Where exceptional
makers meet
discerning buyers

D1 — Introducer only. TGB Artisan Exchange, a division of The Growth Bridge Group LLC, acts solely as a commercial introducer. We do not handle, ship, store, insure, or process any goods at any stage. We are not a manufacturer, distributor, importer, exporter, customs broker, or freight agent. All supply, customs, cultural property, and compliance obligations rest entirely and exclusively with the maker and the buyer.

D2 — No refund policy. Finder fees are non-refundable once an introduction has been made. An introduction is deemed complete at the point our introductory communication is sent to both parties. No refund, partial refund, credit, or fee reduction is available after introduction under any circumstances — including subsequent deal collapse, regulatory intervention, product failure, or force majeure. This policy is final and non-negotiable.

D3 — No results guarantee. The Growth Bridge Group LLC and its divisions make no guarantee, representation, or warranty that any introduction will result in a completed agreement, ongoing relationship, or any specific commercial outcome. Results depend entirely on the introduced parties. Individual outcomes vary.

D4 — No endorsement. An introduction by The Growth Bridge Group LLC does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, approval, or warranty of any party, product, dataset, service, or transaction. All due diligence remains the sole responsibility of each party.

D5 — Limitation of liability. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, The Growth Bridge Group LLC's total liability to any party arising from any introduction shall not exceed the finder fee earned for that specific introduction. The Growth Bridge Group LLC shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages including but not limited to loss of profit, product liability claims, data breach losses, regulatory penalties, or damages arising from the acts or omissions of introduced parties.

D6 — Maker indemnity. Every maker introduced through TGB Artisan Exchange indemnifies and holds harmless The Growth Bridge Group LLC and TGB Artisan Exchange against any claims arising from: misrepresentation of origin, authenticity, or IP rights of any goods; export or cultural property violations; modern slavery violations in their production process; counterfeit or mass-produced goods presented as handmade; CITES violations.

D15 — Authenticity non-guarantee. TGB Artisan Exchange applies a rigorous vetting process including workspace photo review and craft documentation, but does not provide a legal guarantee of authenticity, origin, handmade status, or provenance of any goods. Buyers are responsible for conducting their own authenticity verification and cultural property compliance checks before completing any purchase. TGB Artisan Exchange is not liable for misrepresentation by a maker beyond what our vetting process could reasonably detect.

D16 — Cultural property and heritage objects. TGB Artisan Exchange exclusively facilitates contemporary artisan-made goods. Archaeological objects, antiques over 100 years old, items protected under UNESCO Convention on Cultural Property 1970, EU Cultural Property Regulation 2019/880, or any national heritage export law are strictly excluded. All makers confirm their goods are not restricted from export under their country's cultural property laws.

D17 — Intellectual property rights. All makers confirm their designs are original works or traditional community IP with the maker's right to commercialise. TGB Artisan Exchange does not facilitate the introduction of goods that infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, registered designs, trademarks, or copyright. Buyers are responsible for conducting their own IP verification before completing any placement agreement.

D18 — CITES — endangered species materials. TGB Artisan Exchange does not facilitate trade in goods containing materials from species protected under CITES — including ivory, tortoiseshell, certain coral, exotic leathers from protected species (including certain reptile and big cat skins), feathers from protected birds, and protected plant materials. All makers confirm their goods contain no CITES-protected materials. Buyers are responsible for verifying CITES compliance using the species database at speciesplus.net.

D19 — EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) — artisan goods. Certain artisan goods may incorporate wood, rubber, or other materials subject to EU Deforestation Regulation (EU 2023/1115). EU-based buyers importing goods containing regulated materials are solely responsible for all EUDR due diligence obligations. TGB Artisan Exchange makes no representation as to any product's EUDR compliance status.

D20 — Customs and import exclusion. TGB Artisan Exchange does not act as a customs broker, freight forwarder, or import agent. All customs clearance, import duties, tariff classifications, and applicable import regulations — including EU cultural goods import requirements — are the sole responsibility of the importing buyer.

D14 — Modern slavery and forced labour. All producers and makers must confirm their production process does not involve forced labour, child labour, or any form of modern slavery as required by the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018. The Growth Bridge Group LLC does not facilitate introductions with producers or makers who cannot provide this confirmation.

