Last updated: 18 October 2026

This notice explains how I use personal information when I contact businesses about my services, run this website and send my newsletter.

Who I am

Josh Wickes, a sole trader trading as joshwickes.com. I'm the controller of your information. For anything about privacy, email consulting@joshwickes.com.

If I've emailed you about my services

  • What I hold: your name, job title, work email address and company, plus the public reason I got in touch (for example a job advert, news story or post) and a record of what I've sent and any reply.
  • Where it came from: public sources such as your company's website, job adverts, news articles and public social media posts.
  • Why: to send you one introductory email about my services and, if you don't reply, at most one follow-up. Then I stop.
  • Lawful basis: legitimate interests, namely telling businesses about services that may be relevant to them. I only email limited companies and LLPs at business addresses, in line with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). I've weighed this against your interests: the information is business contact detail that's already public, the contact is limited, and you can opt out at any time.
  • How long I keep it: if you don't reply, I delete your details within 12 months. If you ask not to be contacted, I keep only your email address and company on a do-not-contact list, so that you're never contacted again.
  • Opting out: reply "no" (or anything to that effect) and I won't contact you again.

If you subscribe to my newsletter or contact me

I use your email address, and your name if you give it, to send the newsletter you signed up for or to reply to you. The newsletter is based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time using the unsubscribe link in every email; I keep your details until you unsubscribe. Enquiries are handled on the basis of legitimate interests, and I keep that correspondence for up to two years unless we go on to work together.

Cookies and analytics

I use GoatCounter to count visits. It doesn't use tracking cookies or build profiles of visitors. The site only sets a cookie if you sign in as a newsletter member, to keep you signed in.

Who helps me

These providers process information on my behalf: Microsoft 365 (email), Notion (keeping track of contacts), an AI assistant service that helps me research and draft emails, Hetzner (website hosting, in Germany), Mailgun (newsletter delivery) and GoatCounter (analytics). Some of them may process data outside the UK; where they do, it's protected by UK-approved safeguards such as adequacy regulations, the UK-US Data Bridge or the UK's international data transfer agreement. I don't sell your information or share it with anyone else, and I don't make automated decisions about you.

Your rights

You have the right to ask for a copy of your information, and to have it corrected, deleted, restricted or transferred to someone else. You can object to how I use it, and if you object to marketing I'll always stop. Email consulting@joshwickes.com and I'll respond within one month.

Complaints

If you're unhappy with how I've handled your information, please tell me first so I can put it right. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or on 0303 123 1113.