Busy People Network Membership Terms of Service
As of Feb 29, 2024


Welcome to the Busy People Network membership (referred to as “Membership” or “BPN” in this agreement), a digital community membership  for small businesses that combines content marketing and networking to create a space for you to show up and stand out.   Busy People Networking may also be referred to as ‘BPN” in marketing, communications, and discussions.



This Membership may contain: marketing templates, content prompts and ideas, stock photographs images, live and recorded training sessions, guest expert speaker recordings, virtual co-working sessions, networking events, online community discussions, member directory, spotlights, private VIP forums, tips, videos, directories, stock photos, fill-in-the-blank templates, masterminds, groups, market research, ask/give support threads, online forums and other resources (collectively, “Resources”) that are owned and/or licensed by Christine McShane Creative, a Division of Christine McShane Photography LLC (referred to as “CMC” in this agreement).   


The Resources of this Membership are intended to be used by you for marketing your business venture in a way that makes sense for your individual situation.  Resources such as templates and prompts can be modified by you to fit your individual.   These Resources may not be redistributed (for free or for compensation) without express written permission from CMC.  All materials and content of the Membership are provided in the English language only.   Any images, photos, or graphics will be for online use only (not print). 


Since you know your business the best:


The contents of the Membership are copyright protected.     When your membership is current, you have a license to use any of CMC’s proprietary fill-in-the-blank templates and/or stock images for commercial use in your business only.  You may not share, sell, or further distribute the materials or content of the Membership to any other party whether or not you are compensated for it. Doing so is a violation of copyright law and these terms for which you may incur fees/fines at a rate of $100 per day per Resource per distribution channel.  In such a case, Christine McShane Creative may terminate your membership immediately with no refunds and/or submit an invoice for compensation. 


Most of the Membership materials have been created by CMC. Others may have been created for and/or commissioned by CMC from third parties.  Others have been created by third party businesses and have been given to CMC to share with this community.   Many of the ideas and industry concepts have been expressed through words and images thousands (if not millions) of times throughout the years. Any resemblance to other works in the world is strictly coincidental.

For as long as Stock Photos are included as a BONUS in this Membership, the following will apply: current paid members may use the stock photos in their marketing (online, not print).  After your Membership has been canceled or terminated, you no longer have the license to use the images, regardless of whether or not you have downloaded them. Existing publications may remain public. Please note that stock photos and flatlays will rarely, if ever, depict humans, animals, religions, or specific/recognizable locations or brands.  Currently, the stock photos and flatlays will be primarily oriented around lifestyle and general business (not industry specific).  There is NO GUARANTEE that the stock photos and flatlay images will depict subjects that your business needs.  There is no guarantee that these bonus stock photos will continue to be a part of this membership. 


Email Communications


You will receive emails from Christine McShane Creative and Membership regarding Resources and other information, features, events, training sessions, or benefits as part of your membership. You will also receive other information and special offers from Christine McShane Creative as part of its general email list.  You may unsubscribe from Christine McShane Creative’s general email list at any time.  If you unsubscribe from ALL emails from Christine McShane Creative, then CMC cannot be held responsible for any missed notifications and/or missed benefits. 

SUPPORT - If you need support around this membership, please email  [email protected]  

In general, you can expect a response anywhere between 24-72 business hours.  Business hours are Monday-Friday 9am-4pm Eastern Time, excluding US holidays. If you have not received a response after more than 72 business hours, please email [email protected].  Response time will be slower each year between Dec 22 - Jan 1 and the week of 4th of July.  Response time may also be slower due to planned time off, illness, and unforeseen events.  There may be times where the admins are “out of the office” for vacation or other reasons. Your messages will be addressed upon return.


Online Community
The online community (including but not limited to a Facebook group and membership site) is NOT monitored by the admin 24x7.  Please use email for ALL communications regarding your membership, the Facebook group, and/or the events.  

Do not use Facebook Messenger because it is not monitored.  

The email address to use is:  [email protected]   


Christine McShane Creative reserves the right to change the platform, pricing, features, benefits and terms & conditions of this Membership for any reason.  This includes adding, removing, or changing any features or benefits or procedures. If anything significantly changes, members may be notified via email and/or via the membership portal.  In the event that the Membership becomes no longer available, your subscription will be canceled and you will no longer have access to any and all materials. There is no guarantee of "lifetime access” to any feature or benefit from this Membership. 


AUTO-RENEWAL SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS 

This is an automatic Membership subscription.  You will get the most out of your Membership if you are highly active. This Membership is designed to be a great resource and easy to use!  

The credit card you joined with will be billed for the subscription fee (in $US) at the interval option that you  chose when you subscribed.  This automatic payment will be billed until you cancel.  You may not receive any notice of upcoming renewals, therefore it is your responsibility to mark your calendar for renewal. Once a payment has been made, there are NO REFUNDS under any circumstance, regardless of whether or not you have logged in, viewed, or used any of the Membership. 