D25 — Anti-bribery and anti-corruption. All fees charged by The Growth Bridge Group LLC and its divisions are legitimate commercial finder fees disclosed in writing to both parties before any introduction is made. No payment constitutes a bribe, kickback, or improper inducement under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act 2010, or any other applicable anti-corruption law. The Growth Bridge Group LLC does not pay or receive improper payments to secure introductions.

D26 — International sanctions compliance. The Growth Bridge Group LLC and its divisions do not provide services to individuals or entities located in, incorporated in, or beneficially owned by persons in jurisdictions subject to comprehensive international sanctions. Blocked jurisdictions include: Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Mali, Haiti, Nicaragua, China (PRC), Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Laos, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ecuador, and Panama. Circumvention attempts through VPN, proxy, shell companies, or nominees will be reported to OFAC, UK OFSI, and Europol.

D27 — Politically Exposed Person (PEP) screening. In accordance with EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation 2024/1624 and FATF Recommendations 12 and 22, The Growth Bridge Group LLC conducts PEP screening on all approved applicants. A PEP is any person currently or recently holding a prominent public function including government officials, military officials, state enterprise executives, and their immediate family members and known associates. PEP status requires Enhanced Due Diligence including a source of funds declaration before any introduction is made.

D28 — Beneficial ownership disclosure. All applicants must disclose the beneficial owners (individuals owning 25%+ or exercising significant control) of their organisation. Beneficial owners located in any sanctioned jurisdiction will result in automatic application decline regardless of where the company is registered. In accordance with the US Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), US-based entities must have filed their Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with FinCEN where required. False beneficial ownership declarations are a criminal offence in most jurisdictions.

D29 — Anti-money laundering (AML). The Growth Bridge Group LLC complies with all applicable AML laws including the US Bank Secrecy Act, EU Anti-Money Laundering Directives, and UK Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. We reserve the right to report any suspicious activity to relevant financial intelligence authorities including FinCEN (US), NCA (UK), or Europol without prior notice to the parties involved.

D30 — Influencer and referral disclosure (FTC compliant). Any individual or organisation publicly promoting The Growth Bridge Group LLC or any division in exchange for any form of compensation must disclose that commercial relationship clearly and prominently in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. Required disclosure language: '#CommercialPartner' and 'I have a commercial relationship with [TGB Division Name].' FTC fines up to $51,744 per violation apply for non-compliant influencer marketing. Any referral partner must sign our Referral Partner Agreement before making any public mention of any Growth Bridge division.

D31 — Solicitor and cold-caller prohibition. The following are prohibited from all Growth Bridge networks: sales solicitors, telemarketers, lead generation agencies, cold-calling companies, legal solicitors or firms seeking to recruit clients from the network, investigators or journalists seeking to identify members without consent. Any application found to originate from a prohibited category will be declined, the IP permanently blocked, and the interaction logged.

D32 — Fake review prohibition (FTC Consumer Reviews Rule 2024). The Growth Bridge Group LLC does not solicit, purchase, create, or publish fake reviews, AI-generated testimonials, or paid endorsements without clear disclosure. All testimonials displayed on our platforms relate to actual completed introductions from verified network members. Violations of the FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule carry fines up to $51,744 per incident.

D33 — AI synthetic identity and fraud detection. The Growth Bridge Group LLC uses multi-layer fraud detection to identify AI-generated, synthetic, or fraudulent identities — including company registration cross-checking against national registrars, institutional email domain verification, website domain age checking (via WHOIS), and AI-powered pattern detection in our chatbot system. In accordance with FinCEN guidance on AI-generated identity fraud (2024), submission of false, AI-generated, or synthetic identity documents constitutes fraud and will be reported to FinCEN (US), Action Fraud (UK), and Europol.

D34 — Continuous monitoring. The Growth Bridge Group LLC conducts ongoing sanctions and compliance screening of all active network members — not only at the point of application. Active members are rescreened quarterly against current OFAC, EU, UN, and UK OFSI lists. Members found to have been newly designated on any sanctions list, or found to have provided inaccurate information at application, will be immediately removed from all Growth Bridge networks and any pending introductions suspended.

