Terms of Service

Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service govern all services provided by Natacha Essim / SoftHire Systems LLC ("we," "us") to clients and site visitors. By submitting an inquiry, signing a client agreement, purchasing a product, or using any service offered at natachaessim.com, you agree to these terms.

These terms apply to:

• Systems consulting and advisory engagements
• AI Workforce services (AI operator deployment, configuration, and management)
• Digital products (guides, templates, and resources)
• Advisory sessions and walkthroughs

If you are entering into a client agreement on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these terms.

Services Offered

Systems consulting

Consulting engagements are scoped and priced per project. Scope, deliverables, timeline, and fees are defined in a signed client agreement. Work outside the agreed scope requires a written amendment.

Digital products

Guides, templates, and downloadable resources are sold as described at the time of purchase. Digital products are non-refundable once delivered unless they materially fail to match their description. See the Payment & Refunds section for full terms.

Advisory sessions

Guide walkthroughs and advisory sessions are scheduled upon purchase confirmation. Cancellations must be requested at least 24 hours in advance for rescheduling. No-shows forfeit the session fee.

Availability and changes

Services may be updated, discontinued, or modified at any time. Existing signed agreements are honored for their stated term. New clients are subject to current availability and intake processes.

AI Workforce Services

AI Workforce services involve designing, configuring, and deploying AI operators to assist with your business workflows. This section applies specifically to AI Workforce engagements.

Scope of service

AI Workforce services include: qualifying your business for operator deployment, scoping and configuring operators to your workflows, deploying and monitoring active operators, and providing ongoing management and optimization. The specific operators, scope, and expected outcomes are defined in your signed client agreement.

Nature of AI operators

AI operators are software systems built on third-party AI models and infrastructure. They perform tasks within the boundaries of their configuration. They are not employees, contractors, or agents of SoftHire Systems LLC, and they are not licensed professionals in any field. They do not have independent judgment, and their outputs should be reviewed by a qualified human before use in consequential decisions.

Deployment requirements

To deploy AI Workforce services, clients must: complete the AI readiness intake process, sign a service agreement, and pay any required deposit. Deployment does not begin until all onboarding requirements are satisfied. SoftHire Systems LLC reserves the right to decline or pause a deployment if the required workflow information is incomplete, inaccurate, or the use case falls outside acceptable use boundaries.

Ongoing management

Active deployments are monitored and managed as described in the client agreement. Clients are responsible for promptly reporting errors, unexpected outputs, or changes in the underlying workflow that may affect operator performance. Material workflow changes may require re-scoping.

No guaranteed outcomes

AI Workforce services are designed to improve operational efficiency, but specific business outcomes — revenue increases, time savings, error rate reductions, or other metrics — are not guaranteed. Performance depends on the quality of information provided during onboarding, the stability of the workflows the operators are configured for, and the inherent variability of AI model outputs.

AI-Generated Outputs

Client responsibility for review

You are responsible for reviewing all outputs produced by AI operators before acting on them. AI operators can produce inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or otherwise unsuitable outputs. The existence of an active deployment does not substitute for human review and judgment, particularly for outputs that affect customers, finances, legal matters, compliance, health, or safety.

No professional advice

AI operator outputs do not constitute legal advice, financial advice, medical advice, accounting advice, or any other form of professional advice. If you need professional advice, consult a licensed professional in the relevant field.

No warranty on AI outputs

We do not warrant that AI operator outputs are accurate, complete, current, or fit for any particular purpose. AI model behavior may change as underlying models are updated by their providers. We make reasonable efforts to maintain operator configurations, but cannot guarantee output consistency across model version changes.

Reliance on AI outputs

Any decision you make based on AI operator output is your own decision. SoftHire Systems LLC is not liable for losses, damages, or negative consequences arising from reliance on AI-generated content, even if that content was produced by a configured and deployed operator.

Client-Provided Data

Your responsibility for data you share

You are responsible for the data you provide during intake, onboarding, and active service delivery. By sharing data with us, you represent that you have the right to share it and that doing so does not violate any law, regulation, third-party agreement, or privacy obligation.

Sensitive and regulated data

Do not share protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable financial data governed by financial privacy regulations, social security numbers or government ID numbers, payment card numbers, or other categories of sensitive personal data protected by applicable law, unless a specific written agreement governing the handling of such data is in place. These services are not designed or represented to be compliant with HIPAA, PCI DSS, or similar regimes.

