Terms of Service

Effective Date: January 2, 2026

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1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing our website at hive29.io, contacting us for services, or entering into a service agreement with Hive29, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations.

These terms apply to all users of our website, prospective clients, and active clients engaging our services.

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2. Services Provided

Hive29 is a boutique digital systems agency that provides the following services:

• CRM Selection & Implementation: Identifying, configuring, and implementing customer relationship management platforms tailored to your business needs
• Workflow Automation: Designing and building automated processes to streamline operations
• Website Design & Integration: Creating and deploying websites that integrate with your business systems
• Tech Infrastructure Setup: Establishing digital foundations including email, storage, and connected tools
• Ongoing Support: Optional maintenance and optimization services after initial implementation

All services are provided on a project basis unless otherwise specified in a separate service agreement.

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3. Service Agreements & Scope

Project Proposals

Before beginning any paid work, Hive29 will provide a detailed proposal outlining:

• Scope of work and deliverables
• Project timeline and milestones
• Pricing and payment terms
• Client responsibilities
• Terms specific to your project

Scope Changes

If you request changes or additions beyond the agreed scope, we'll provide a revised proposal with updated pricing and timeline. Significant scope changes may require a new agreement.

Client Responsibilities

Successful projects require collaboration. You agree to:

• Provide timely access to necessary accounts, platforms, and systems
• Supply requested content, assets, and information in a timely manner
• Respond to questions and feedback requests within reasonable timeframes
• Review deliverables and provide feedback during designated review periods
• Obtain necessary approvals from your team or stakeholders

Delays caused by late responses or missing information may extend project timelines and could incur additional fees.

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4. Payment Terms

Pricing & Invoicing

Payment terms will be specified in your project proposal. Typical payment structures include:

• Fixed Project Fee: Total cost divided into milestone payments (typically 50% upfront, 50% on completion)
• Hourly Rate: Billed weekly or monthly for ongoing work
• Retainer: Monthly recurring fee for ongoing support and maintenance

Payment Schedule

Invoices are due within 14 days of issue unless otherwise specified. Late payments may incur a 1.5% monthly late fee and may result in suspension of services until payment is received.

Deposits & Upfront Payments

Most projects require a deposit (typically 50%) before work begins. Deposits are non-refundable once work has commenced.

Third-Party Costs

You are responsible for all third-party costs including:

• Domain registration and hosting fees
• Software licenses and subscriptions (CRM platforms, email services, etc.)
• Stock images, fonts, or other licensed assets
• Payment processing fees

These costs are separate from Hive29's service fees and will be clearly itemized in proposals.

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5. Intellectual Property

Your Content

You retain all rights to content, materials, and information you provide (text, images, logos, branding, data, etc.). By providing these materials, you grant Hive29 a license to use them solely for the purpose of delivering services to you.

Our Work Product

Upon full payment, you own the final deliverables we create for you, including:

• Website designs and code specific to your project
• Custom graphics and visual assets created for you
• Configured systems and workflows
• Documentation and training materials

Pre-Existing Materials

Hive29 retains ownership of:

• Pre-existing code libraries, templates, and tools
• Our methodologies, processes, and internal systems
• General knowledge and expertise gained through projects

Third-Party Licenses

When we implement third-party platforms (CRMs, website builders, etc.), you are subject to their licensing terms and must maintain active subscriptions to continue using those services.

Portfolio Use

We may showcase our work for you in our portfolio, case studies, and marketing materials unless you specifically request confidentiality. We will not share sensitive business information or proprietary data.

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6. Confidentiality

We understand you may share sensitive business information with us. Hive29 agrees to:

• Keep your business information, data, and strategies confidential
• Not disclose confidential information to third parties without your consent
• Use information only for the purpose of providing services to you
• Require any freelancers or contractors working on your project to sign confidentiality agreements

Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that is publicly available or that we are legally required to disclose.