D35 — Business email compromise (BEC) and payment fraud warning. Business Email Compromise is one of the most prevalent forms of B2B financial fraud. The Growth Bridge Group LLC protects against this with: (a) DMARC, DKIM, and SPF email authentication on all three division domains preventing impersonation; (b) payment details stated once in Engagement Letters and never changed by email instruction alone; (c) two-factor authentication on all accounts; (d) out-of-band payment verification for fees exceeding USD $5,000. If you receive any communication requesting payment to different details than those in your Engagement Letter — treat it as fraudulent and contact compliance@thegrowthbridgegroup.com immediately.

D36 — Visitor data and GDPR. This website collects contact information submitted through our application form. This information is used solely to review your application and communicate regarding potential network membership. We do not sell or share your submitted data with any third party before a mutual NDA is executed. EU and UK visitors have rights of access, correction, and deletion of submitted data by contacting compliance@thegrowthbridgegroup.com. A full Privacy Policy is available on request.

D37 — Email communications (CAN-SPAM, CASL, PECR). By submitting an application you consent to receive communications from The Growth Bridge Group LLC and the relevant division relating to your application and potential introduction opportunities. You may unsubscribe at any time by replying to any email with the word UNSUBSCRIBE. We comply with US CAN-SPAM Act, Canada CASL, and UK PECR.

D38 — Cookie notice. This website uses essential cookies only to operate correctly. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of essential cookies. We do not use advertising, tracking, retargeting, or third-party analytics cookies. A full cookie policy is available on request from compliance@thegrowthbridgegroup.com

D39 — Accessibility statement (ADA / WCAG 2.1). The Growth Bridge Group LLC is committed to making our websites accessible to all users in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). If you experience any difficulty accessing any part of this site, please contact us and we will assist you promptly.

D40 — Force majeure. The Growth Bridge Group LLC and its divisions shall not be liable for failure to facilitate any introduction arising from circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, armed conflict, pandemic, government action, new sanctions designations, regulatory intervention, natural disasters, or other force majeure events. Notice of a force majeure event will be given within 5 business days of its occurrence.

D41 — Class action waiver. By engaging with The Growth Bridge Group LLC or any of its divisions, all parties expressly waive any right to bring or participate in any class action, collective action, or representative proceeding against The Growth Bridge Group LLC. All disputes must be brought on an individual basis only through binding arbitration as described below.

D42 — Severability. If any provision of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid provision that most closely achieves the original commercial intent of the parties.

D28 — Tail clause and circumvention prevention — 24 months. If parties introduced by TGB Artisan Exchange enter into any commercial placement agreement within 24 months of the date of introduction — regardless of whether TGB Artisan Exchange was involved in closing that agreement — the finder fee as set out in the Engagement Letter remains due and payable in full. This clause survives termination. Circumvention is a breach of contract actionable in Wyoming arbitration under AAA Commercial Rules.

D30 — Circumvention — burden of proof reversal. Where TGB Artisan Exchange has made an introduction between a maker and a buyer and a commercial placement agreement is subsequently executed between those parties — whether within or outside the 24-month tail period — the finder fee set out in the Engagement Letter shall be presumed to be payable unless the disputing party provides contemporaneous documentary evidence, reasonably acceptable to TGB Artisan Exchange, demonstrating that the commercial relationship originated independently of and prior to TGB Artisan Exchange's introduction. The burden of proving that a commercial transaction did not originate through TGB Artisan Exchange rests entirely and exclusively with the party disputing the fee. Failure to provide such evidence within 14 days of a written fee demand shall constitute acceptance that the fee is due and payable in full.

D29 — Documentation-first compliance — makers. TGB Artisan Exchange requires makers to submit actual compliance documentation — not declarations alone — before any NDA is issued. Required documentation includes: (a) minimum 3 workspace photographs showing active production environment taken within the last 6 months; (b) written confirmation that no CITES-protected materials are used in any goods, signed and dated; (c) written confirmation that production is free from forced labour, child labour, and modern slavery, signed and dated; (d) for goods incorporating wood, rubber, or other EUDR-regulated materials destined for EU buyers, confirmation of EUDR due diligence compliance. Applications from makers unable to provide this documentation will be declined at intake.

