Version 2.2, effective October 15, 2026
Previous versions: 2.1, effective October 2, 2026; 2.0, effective September 27, 2026; 1.0, effective June 8, 2026. Each Statement of Work names the version of these Terms that applies to it. A copy of any prior version is available on request from nicole@elevateonline.com.
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern all services provided by Patten Consulting, LLC ("Service Provider," "we," "our," or "us") to any client ("Client," "you"). By signing a proposal, executing a Statement of Work (SOW), or submitting payment, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
By engaging our services, the Client agrees to:
Each SOW or Proposal forms part of this agreement. Verbal understandings and informal communications do not modify this agreement.
Platform Flexibility: Deliverables may be developed using the platforms or tools specified in the SOW, or their equivalents, at Service Provider's discretion. This includes, but is not limited to: Google Sheets or equivalent, Vapi or equivalent, n8n/Zapier/Make or equivalent.
Services may include, without limitation:
Tools and platforms are subject to change if technical feasibility, cost, or performance so requires. Equivalent substitutes will be provided to meet or exceed project goals.
All changes to the approved scope, including added features, revised requirements, platform changes, or timeline extensions, require a signed change order.
Change Orders must be:
Work performed outside the original scope will be billed at the standard hourly rate of $250/hour unless otherwise agreed. This includes:
We reserve the right to pause or deny work outside of scope until:
Client agrees to:
Delays caused by the Client (e.g., lack of access, slow feedback) may:
For in-person sessions, Client is responsible for providing:
A/V setup and room logistics must be confirmed with Elevate Online no later than 5 business days before the session. If adequate A/V or room setup is unavailable on the session date due to Client's failure to arrange it, the session proceeds as-is or is rescheduled by mutual agreement. No refund is issued for Client-side technical or logistical failures.
For group sessions with per-participant or capacity-limited pricing, Client must confirm final participant headcount no later than 5 business days before the session date. Participants above the confirmed maximum are subject to overage fees as specified in the applicable SOW. Failure to confirm headcount by this deadline does not entitle Client to a price reduction if fewer participants attend.
All delivery timelines are estimates and contingent on Client meeting responsibilities. We are not responsible for delays due to:
If any amount is more than 15 days past due, Elevate Online may pause work, including scheduled sessions, until the account is current. Dates move as a block once payment is received, and paused time does not count against any completion window.
Client-initiated cancellation - 14 or more days before a scheduled session: Amounts already paid are non-refundable. Rescheduling is governed by the reschedule paragraph below rather than by this one.
Client-initiated cancellation - fewer than 14 days before a scheduled session: All payments made to date are forfeited. No reschedule option is available. By this point, Elevate Online has completed intake preparation, allocated dedicated calendar time, and may have declined other engagements.
Rescheduling: Client may reschedule any session once, at no cost, with at least 24 hours' notice, to a mutually available date within 30 days of the original. A session cancelled, rescheduled a second time, or rescheduled with less than 24 hours' notice may be billed as delivered.
Provider-initiated cancellation: If Elevate Online cancels for convenience rather than for Client's breach, Client receives a pro-rata refund for sessions or milestones scoped in the applicable SOW, paid for, and not delivered as of that date. No refund is owed for work already delivered, for advisory capacity made available and unused, or for work not delivered because of Client-caused delay. This matches the Termination section below; where the two are read together, Termination governs.
Travel expenses for in-person sessions outside of the Richmond, VA metro area are billed at cost and itemized separately. Travel requirements and estimated costs will be disclosed in the applicable SOW prior to signing. Client is responsible for all reasonable travel expenses including transportation, lodging, and meals, unless otherwise specified in the SOW.
Where session recording is included as a deliverable, recordings will be delivered within 48 hours of session completion. Recordings are for Client's internal use only. Client may share recordings internally with employees and contractors but may not distribute recordings publicly, post them online, or use them for commercial purposes without Elevate Online's written consent.
Elevate Online records and transcribes calls, discovery conversations, and working sessions using automated note-taking software, and uses the resulting notes and transcripts to prepare, deliver, and improve the engagement. This is separate from Section 6.6, which governs recordings delivered to Client as a deliverable.
Both parties agree to keep confidential any proprietary or sensitive information shared during this engagement, including but not limited to: business processes, customer data, pricing, technical specifications, internal tooling, and workflow details ("Confidential Information").
