Privacy policy

Introduction

Frankly Advisors ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website at franklyadvisors.com or use our deal origination services (collectively, the "Platform").

This policy applies to all users of the Platform, including business owners ("Sellers"), prospective acquirers ("Buyers"), and M&A advisors, brokers, or intermediaries ("Advisors") who use the Platform to manage client relationships and facilitate transactions on behalf of their clients.

We operate in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy laws. By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and company name when you submit our contact form or register for an account.
• Buyer Intake Information: Acquisition criteria, location preferences, industry interests, investment capacity, financing status, and timeline when you submit our buyer intake form.
• Account Information: Login credentials, profile details, and communication preferences for authenticated users.
• Business Information: Details about businesses for sale, including financial information, operational details, and ownership information for listings and matches.
• Communications: Messages, emails, and other correspondence you send to us.
• Phone Number & SMS Consent: Your mobile phone number and your consent preferences for receiving text messages, when you provide them through our contact forms, buyer intake forms, or other opt-in mechanisms on our website.
• Advisor-Contributed Client Data:M&A advisors and brokers may submit information about their clients through the Platform, including buyer acquisition criteria, seller business details, and contact information. Advisors represent that they have obtained appropriate consent from their clients to provide this data to the Platform.
• Matching Activity: Records of matches, introductions, NDA executions, data room access, and deal progression events generated through your use of the Platform.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information:

• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and IP address.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, and navigation paths.
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To facilitate introductions between business owners and vetted buyers, and to match acquisition criteria with available opportunities.
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send updates about potential matches, and provide information about our services via email, phone, or text message (SMS), based on your communication preferences and consent.
• Account Management: To create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and maintain your preferences.
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our services, and develop new features.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.
• Security: To protect against fraud, unauthorized access, and other security threats.
• Platform-Wide Matching: To evaluate buyer acquisition criteria against all active listings on the Platform, regardless of which advisor or brokerage contributed the listing or buyer data, and to notify relevant advisors and participants of potential matches.
• Aggregated Analytics:To generate anonymized, aggregated insights about M&A market trends, industry activity, deal volume, and financial benchmarks. These insights never identify individual users, specific businesses, or particular transactions.
• AI-Assisted Processing: To classify, categorize, and summarize information using artificial intelligence tools, including generating match summaries, drafting email communications, classifying inbound inquiries, and enriching business profile data. AI-generated outputs are reviewed by advisors before being shared with clients.

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect or process your information:

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit, what pages they view, and what other sites they used prior to coming to our site. We use this information to improve our website and services. Google Analytics collects the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit our site, but not your name or other identifying information. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Supabase

We use Supabase for database hosting, user authentication, and backend services. Supabase stores your account information and application data securely with encryption at rest and in transit. Supabase's privacy practices are governed by their Privacy Policy.

Twilio

We use Twilio to provide voice calling and SMS text messaging services. When you opt in to receive text messages or when we place or receive phone calls on your behalf, Twilio processes your phone number and message content. Twilio's privacy practices are governed by their Privacy Policy.

Google Maps Platform

We use Google Maps API for location-based services, including address autocomplete and geographic matching. Your use of these features is subject to Google's Privacy Policy.

OpenAI

We use OpenAI's API for AI-assisted content generation, classification, and summarization. This includes generating match summaries, drafting email communications, classifying inbound inquiries, and enriching listing descriptions. Data sent to OpenAI is processed under their API data usage policy, which states that API inputs are not used to train models. OpenAI's privacy practices are governed by their Privacy Policy.

Data Enrichment Services

We use third-party data enrichment services, including AIArk and Hunter.io, to verify and supplement business contact information, company details, and publicly available data. These services help us maintain accurate records and improve the quality of matches. Data shared with enrichment services is limited to what is necessary for verification and enrichment purposes and is subject to those providers' respective privacy policies.

Foursquare

We use Foursquare's location data services to verify and enrich business location information for geographic matching purposes. Foursquare's privacy practices are governed by their Privacy Policy.

Vercel

We use Vercel for website hosting and content delivery. Vercel may process your IP address and device information when you visit our website. Vercel's privacy practices are governed by their Privacy Policy.

