PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction 

Coaching With James is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly, transparently, and securely. 

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

  • Visit my website. 

  • Contact me with an enquiry. 

  • Book or attend a discovery call. 

  • Subscribe to my mailing list. 

  • Purchase coaching services. 

  • Complete a DISC assessment. 

  • Engage with Coaching With James as an individual, organisation, or business. 

This Privacy Policy should be read alongside any coaching agreement, terms and conditions, and cookie policy which may apply. 

 

2. Who I Am 

Coaching With James is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy. 

Business: Coaching With James 

Email: hello@coachingwithjames.uk 

Business address: Bartle House, 9 Oxford Court, Manchester, M2 3WQ 

Ico registration number: ZC224944 

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact me using the details above. 

 

3. Scope of This Policy 

This Privacy Policy applies to: 

  • Visitors to the Coaching With James website. 

  • Individuals submitting enquiries. 

  • Discovery call attendees. 

  • Coaching clients. 

  • DISC assessment participants. 

  • Mailing list subscribers. 

  • Representatives of organisations and businesses who engage with Coaching With James. 

  • Individuals who interact with Coaching With James through social media platforms. 

 

4. The Information I Collect 

Website Visitors 

When you visit the website, information may be collected automatically, including: 

  • IP address. 

  • Browser type and version. 

  • Device information. 

  • Website usage data. 

  • Cookies and tracking information, where consent is provided. 

  • Analytics and engagement information provided through the website or connected platforms. 

Enquiries and Discovery Calls 

If you contact me or book a discovery call, I may collect: 

  • Name. 

  • Email address. 

  • Telephone number, where provided. 

  • Information you choose to share regarding your enquiry. 

  • Booking information, including appointment date, time, and related correspondence. 

Coaching Clients 

If you become a coaching client, I may collect: 

  • Name and contact information. 

  • Coaching goals and objectives. 

  • Coaching session notes. 

  • Information shared throughout the coaching relationship. 

  • Administrative records relating to bookings, agreements, invoices, and payments. 

  • Payment information required to identify and reconcile bank transfer payments. 

DISC Assessment Participants 

Where DISC profiling is provided, I may collect: 

  • Name. 

  • Email address. 

  • DISC assessment reports. 

  • Related coaching records. 

DISC assessments are administered through systems operated by The Coaching Academy and are subject to their own privacy and security arrangements. 

Where a DISC assessment is arranged through an organisation, I will clarify what information, if any, will be shared with that organisation before the assessment is completed. 

Mailing List Subscribers 

If you subscribe to The Reflection Letter, I may collect: 

  • First name. 

  • Email address. 

Mailing list information is managed through Squarespace and used to distribute The Reflection Letter and other communications that subscribers have chosen to receive. 

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in marketing communications. 

 

5. Coaching Conversations, Sensitive Information and Coaching Notes 

Coaching conversations often involve discussion of personal experiences, challenges, goals, and significant life events. 

Clients may choose to share personal information, including information relating to health, wellbeing, disability, relationships, employment, identity, personal circumstances, beliefs, values, life transitions, or other sensitive matters relevant to the coaching process. 

Clients are not required to disclose sensitive personal information unless they choose to do so. 

To support the delivery of coaching services, I may create and maintain coaching notes throughout the coaching relationship. 

Coaching notes may vary in length and detail depending on the nature of the coaching work and the information shared by the client. They may contain information relevant to coaching goals, reflections, progress, actions, discussions, and other matters relevant to the coaching relationship. 

Any personal information shared or recorded will only be collected and used where relevant to the coaching relationship, the delivery of coaching services, or the proper administration of the client relationship. Coaching notes are not intended to be a full transcript of sessions. 

Coaching notes are retained securely, access is restricted to Coaching With James, and they are retained in accordance with the retention periods set out in this Privacy Policy. 

Coaching notes are not routinely shared with third parties except where required by law, where there is a concern about the safety or wellbeing of an individual, or where the client has provided consent. 

 

6. How I Use Personal Information 

Personal information may be used to: 

  • Respond to enquiries. 

  • Arrange and conduct discovery calls. 

  • Deliver coaching services. 

  • Maintain coaching records. 

  • Administer DISC assessments and feedback. 

  • Manage bookings and appointments. 

  • Process payments and maintain financial records. 

  • Send requested information. 

  • Send The Reflection Letter where consent has been provided. 

  • Improve website functionality and user experience. 

  • Understand engagement with website and social media content. 

  • Support business administration, organisation, and service development. 

  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations. 

 

7. Lawful Bases for Processing 

Activity 

Lawful Basis 

Responding to enquiries 

Legitimate Interests 

Arranging discovery calls 

Legitimate Interests 

Providing coaching services 

Contract 

Delivering DISC assessments 

Contract 

Maintaining coaching records 

Legitimate Interests 

Processing payments, invoices, and financial records 

Legal Obligation 

Sending The Reflection Letter 

Consent 

Website analytics and cookies 

Consent where required 

Social media analytics and engagement insights 

Legitimate Interests, or platform consent settings where applicable 

Supporting business administration and service development 

Legitimate Interests 

Complying with legal requirements 

Legal Obligation 

 

8. Session Recordings 

Coaching sessions and discovery calls are not routinely recorded. 

This approach supports privacy, confidentiality, trust, and open conversation within the coaching relationship. 