CANCELLATIONS

You are responsible for making sure your Membership is successfully canceled before your next renewal date.

You may cancel your membership by logging into 

https://busypeople.thinkific.com  and going to “My Account.”

If your credit card payment fails, your Membership will be suspended until payment has been made.

Once your Membership has been canceled or suspended, your access to the Membership and the Membership Library will be terminated AND your permission to use any materials including stock photos, templates, prompts, training, recordings, and other Membership benefits  in ANY form is terminated for new content going forward. Anything that you published or distributed while your membership was active (currently paid) may continue to be used. 

Once your membership has been canceled or suspended, you may not use, publish, post, or distribute any additional material from this Membership even if you have downloaded it.  CMC may collect payment for unauthorized use, publication, or distribution of content from the Membership Library after your membership is canceled at a rate of $100 per day per incident.


REJOINING: If you wish to cancel but rejoin later (or if your membership is canceled due to lack of payment), you will rejoin the membership at the current rate. Your previous rate is not guaranteed. 


What to Expect During the LIVE Virtual Co-Working Sessions

These sessions can also just be your time and space to work on your content marketing!  During these Co-Writing Sessions:

- You can listen in and participate in the session (where applicable)

- You can turn off your speaker and work on your content quietly

- If content that needs to be reviewed, please bring it to any live sessions that are open to content reviews. Please provide a link to an electronic document to display during the call. Not all live sessions will be open to content review.

- You can listen to other people's content reviews to learn something. Please respect everyone's privacy and confidentiality.

When a live session is open for content reviews, any submitted content from participants will be reviewed by the facilitator on a "first come first serve basis," with possible signups ahead of time.  Every reasonable attempt will be made to give equal time to participants but there may be time limitations. There are NO GUARANTEES that any participant will have their questions answered and/or their content reviewed at any session.  There are no guarantees that any particular session will have content reviews.

FOR ALL SESSIONS & ONLINE DISCUSSIONS (Live Co-Working, Training, Networking, Workshops, etc):

This is a group video call where you can see and hear all participants. You are welcome to ask questions and share your content for critique in front of the group on a first come first serve basis. You are not required to do so - whatever you feel most comfortable with.

If during a co-working session, you choose to share your content drafts or anything about yourself and/or your business during ANY session (live sessions, training sessions, etc.), please be aware that other attendees will hear or see your material on this video call. 

Some sessions may be recorded. If you participate, you agree to be a part of the recording. If you do NOT want to be  a part of the recording, please do not attend and participate. The recordings may be available to all current members of this Membership for a period of time, but it is not guaranteed.

For some interactive sessions, you may be required to be on camera and audio for the introductions. Because these meetings are interactive, it puts participants at ease to put a name to a face and to see who they are talking to. There may be times where it is perfectly acceptable to go off camera and just listen. The facilitator of the meeting makes the final decision of when participants can stay off camera or not.

By attending these live virtual sessions, you agree to be respectful of the confidentiality and privacy of other participants and their materials. Recording the sessions by anyone except CMC is expressly prohibited. 


The Busy People Network group rules apply to ALL ASPECTS of the membership - both free and paid membership, both online and in person:

We are here to LIFT EACH OTHER UP!


Please only offer constructive criticism when expressly invited to, and only in the context of being helpful.  NO negative comments about another person and/or business.  If you have an issue with someone in this group, please handle it privately.  No high pressure sales tactics or misleading sales tactics.   Do not hijack other people's posts/events to sell your own offers or to push your own agenda.  No trying to poach clients from other people.


It's all about ENGAGING with others!


This group was created specifically for people who understand that it's all about building relationships.  You are a good fit for this group if you understand the value of engaging with other people instead of just promoting all the time.  Give more than you ask.  If you promote too heavily and/or rarely support others, this is not a good fit for you.


NO politics, controversial issues, etc.    


Unacceptable topics include politics, erotica content, controversial issues, polarizing topics, sports/celebrity gossip, any illegal or harassing, etc. Nothing negative or speculation about a specific individual, group, demographic, organization, and/or business. No specific medical advice, specific financial advice, or anything that could be considered high hazard or dangerous.  Nothing illegal, nothing defamatory, or that violates other intellectual property or personal rights.


NO Harassment, Bullying, or Being Argumentative


No hate speech, publicly embarrassing or shaming other individuals/businesses/organizations, "stirring the pot,” or arguing with others.  Please keep things polite and supportive.   If you make other members uncomfortable, you may be asked to leave.


