Terms of Use

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of hemanthlal.com (the "Website") and the consultation sessions booked through it. By using the Website or booking a session, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Website or book a session.

These Terms are written to be read, not buried. Read them once. Engage with them seriously.

1. Who these Terms are with

These Terms are an agreement between you and Hemanth S, operating professionally as Hemanth Lal ("I", "me", "my"), an independent Strategic Brand Consultant based in Bangalore, India.

Contact:

• Email: [email protected]

• Address: #402, 108 AR Mane, Duo City Layout, Basapura Main Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, PIN 560068, India

2. What these Terms cover

These Terms cover two things:

1. Your use of the Website — reading content, subscribing to the newsletter, submitting forms, downloading resources, and any other interaction with hemanthlal.com.

2. Consultation sessions — single sessions booked and paid for through the booking system (Cal.com or equivalent).

Anything beyond a single consultation session — retainers, full engagements, workshops, advisory mandates, project work — is governed by a separate written engagement agreement. These Terms do not cover that work.

3. Who can use the Website

The Website and services are intended for users who are 18 years or older and legally capable of entering binding agreements. If you are accessing the Website on behalf of a company or organization, you confirm that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

The Website is not directed at minors. If you are under 18, do not use the Website or submit any information through it.

4. Acceptable use

You may use the Website to read content, learn from the published material, subscribe to communications, contact me, and book consultations. You may not:

• Use the Website for any unlawful purpose

• Copy, republish, distribute, or commercially exploit the content (see Section 5)

• Use automated tools, bots, scrapers, or crawlers to extract content from the Website

• Use the Website's content, in whole or in part, to train, fine-tune, or develop any artificial intelligence model, machine learning system, or language model

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Website or its underlying systems

• Interfere with the operation of the Website, including through denial-of-service attacks, malware, or excessive automated requests

• Impersonate me, my team, or anyone else

• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information through any form

• Use the Website in any way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair its functioning

I reserve the right to investigate and pursue legal remedies against anyone who violates these provisions.

5. Intellectual property

Ownership of content. All content published on the Website — including essays, articles, frameworks, doctrine, methodologies, brand systems, illustrations, charts, photography, design elements, and the wordmark "Hemanth Lal" — is the result of substantial human creative direction, editorial judgment, curation, and arrangement.

The selection, arrangement, expression, and frameworks of this content are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. I claim copyright over the editorial expression and arrangement of all content on this Website. Some imagery and supporting elements are produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools under my creative direction; the protection claimed extends to the human-directed selection, arrangement, and editorial expression of those elements.

What you may do:

• Read and reflect on the content for personal, non-commercial purposes

• Share links to public articles on social media or in private communication

• Quote short excerpts (no more than 100 words from any single piece) with clear attribution to "Hemanth Lal — hemanthlal.com"

What you may not do without prior written permission:

• Republish, reproduce, or distribute content in whole or in substantial part on any platform

• Use the content, frameworks, or doctrine in commercial materials, including client decks, marketing collateral, training programs, or paid content

• Translate or adapt the content into other languages or formats for distribution

• Create derivative works based on the frameworks, methodologies, or doctrine published on the Website

• Use any content to train, develop, or improve artificial intelligence models, machine learning systems, or any automated content generation tool

• Remove or alter copyright notices, attributions, or watermarks

Frameworks and methodologies. The strategic frameworks, models, and methodologies published on the Website are proprietary intellectual property. Reading them does not grant any license to use them in commercial work. To apply these frameworks in a commercial context, formal engagement is required.

For permission to reproduce or adapt content, write to [email protected] with a specific request.

6. No AI training, no scraping

The content on this Website may not be used, in whole or in part, to train, fine-tune, evaluate, benchmark, or develop any artificial intelligence model, large language model, machine learning system, generative AI tool, or any other automated system, regardless of the technical method used.

This restriction applies to all parties, including those operating under research, academic, or non-commercial framings, unless explicit written permission is granted by me.

Automated scraping, crawling, or extraction of Website content using bots, headless browsers, or any other automated means is prohibited. I reserve the right to use technical measures to detect and block such activity and to pursue legal remedies for violations.

7. User submissions

Information you submit through forms. When you submit information through any form on the Website — contact form, newsletter signup, consultation booking, brief form — you confirm that the information is accurate and that you have the right to share it. Information you submit is handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

Testimonials and reviews. I may request, collect, and publish testimonials and reviews from clients and individuals who have engaged with my work or content.

By submitting a testimonial, review, or quote about my work — whether in writing, video, audio, or any other format — you grant me a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to:

• Publish the testimonial on the Website, social media, marketing materials, and other professional surfaces

• Edit the testimonial for length, clarity, or formatting, provided the substance and meaning are preserved

• Use your name, professional title, company name, and likeness (if a photograph or video is provided) in connection with the testimonial

I will:

• Disclose any material connection, such as testimonials provided in exchange for free services, discounts, or other consideration, in accordance with applicable consumer protection laws (US FTC guidelines, UK ASA codes, EU consumer directives)

• Honor reasonable requests to remove a published testimonial, subject to a notice period of 30 days

If you do not want your testimonial used, do not submit one.

Other submissions. The Website does not currently accept public comments, forum posts, or other user-generated content visible to other users. If this changes, separate community guidelines will apply.

8. Consultation sessions

Single consultation sessions may be booked and paid for through the booking system embedded on or linked from the Website. By booking a session, you agree to the following:

Booking and payment.

• Sessions are booked through Cal.com or a similar scheduling platform

• Payment is processed by third-party providers including Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, or cryptocurrency processors

• The session is confirmed only when payment is received

• Pricing is as displayed on the booking page at the time of booking

Scope. A consultation session is a defined-duration conversation. It is informational and exploratory in nature. It is not:

• A complete strategic engagement

• A guarantee of business outcomes

• A substitute for formal consulting work

• Legal, financial, tax, or medical advice

Cancellation and rescheduling.

• You may reschedule a session up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time at no charge

• Cancellations made more than 48 hours before the session are eligible for a full refund

• Cancellations made between 24 and 48 hours before the session are eligible for a 50% refund

• Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the session, or no-shows, are non-refundable

• I reserve the right to reschedule a session in case of emergencies or unforeseen circumstances; you will be offered a full refund or rescheduling at no charge

No-show policy. If you do not join the session within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time, the session is forfeited and no refund is due.

Recording. Sessions may be recorded for my reference and to deliver any follow-up notes. Recordings are not shared publicly without your explicit consent. You may also record the session for your own use, provided you notify me at the start.

Confidentiality. Information you share in a session is treated as confidential. I will not disclose specific details of your business or situation to third parties without your consent, except where required by law.

No advisory relationship. A single consultation session does not create an ongoing consultant-client relationship, retainer, or fiduciary duty. Implementation, follow-through, and outcomes are your responsibility.

9. Content is informational, not advice

The content published on the Website — essays, articles, frameworks, doctrines, social posts, newsletters, and any other material — is for informational and educational purposes only.

Reading this content:

• Does not create a consultant-client relationship

• Is not personalized strategic advice for your specific situation

• Is not a substitute for professional consultation, legal counsel, financial advice, or medical guidance

• Should not be acted upon without independent verification and consideration of your specific circumstances

You are responsible for any decisions you make based on the content. I make no guarantees about business outcomes, market performance, or results from applying the frameworks or ideas published on the Website.

For personalized strategic input on your specific business or brand, formal engagement is required.

10. Website availability

The Website is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. I make no guarantees that:

• The Website will be available without interruption

• The Website will be free of errors, bugs, or vulnerabilities

• Content will always be accurate, complete, or current

• The Website will be compatible with all devices, browsers, or configurations

I may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Website at any time without notice. I am not liable for any loss or inconvenience resulting from such changes.