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7. Warranties & Disclaimers

Our Commitment

Hive29 commits to:

• Deliver services with professional skill and care
• Use industry best practices and reliable tools
• Test deliverables before handing them off
• Provide reasonable support during implementation

No Guarantees of Results

While we strive for excellence, we cannot guarantee specific business outcomes such as:

• Increased revenue, leads, or conversions
• Improved search engine rankings
• Specific time savings or efficiency gains
• Compatibility with all future software updates or changes

Third-Party Services

We implement and integrate third-party platforms (CRMs, website builders, email services, etc.). We are not responsible for:

• Outages, bugs, or changes to third-party services
• Third-party pricing changes or discontinued features
• Data loss or security breaches caused by third-party services
• Changes to third-party terms of service or policies

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8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• Hive29's total liability for any claims arising from our services shall not exceed the total amount paid to us for the specific project in question
• We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages including lost profits, lost data, or business interruption
• We are not responsible for damages caused by factors outside our control including third-party services, your systems, or force majeure events

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9. Website Hosting & Maintenance

Hosting Responsibility

Unless otherwise specified in your service agreement:

• You are responsible for securing and paying for website hosting
• We will configure your site on your chosen hosting platform
• You maintain control and ownership of hosting accounts

Ongoing Maintenance

After project completion, you are responsible for:

• Maintaining software updates and security patches
• Managing hosting renewals and backups
• Content updates and changes

We offer optional ongoing maintenance and support retainers. Contact us for details.

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10. Project Timeline & Delays

Estimated Timelines

Project timelines provided in proposals are estimates based on timely collaboration. Actual completion dates may vary due to:

• Scope changes or additions
• Delays in receiving content, feedback, or approvals from you
• Third-party platform limitations or technical issues
• Unforeseen technical complexities

Force Majeure

Hive29 is not liable for delays or failures caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, internet outages, third-party service disruptions, or other force majeure events.

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11. Termination

Termination by You

You may terminate a project at any time by providing written notice. If you terminate:

• You remain responsible for payment for all work completed to date
• Deposits and payments for completed work are non-refundable
• We will provide you with all completed work and files upon final payment
• You will not receive ownership of incomplete work

Termination by Us

Hive29 may terminate services if:

• Invoices are more than 30 days overdue
• You breach these terms or your service agreement
• The project becomes unfeasible due to technical or scope issues
• You fail to provide necessary access, materials, or cooperation

If we terminate due to non-payment or breach, all completed work remains our property until payment is received.

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12. Data & Backups

While we take care to protect your data during projects:

• You are ultimately responsible for backing up your own data
• We are not responsible for data loss during migration or implementation
• You should maintain independent backups of critical business information
• We may delete project files from our systems 90 days after project completion

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13. Support & Training

Included Support

Most projects include a brief support period (typically 30 days) after launch for:

• Bug fixes related to our work
• Answering questions about how to use implemented systems
• Minor adjustments or tweaks

Ongoing Support

After the included support period, ongoing assistance is available through:

• Hourly consulting rates
• Monthly support retainers
• New project agreements for major changes

Training

We provide documentation and training on systems we implement. You are responsible for training your team members on these systems.

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14. Dispute Resolution

Good Faith Negotiation

If a dispute arises, we agree to first attempt to resolve it through good faith negotiation. Contact us at rich@hive29.io to discuss any concerns.

Mediation

If we can't resolve a dispute through negotiation, we agree to participate in mediation before pursuing litigation.

Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States. Any legal proceedings shall be conducted in Los Angeles County, California.

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15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Hive29 from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Content, materials, or information you provide
• Your use of services or deliverables we provide
• Your violation of these terms or applicable laws
• Infringement of third-party intellectual property rights through materials you provide

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16. Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these terms by reference.

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17. Freelance Network

Hive29 operates through a trusted network of freelance specialists. When working on your project:

• We may engage designers, developers, or other specialists as needed
• All freelancers sign confidentiality agreements
• We maintain quality control and project management oversight
• You will primarily communicate with Rich, Founder & Chief Systems Architect
• We are responsible for the quality of all work delivered, regardless of who completes it

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18. Communication & Updates

During active projects, we will:

• Provide regular updates on progress
• Respond to emails within 1-2 business days
• Schedule check-in calls as needed
• Communicate proactively about any issues or delays

We expect similar responsiveness from you to keep projects moving forward.

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19. Amendments to Terms

Hive29 reserves the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Effective Date" at the top
• We will post the updated terms on our website
• For active projects, existing service agreements will remain under the terms in effect when signed
• New projects will be subject to the current terms

Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified terms.

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20. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with any signed service agreements and proposals, constitute the entire agreement between you and Hive29. They supersede any prior agreements, discussions, or representations.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full effect.

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21. Contact Information

Questions about these Terms of Service? We're here to help.

Hive29
Founder & Chief Systems Architect: Rich
Email: rich@hive29.io
Website: hive29.io

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