Elevate Online uses third-party software to deliver these services, including cloud storage and productivity software, automated meeting notes and transcription, AI assistants, client-record and scheduling systems, source control, hosting, e-signature, and payment processing. Client agrees that Elevate Online may process Confidential Information through these providers for the purposes of the engagement, and that doing so is not a disclosure to a third party requiring separate written consent under this Section 8.
Each provider is bound by its own confidentiality and security terms. Elevate Online does not grant any provider the right to use Client's Confidential Information for the provider's own purposes, including training artificial intelligence models on it, and configures its accounts to that effect where the provider offers that control.
A current list of these providers is published at elevateonline.com/service-providers and is updated as providers change. Client may object in writing to a named provider, and the parties will agree a reasonable alternative or exclude the affected work from scope.
Client grants Elevate Online a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to use Client's company name, logo, and a general description of the engagement (e.g., "We delivered a custom Claude workshop for [Client]") on Elevate Online's marketing materials, including:
This license does not include the right to share Client's confidential business information, internal workflows, financial data, or any proprietary content disclosed during the engagement. The Confidentiality section above supersedes this marketing license whenever they conflict.
Client may revoke this license at any time by emailing nicole@elevateonline.com with 30 days notice. Upon revocation, Elevate Online will remove Client's name and logo from active marketing materials within 30 days. Archived materials - already-published case studies, recorded talks, podcast episodes, conference decks delivered before revocation - are not subject to retroactive removal.
If Client prefers anonymous attribution (e.g., "an 18-person AI development agency"), Client may notify Elevate Online in writing at any time. Default is full attribution with company name and logo unless Client opts out in writing.
The following fall outside this license and require Client's prior written approval, which may be given by email and is granted per use:
Client agrees to consider reasonable requests to serve as a reference for prospective clients, no more than twice per quarter and no more than 20 minutes each. Client may decline any request.
Client is responsible for:
Delivery of session-based engagements depends on third-party platforms (primarily Anthropic's Claude) being available and performing normally. If a platform experiences an outage or significant degradation on a scheduled session date:
Elevate Online does not control Anthropic's or any other platform's account, moderation, or enforcement policies. These platforms may, at their sole discretion, suspend, restrict, or terminate accounts - including accounts in active use during an engagement.
Elevate Online is not responsible for:
Elevate Online will provide reasonable guidance on available appeal processes but cannot guarantee any specific outcome or timeline.
Claude, MCP standards, and connected third-party tools are actively evolving. Features demonstrated or configured during an engagement may change, be deprecated, or behave differently after delivery. Elevate Online is not responsible for maintaining, updating, or troubleshooting deliverables after the engagement concludes. Ongoing change management is available through a separate engagement.
Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, natural disasters, pandemic, civil unrest, war, terrorism, labor disputes, power failures, internet outages, or third-party service disruptions.
The affected party shall notify the other promptly in writing and shall resume performance as soon as reasonably possible. If a force majeure event prevents performance for more than 30 consecutive days, either party may terminate the engagement with written notice. In that event, Client is entitled to a pro-rated refund of any pre-paid fees for services not yet delivered.
Either party may terminate at any time on written notice, for any reason or none. Either party may also terminate immediately for a material breach the other has not cured within fifteen (15) business days of written notice describing it, or for payment default beyond 15 days, or for illegal or unethical conduct.
On termination for any reason:
One exception: if Elevate Online terminates for convenience rather than for Client's breach, Client receives a pro-rata refund for sessions or milestones scoped in the applicable SOW, paid for, and not delivered as of the termination date. No refund is owed for work already delivered, for advisory capacity made available and unused, or for work not delivered because of Client-caused delay.
The Intellectual Property, Confidentiality, Marketing & Publicity Rights, and Limitation of Liability sections survive termination.
Project-based engagements do not include ongoing maintenance, support, or guaranteed availability after delivery. Software requires ongoing updates, security patches, and monitoring - these are not included in the original project scope.
Clients who require ongoing support, priority access, or guaranteed response times may enter into a separate Maintenance or Retainer Agreement. These agreements are scoped on a case-by-case basis depending on the complexity of the project and the level of support needed.
For ongoing advisory engagements, see the available services at claudetraining.com.
By initiating payment, signing a proposal, or commencing the project, Client acknowledges:
Contact: nicole@elevateonline.com
Patten Consulting, LLC