Privacy Policy — Escaped the Rat

1. Who We Are

Escaped the Rat ("we", "us", "our") is a business validation service operated by Miguel Pieters, based in Sydney, Australia. We help corporate professionals test and launch business ideas through our "We POC Your Business Idea" service.

Contact: hello@escapetherat.com

2. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly:

Name and email address (via our contact and newsletter forms)
Business idea details and answers to our Ikigai questionnaire
Calendar booking information when you schedule a discovery call
Project information and deliverables related to our services

We also collect basic analytics data (page views, session duration) to understand how visitors use our site.

3. How We Use Your Information

To respond to enquiries and deliver our services
To send the Escaped the Rat newsletter (only with your consent)
To manage your project deliverables and communicate progress
To improve our website and service offerings

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

4. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely using Supabase (EU-based infrastructure). We use industry-standard encryption for data in transit and at rest. Access to client data is restricted to authorised personnel only.

5. Cookies

Our website uses minimal cookies necessary for site functionality (e.g. session management). We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

6. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

Cal.com — appointment scheduling
Supabase — database and authentication
Vercel — website hosting

7. Your Rights

Under Australian Privacy Law (Privacy Act 1988) and where applicable, GDPR, you have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Request correction or deletion of your data
Withdraw consent for newsletter communications at any time
Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@escapetherat.com.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.