Small Business Connect

Privacy Policy

smallbusinessconnect.com.au

Effective Date: 1 June 2025 | Last Updated: June 2025

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Small Business Connect is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our website and platform at smallbusinessconnect.com.au.

We handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). By using our platform or submitting your information to us, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

Who we are: Small Business Connect (ABN: 99 337 711 787) is a registered business name operating in Queensland, Australia. References to “we”, “us”, or “SBC” in this policy refer to Small Business Connect.

1. What Personal Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you register, subscribe, or interact with our platform, we may collect:

Full name and contact details (email address, phone number, location/suburb)
Business name, ABN, business category, and business description
Profile photo and cover image
Payment information (processed securely via our payment provider — we do not store full card details)
Membership tier and billing history
Content you post in the community, listings, marketplace, or events
Messages sent to other members via the platform
Any information you provide when contacting us directly

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our platform, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

IP address and general location data
Browser type and device information
Pages visited, time spent on the platform, and navigation patterns
Referral sources (how you found us)
Cookie and session data (see Section 8)

1.3 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties in limited circumstances, such as:

Payment processors confirming transaction status
Social media platforms if you choose to connect your account or log in via a social login option
Event platforms or partner organisations where a joint event or program is involved

2. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use your personal information only for legitimate purposes directly related to operating Small Business Connect. These include:

2.1 Platform Operation

Creating and managing your member account
Processing membership subscriptions and payments
Publishing and managing your business listing in our directory
Enabling community features, messaging, and marketplace transactions
Providing access to events, networking sessions, and Business Gym content

2.2 Communication

Sending transactional emails (account confirmations, receipts, password resets)
Sending onboarding and welcome communications
Notifying you of platform updates, new features, or changes to our policies
Sending our newsletter or member communications (you can opt out at any time)
Responding to your enquiries and support requests

2.3 Platform Improvement

Analysing usage patterns to improve platform features and member experience
Identifying and resolving technical issues
Conducting research to better understand the needs of small business owners

2.4 Marketing and Promotion

Promoting Small Business Connect to prospective members (using anonymised or aggregated data where possible)
Featuring member businesses in our directory, social media, or promotional materials — only where you have given consent or where it is a standard feature of your membership tier

2.5 Legal and Compliance

Complying with applicable laws and regulations
Enforcing our Terms and Conditions and Refund Policy
Responding to legal requests or protecting our rights

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

3.1 Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating the platform. These include:

Payment processors (to handle billing and subscriptions securely)
Email service providers (to deliver transactional and marketing emails)
Hosting and cloud infrastructure providers
Analytics tools (to understand platform usage)
Customer support tools

These providers are only permitted to use your information to perform services on our behalf and are required to maintain appropriate security standards.

3.2 Public Profile Information

When you create a business listing or member profile, certain information is visible to other platform users and, depending on your settings, to the general public. This may include your business name, description, category, location, contact details, and profile photo. Please be mindful of what you choose to make public.

3.3 Other Members

If you participate in community features, other members may see your posts, comments, and profile. Messages sent via the platform are visible to the recipient(s) only.

3.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to comply with legal process, protect our rights, or ensure the safety of our members or the public.

3.5 Business Transfers

In the event that Small Business Connect is acquired, merged, or its assets are transferred to another entity, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4. How We Store and Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously. Our platform is hosted on secure infrastructure (Hostinger) and we implement a range of technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:

Encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL) across the platform
Secure payment processing via our payment provider (we do not store full card numbers)
Access controls to limit who within SBC can access personal data
Regular monitoring for security vulnerabilities

While we take all reasonable precautions, no system is completely secure. If you become aware of any security concern related to your account, please contact us immediately.

Your data is stored on servers located in Australia or jurisdictions with equivalent privacy protections. Where data is processed by third-party providers located overseas, we take steps to ensure those providers meet appropriate standards.

5. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. When you close your account, we will delete or de-identify your personal information within a reasonable period, unless we are required to retain it for legal or compliance purposes (for example, financial records which we may need to retain for 7 years under Australian tax law).

Anonymised or aggregated data that cannot identify you may be retained indefinitely for analytical and platform improvement purposes.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

6.1 Access Your Information

You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you at any time. We will respond to access requests within 30 days. In some limited circumstances, we may be unable to provide access (for example, where it would reveal information about another person, or where an exemption applies under the Privacy Act).

6.2 Correct Your Information

If your personal information is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, you can update it directly through your member dashboard, or contact us and we will make the correction promptly.

6.3 Delete Your Information

You may request that we delete your personal information. We will do so unless we are required to retain it for legal purposes or there is another legitimate reason to keep it. Deleting your information will typically require closing your account.

6.4 Opt Out of Marketing

You can unsubscribe from our marketing and newsletter emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email, or by contacting us directly. Note that you may still receive essential transactional emails related to your membership even if you opt out of marketing.

6.5 Withdraw Consent

Where we rely on your consent to process your personal information, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before withdrawal.

7. Children’s Privacy

Small Business Connect is a platform designed for adults operating or establishing businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

8. Cookies and Tracking

Our platform uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience and help us understand how the platform is used. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our site.

We use the following types of cookies:

Essential cookies: required for the platform to function correctly (e.g. keeping you logged in)
Analytical cookies: help us understand how members use the platform so we can improve it
Preference cookies: remember your settings and preferences

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the platform. We do not use cookies to serve third-party advertising.

9. Links to Third-Party Sites

Our platform may contain links to external websites or services (for example, vendor websites in the Marketplace, or social media pages). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the platform, or applicable law. Where changes are material, we will notify you by email or by a prominent notice on the platform. The updated policy will take effect from the date shown at the top of this document.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

11. Complaints and Contact

11.1 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal information, please contact us:

Small Business Connect

Website: smallbusinessconnect.com.au

Email: hello@smallbusinessconnect.com.au

ABN: 99 337 711 787

11.2 Complaints

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Website: oaic.gov.au

Phone: 1300 363 992

We ask that you contact us first so we have the opportunity to resolve your concern before you escalate to the OAIC.

Your privacy matters to us. We will always handle your information with respect, and only use it to make Small Business Connect better for you.