TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PART A - GENERAL TERMS

1. About These Terms

Stephens and Partners Ltd (referred to in these terms as "we", "us", or "our") operates the website at dashawhite.com and the services accessible through it, including the Circle Investor Network and a business consultancy and mentorship practice.

Our company details are as follows: Stephens and Partners Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 12171696, with its registered address at 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX United Kingdom. You can contact us through the Contact page.

The website and its services are promoted under the personal brand and professional name of Dasha White, who acts on behalf of Stephens and Partners Ltd. References to the Dasha White brand are references to the services provided by Stephens and Partners Ltd, which is the contracting party under these terms.

By accessing this website, registering through any form on it, or engaging our services in any capacity, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. If you do not agree, you must not use this website or our services.

These terms apply to all visitors, registered members, and clients - whether you are accessing the website as an investor, a business founder, or as a prospective client of our consultancy services.

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, as set out more fully in clause 11.

We may update these terms from time to time. The current version will always be published on this website. Continued use of the website or our services after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

2. Services

We provide the following services through this website:

The Circle Investor Network - a curated, invitation-only platform that facilitates introductions and connections between investors and business founders. Access is by application only and is subject to our approval.

Business consultancy and mentorship services - including but not limited to growth strategy, brand audits, Investor Deck and Investor Teaser preparation, investor relations management, and business idea validation.

Access to network events and introductions is at our sole discretion. Acceptance of a registration form does not constitute a commitment to admit any applicant to the network or to any event.

3. Regulatory Status - Not FCA Authorised

Stephens and Partners Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and is not registered with the FCA in any capacity.

We do not provide regulated investment advice, financial advice, or legal advice. We do not arrange, manage, or recommend investments, and we do not carry out any regulated activity within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Nothing on this website, in any event, or in any communication from us constitutes a financial promotion, an offer or invitation to invest, a recommendation to invest, or advice to purchase, sell, or subscribe to any financial instrument, security, or business interest.

All introductions facilitated through the Circle Investor Network are made on a non-advised basis. We do not assess the suitability of any investment for any investor, and we express no opinion on the merits of any business, opportunity, or transaction.

You are responsible for conducting your own due diligence and for seeking independent professional, financial, and legal advice before making any investment or business decision. Any decision you make is made entirely at your own risk.

4. Website Use

This website is for professional and business use. It is not intended for use by consumers acting in a personal capacity unrelated to their trade, business, or profession.

You must not use this website for any unlawful purpose, to post or transmit any content that is false, misleading, defamatory, or offensive, or to attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of it.

You must not make false, misleading, or defamatory statements about us, our services, or the Circle Investor Network, whether publicly, on social media, or to any third party.

You are responsible for ensuring that any information you submit through this website is accurate, complete, and not misleading.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access to this website for any user who we reasonably believe has breached these terms.

5. Your Status and Responsibilities

If you register as an investor, you confirm that you are a professional, sophisticated, or otherwise qualified investor, and that you are responsible for your own regulatory standing and compliance with any laws applicable to your investment activities.

If you register as a business founder, you confirm that you have the authority to share the information you submit and that doing so does not breach any obligation you owe to a third party.

We rely on the information you provide to us. We are not responsible for verifying the accuracy, completeness, or truthfulness of any information submitted by you or by any other user, and we accept no liability arising from false, incomplete, or misleading information provided to us.

6. Introductions and Success Fees

Where we facilitate an introduction between an investor and a founder, we may charge a fee that becomes payable on a successful outcome (a "success fee"). This is a fee for making an introduction only. It is not a fee for arranging, advising on, or managing any investment.

The amount of any success fee, the party responsible for paying it, the basis on which it is calculated, and the period during which it applies are agreed on a case-by-case basis and set out in a separate contract signed between us and the relevant party.

Nothing in these terms creates, varies, caps, or limits any success fee or other obligation agreed in such a separate contract. Where there is any inconsistency between these terms and a separate contract on the subject of success fees, the separate contract prevails.

7. Non-Circumvention

By using the Circle Investor Network and accepting any introduction through it, you acknowledge that we make introductions in expectation of a fee where a transaction results.

You agree that you will not, directly or indirectly, use an introduction made through the network to conclude a transaction with the introduced party in a way designed to avoid a fee that would otherwise be due to us, whether by dealing outside the network, delaying a transaction, or routing it through a third party.

This obligation applies whether or not a separate contract has yet been signed in respect of the introduction. Where a separate contract has been signed, the terms of that contract govern the fee and any period for which it applies.

