Privacy Policy

About this notice

This privacy policy explains how BeFound Search ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects personal data when you visit befoundsearch.com or get in touch with us. We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

Who we are

BeFound Search is a UK-based search consultancy founded by Paul Gordon. We are the data controller responsible for any personal data you provide through this website.

If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at:

Email: hello@befoundsearch.com
Website: https://befoundsearch.com

What personal data we collect

We only collect personal data you actively give us, plus limited technical data from your visit. Specifically:

When you contact us through the website or by email:

• Your name
• Your email address
• The contents of your message
• Any other information you choose to share (e.g. your website URL, business details)

When you book a strategy call:

• Your name
• Your email address
• The information you provide in any booking form fields

When you visit any page on the site:

• Anonymised analytics data via Google Analytics 4 — see the Cookie Policy for full details
• Standard web server data (IP address, browser type, pages visited, timestamps)

We do not collect: payment details, sensitive personal data (race, religion, health, etc.), or data from children. We do not buy email lists, scrape data, or enrich your information from third-party sources.

How we use your data

We use your personal data only for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiry or request
• To deliver any services you have engaged us for
• To improve our website and understand how visitors use it (anonymised analytics only)
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

We do not send marketing emails. We do not share your data with third parties for marketing. We will never sell your data.

Legal basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:

• Legitimate interest — to respond to your enquiry, deliver services you've requested, and operate the website. You have the right to object — see "Your rights" below.
• Consent — for any analytics or non-essential cookies. You give this through the cookie consent banner and can withdraw it at any time.
• Contract — where we have agreed to provide services to you, we process the data necessary to fulfil that contract.
• Legal obligation — where we are required to keep records for HMRC, accounting, or similar regulatory purposes.

Who processes your data on our behalf

We use the following third-party services that may process your data:

Each of these providers is contractually bound by data processing agreements that comply with UK GDPR.

How long we keep your data

• Enquiry and contact form data: 12 months from the last interaction, then deleted.
• Client engagement records: 6 years from the end of the engagement, in line with HMRC record-keeping requirements.
• Analytics data: Google Analytics 4 retains anonymised user-level data for 14 months by default.
• Email correspondence: retained as part of our business records and reviewed periodically; you can ask us to delete specific correspondence at any time (see "Your rights").

Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure — ask us to delete your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Right to restrict processing — ask us to pause processing in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability — receive your data in a portable format
• Right to object — object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Right to withdraw consent — withdraw any consent you have given, at any time
• Right not to be subject to automated decision-making — we do not use automated decision-making or profiling

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@befoundsearch.com. We will respond within one calendar month.

Cookies and tracking

This site uses cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. Non-essential cookies (including Google Analytics) are only loaded after you give consent via the cookie banner.

Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls on email and storage, and regular review of our processors' security practices. No system is perfectly secure — if a breach occurs that is likely to affect your rights, we will notify you and the ICO within the legally required timeframes.

International transfers

Some of our processors (Zapier, Google Analytics, Replit) transfer data outside the UK to the United States. These transfers rely on UK-approved Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which provide an adequate level of protection.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent change. Material changes will be communicated by updating the date and, where appropriate, a notice on the site.

Right to complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator:

ICO website: https://ico.org.uk
ICO helpline: 0303 123 1113

We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns first — please contact us at hello@befoundsearch.com.