Thank you for choosing to invest in growth.

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This Professional Services & Coaching Partnership Agreement (the “Agreement”) outlines the expectations, responsibilities, and general terms that guide services delivered by Michele Kline and Kline Hospitality Consulting LLC. It is intended to create clear, respectful, and mutually accountable working relationships across coaching, leadership development, consulting, assessments, workshops, team engagements, speaking, and other professional development services.

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Definitions

For purposes of this Agreement:

Coach / Provider refers to Michele Kline and/or Kline Hospitality Consulting LLC.

Participant(s) refers to any individual receiving or participating in Services.

Client refers to the individual, parent or legal guardian, organization, school, team, club, association, or other entity engaging the Provider’s Services on behalf of one or more Participants.

Services refers to coaching, executive or leadership coaching, youth coaching, mental performance coaching, consulting or advisory services, assessments, facilitation, workshops, training programs, team development, leadership development, speaking engagements, keynotes, and other professional development services provided by the Provider.

Engagement Document refers to any proposal, statement of work, invoice, program description, registration, service agreement, or other written document establishing engagement-specific scope, schedule, fees, deliverables, or terms.

My Professional Commitments

Growth work is more than a series of conversations or activities—it is a partnership built on trust. Whether Participants are executives navigating leadership challenges, professionals pursuing meaningful growth, teams working to perform better together, or young people learning to respond to pressure, every Participant deserves an experience that is intentional, respectful, and deeply committed to development.

I Will Create a Safe and Respectful Space

I will foster an environment where Participants feel respected, heard, and valued. Participants will not be judged for where they are today. Growth requires honesty, and honesty requires trust.

I Will Challenge Participants with Respect

I will not simply tell Participants what they want to hear. I will ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions, and encourage Participants to consider perspectives they may not yet recognize. My goal is never to create discomfort for its own sake, but to help Participants grow beyond what currently feels familiar.

I Will Tell the Truth with Compassion

There may be moments when I notice patterns, blind spots, or behaviors that may be limiting growth. When those moments arise, I will communicate honestly—with empathy, respect, and the Participant’s best interests at heart.

I Will Believe in Every Participant’s Potential—Especially When They Struggle to See It

I will not define Participants by mistakes, setbacks, titles, rankings, or circumstances. I will continually look beyond today’s challenge and coach the person they are becoming.

I Will Meet Participants Where They Are

Every Participant brings a unique story, pace, strengths, and experiences. I will adapt my approach while continuing to challenge Participants toward meaningful growth.

I Will Protect the Trust We Build

I will honor confidentiality within the boundaries described in this Agreement, respect each Participant’s perspective, and approach every engagement with professionalism, integrity, and care.

I Will Continue Growing Alongside My Participants

The best coaches and facilitators never stop learning. I remain committed to continually developing my knowledge, skills, and understanding so I can serve Participants and Clients with excellence, curiosity, and integrity.

I Will Celebrate Progress, Not Just Outcomes

Growth is rarely linear. We will recognize the small victories that often go unnoticed, because lasting transformation is built one intentional step at a time—not only at the finish line.

What I Ask of Participants

In return, I ask that Participants:

•  arrive prepared and present;

•  engage honestly in the process;

•  remain open to new perspectives;

•  practice and apply what is discussed whenever possible;

•  give themselves permission to make mistakes;

•  respect the privacy and participation of others in group settings; and

•  take ownership of their choices, behavior, and development.

Most importantly, coaching and development are not things the Provider does to Participants—they are built with them. That partnership is where meaningful change becomes possible.
 

1. Purpose and Nature of Services

Services are designed to facilitate awareness, learning, clarity, confidence, resilience, communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, decision-making, accountability, performance, and intentional action in pursuit of meaningful personal, professional, team, or organizational goals.

Coaching is collaborative, future-focused, and action-oriented. Consulting, advisory, facilitation, training, assessment interpretation, and speaking services may also include education, observations, recommendations, frameworks, tools, or subject-matter guidance appropriate to the Engagement.

The Provider may draw upon experience in executive leadership, hospitality and service operations, organizational development, communication, learning and development, human resources, process improvement, neuroscience, and high-performance coaching. The nature and scope of any consulting or advisory work will be determined by the applicable Engagement Document.
 

2. The Partnership and Participant Responsibility

The Provider’s role is to facilitate awareness, provide challenge and accountability, share relevant education or recommendations when appropriate, and support intentional development. Participants remain responsible for the decisions they make, actions they take, implementation of strategies discussed, behaviors and responses they choose, and results they ultimately create.

