TierLinQ is a verified directory of African diaspora entrepreneurs and African-owned businesses in the United States. This policy explains, in plain language, what information we collect, why, and the choices you have.
What we collect
- Names and contact details — such as your name, email address and phone number when you register, apply, or contact us.
- Business information submitted in applications — business name, industry, location, description, website, registration details, photos, logos and the documents you provide for verification.
- Entrepreneur profile information — professional title, expertise, heritage, location and profile photo.
- Event signup details — attendee names, emails, ticket choices and any answers you give when registering for an event.
- Support requests — the topic, message and contact details you send us through the support page.
- Basic technical information — such as browser type and pages visited, used to keep the site working and secure.
How we use it
- Verification — to review the identity and business-registration information you submit.
- Directory listings — to publish the profile and business details you choose to share publicly once approved.
- Event administration — to manage registrations, send event details and check attendees in.
- Support replies — to answer your questions and resolve issues.
- Transactional email — to send your application confirmation, private IDs, verification codes, requests for more information, and membership or billing notices.
We do not sell your personal information.
Your Business and Profile IDs are private
TierLinQ assigns each business and entrepreneur a private ID. These IDs are sent only to you and to TierLinQ administrators. They are never shown on public pages. Please keep them private — they help confirm you own a listing.
Information that stays private
Legal business names, registration numbers, state of incorporation details and other registry information we use for verification are never displayed publicly. Event signup emails and support messages are not public.
Verification documents
To confirm identity and business legitimacy under TierLinQ's verification criteria, we ask applicants to upload:
- A government-issued photo ID — such as a driver's license, passport or state ID.
- A business registration document (business applications only) — such as a state registration, certificate of formation or business license in the legal entity's name.
- Supporting materials — any other documents you choose to provide about your business.
These documents are used solely for verification. They are seen only by TierLinQ administrators inside our admin system — never displayed publicly, never attached to emails, and never shared with third parties.
Documents are automatically deleted 30 days after a verification decision (approved or rejected). If you withdraw an application, deletion happens within 30 days of the withdrawal. You can also ask us to delete your documents earlier at any time — just contact us using the details below.
Documents are encrypted in storage and transmitted over HTTPS.
Payments
Premium Membership payments are processed by our payment provider, Stripe. TierLinQ does not store your full card number.
Cookies and analytics
We use a small number of cookies and browser storage items needed for the site to work — for example, remembering that you dismissed an announcement. We may use basic, privacy-respecting analytics to understand which pages are visited so we can improve the site. You can clear or block cookies in your browser settings; some features may not work as expected if you do.
How long we keep information
We keep listing and profile information for as long as your listing is active and for a reasonable period afterwards. Applications that are not approved, event signups and support requests are kept only as long as needed to handle them and for our records, then deleted or anonymized. We may keep some information longer where required by law or for billing records.
Deletion and correction
You can ask us to correct or delete your information, or to remove your listing, at any time. Email support@tierlinq.com or use the support page. We may need to confirm you own the listing before making changes.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Email support@tierlinq.com.