Effective Date: 9/29/2026
Last Updated: 10/20/2026
Mel Richardson Talent & People Strategy, LLC ("Company," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information when you visit MelRichardson.com, inquire about our services, subscribe to our communications, join a book waitlist, register for events, engage with our content, or otherwise interact with our business.
Our services include strategic People and Talent advisory, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) readiness and integration, organizational design, leadership development, executive coaching, and business transformation consulting.
This policy applies to personal information collected through our website and related business activities. Separate websites, publishing platforms, and third-party services may maintain their own privacy policies.
Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of personal information:
Contact and Identification Information
First and last name
Email address
Telephone or mobile phone number
Business name, professional title, and company affiliation
Business mailing address, where applicable
Business and Professional Information
Information about your organization, leadership team, or business needs
Details regarding advisory, consulting, or coaching inquiries
Information submitted through consultation requests, questionnaires, or contact forms
Appointment and scheduling information
Communications and correspondence with us
Marketing, Newsletter, and Subscription Information
Email subscription preferences
MelThinks newsletter registrations
Everyone's Person book waitlist registrations
Event and webinar registrations
Requests for resources, publications, or business information
Marketing communication preferences
SMS consent records, if you enroll in a future text messaging program
Technical and Website Information
When you interact with our website, we and our technology providers may collect information such as:
Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser and device type
Referring websites and traffic sources
Pages visited and website interactions
Approximate geographic location derived from IP address
Cookie identifiers and related technical information
We do not request highly sensitive personal information through general website inquiry forms.
How We Collect Information
We may collect information through:
Information you provide directly through our website, email, telephone, or other communications
Consultation and scheduling requests
MelThinks newsletter subscription forms
Everyone's Person book waitlist registration forms
Event and webinar registrations
Cookies and website analytics technologies
Professional networking platforms and business referrals
Service providers and business partners
Publicly available professional and business information, where permitted by law
We may combine information collected through these sources when reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.
How We Use Your Information
We may use personal information to:
Respond to questions, inquiries, and consultation requests
Provide and manage our advisory, consulting, and coaching services
Schedule meetings, consultations, and events
Communicate with prospective and existing clients
Deliver requested resources and business information
Manage MelThinks newsletter subscriptions
Administer the Everyone's Person book waitlist and provide related updates
Manage event registrations and communications
Provide information about relevant services, speaking engagements, publications, and professional resources
Send marketing communications consistent with your preferences and applicable law
Improve our website, services, and customer experience
Analyze website traffic and marketing effectiveness
Maintain appropriate business records
Protect the security and integrity of our website and systems
Comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations
Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before using your information for particular marketing activities.
Email Marketing and Communications
We may send email communications to individuals who subscribe to our newsletters, join our book waitlist, request information, or otherwise agree to receive communications from us.
These communications may include professional insights, newsletters, resources, service information, speaking engagements, events, book announcements, and related publications, consistent with the purpose for which your information was collected and your communication preferences.
You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by selecting the unsubscribe link included in those messages or contacting us directly.
Unsubscribing from marketing emails does not prevent us from sending necessary administrative or service-related communications.
We comply with applicable email marketing requirements, including those relating to sender identification and unsubscribe requests.
MelThinks Newsletter Subscriptions
Visitors may subscribe to MelThinks, a newsletter featuring personal reflections, leadership insights, and content related to personal and professional transformation, by submitting a subscription form on our website.
When you subscribe, we collect the information you provide, including your name and email address where requested.
We use this information to enroll you in a free MelThinks subscription through Substack, a third-party newsletter publishing and distribution platform.
By submitting the subscription form, you request enrollment in the MelThinks newsletter and acknowledge that your subscription information will be provided to Substack for the purpose of administering and delivering your subscription.
Substack processes subscriber information in accordance with its own privacy practices.
You may review Substack's Privacy Policy at:
You may unsubscribe from MelThinks at any time using the unsubscribe link included in newsletter emails.
Subscribing to MelThinks does not automatically enroll you in unrelated marketing programs or SMS communications.
Everyone's Person Book Waitlist
Visitors may join the waitlist for Everyone's Person, a book authored by Melissa Richardson, by submitting a separate registration form.
When you join the waitlist, we collect the information you provide, including your name and email address where requested.
We use this information to communicate with you about:
Book release dates and availability
Launch events and invitations
Book-related announcements and updates
Opportunities to purchase or access the book
Other information directly related to Everyone's Person
Joining the Everyone's Person waitlist does not automatically enroll you in the MelThinks newsletter, consulting-related marketing communications, or SMS marketing programs unless you separately choose to subscribe or provide the required consent.
You may unsubscribe from book-related marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link included in those communications or by contacting us directly.
We do not sell book waitlist subscriber information for monetary consideration.
SMS Communications and Consent
Mel Richardson Talent & People Strategy, LLC may introduce an optional SMS communication program in the future.
If such a program is implemented, we will obtain any legally required consent before sending marketing or promotional text messages.