D32 — Date-stamped consent and introduction record. Following best practice established by leading artisan platforms, every introduction made by TGB Artisan Exchange is documented with: (a) the date the introduction email was sent to both parties — this date constitutes the official introduction date for all tail clause and fee dispute purposes; (b) the names and email addresses of both parties at the point of introduction; (c) the subject matter of the introduction as described in the approved intake application. This record is maintained in TGB Artisan Exchange's Airtable compliance dashboard and is available to either party upon written request in connection with a genuine fee dispute. The introduction date in TGB Artisan Exchange's records is conclusive unless a party can provide contemporaneous documentary evidence to the contrary within 14 days of a written request.

D33 — Investigation fee for circumvention. In the event TGB Artisan Exchange reasonably suspects a member has circumvented a finder fee and undertakes an investigation to determine whether a placement agreement was executed in connection with an introduction, TGB Artisan Exchange reserves the right to charge an investigation fee of USD $500 to cover the reasonable costs of such investigation. This investigation fee is payable regardless of the outcome of the investigation where the member is found to have failed to provide timely and complete documentation requested during the investigation. This provision is adopted from standard practice in private deal networks.

D28b — Application limits and reapplication policy. Each organisation or individual may submit a maximum of two applications to TGB Artisan Exchange. A first application declined due to insufficient documentation, incomplete certifications, or a score below 70 may be resubmitted once only — after a minimum waiting period of 90 days — and only after the specific reason for decline has been remedied and documented. A second application declined for any reason is final and permanent. No further applications from the same individual, organisation, beneficial owner, or associated entity will be considered. Applications declined for the following reasons are never eligible for reapplication: (a) sanctions designation of any party or beneficial owner; (b) submission of false, misleading, or fraudulent documentation; (c) prior circumvention of a TGB Artisan Exchange finder fee; (d) prior NDA breach; (e) prohibited use intent confirmed. All declined applications are logged permanently in our compliance dashboard.

D43 — Governing law and dispute resolution. These terms and any dispute arising from or in connection with them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States of America, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any dispute that cannot be resolved by mutual agreement within 30 days of written notice shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The seat of arbitration is Wyoming, USA. The language of arbitration is English. The arbitrator's decision is final and binding on all parties. Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking emergency injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm.

D44 — RASFF food safety monitoring. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is the EU food safety alert system covering imports of artisan food products, dyes, pigments, and natural materials. TGB Artisan Exchange monitors RASFF alerts for commodities relevant to active introductions. Where a RASFF alert is identified against a commodity associated with an active introduction, TGB Artisan Exchange will notify both parties by email. TGB Artisan Exchange accepts no liability for RASFF alerts arising after an introduction has been made. Buyers are responsible for verifying the food safety and import compliance status of all goods before purchase.

D45 — Phytosanitary requirements for natural materials. Natural materials including dried botanicals, plant fibres, natural dyes, and organic raw materials may be subject to phytosanitary inspection requirements on import into certain markets. Producers and exporters of such materials must hold current phytosanitary certificates issued by the relevant national plant protection authority in their country of export. TGB Artisan Exchange does not conduct phytosanitary inspections and makes no representation as to the phytosanitary status of any introduced commodity.

D46 — CITES and protected species compliance. Certain artisan materials — including ivory, tortoiseshell, some hardwoods, coral, and specific animal-derived materials — are regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Producers and buyers must confirm that no CITES-regulated materials are included in any goods introduced through TGB Artisan Exchange without the appropriate CITES permits. TGB Artisan Exchange will not knowingly facilitate introductions involving CITES-regulated materials without verified permit documentation from both parties.

D47 — Modern slavery and ethical production. All producers and makers introduced through TGB Artisan Exchange must comply with the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018, and equivalent legislation in their operating jurisdictions. TGB Artisan Exchange requires a signed modern slavery declaration from all producers before any introduction is made. Buyers may request copies of producer modern slavery declarations at any time. TGB Artisan Exchange reserves the right to terminate any introduction where evidence of forced labour, child labour, or exploitative working conditions is identified.

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