Cross-Broker Data Sharing

The Platform operates a matching network where data contributed by different advisors and brokerages is evaluated for potential matches. This section explains how your data may be shared in connection with matched introductions.

When a match occurs between a buyer and a listing managed by different advisors:

• Both the buyer's managing advisor and the listing's managing advisor are notified of the match
• Teaser-level information — including non-identifying information including industry classification, geographic region, and summarized financial range — may be shared between advisors to evaluate fit
• Full confidential information, including financial statements, identifying business details, and proprietary data, is only shared after execution of a Non-Disclosure Agreement through the Platform
• Your advisor's identity and brokerage affiliation may be visible to other advisors involved in a matched introduction

We do not share your personal information or client data with other advisors or brokerages outside the context of a Platform-facilitated match. Data contributed by advisors is not made available to competing advisors for prospecting, solicitation, or any purpose other than facilitating matched introductions.

AI & Automated Processing

We use artificial intelligence and automated systems to process information on the Platform, including:

• Evaluating buyer acquisition criteria against listing characteristics to generate potential matches
• Classifying and routing inbound inquiries and communications
• Generating draft summaries, email responses, and listing descriptions for advisor review
• Enriching business data with publicly available information from third-party sources
• Categorizing industries, geographic locations, and deal characteristics for improved search and matching

All AI-generated outputs are presented to advisors for review before being communicated to clients or other parties. We do not make fully automated decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on individuals without human review.

Data Protection & Security

Confidentiality is at the core of our business. We implement robust security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL and at rest using industry-standard encryption.
• Access Controls: We implement strict access controls and authentication requirements to limit access to personal information.
• Confidentiality Agreements: All team members and partners are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Regular Audits: We regularly review and update our security practices to address emerging threats.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Breach Notification

In the event of a breach of security safeguards involving your personal information that creates a real risk of significant harm to you, we will notify you and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as soon as feasible, in accordance with PIPEDA. Our notification will describe the nature of the breach, the personal information involved, the steps we have taken to reduce the risk of harm, and the steps you can take to protect yourself.

Your Privacy Rights (PIPEDA)

Under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: You can request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
• Right to Complain: You have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe we have violated your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@franklyadvisors.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience:

Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly, including authentication, security, and session management. You cannot opt out of essential cookies.

Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. You can opt out of analytics cookies through your browser settings or by using the Google Analytics opt-out tool.

Managing Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can set your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some features of our website may not function properly if you disable cookies.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• Active Accounts: We retain account information for as long as your account remains active.
• Inquiry Data: Contact form submissions and buyer intake data are retained for up to 3 years after your last interaction with us.
• Transaction Records: Records related to completed transactions are retained for 7 years to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Matching & Attribution Records: Records of matches, introductions, origination data, and commission attribution are retained for the duration of any active relationship plus seven (7) years.
• Analytics Data: Anonymized analytics data may be retained indefinitely for statistical purposes.

You may request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us at privacy@franklyadvisors.com. We will remove your identifiable profile and user-facing records within thirty (30) days of your request. Anonymized and aggregated data derived from your use of the Platform may be retained indefinitely for analytical and operational purposes. Retention of transaction records, NDA execution records, and commission attribution records as required by law is not affected by deletion requests.

Information Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

We will never share, sell, or provide your mobile phone number or SMS opt-in data to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

• With Your Consent: When you explicitly authorize us to share information with specific parties, such as when facilitating introductions between buyers and sellers.
• Platform Matching: With other advisors and their clients on the Platform in connection with matched introductions, as described in the Cross-Broker Data Sharing section above. Teaser-level, non-identifying data is shared upon match; detailed confidential information is shared only after NDA execution.
• Service Providers: With third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform, subject to confidentiality agreements.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than Canada, including the United States where some of our service providers are located. These countries may have different data protection laws than Canada. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Our Privacy Officer is responsible for our compliance with this Policy and with PIPEDA. You may direct any questions or complaints regarding our privacy practices to the Privacy Officer at the email address above.

You may also file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca.