Privacy policy

This page explains what information this site collects, why I collect it, who else handles it, and what you can do about it.

[Draft for attorney review. Remove this line after the attorney signs off.]

Effective date: [Date the site goes live]Last updated: October 17, 2026

On this page

1. The short version
2. Who runs this site
3. What this policy covers
4. Information you give me
5. Information collected automatically
6. Cookies and browser storage
7. How I use your information
8. What I never do
9. Who else handles your information
10. Emails from me
11. How long I keep it
12. Your choices and rights
13. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
14. Children
15. How I protect your information
16. Where your information is stored
17. Links to other websites
18. Notes for certain states
19. Changes to this policy
20. How to reach me

The short version

• You can read every page on this site without giving me anything.
• I only collect what you choose to send me: your email address if you sign up for updates, and what you type if you use the contact form.
• This site doesn't use advertising, ad tracking, or cookies of its own.
• I don't sell your information, and I don't share it for advertising. Ever.
• You can unsubscribe, ask what I have about you, or ask me to delete it at any time.

The rest of this page gives the details.

Who runs this site

This site is run by me, Bill Stilwell, in Idaho. When this page says "I," "me," or "my," it means me. When it says "you," it means anyone who visits the site.

My mailing address for privacy questions and legal notices is: [Mailing address for legal notices. A post office box works]

The easiest way to reach me is the contact page.

What this policy covers

This policy covers this website only. That includes the guide pages, the email signup, the contact form, and the emails I send to people who sign up.

It does not cover SiteSmarty, my marketing company. SiteSmarty has its own website and its own privacy policy. Signing up here does not sign you up with SiteSmarty, and I don't pass your information from this site to SiteSmarty.

It also doesn't cover other websites I link to, such as Google, government agencies, or YouTube. Those sites have their own policies.

Information you give me

If you sign up for free updates

I collect your email address. I also keep the date you signed up and a record that you agreed to get emails, so I can show you asked for them.

If you use the contact form

I collect what you type into the form:

• Your name, if you give it. It's optional.
• Your email address, so I can reply.
• The topic you pick from the list.
• The link to a guide page, if your note is about a page.
• Your message.

Please don't put sensitive information in a message. That means things like Social Security numbers, bank or card numbers, passwords, or health details. I don't need them to answer a question about the guide.

If you email me directly

I get your email address, your name as it shows in your email, and whatever you write or attach.

Information collected automatically

Basic visit records

This site is hosted by Cloudflare. Like every website host, Cloudflare's systems record basic details when your browser asks for a page. That includes your Internet Protocol (IP) address, the type of browser and device you use, the page you asked for, the page that sent you here, and the date and time. These records keep the site running, stop attacks, and fix problems. I don't use them to figure out who you are.

Visit counts

[Confirm before launch: is Cloudflare Web Analytics turned on for this site? If not, delete the analytics section.]

If I use visit counts, they come from Cloudflare Web Analytics. Cloudflare says this tool doesn't use cookies or browser storage to track people, and doesn't fingerprint visitors. I see totals, like how many people read a page and which pages are popular. I can't see who you are.

The spam check on forms

The signup and contact forms use Cloudflare Turnstile to tell real people from spam robots. To do that, Turnstile looks at technical signals from your browser, such as your IP address and browser details. Cloudflare says it uses these signals only to tell people from bots and to improve its bot detection, not to identify, profile, or target you.

Cookies and browser storage

A cookie is a small file a website saves in your browser. This site does not set any cookies of its own. A few small tools on the site may save something in your browser:

What	What it does	How long it lasts
Guide menu memory	Remembers which parts of the guide menu you opened, so the menu stays the same as you move between pages. It's saved only in your browser, and I never see it.	Until you close the browser tab
Spam check (Cloudflare Turnstile)	Checks that a form is being sent by a person. Cloudflare may store something in your browser to do this. It only loads on pages with a form.	Set by Cloudflare
Video player (YouTube)	Plays a video when you press play. It uses YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode, and it doesn't load at all until you choose to watch.	Set by YouTube

You can clear or block cookies and browser storage in your browser's settings. The guide will still work. The forms may not work if you block the spam check.

How I use your information

• To send you the updates you asked for, when new guide pages and videos go up.
• To read and answer your messages.
• To fix mistakes you report and improve the guide.
• To keep the site, the forms, and my email list safe from spam, abuse, and attacks.
• To keep a record that you signed up or unsubscribed, so I follow your choice.
• To follow the law, and to protect my rights or someone's safety if I ever have to.

If I ever want to use your information in a new way that's different from this list, I'll update this page first and ask for your permission where the law requires it.

What I never do

• I don't sell your personal information.
• I don't share it with anyone for advertising, including "targeted" or "cross-context behavioral" advertising.
• I don't run ads on this site or use ad tracking tools.
• I don't buy email lists or add anyone to my list without their signup.
• I don't use your information to make decisions about you that have legal or similar major effects.
• I don't ask for sensitive information, like health, financial account, or government ID details.

[Confirm before launch: I never paste your name, email address, or message into AI tools.]