We do not guarantee that any introduction, event, or service will result in investment, funding, a transaction, or any commercial outcome. The success of any introduction depends on factors outside our control.

Any reference to past outcomes, results, or testimonials is provided for illustration only and is not an indication or assurance of future results.

8. Intellectual Property

All content on this website - including text, branding, graphics, and structure - is the property of Stephens and Partners Ltd or is used with permission. Nothing on this website grants you any licence to use, reproduce, or distribute our intellectual property without our prior written consent.

You retain ownership of any information or materials you submit to us. By submitting information through this website, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive licence to use that information for the purpose of providing the services you have requested.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude all liability for any loss or damage - whether direct, indirect, or consequential - arising from your use of this website or reliance on any information published on it.

We do not warrant that this website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components.

Subject to the paragraph below, our total liability to you for any claim arising out of or in connection with these terms or our services - whether in contract, negligence, or otherwise - is limited to the greater of the fees you have paid to us in the six months before the claim arose, or £1,000.

This cap does not apply to, and does not limit, any fee or liability agreed in a separate contract between us, including any success fee. Those are governed solely by that separate contract.

You agree to indemnify us against any loss, damage, cost, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) we incur as a result of your breach of these terms, your misuse of the website or our services, or any content or information you submit that is false, unlawful, or infringes the rights of a third party.

Nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

10. Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where that failure or delay results from events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, failure of utilities or telecommunications, cyber-attack, pandemic, or government action.

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from or in connection with these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

PART B - DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY

12. Our Good Faith Commitment

We commit to handling the information of all our website users, clients, and network guests in good faith, with care and integrity, and only in line with the purpose for which it was shared and any requirements you have set out to us.

We collect only the information we reasonably need to provide our services, and we retain it only for as long as it is needed for that purpose or as required by law. This principle of data minimisation guides everything we do with your information.

We will never sell your personal data to any third party, under any circumstances.

13. How We Collect and Use Your Data

We collect personal data through registration forms on this website, including your name, contact details, professional background, and financial or investment information where relevant to the services you are applying for.

We also collect data automatically through cookies and analytics tools when you visit this website. This may include your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. Please see clause 16 for further details on cookies.

We use your personal data to:

assess and process your application to join the Circle Investor Network or attend our events;

provide consultancy and mentorship services you have engaged us for;

communicate with you about events, introductions, and services relevant to your profile;

maintain accurate records of our network and client relationships;

comply with our legal obligations.

We process your data on the basis of your consent (given when you submit a registration form), our legitimate interests in operating our network and business, and - where you become a paying client - the performance of a contract.

14. Responsibility for Data Handling

We are responsible only for how we ourselves store, handle, and process your information. We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep it secure while it is in our control.

We are not responsible for how any third party stores, handles, or processes information once it has passed out of our control. This includes any investor, founder, network guest, or other party to whom information is disclosed - whether through an introduction we have facilitated or otherwise - and any third party with whom you choose to share information.

Where you receive information about another party through our network or services, you are responsible for handling that information in accordance with these terms and with applicable data protection law.

15. Your Data Rights

You have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to request correction of inaccurate data, to request deletion of your data (subject to any legal obligations we have to retain it), and to withdraw your consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection.

We may share your data with trusted service providers who support our operations (such as our CRM provider) on a strictly confidential basis and only to the extent necessary. These providers act under our instructions and are bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations.

By applying to join the network and asking us to make introductions, you authorise us to share your relevant profile information with prospective investors or founders so that they can assess it and decide whether to proceed with a meeting or introduction. We share only the information reasonably necessary for that purpose.

16. Cookies and Analytics

This website uses cookies and analytics tools to help us understand how visitors use the site and to improve the user experience. When you first visit the website, you will be presented with a cookie notice allowing you to accept or reject non-essential cookies.

Full details of the cookies we use are set out in our separate Cookie Policy, and the way we handle your personal data more broadly is set out in our separate Privacy Policy, both available on this website. In the event of any conflict between these terms and those policies on matters of data handling, the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy will prevail.

You can control your cookie settings through your browser. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of this website.

Analytics data is collected in aggregate and is not used to identify individual users.

PART C - NON-DISCLOSURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

This part applies to all users who submit information through any registration or application form on this website, and to all clients engaging our services. It is intended to give you clear assurance about how we handle the information you share with us, and to set out the mutual obligations we both take on.

