Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6th May 2026

The Design Coach is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, transparency and respect.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect your personal information when you interact with The Design Coach, including through our website, coaching services, online programs, courses, workshops, retreats, design trips, events, mailing list, enquiries, purchases and TDC Member Rewards.

We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

The Australian Privacy Principles require an APP Privacy Policy to clearly explain matters such as the kinds of personal information collected, how it is collected and held, the purposes for which it is collected, how a person may access or correct their information, how complaints may be made, and whether information is likely to be disclosed overseas.

1. Who We Are

In this Privacy Policy, TDC, The Design Coach, we, us or our refers to The Design Coach.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, you can contact us at:

The Design Coach
Email: hello@thedesigncoach.com.au

2. What Personal Information We Collect

The personal information we collect will depend on how you interact with us.

This may include:

Your name
Business name
Email address
Phone number
Billing address
Location
Website
Social media handles
Payment and purchase details
Enquiry details
Booking details
Course, program, coaching, retreat, event or design trip participation
Business stage, goals, challenges or areas of interest
Testimonials, feedback, survey responses or form submissions
Communications you send to us
Marketing preferences
Technical information collected through our website, such as cookies, analytics data, device information, browser type and website usage information

If you join TDC Member Rewards, we may also collect and hold information such as:

Your Rewards Program membership status
Your Reward Points balance
Your Reward Points earning and redemption history
Your TDC purchase history
Your Rewards level, such as Member Rewards or Platinum Rewards
Your birthday, day and month only, if you choose to provide it
Your preferences, interests or business stage, where relevant to your member experience

We only ask for information that helps us provide our services, manage our relationship with you, deliver a better member experience, and operate TDC effectively.

3. Sensitive Information

Sensitive information has the meaning given to it under the Privacy Act and may include information about health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, sexual orientation, criminal record or biometric information.

We generally don’t seek to collect sensitive information.

If you choose to share sensitive information with us, for example in the context of coaching, business support, personal development, event participation or accessibility requirements, we will only use it:

For the purpose for which it was provided
For a directly related purpose you would reasonably expect
With your consent
Where required or authorised by law

4. How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information directly from you when you:

Visit our website
Make an enquiry
Book a coaching session
Purchase a course, program, workshop, event, retreat or design trip
Join tdc member rewards
Complete a form, survey or questionnaire
Subscribe to our mailing list
Download a resource
Attend an event, workshop, retreat or design trip
Communicate with us by email, phone, online form, social media or other channels
Provide feedback, testimonials or reviews
Interact with our online platforms, course portals, booking systems or payment systems

We may also collect information from third parties where reasonable and appropriate, such as referral partners, payment processors, booking platforms, online course platforms, event partners, website analytics tools, social media platforms, or other service providers that help us operate TDC.

Where reasonable and practicable, we collect personal information directly from you.

5. Why We Collect Personal Information

We collect, hold, use and disclose personal information so we can:

Respond to enquiries
Provide coaching, courses, programs, workshops, retreats, design trips and other services
Manage bookings, registrations, payments and invoices
Deliver online learning and member resources
Communicate with you about services you have purchased or expressed interest in
Provide customer support
Manage tdc member rewards
Calculate, track and manage reward points
Confirm rewards program membership levels
Send reward points updates, redemption opportunities and expiry reminders
Send birthday messages or occasional birthday rewards offers, if you have chosen to provide your birthday
Personalise your experience with tdc
Understand member needs, business stages, interests and preferences
Send newsletters, marketing updates, event invitations, course information, member offers and business development resources
Improve our services, website, programs, communications and member experience
Conduct internal administration, record keeping, reporting and business planning
Meet legal, accounting, audit, tax, insurance and regulatory obligations

We may use your personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected, and for related purposes you would reasonably expect.

6. TDC Member Rewards

If you join TDC Member Rewards, we collect and use personal information to manage your Rewards membership and provide a more personalised member experience.

This may include your name, email address, business name, location, birthday, interests, purchase history, Reward Points balance, Reward Points earning and redemption history, membership level and communication preferences.

We use this information to:

Create and manage your Rewards profile
Track your Reward Points
Calculate your Rewards level
Let you know when you have points available
Send Reward Points updates and expiry reminders
Provide redemption opportunities
Send member offers and Rewards Program communications
Understand which TDC services, programs or learning opportunities may be most relevant to you
Provide a more thoughtful and personalised member experience

Reward Points and Rewards Program information are managed in accordance with the TDC Member Rewards Terms and Conditions.

The ACCC has noted that loyalty schemes often collect personal information and should clearly explain how member data is collected, used and disclosed, particularly where it may be used to personalise communications or offers.

7. Birthday Information

If you choose to provide your birthday as part of TDC Member Rewards, we only ask for your day and month.

We don’t need your year of birth.

We may use your birthday to send you a birthday message or occasional birthday-related Rewards offer.

Providing your birthday is optional. If you don’t provide it, you can still participate in TDC Member Rewards, unless otherwise stated in the Rewards Program Terms and Conditions.

8. Marketing Communications

We may use your personal information to send you newsletters, marketing updates, business development resources, course information, event invitations, member updates and special offers.