Everything here is CONFIDENTIAL


Do not share anything that you see, hear, or read in this group without the express permission of the original person/creator.  This includes screenshots of posts, sharing the information of another person or business, and copying/using the intellectual property of another person or business as your own.


Do NOT pitch to someone without express interest or consent


Do not DM or email your pitch to someone if it’s unsolicited.  Same goes for adding someone to your email list - express consent is required.  Do not request a 1:1 “networking connect” call if it’s really going to be a sales call. Be completely up front if you intend to pitch during a call so the other person can make an informed choice whether or not to attend.  Also, please refrain from using the "@ everyone" tag,


Keep topics related to running a business


This group is focused on visibility and marketing your business. Overall “running a business” topics are also acceptable. Of course, you may discuss your specific industry in promo posts where allowed, such as Tip Tuesday.


No misleading or exaggerated success/income posts


This is not the place for those too good to be true claims, nor for any other misleading tactics.  Also, no posting "questions" that are designed to deliver sales pitches to commenters or promote your offer, unless you are a current paid VIP member.



FB NOT monitored 24x7 - email to contact admin


This group is not monitored by Admins 24x7. If you need to contact the admin, please email [email protected] with a general response time of 24-72 hours excluding weekends and US holidays. DO NOT USE FACEBOOK MESSENGER to contact the admin.  Feel free to join as a FREE member or VIP member (with benefits). 


Other behavior that is NOT appropriate for this Membership:

- Talking over other people

- Dominating the conversation / not letting others get a word in

- Trying to get too personal with other members and/or stalking

 - Inappropriate jokes

-  Bragging or being condescending

-  Giving unsolicited feedback, advice, or constructive criticism

- Asking from other members more than you give (resources, support, referrals, etc.)

- Sharing misleading, illegal, or false content and/or misrepresenting yourself or your product 

- Sharing wild income claims and "get rich quick" methods

- Attempting unsolicited sales to other community or Membership members through 1:1 meetings or electronic communications. These should only be done if the other member has specifically requested information about your offers

- Trying to poach clients, prospects, or leads from anyone involved in this community or Membership

- Stealing, distributing, or copying ideas and/or content (in whole or in part) from anyone else in this Membership or community

- Badmouthing, accusing, or insulting any individual, business, organization, or demographic

- Not respecting the feelings, boundaries, confidentiality, or intellectual property rights of others

- Insensitive remarks (both spoken or written)

- Bullying, harassing,or being argumentative

- Making others feel uncomfortable in any way

- Being disruptive in any way

- Your industry is inappropriate for this community and Membership


If you are deemed to be "not a good fit" for this Membership for any reason (including but not limited to going against any guidelines, any rules, or any terms and conditions,  then your Membership may be terminated.   Business groups can work very well when members are respectful of each other.  The relationships and/or interactions within the group are a crucial component to success.  The truth is, nobody wins when members are uncomfortable with each other.  Everyone deserves to be in a group that values their participation.  It may turn out that this group is not the right fit for you.  Fortunately, there are thousands of other virtual networking and virtual content marketing groups to choose from, including worldwide groups, nationwide groups, and local groups if it turns out that this Membership isn't a good fit for you.  Christine McShane Creative makes the final decision of what is a “good fit” for this Membership.  In the event of a termination, no refunds are given.


In general, the co-working and networking calls calls are designed to accommodate multiple people wherever possible. While a reasonable effort will be made by the session facilitator to give participants a chance to engage, nothing is guaranteed. You may or may not get a chance to speak during any given call.  Please keep your comments brief and on topic to make time for all participants.  CMC and CMC's team reserves the right to determine which participants can speak/share and for how long to make sure there is space for as many people as possible.


There is no way for Christine McShane Creative to verify the truth or accuracy of any member's content, presentation, chat, or conversation.  All participants and presenters are responsible for their own words, content, conduct, and actions. If you have a conflict with another individual or business, please handle it privately.  Christine McShane Creative (including its owners and members) will not be held liable for the words, content, and /or actions of other participants and/or guest speakers or experts.


You are welcome to attend any and all sessions but attendance is not mandatory.  Take advantage of as many sessions as possible!

TOPIC, CONTENT, AND DISCUSSION GUIDELINES for ANY PART OF THIS MEMBERSHIP, including content, networking, discussion, etc. 



For Guest Speaking Opportunities, Webinars,  Blog Posts, Spotlights, Promotions, Lives, Member Directory, Interview, Videos, Lives, Networking Events, or any other content in any form:

Not all guest speaking, webinar applications, contributed content, spotlights, member directory, or other content/appearances can be accommodated. It will depend on the volume of people who wish to speak and conduct webinars.  It will also depend on your topic and how many people wish to speak on that particular topic. Christine McShane Creative will do the absolute best to accommodate everyone, but not every request may be honored. This is up to the sole discretion of Christine McShane Creative.  There are absolutely NO GUARANTEES for any guest speaking, guest content, guest appearances, spotlight, content review, etc.  Your applications and/or content can be declined for any reason, without compensation. 