The Provider does not make personal, employment, medical, legal, financial, educational, athletic, or other consequential decisions on behalf of Participants or Clients.
 

3. Engagement Documents and Order of Precedence

This Agreement establishes the general terms governing Services. An Engagement Document may establish engagement-specific scope, deliverables, schedule, fees, payment terms, cancellation terms, travel requirements, participant expectations, or other requirements.

If an Engagement Document expressly conflicts with this Agreement, the engagement-specific provision will control only for that Engagement. All other provisions of this Agreement remain in effect.
 

4. Scheduling, Changes & Cancellations

One-on-One Coaching

One-on-one sessions may be rescheduled with at least twenty-four (24) hours’ notice. Sessions cancelled or requested to be rescheduled with less than twenty-four (24) hours’ notice may be considered used and are not guaranteed a replacement session. Missed sessions without prior notice are forfeited and are not refundable or reschedulable unless the Provider chooses otherwise in exceptional circumstances.

On rare occasions, the Provider may need to reschedule. As much advance notice as reasonably possible will be provided, and reasonable efforts will be made to find a mutually convenient replacement time.

Group Coaching

Due to the nature of group coaching programs, missed sessions cannot be individually rescheduled or refunded unless otherwise stated in the applicable Engagement Document.

Workshops, Training Programs, Team Engagements, Speaking & Organizational Services

Requests to reschedule workshops, leadership programs, team sessions, speaking engagements, or organizational Services will be considered up to fifteen (15) days prior to the scheduled date unless different terms appear in the applicable Engagement Document. Additional expenses resulting from a Client-requested change—including venue, travel, lodging, shipping, technology, production, or third-party costs—remain the Client’s responsibility.

Cancellations

Unless otherwise stated in an Engagement Document, payments for Services are non-refundable. Fees already committed to non-refundable travel, venue, production, assessment, licensing, or third-party expenses remain the Client’s responsibility.
 

5. Late Arrivals & No-Shows

Sessions and scheduled Services begin and conclude at the agreed time. Late arrival does not extend the scheduled end time. A Participant arriving more than fifteen (15) minutes late without prior communication may be considered a no-show. For group or organizational Services, the Provider may begin as scheduled even if some Participants are absent or late.
 

6. Duration and Scope of Engagement

Engagements may consist of a single session, multi-session package, ongoing coaching relationship, assessment and debrief, leadership program, workshop, team engagement, keynote, customized advisory engagement, or other Services. Scope, duration, and deliverables are determined by the Engagement Document when applicable.

7. Communication Between Sessions

Between-session communication is intended to support brief coaching-related questions, updates, scheduling, and application of concepts discussed during Services. It is not intended to replace scheduled sessions, provide continuous access, or serve as emergency or crisis support.

The Provider will make reasonable efforts to respond within a professionally appropriate timeframe, recognizing that response times may vary due to coaching schedules, travel, speaking engagements, weekends, holidays, or other professional commitments.
 

8. Confidentiality

The Provider is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of information shared in individual coaching and other Services to the extent reasonably possible and permitted by law. Information may be disclosed when authorized by the Participant or Client, required by law, reasonably necessary to address a serious risk of harm, or subject to the additional provisions for minors or organizationally sponsored Services below.
 

9. Organizationally Sponsored Coaching & Services

When an organization pays for or sponsors Services provided to an individual Participant, the organization and Participant acknowledge that a productive coaching relationship requires appropriate privacy. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Provider may share with the sponsoring Client information such as attendance, participation, agreed goals, general progress, broad themes, or recommendations relevant to the Engagement, but will not provide a detailed account or transcript of private coaching conversations without the Participant’s authorization, except where disclosure is required by law or necessary to address a serious safety concern.

Where organizational goals, reporting expectations, or sponsor check-ins are part of the Engagement, those expectations should be established at the beginning of the Engagement whenever reasonably possible.

10. Group, Team & Workshop Confidentiality

Participants in group coaching, workshops, team sessions, or other multi-participant Services are expected to respect one another’s privacy and the confidentiality of personal information shared in the room. However, the Provider cannot control or guarantee what another Participant may repeat or disclose outside the Engagement. Participants should use appropriate judgment when sharing sensitive personal, organizational, or proprietary information in group settings.

11. Assessments, Diagnostics & Developmental Tools

Assessments, questionnaires, indexes, inventories, reflection tools, and diagnostic frameworks used in an Engagement are intended for coaching, leadership development, team development, learning, or professional development purposes. They are not medical, psychiatric, psychological, or clinical diagnoses and should not be interpreted as definitive judgments about a Participant’s personality, capability, suitability, character, or future performance.

Assessment results may be influenced by self-perception, context, circumstances, and the information provided at the time of completion. Results should be considered as one source of developmental information rather than as a complete representation of an individual or team.

Unless expressly designed and contracted for that purpose, developmental assessments provided by the Provider should not be used as the sole basis for hiring, termination, promotion, disciplinary action, team selection, scholarship decisions, or other consequential decisions.

Some assessments and resources may be owned by third parties and used by the Provider under license, certification, permission, or applicable terms. Ownership and permitted use of those materials remain subject to the rights of the applicable third party.

12. Scope of Coaching and Professional Boundaries

Services do not replace or constitute psychotherapy, counseling, psychiatric treatment, medical care, legal advice, financial advice, emergency or crisis services, or any other licensed professional service outside the Provider’s scope.

Past experiences may occasionally be explored to provide context, but coaching remains primarily focused on awareness, development, choices, and forward action. If the Provider believes a Participant may benefit from another qualified professional, that recommendation may be made when appropriate.

13. Results Disclaimer

Every Participant, team, and organization is different. While Services are designed to strengthen awareness, leadership, communication, resilience, confidence, performance, decision-making, collaboration, and growth, no specific result or outcome is guaranteed. Results depend on many factors, including participation, consistency, application, organizational conditions, other people’s actions, and circumstances outside the Provider’s control.

14. Electronic & Virtual Communication

Email, text messaging, video platforms, and other electronic communication may be used for scheduling, administrative matters, delivery of Services, and appropriate between-session communication. Although reasonable care is taken, electronic communication and virtual platforms cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Participants are responsible for reliable internet access, an appropriate device when needed, and an environment that reasonably supports meaningful and private participation. If technical difficulties materially interfere with a scheduled Service, reasonable efforts will be made to continue, adapt, or reschedule as appropriate.

15. Recording, Transcription & Artificial Intelligence Tools

To protect Participant privacy, organizational confidentiality, and the Provider’s intellectual property, Services may not be audio recorded, video recorded, livestreamed, transcribed, captured by automated meeting assistants, or processed by AI note-taking or transcription tools without the Provider’s prior consent and, where applicable, the consent of affected Participants.

Any authorized recording, livestream, transcription, or reproduction may be subject to separate written terms regarding access, retention, distribution, editing, licensing, and permitted use.

16. Intellectual Property

Except for materials expressly identified as third-party property, all original coaching materials, presentations, workbooks, assessments, indexes, worksheets, exercises, videos, recordings, methodologies, frameworks, models, tools, templates, program designs, and other resources developed by Michele Kline and/or Kline Hospitality Consulting LLC—including proprietary 360° IMPACT™ concepts and materials—remain their intellectual property unless otherwise stated in writing.

Materials are provided solely for the personal use of Participants or the internal organizational use of the Client in connection with the Engagement. Unless prior written permission has been obtained, materials may not be copied, reproduced, modified, distributed, published, posted online, shared outside the intended audience, incorporated into other programs or training materials, used to train other facilitators, or used for commercial purposes.

Books and other commercially published works remain subject to their applicable copyright and purchase terms. Purchase or receipt of a book does not grant permission to reproduce, teach, distribute, or commercially use protected content beyond rights provided by law or written permission.

Nothing in this Agreement transfers ownership of intellectual property to a Client or Participant.

17. Client-Provided Information, Privacy & Organizational Data

Clients and Participants are responsible for providing information they are authorized to share and for limiting personal, employee, athlete, student, organizational, or other sensitive information to what is reasonably necessary for the Engagement. Clients engaging Services on behalf of others are responsible for obtaining any permissions or notices reasonably required for participation, data submission, or information sharing within their organization.

The Provider will use information received in connection with an Engagement for purposes reasonably related to delivering, administering, evaluating, or improving the contracted Services, subject to applicable confidentiality obligations and law.
 

18. Additional Terms for Participants Under 18 Years of Age

Parent / Legal Guardian Partnership and Authority

Parents and legal guardians play an important role in supporting a young Participant’s development. The adult signing on behalf of a minor represents that they have the legal authority necessary to consent to the minor’s participation in Services. If authority is shared, restricted, disputed, or subject to a court order or other legal arrangement that affects participation or communication, the signing adult is responsible for informing the Provider before Services begin or as soon as reasonably possible.

Parents and legal guardians can generally expect communication regarding overall progress, themes discussed, observations, recommendations, strategies to reinforce learning outside coaching, and opportunities to support continued development. To preserve trust, detailed coaching conversations will remain appropriately private unless the Participant chooses to share them, disclosure is authorized or required by law, or disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the Participant or another person.