If a client requests to record a session, any such request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to additional agreement regarding storage, use, and security. 

 

9. Sharing Personal Information 

Personal information will not be sold, rented, or otherwise provided to third parties for marketing purposes. 

Information may be shared where necessary with trusted service providers who help operate Coaching With James. 

These may include: 

  • Squarespace, for website hosting, website services, contact forms, mailing list management, email communications, analytics, and related business functions. 

  • Microsoft 365, including Outlook and OneDrive, for email, file storage, administration, and business records. 

  • Microsoft Bookings, for managing introduction calls and discovery calls. 

  • Microsoft Copilot and other Microsoft AI-assisted tools, where used to support business administration and operations. 

  • The Coaching Academy, where DISC assessments are administered through their systems. 

  • Banking providers used to receive payments by bank transfer and maintain financial records. 

  • Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers. 

Information may also be disclosed where required by law, court order, regulatory obligation, or where necessary to protect the safety of an individual. 

 

10. Data Security 

I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information. 

These measures may include: 

  • Secure cloud storage. 

  • Password protection. 

  • Restricted access to information. 

  • Encrypted systems where available. 

  • Secure disposal of records no longer required. 

Business records are primarily managed through Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook and OneDrive. 

While every effort is made to protect personal information, no system can guarantee absolute security. 

 

11. Use of AI-Assisted Tools 

Coaching With James may use AI-assisted tools, including Microsoft Copilot, to support business administration, document drafting, content creation, organisation, communication, and operational efficiency. 

AI-assisted tools are used to support the operation of the business. They are not used to make automated decisions about clients, replace professional judgement, or deliver coaching sessions. 

Any use of AI-assisted tools will be undertaken with consideration for privacy, confidentiality, and applicable data protection obligations. 

 

12. How Long Information Is Kept 

Record Type 

Retention Period 

Website enquiries 

12 months 

Discovery call enquiries not becoming clients 

12 months 

Discovery call booking records 

12 months 

Mailing list records 

Until unsubscribed or consent withdrawn 

Coaching agreements 

7 years after coaching ends 

Coaching notes 

7 years after coaching ends 

Client correspondence 

7 years after coaching ends 

DISC assessment reports 

7 years after coaching ends 

Financial records, invoices, and bank transfer records 

In accordance with applicable legal and tax requirements 

Website analytics data 

According to provider retention settings 

Social media analytics and engagement insights 

According to provider retention settings 

Records that are no longer required will be securely deleted or destroyed. 

 

13. Your Rights Under UK GDPR 

Under UK data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding the personal information I hold about you. These include the right to: 

  • Be informed about how your information is used. 

  • Access the personal information I hold about you. 

  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information. 

  • Request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances. 

  • Restrict or object to the processing of your information in certain circumstances. 

  • Receive personal information you have provided in a portable format, where applicable. 

  • Challenge certain forms of automated decision-making and profiling. 

Not all rights apply in every circumstance, and some may be subject to legal exemptions or limitations. 

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details provided in this Privacy Policy. I may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. 

Further information about your data protection rights is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). 

 

14. Complaints and ICO Contact Information 

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about how your personal information has been handled, please contact me in the first instance. I welcome the opportunity to understand your concerns and, where possible, resolve them fairly and promptly. 

You can contact me using the details provided in the "Who I Am" section of this Privacy Policy. 

I take privacy and data protection seriously and will aim to respond to concerns promptly and fairly. 

If you are not satisfied with my response, or you believe your personal information has been handled in a way that does not comply with data protection law, you have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent authority for data protection. 

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) 
Website: https://ico.org.uk/ 
Telephone: 0303 123 1113 
Address: 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF 

Further information about making a complaint can be found on the ICO website. 

 

15. International Transfers 

Some of the service providers used by Coaching With James may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom. This may include providers involved in website hosting, email communications, appointment booking, payment processing, cloud storage, analytics, AI-assisted business tools, or other business systems. 

Coaching With James uses or may use services provided by Squarespace, Microsoft, The Coaching Academy, LinkedIn, and Meta. Some of these providers may process or store information outside the United Kingdom. 

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable data protection law. This may include relying on adequacy regulations, contractual safeguards, or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under UK data protection law. 

The specific service providers used by Coaching With James will be reviewed and updated as part of this Privacy Policy where appropriate. 

 

16. Cookies, Analytics and Tracking Technologies 

The Coaching With James website may use cookies and similar technologies to support the operation of the website, understand how visitors use the site, and improve the user experience. 

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. Some cookies are necessary for the website to function properly, while others help analyse website performance or remember user preferences. 

Coaching With James may also use analytics and insight tools provided by platforms used by the business, including Squarespace Analytics, LinkedIn Analytics, and Meta Business Suite or Facebook Page Insights. These tools may provide information about website visits, page engagement, content performance, and audience interaction. 

Where required by law, you will be given the opportunity to accept or decline non-essential cookies. 

You can also control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect how the website functions. 

Further information about the specific cookies used by the website, their purpose, and how they can be managed will be provided in the Cookie Policy. 

 

17. Changes to This Policy 

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, regulatory guidance, business practices, technology, or the services provided by Coaching With James. 

The most current version of this Privacy Policy will always be published on the website and will include the date it was last updated. 

Where changes are significant, reasonable steps will be taken to bring those changes to the attention of affected individuals where appropriate.