Who else handles your information

I use a small number of service providers to run the site. They handle your information only to do that work for me:

• Cloudflare hosts the site, runs the forms, stores signups and messages in its database, sends emails, and runs the spam check and visit counts.
• YouTube, owned by Google, plays videos when you choose to watch one.
• My email provider receives my email, including replies you send me.

I may also share information when:

• The law requires it, such as a valid court order or subpoena.
• I need to protect the site, my rights, or someone's safety, or look into fraud or abuse.
• You ask me to, or say it's OK.
• This site is ever sold or transferred. If that happens, the new owner must follow this policy for the information you already gave, or ask you first.

Emails from me

I'll send you a short email when new guide pages and videos go up. No sales pitches. Unsubscribe any time.

• Every email has an unsubscribe link. One click takes you off the list. You don't have to log in or give any other information.
• I stop sending emails as soon as I can after you unsubscribe, and never later than 10 business days.
• Every email shows who it's from and my mailing address, as federal email law requires.
• After you unsubscribe, I keep your email address on a "do not email" list, so you aren't added back by mistake. If you want it fully deleted, ask me.

How long I keep it

I keep information only as long as I need it for the reasons on this page:

• Email signups: while you're on the list. After you unsubscribe, only your email address stays on the "do not email" list.
• Contact messages: [How long contact messages are kept, for example 2 years], then I delete them. If a message is about a mistake in the guide, I may keep my own notes about the fix, without your name or email address.
• Visit records and spam checks: kept by Cloudflare under its own rules.

I may keep information longer if the law requires it or if it's needed to deal with a legal claim.

Your choices and rights

Some states give people privacy rights by law. I give the same rights to everyone, no matter which state you live in:

• Know and get a copy: ask what personal information I have about you and get a copy.
• Correct: ask me to fix information that's wrong.
• Delete: ask me to delete your information.
• Stop emails: unsubscribe at any time with the link in any email.
• Opt out of sale and targeted advertising: I don't do either, so there's nothing to opt out of. You can still ask me to confirm it in writing.

How to ask

Use the contact page and pick "Something else" as the topic. Tell me what you want and the email address you used with this site. To protect you, I'll confirm the request from that email address before I share or delete anything.

I'll answer within 45 days. If I need more time, I'll tell you why and when to expect an answer. There is no charge.

You can have someone else, like a family member or lawyer, ask for you. I'll need proof that you gave them permission.

If I turn down your request, I'll explain why. You can ask me to look at it again by replying to my answer. If you still disagree, you can contact your state attorney general.

I will never treat you differently, or give you a worse experience on this site, for using any of these rights.

Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Some browsers can send a "Do Not Track" signal or a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal. These tell websites you don't want to be tracked or have your information sold or shared.

This site doesn't track you across other websites, and I don't sell or share your information. So I don't need to change anything when I see these signals. If your browser sends a GPC signal, I treat it as a valid request to opt out of any sale or sharing, now and in the future.

Children

This site is a guide for people setting up a business. It isn't made for children under 13, and I don't knowingly collect any information from them.

If you think a child under 13 has sent me information, please tell me through the contact page. I'll delete it.

How I protect your information

• Every page and form on this site uses a secure connection (HTTPS, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), so what you send is encrypted on the way.
• Only I can get into the systems that hold signups and messages, and those accounts use strong passwords and two-step sign-in. [Confirm before launch.]
• Passwords and keys for the site are never stored in the site's code.
• I collect as little as I can, which means there's less to protect.

No website is perfectly secure, so I can't promise nothing will ever go wrong. If a security problem ever puts your personal information at risk, I'll tell you as quickly as I can, as Idaho law and other state laws require.

Where your information is stored

I run this site from the United States, and it's meant for people in the United States. Cloudflare runs a worldwide network, so your information may be handled in data centers outside your state or outside the country.

Links to other websites

The guide links to many other websites, such as Google's help pages and government agencies. When you click a link, you leave this site, and that site's own privacy policy applies. I'm not responsible for what other websites collect or do.

Notes for certain states

California

The California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) asks websites to explain what they collect and how they respond to Do Not Track signals. This page does both. California law also lets you ask whether I share your information with others for their own direct marketing. I don't.

Nevada

Nevada residents can ask websites not to sell their information. I don't sell it, but you can still send that request through the contact page and I'll confirm it.

States with consumer privacy laws

A growing number of states have consumer privacy laws. Most only apply to businesses that handle information about many thousands of people, or that sell it. Even if those laws don't apply to this site, I follow their main rules for everyone: I tell you what I collect, I don't sell or use it for targeted ads, and I honor your requests to see, fix, or delete it.

Changes to this policy

If I change this policy, I'll update this page and change the "Last updated" date at the top.

If the change is important, like using your information in a new way, I'll also post a notice on the home page for at least 30 days and email people on my list before it takes effect. For anything that needs your permission by law, I'll ask first.

How to reach me

Questions about this policy or your information? Send me a note through the contact page, or write to me at: [Mailing address for legal notices. A post office box works]