Scheduling of Live Sessions, Expert Training, Networking Events and other features

Christine McShane Creative reserves the right to change the ongoing /recurring meeting dates, meeting times, the duration of the meetings, and number of live sessions in the future.  Live sessions and expert training sessions may be canceled/ended early if there are less than 2 participants on the call.

No Warranties

Because there are SO MANY factors that go into the success of any content marketing (including but not limited to: market demand for your offerings, your pricing, your credentials & reputation, the quality of your offer, the competition, your target market, your distribution channels, your sales strategy, your visibility strategy, industry regulations, societal trends, consumer trends, nuances of language and images, and all the other promotional & marketing efforts that you need to do to make your business successful), CMC does NOT guarantee that ANY template, prompt, training, live session, or any reviews/edits/suggestions by CMC,  use of the Membership or Resources, participation in networking events, use of the content templates, participation in the meetings, use of the content prompts, participation in the online community, use of any BONUS Resources such as stock photos, any collaboration or discussion with other participants, and or participation in the Membership in ANY way will generate leads, traffic, followers, engagement, revenue, success, or sales.  

YOU are responsible for making sure that all of your content is completely true and accurate, not misleading, totally legal, and does not violate any intellectual property rights, copyright, trademarks, or any other rights of another person, business, organization, or entity.  

Regardless of ANY feedback, comments, and/or recommendations made by Christine McShane Creative, YOU are responsible for final review of all your content.  CMC makes NO WARRANTY and NO GUARANTEE that any suggestion, feedback or recommendation for your content will yield any specific results.

You agree to take full responsibility and liability for your content and materials. 

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CMC DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS  OR IMPLIED, REGARDING ANY ASPECT OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP, OR USE OF THE MEMBERSHIP LIBRARY,  INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Limitation of Liability

This Membership subscription program is facilitated and owned by Christine McShane Creative, a Division of Christine McShane Photography LLC (“CMC”). CMC is not responsible for the actions, activities, and/or misrepresentations of any members in this program, guest speakers, guest experts, the hosting platform, the payment processor, and/or third party Membership contributors.  CMC is not responsible for problems or downtime related to any third-party platforms or for emails that end up in the spam/junk/bulk mail folder.  CMC may change the content platform,  membership features, templates, images, payment methods, pricing, and distribution channels at any time.  

Each member and third party provider will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CMC for damages of ANY kind, arising out of or in any way connected with any aspect of this membership and its related activities and communications.  In no event will CMC be liable to the Client for indirect, consequential, or special damages. 

Notwithstanding any damages that Client may incur, CMC’s entire liability in respect of this membership program, and Client’s exclusive remedy, will be limited to the amount paid by Client to CMC for that portion of the services giving rise to the claim.


Current and previous membership names:


The Busy People Network is a combined membership group that merged the “Busy People Networking” membership (formerly “Small Business Network for BusyPeople” with the “Content Creation with Purpose” membership (formerly “Content Templates or Busy People”).


If you originally subscribed to "Busy People Networking" or "Small Business Networking for Busy People"  then this Membership and these Terms & Conditions supersede and replace ALL previous versions of your terms and conditions.


If you originally subscribed to "Content Templates for Busy People" or "Content Creation with Purpose"  then this Membership and these Terms & Conditions supercede and replace ALL previous versions of your terms and conditions.  The former site URL was contentforbusypeople.thinkific.com and the current site is now just busypeople.thinkific.com.   You can now the UPDATED TERMS OF SERVICE here:  busypeople.thinkific.com/pages/terms 

BusyPeople Network Resources


Other:

This Agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of the United States of America. Each member agrees to personal jurisdiction in the courts of Massachusetts.  In the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement are held to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, all other provisions will nevertheless continue to be valid and enforceable with the invalid or unenforceable parts severed from the remainder of this Agreement.

If a dispute arises out of this agreement that cannot be resolved by mutual consent, the parties agree to submit to binding arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (Commercial Arbitration Division) sitting in Boston, MA. Any judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Such arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator. The sole remedy that can be awarded to Client will be limited to the amount paid by Client to CMC under this Agreement.

All communications and content in relation to this service will be conducted in the English language.

You agree that this agreement with Christine McShane Photography LLC   D/B/A Christine McShane Creative shall be binding upon you and your family, heirs, legal representatives, and assigns. 

By continuing as a member, you agree to ALL of these terms.  

Christine McShane Creative
A Division of Christine McShane Photography LLC
PO Box 185
Westborough, MA 01581 (USA)
[email protected]
www.christinemcshane.com

Updated February 29, 2024