Data used to configure operators

Workflow information, process documentation, and other materials you share during scoping and onboarding are used to configure AI operators for your use case. This information is stored in the operations database and may be referenced throughout the engagement. See the Privacy Policy for full data handling details.

Electronic Signatures

Client agreements are executed using an electronic signature system. When you sign a client agreement through the natachaessim.com signing interface, you agree that:

• Your typed name and drawn signature constitute a legally binding electronic signature
• You intend to be bound by the agreement you signed
• You have had the opportunity to read and review the agreement before signing
• You consent to conducting the transaction electronically

The signing system records the signed date, time, IP address, and browser user-agent string for audit purposes. The executed agreement PDF is stored and is available to both parties upon request.

Payment, Refunds & Cancellation

Consulting engagements

Consulting engagements require a deposit (amount specified in the client agreement) before work begins. Deposits are non-refundable unless SoftHire Systems LLC fails to begin work within the agreed timeline. The remaining balance is due on the schedule specified in the client agreement. Late payments may result in work pauses; agreements 30+ days past due may be terminated per the Suspension and Termination section.

AI Workforce services

AI Workforce service fees, billing schedules, and cancellation terms are specified in the client agreement. Cancellation of an active AI Workforce engagement must be provided in writing. Depending on the stage of deployment, cancellation fees or notice periods may apply as specified in the agreement. Fees paid for completed work or active deployment periods are not refundable upon cancellation.

Digital products

Guides and downloadable resources are non-refundable once delivered. If a product materially fails to match its published description, contact us within 7 days of purchase for resolution.

Advisory sessions

Sessions are non-refundable. Rescheduling is available with at least 24 hours' notice. No-shows forfeit the session fee without exception.

Payment processing

Payments are processed through Stripe. By completing a payment, you agree to Stripe's terms of service. Card data is handled exclusively by Stripe and is not stored on this site.

Intellectual Property

Deliverables

Unless otherwise specified in a signed client agreement, upon receipt of full payment for a consulting engagement, the client receives a license to use the deliverables produced for their internal business purposes. SoftHire Systems LLC retains ownership of underlying methodologies, frameworks, templates, and tools that existed prior to or were developed independently of the engagement.

AI Workforce configurations

Operator configurations developed for a client engagement are tailored to that client's workflows. The configuration logic, prompts, and structure developed by SoftHire Systems LLC for the engagement remain proprietary to SoftHire Systems LLC. Clients receive the benefit of the deployment during the engagement term; they do not receive ownership of the underlying configuration files or logic.

Digital products

Purchased guides, templates, and resources are licensed for personal or internal business use. They may not be resold, redistributed, or shared publicly without written permission.

Client materials

You retain ownership of all materials, data, and content you provide. Sharing materials with us grants a limited license to use those materials solely for the purpose of delivering services.

AI-generated content

The ownership and copyright status of AI-generated content varies by jurisdiction and is an evolving area of law. We make no representation about the copyright status of outputs produced by AI operators. Clients are responsible for assessing and managing any IP considerations relating to AI-generated content they use.

Confidentiality

Our obligations

We will not disclose your confidential business information — including workflow documentation, business processes, financial information, and client details shared during an engagement — to third parties, except to service providers who need it to deliver the service (see the Privacy Policy for a list of providers) or as required by law. In the context of AI Workforce services, this exception also extends to third-party AI model providers who process inputs as part of operator operation. Those providers are subject to their own data handling terms as disclosed in the AI Use & AI Workforce Disclosure.

Your obligations

To the extent we share proprietary methodologies, operator configuration approaches, or other information in the course of an engagement that is marked as or reasonably understood to be confidential, you agree to treat it as confidential and not to disclose it to third parties or use it outside the scope of the engagement.

Exclusions

Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that: was already publicly known; becomes public through no fault of the receiving party; was independently known before the engagement; or is required to be disclosed by law or court order (in which case the disclosing party will provide prompt notice where legally permitted).

Mutual NDA

If either party requires a more formal mutual NDA, this can be arranged by written request before the engagement begins.