Providing a telephone number through our website, scheduling a consultation, joining a newsletter, registering for a book waitlist, or otherwise communicating with our business does not, by itself, constitute consent to receive marketing SMS messages.
Individuals who affirmatively enroll in an SMS program may receive messages relating to:
Consultation and appointment reminders
Requested information and follow-up communications
Business services and advisory offerings
Events, webinars, and speaking engagements
Relevant publications and resources
Promotional communications consistent with the consent provided
Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.
Consent to receive marketing SMS messages is not a condition of purchasing or receiving services.
If and when our SMS program becomes available, subscribers will be provided with clear enrollment instructions, opt-out procedures, and assistance information.
Subscribers will be able to withdraw consent using the methods identified at enrollment, including replying STOP where supported.
For assistance, you may contact us at 609-509-4367 or melissa@melrichardson.com.
We will maintain records of SMS consent and honor applicable opt-out requirements.
Mobile Information and SMS Privacy
We do not sell, rent, or share mobile telephone numbers or SMS opt-in consent information with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
We may share information with service providers that help deliver text messages or operate communications systems on our behalf, subject to appropriate confidentiality and data protection requirements.
SMS consent provided to Mel Richardson Talent & People Strategy, LLC does not authorize another business to send marketing text messages.
Cookies, Analytics, and Tracking Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand visitor activity, improve performance, and measure the effectiveness of our communications.
Depending on the technologies enabled on our website, these tools may collect technical and usage information, including IP addresses, device information, page visits, and interactions.
Certain technologies may be provided by Squarespace or other third-party service providers.
Where required by applicable law, we will provide appropriate notice and choices concerning nonessential cookies or tracking technologies.
You may also manage certain cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website functionality.
If we introduce additional advertising pixels, remarketing tools, or similar technologies, we will update our disclosures and privacy controls as appropriate.
How We Share Information
We may disclose personal information to trusted service providers and contractors who assist with our business operations, including:
Squarespace and other website hosting or maintenance providers
Substack for administering and delivering MelThinks newsletter subscriptions
Email marketing and subscription management providers
Book waitlist and event registration service providers
Appointment scheduling platforms
Customer relationship management systems
Analytics and reporting providers
Information technology and security providers
Professional business administration providers
These providers may process information on our behalf or, where applicable, under their own privacy policies for the services they provide.
We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to:
Comply with applicable laws or lawful requests
Protect our rights, property, or safety
Investigate fraud, security incidents, or misuse
Support a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or transfer of business assets
We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration as part of our ordinary business operations.
Certain advertising or analytics disclosures may be treated as a sale or sharing under applicable privacy laws even where no money is exchanged. If we engage in activities subject to those laws, we will provide the required disclosures and choices.
Mobile information and SMS opt-in consent will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
Confidential Business Information
As a strategic advisory firm, we recognize that prospective and existing clients may share confidential business, organizational, leadership, or operational information.
We take reasonable measures to protect information provided in connection with professional engagements.
Where applicable, confidentiality obligations and information-handling requirements may also be addressed in separate consulting agreements, nondisclosure agreements, or other contractual arrangements.
This Privacy Policy does not replace or modify the terms of those agreements.
Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
However, no website, electronic communication, or data storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
We encourage visitors to avoid submitting sensitive personal or confidential business information through unsecured communication channels.
Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including:
Providing requested services
Maintaining client and business relationships
Managing newsletter subscriptions and book waitlist registrations
Delivering requested communications
Meeting contractual and legal obligations
Resolving disputes
Protecting our legitimate business interests
Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information, the reason it was collected, and applicable legal requirements.
When information is no longer reasonably necessary, we will delete, anonymize, or otherwise securely manage it as appropriate.
Your Privacy Rights and Choices
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights concerning your personal information, including the ability to:
Request access to personal information we maintain about you
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion of certain personal information
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
Opt out of marketing communications
Exercise additional privacy rights provided under applicable law
These rights may be subject to legal exceptions and verification requirements.
To submit a privacy-related request, contact melissa@melrichardson.com.
We will review and respond to requests in accordance with applicable law.
Third-Party Websites and Platforms
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, scheduling services, publishing platforms, or other external resources.
These may include Substack, book retailers, event registration services, and other websites associated with our professional or publishing activities.
These services may collect and process information under their own privacy policies.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites that we do not control.
We encourage visitors to review the privacy policies of external services before providing personal information.
Children's Privacy
Our website and professional services are intended for a general adult and business audience and are not directed toward children under the age of 13.
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13.
If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without legally required parental consent, we will take appropriate steps to delete that information.
Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal information may contact us at melissa@melrichardson.com.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our business practices, technology, services, or applicable legal requirements.
Any updates will be published on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date.
When required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before implementing material changes.
Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or our handling of personal information, please contact:
Mel Richardson Talent & People Strategy, LLC
331 Old Lincoln Hwy
Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: 609-509-4367
Email: melissa@melrichardson.com
Website: https://melrichardson.com