You can unsubscribe from general marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us directly.

If you are a TDC Member Rewards member, we may still need to send you service-based communications about your Rewards membership, such as Reward Points updates, expiry reminders, redemption information, membership level updates, or changes to the Rewards Program.

These service-based communications are separate from general marketing communications.

9. Cookies, Website Analytics and Digital Tracking

When you visit our website, we may collect information through cookies, analytics tools, pixels and similar technologies.

This information may include:

Pages visited
Time spent on the website
Links clicked
Device information
Browser type
General location data
Referral source
Interactions with forms, downloads, emails or advertisements

We may use this information to:

Understand how people use our website
Improve website performance and user experience
Measure the effectiveness of our marketing
Personalise content or communications
Support advertising or retargeting activity, where applicable

You can adjust your browser settings to disable or manage cookies, although some website features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

10. Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose personal information where necessary to operate TDC, provide services, manage our business or comply with legal obligations.

This may include disclosure to:

Website hosting providers
Email marketing platforms
Online course platforms
Booking systems
Payment processors
Accounting and bookkeeping platforms
Form and survey platforms
Analytics providers
Social media platforms
Event, retreat or travel partners, where required to deliver the relevant service
Professional advisers, such as accountants, bookkeepers, lawyers or insurers
Contractors, consultants or service providers who assist us to operate TDC
Government, regulatory or law enforcement bodies, where required or authorised by law

We don’t sell your personal information.

We also don’t share your personal information with unrelated third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Where we use third-party service providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure they only use personal information for the purpose of providing services to us or helping us deliver services to you.

11. Overseas Disclosure and Storage

Some of the service providers we use may store or process personal information outside Australia.

This may include providers of website hosting, email marketing, payment processing, online learning, booking systems, customer relationship management, analytics, file storage, accounting or business administration tools.

The countries where information may be stored or processed will depend on the providers we use from time to time.

Where personal information is disclosed overseas, we will take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws and appropriate safeguards.

12. Security of Personal Information

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

This may include using secure systems, password protection, restricted access, secure payment providers, reputable third-party platforms and appropriate administrative processes.

The OAIC notes that organisations must take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. However, we take reasonable care to protect the personal information we hold.

13. Retention of Personal Information

We keep personal information for as long as it is reasonably required for the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide services, manage member relationships, operate TDC Member Rewards, meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, maintain business records, and comply with accounting, tax, insurance or audit requirements.

When personal information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to destroy it or permanently de-identify it, unless we are required or permitted by law to retain it.

Some client, financial, tax or business records may need to be kept for a minimum period, including for legal, accounting or tax purposes.

14. Data Breaches

If we become aware of a data breach involving personal information, we will take reasonable steps to assess and respond to the breach.

Where required by law, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, organisations covered by the Privacy Act must notify affected individuals and the OAIC when a data breach is likely to result in serious harm.

15. Accessing or Correcting Your Personal Information

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you.

You may also ask us to correct your personal information if you believe it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.

To request access or correction, please contact us at:

hello@thedesigncoach.com.au

We may need to verify your identity before providing access or making corrections.

We won’t charge a fee to make an access request, but we may charge a reasonable administrative fee for providing copies of information, where permitted by law.

There may be circumstances where we are unable to provide access to certain information, for example where access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, or where we are legally permitted to refuse access.

16. Recording, Transcription and AI-Generated Summaries

TDC coaching sessions, Group Coaching sessions, workshops, webinars or online meetings may be recorded, transcribed or summarised.

This may be done through platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, or other meeting, transcription or AI-supported productivity tools.

We may use recordings, transcripts or AI-generated summaries to:

Provide session replays to participants
Prepare session notes or action steps
Support coaching follow-up
Improve program delivery
Assist with internal administration and record keeping
Support members who couldn’t attend a live session, where appropriate

Where a session is recorded, we will take reasonable steps to let participants know before or at the start of the session.

AI-generated summaries are used as a support tool only. They may contain errors, omissions or misinterpretations, and should not be relied on as a complete or exact record of a session.

Recordings, transcripts and AI-generated summaries may include personal information shared during a session. For this reason, participants should avoid sharing confidential, sensitive or third-party personal information unless it is necessary and appropriate in the context of the session.

We take reasonable steps to protect recordings, transcripts and summaries from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Where third-party platforms are used to record, transcribe, store or summarise sessions, personal information may be processed by those providers, including outside Australia. The OAIC recommends that organisations using AI products understand how personal information will be handled, including whether information may be used to train or improve AI models.

Where practical, we will use settings that limit access to recordings, transcripts and summaries, and that reduce the likelihood of session content being used to train third-party AI models.

17. Complaints

If you have a concern or complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us at:

The Design Coach
Email: hello@thedesigncoach.com.au

Please provide enough detail for us to understand and respond to your concern.

We will take your complaint seriously and respond within a reasonable period.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

The OAIC’s website is:

www.oaic.gov.au

18. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our business, services, legal obligations, technology, platforms or privacy practices.

The current version will be available on our website.

Where changes are significant, we may take reasonable steps to notify you.