Acceptable Use

Services may not be used to:

• Automate deceptive, fraudulent, or manipulative communications with third parties
• Generate or distribute content that is illegal in the applicable jurisdiction
• Impersonate individuals, organizations, or government entities
• Violate any applicable law, including privacy, consumer protection, anti-spam, or intellectual property laws
• Process personal data in ways that require regulatory authorization you do not hold
• Use AI operators in contexts where their outputs could cause physical harm if acted upon without human review (medical treatment, emergency response, safety-critical systems)

Violation of acceptable use terms may result in immediate suspension of services. Fees paid for suspended engagements may not be refunded where the violation caused the suspension.

Third-Party Services and Integrations

Services may involve third-party platforms including AI model providers, automation tools, and communication systems. When third-party integrations are part of an engagement, the following applies:

• You are responsible for holding and maintaining the necessary accounts and permissions for third-party services that integrate with your operators
• Your use of third-party services is governed by those providers' own terms and privacy policies
• SoftHire Systems LLC is not liable for failures, outages, or changes in third-party services that affect operator performance
• If a third-party service changes its API, terms, or pricing in a way that affects your deployment, re-scoping may be required and additional fees may apply

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• SoftHire Systems LLC's total liability for any claim arising from or related to these services is limited to the fees paid in the 90-day period preceding the claim, except as stated below
• SoftHire Systems LLC is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost revenue, lost data, or business interruption, even if advised of the possibility of such damages
• SoftHire Systems LLC is not liable for damages arising from your reliance on AI-generated outputs, including outputs produced by deployed operators
• SoftHire Systems LLC is not liable for failures, delays, or damages caused by third-party service outages or changes

The 90-day fee cap does not apply to claims arising from: (a) SoftHire Systems LLC's willful misconduct or gross negligence, or (b) SoftHire Systems LLC's material breach of its confidentiality obligations under these terms. The appropriate remedy for those claims is subject to attorney review and applicable law.

Some jurisdictions do not permit certain liability limitations. Where applicable law restricts these limitations, they apply only to the extent permitted.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SoftHire Systems LLC and its owner from and against any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of services in violation of these terms
• Content, data, or materials you provide that infringe third-party rights or violate applicable law
• Your reliance on AI-generated outputs in contexts involving professional advice, regulatory compliance, or safety-critical decisions
• Your violation of any third-party service terms in connection with your engagement

Suspension and Termination

Termination by client

Clients may terminate a consulting or AI Workforce engagement by written notice. Termination terms, notice periods, and any applicable termination fees are defined in the signed client agreement. In the absence of specific agreement terms, 30 days' written notice is required. Fees for work completed or services rendered prior to the termination effective date are due in full.

Termination by SoftHire Systems LLC

We may suspend or terminate services with written notice if:

• Payment is more than 30 days past due and has not been resolved after a written reminder
• You are in material breach of these terms or the client agreement
• Continuing the engagement would require us to violate applicable law
• You use services in a manner that poses risk of harm to third parties

Where practical, we will provide written notice and a reasonable opportunity to cure a breach before termination, except in cases of egregious or repeated violations.

Effect of termination

Upon termination, active AI operator deployments will be deactivated. Access to any client portal, operator interface, or shared tools will be revoked. Any outstanding fees remain due.

Disputes and Governing Law

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Informal resolution

Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, both parties agree to attempt to resolve disputes informally. The disputing party should send written notice describing the dispute to the contact address below. Parties will use good-faith efforts to resolve the matter within 30 days of that notice.

Dispute resolution

If informal resolution fails, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules, seated in Delaware, with proceedings conducted in English. Either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction without waiving arbitration rights with respect to other claims.

Class action waiver

Claims must be brought in an individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any class or representative action.

General Provisions

Entire agreement

These terms, together with any signed client agreement, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to services. They supersede all prior or contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, or warranties. Signed client agreements take precedence over these general terms where they conflict.

Modifications to these terms

These terms may be updated at any time. The version in effect at the time a client agreement is signed governs that engagement for its term. Updated terms will be posted at natachaessim.com/terms.html with a revised date. Continued use of the site or services after a terms update constitutes acceptance of the updated terms for new engagements.

Severability

If any provision of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force. The unenforceable provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable.

No waiver

Failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of future enforcement rights.

Assignment

You may not assign your rights or obligations under these terms without written consent. SoftHire Systems LLC may assign its obligations in connection with a business transfer, merger, or acquisition, provided that the assignee assumes all obligations under existing client agreements.

Contact

For questions about these terms, or to provide required notices under these terms:

natacha@natachaessim.com

Subject line: Terms — [brief description]