Parent Participation

Unless otherwise agreed, individual youth coaching sessions are conducted one-on-one with the Participant. Parents or legal guardians may participate in initial meetings, scheduled progress meetings, periodic coaching reviews, or other meetings as mutually agreed.

Youth Coaching & Mental Performance

Youth Services may address age-appropriate development related to confidence, focus, emotional regulation, resilience, communication, leadership, accountability, preparation under pressure, decision-making, school or performance pressure, relationships, self-awareness, and other developmental goals. For young athletes, these skills may contribute to performance in sport and life.

Youth coaching does not guarantee playing time, team selection, athletic scholarships, championships, rankings, selection to specific teams, academic outcomes, competitive success, or any other specific result.

Safety, Mandatory Reporting & Crisis Support

The safety and wellbeing of every minor Participant is a priority. If information disclosed during Services leads the Provider to reasonably believe that a Participant is being abused, neglected, exploited, or is at risk of causing serious harm to themselves or others, the Provider may be legally required to report those concerns to appropriate authorities in accordance with applicable law. Coaching is not an emergency or crisis service. Parents or legal guardians remain responsible for obtaining appropriate emergency, medical, mental health, or crisis support when needed and for maintaining accurate emergency contact information.

Communication & Professional Boundaries

The relationship remains professional at all times. Communication with minor Participants will occur through age-appropriate and mutually agreed methods. Parents or legal guardians may be included in communications when appropriate. The Provider does not connect with current minor Participants through personal social media accounts.

Photography, Testimonials & Marketing

Photographs, videos, testimonials, names, images, recordings, or identifying information relating to minor Participants will not be used for marketing, promotional, educational, or commercial purposes without prior written consent from a parent or legal guardian and any additional consent required by law.
 

19. Youth Team, Club, School & Organizational Programs

When Services are delivered through a school, club, academy, team, camp, or other organization, that organization remains responsible for ordinary participant supervision, facility and venue safety, emergency procedures, attendance management, transportation, medical information, and other responsibilities customarily belonging to the organization, unless an Engagement Document expressly assigns a specific responsibility to the Provider.

The Provider’s role is limited to the professional Services described in the Engagement Document and does not create general custodial responsibility for minor Participants outside those Services.
 

20. Experiential and Physical Activities

Some Services may include optional experiential activities involving movement, standing, team exercises, games, or use of simple props. Participants are responsible for communicating relevant limitations and may decline or modify an activity when participation would be inappropriate or unsafe. Clients hosting an Engagement are responsible for providing a reasonably safe and suitable environment for the planned activities.
 

21. Speaking Engagements, Events & Media

Speaking engagements, keynotes, conference sessions, panels, and event presentations may include proprietary content, audience interaction, exercises, or copyrighted materials. Event photography of the Provider is permitted only to the extent agreed with the Client or event organizer. Recording, livestreaming, rebroadcasting, transcription, sale, distribution, or reuse of presentation content requires prior written authorization and may be subject to separate licensing terms.
 

22. Pricing, Payment, Travel & Third-Party Costs

Pricing outlined in proposals, service agreements, or invoices remains valid for six (6) months from the date issued unless otherwise specified. Payment terms will be outlined within the applicable Engagement Document. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Services are confirmed upon receipt of the required payment.

When an Engagement requires travel, venue, audiovisual support, shipping, materials, assessment licenses, production, lodging, ground transportation, or other third-party expenses, responsibility for those costs will be stated in the Engagement Document or invoice. Client-requested changes that create additional non-refundable or incremental costs remain the Client’s responsibility.
 

23. Force Majeure

Neither the Provider nor the Client will be held responsible for delays or failure to fulfill obligations resulting from circumstances beyond reasonable control, including illness, severe weather, natural disasters, government restrictions, travel disruptions, power outages, internet interruptions, venue closures, or other unforeseen events. Reasonable efforts will be made to reschedule, adapt, or otherwise fulfill affected Services when feasible.
 

24. Modification and Entire Agreement

This Agreement, together with any applicable Engagement Document, constitutes the understanding between the Provider and Client regarding the Services. Any modification must be made in writing and agreed upon by the parties. A failure to enforce a provision on one occasion does not waive the right to enforce it later.

25. Acceptance

By signing this Agreement, the Client and Participant acknowledge that they have read and understood it, had the opportunity to ask questions, agreed to the applicable terms, and entered into the Engagement voluntarily. When the Participant is under eighteen (18), a parent or legal guardian further acknowledges and agrees to the additional provisions applicable to minors.

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