
If you unsubscribe from marketing communications, I will stop sending you marketing emails and retain only the information reasonably necessary to record and respect your unsubscribe request.
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## 12. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have rights including:
- the right to be informed about how your personal information is used;
- the right to access your personal information;
- the right to request correction of inaccurate information;
- the right to request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances;
- the right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
- the right to object to certain processing, including direct marketing;
- the right to data portability in certain circumstances; and
- the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
These rights are subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions.
To exercise a relevant right, please contact me at [email protected]. I may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests.
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## 13. Direct marketing
If you have opted in to receive marketing emails from Evolve with Alex, I may use your contact details to send you information about my services, content, offers and related updates.
You can withdraw your marketing consent at any time by:
- using the unsubscribe link in a marketing email; or
- contacting me at [email protected].
I will respect your marketing preferences and will not continue sending direct marketing emails after you have validly opted out, subject to any limited information I may need to retain to ensure that your preference is respected.
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## 14. Cookies
My website may use cookies or similar technologies that are necessary for the operation, security and functionality of the website.
I do not currently use analytics or behavioural advertising tools. If this changes, I will review the relevant cookie and privacy information and update it where required.
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## 15. Third-party websites and services
My website or communications may contain links to third-party websites or services.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to the privacy practices of third parties. I recommend reviewing the relevant third party's privacy information before providing personal information to them.
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## 16. Children's information
My coaching services are intended for adults.
I do not knowingly provide coaching services to children or intentionally collect children's personal information through my coaching services.
If I become aware that I have inadvertently collected personal information from a child, I will take reasonable steps to address the situation appropriately.
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## 17. Complaints
If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me first at [email protected].
You also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator:
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
The ICO provides information about data protection rights and how to make a complaint through its website.
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## 18. Changes to this Privacy Policy
I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to my services, technology, legal requirements or how I process personal information.
The latest version will be published on my website with the relevant "Last updated" date.
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## 19. Contact
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how I handle your personal information, please contact:
Alex Spence
Evolve with Alex
[email protected]
89 Springfield Avenue, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY9 8XU
Last updated: 27 August 2026