Scheduled maintenance, third-party service outages, and force majeure events may cause temporary unavailability. I will not be responsible for these.

11. Third-party links and services

The Website may link to third-party websites, articles, tools, or services. I am not responsible for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or availability of third-party sites.

The Website integrates with third-party services for booking, payments, analytics, and communication (including Cal.com, Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and Microsoft Clarity). Your use of these services is governed by their own terms and privacy policies.

I am not liable for any issue, loss, or harm caused by third-party services. Disputes related to those services should be raised directly with the provider.

12. Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• The Website and all content are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied

• I disclaim all implied warranties, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement

• I do not warrant that any specific outcome will result from using the Website, reading the content, or booking a consultation

• I do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content on the Website

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties. In those jurisdictions, the exclusions above apply only to the extent permitted by law, and your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected.

13. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• My total aggregate liability to you, for any claim arising from your use of the Website or any consultation session, is limited to the amount you have paid me in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or INR 5,000 (whichever is higher)

• I am not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost revenue, lost data, loss of business opportunity, or reputational harm

• These limitations apply regardless of the legal theory (contract, tort, negligence, statute, or otherwise)

Statutory exceptions. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by negligence

• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation

• Any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under the laws of India, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, the United States, or any other applicable jurisdiction

If you are a consumer in a jurisdiction with non-excludable consumer protection laws, your statutory rights remain unaffected by this section.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Hemanth S (Hemanth Lal), and any associated team members or collaborators, from any claim, loss, liability, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms

• Your misuse of the Website or content

• Your violation of any law or third-party right

• Any content or information you submit through the Website that infringes the rights of others or violates these Terms

I reserve the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification, in which case you agree to cooperate with my defense.

15. Termination and user bans

I reserve the right, at my sole discretion, to:

• Block, suspend, or terminate your access to the Website

• Unsubscribe you from communications

• Refuse to provide consultation sessions

• Block specific IP addresses, email addresses, or accounts

This may happen if you violate these Terms, behave abusively toward me or my team, attempt to scrape or misuse the Website, or for any other reason at my discretion. Termination does not entitle you to a refund of any payments already made, except where required by law.

Sections of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination — including intellectual property, indemnification, limitation of liability, and governing law — will survive.

16. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, your use of the Website, or any consultation session is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Disputes will be resolved through the court system. Arbitration is not required.

This jurisdiction clause does not limit your statutory rights as a consumer under the laws of your country of residence. If you are a consumer in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, or another jurisdiction with mandatory consumer protection laws, you retain the right to bring claims in your local courts where such rights cannot be waived.

17. Changes to these Terms

I may update these Terms as the practice grows, services change, or laws evolve.

Minor changes — such as typo corrections, formatting updates, or clarifications that do not affect your rights or obligations — will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. No separate notification will be sent.

Material changes — including changes to intellectual property rights, payment terms, cancellation policies, liability limits, dispute resolution, or other provisions that meaningfully affect your rights — will be notified by email to active subscribers and registered users at least 14 days before the changes take effect.

For users who are not subscribed to the newsletter, you are responsible for periodically reviewing these Terms. Continued use of the Website after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to a change, stop using the Website before the effective date.

18. General provisions

Entire agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any separate engagement agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and me regarding your use of the Website and consultation sessions.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full effect.

No waiver. My failure to enforce any right or provision is not a waiver of that right.

Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights under them without my prior written consent. I may assign these Terms in connection with a transfer of the practice or its assets.

Force majeure. I am not liable for any failure or delay caused by events beyond my reasonable control, including natural disasters, acts of government, internet outages, third-party service failures, or public health emergencies.

Language. These Terms are written in English. Any translation is provided for convenience. In case of conflict, the English version prevails.

19. Contact

For any question about these Terms, write to:

Hemanth S (operating as Hemanth Lal) Email: [email protected] Address: #402, 108 AR Mane, Duo City Layout, Basapura Main Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, PIN 560068, India

I read every message personally. Expect a response within 14 working days.