17. What We Mean by Confidential Information

"Confidential Information" means any information disclosed by you to us through this website or in the course of our services that is not in the public domain and that you would reasonably expect to be treated as confidential. This includes, but is not limited to:

financial information, investment criteria, and portfolio details;

business plans, strategies, financial projections, and operational information;

information about investors, founders, or third parties disclosed in the course of a potential introduction;

personal contact details and professional background information submitted through our forms.

Confidential Information does not include information that is or becomes publicly available through no fault of ours, information we already held before you disclosed it to us, or information we are required to disclose by law or by order of a competent court.

18. Our Obligations to You

We will treat all Confidential Information you share with us with the same degree of care we apply to our own confidential information, and in any event no less than a reasonable standard of care.

We will store and handle your Confidential Information securely, using appropriate technical and organisational measures to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure.

We will not disclose your Confidential Information to any third party without your prior written consent, except:

to prospective investors or founders, for the purpose of making an introduction you have asked us to make, limited to the information reasonably necessary for them to assess and decide whether to proceed;

to our employees, advisors, or service providers who need access to it in order to provide the services you have requested, and who are bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations;

where we are required to do so by law, regulation, or court order, in which case we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable before making any disclosure (where legally permissible).

We will use your Confidential Information only for the purpose for which it was shared - being the assessment of your application, the facilitation of introductions, or the delivery of the consultancy or mentorship services you have engaged us for.

Where you ask us to delete your data or withdraw from the network, we will securely delete or anonymise your Confidential Information within a reasonable period, subject to any legal obligations we have to retain certain records.

19. Your Obligations

Where we share information with you about another member of the network, a prospective introduction, or a client matter - including the identity, financial position, or business details of any investor or founder - that information is shared in confidence.

You agree not to disclose such information to any third party without our prior written consent and the consent of the relevant individual or entity.

You agree not to use information disclosed to you through our network or services to bypass us and engage directly with any investor or founder introduced to you through our platform, outside of the context of an introduction we have facilitated.

You agree to take reasonable steps to protect any Confidential Information shared with you and to use it only for the purpose of the introduction or engagement it relates to.

20. Duration of Confidentiality Obligations

The confidentiality obligations in this Part C apply from the date you submit information through this website and continue for a period of three years following the conclusion of any engagement between us, or the termination of your membership of the Circle Investor Network — whichever is the later.

Obligations relating to information that constitutes a trade secret will continue for as long as that information remains a trade secret.

PART D - CLIENT ENGAGEMENTS

21. Engagement of Services

These terms apply to all engagements for consultancy, mentorship, or investor relations services. The specific scope of services, fees, and deliverables for each engagement will be confirmed in a separate written instruction or engagement letter.

No engagement for paid services is confirmed until we have issued a written confirmation and received payment of any agreed deposit or upfront fee.

22. Fees and Payment

Our fees are as set out in the relevant service description or engagement letter. All fees are stated exclusive of VAT unless otherwise specified.

Payment terms will be confirmed in writing at the outset of each engagement. Where payment is not received by the agreed date, we reserve the right to suspend work until payment is received.

Refund terms, where applicable, will be set out in the relevant engagement letter or service description.

23. Client Responsibilities

You agree to provide us with accurate, complete, and timely information necessary for us to deliver the services. We accept no liability for any delay or deficiency in our services caused by your failure to provide required information.

You are responsible for any decision you make based on our advice or services. Our role is advisory. We do not make decisions on your behalf.

24. Termination of Engagements

Either party may terminate a service engagement by giving 14 days' written notice to the other, unless a different notice period is specified in the relevant engagement letter.

We reserve the right to terminate an engagement immediately where you have materially breached these terms and have not remedied the breach within 5 working days of written notice from us.

On termination, any fees due for work completed up to the date of termination remain payable.

PART E - GENERAL PROVISIONS

25. Notices

The contact details you provide to us when registering or engaging our services are the address at which you agree to receive all communications and notices from us, whether legal or otherwise. You are responsible for keeping these details up to date.

26. Entire Agreement

These terms, together with any separate contract or engagement letter signed between us, form the entire agreement between us. They replace any earlier discussions, representations, or arrangements, whether written or verbal. You confirm that you have not relied on any statement or promise that is not set out in these terms or in a signed contract.

27. No Waiver

If we choose not to enforce a right under these terms on any occasion, or allow you extra time to meet an obligation, that does not waive our rights or prevent us from enforcing them on any later occasion.

28. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, that provision will be severed and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

29. No Amendment

No change to these terms will be valid unless we publish an updated version on this website, or unless it is agreed in writing and signed by both parties.

30. Assignment

We may transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another entity. You may not transfer your rights or obligations without our prior written consent.

Last updated: 30th June 2026