Who We Are
Smash Career Academy is the registered business operating under the brand name Product Career Academy (PCA). We are a Sole Proprietorship providing career mentorship and coaching services to IT professionals seeking to transition into Product Management roles.
Our websites include productcareeracademy.com, apply.productcareeracademy.com, and catchupwithsachin.com. For the purposes of this policy, references to "we", "us", or "our" refer to Smash Career Academy.
You can reach us at: [email protected]
Information We Collect
We collect personal information in the following categories:
| Category | What We Collect |
|---|---|
| Identity Information | Full name, professional designation, years of experience, current role and employer |
| Contact Information | Email address, phone number, LinkedIn profile URL |
| Career Information | Current salary (CTC), target role, transition goals, professional background details submitted via application form |
| Payment Information | Transaction reference and payment status. We do not store card details — payments are processed securely by Razorpay. |
| Usage Information | IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, session duration, referral source — collected via cookies and analytics tools |
| Communication Records | Emails, WhatsApp messages, or other correspondence you send to our team |
We collect information directly from you (through forms, email, and calls), automatically (through cookies and analytics), and from third-party platforms such as Razorpay for payment confirmation.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Detail |
|---|---|
| Service Delivery | To confirm your Career Mapping Session booking, schedule calls, and deliver the mentorship programme |
| Payment Processing | To process the ₹399 deposit and manage refund transactions via Razorpay |
| Communication | To send booking confirmations, session reminders, and programme updates via email or WhatsApp |
| Programme Personalisation | To customise our advice and mentorship strategy based on your career background and goals |
| Marketing | To send programme updates, success stories, and relevant content (only with your consent; you may opt out at any time) |
| Analytics & Improvement | To understand how visitors use our website and improve content, page performance, and user experience |
| Legal Compliance | To meet obligations under applicable Indian law, including responding to lawful requests from regulatory authorities |
We do not sell your personal information to third parties under any circumstances.
Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following legal grounds:
| Legal Basis | When It Applies |
|---|---|
| Contractual Necessity | Processing required to deliver the Career Mapping Session and mentorship services you booked |
| Consent | Marketing communications, optional data collection, and cookie-based tracking where applicable |
| Legitimate Interest | Website analytics, security monitoring, and improving our services |
| Legal Obligation | Retaining transaction records for tax and regulatory compliance as required by Indian law |
Data Sharing and Third Parties
We share your personal information only with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our business. All third parties are contractually required to handle your data securely and only for the specific purpose for which it was shared.
| Service Provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Razorpay | Secure payment processing for the ₹399 deposit |
| GoHighLevel / Synamate | CRM, funnel management, booking system, and email/WhatsApp communications |
| Google Analytics | Website traffic analysis and performance measurement (anonymised data) |
| Meta (Facebook / Instagram) | Advertising targeting and conversion tracking for our ad campaigns |
| Google Ads | Remarketing and conversion measurement |
| Zoom / Google Meet | Conducting Career Mapping Sessions and mentorship calls |
We do not share your data with any party for their own marketing purposes. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Application & Session Records | 3 years from your last interaction with PCA |
| Payment & Transaction Records | 7 years (as required under Indian tax and financial regulations) |
| Marketing Opt-in Records | Until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe |
| Website Analytics Data | Up to 26 months (per Google Analytics default settings) |
| Communication Records | 2 years from the date of last communication |
After the relevant retention period expires, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information. To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected].
Right to Access
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification
Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data we hold.
Right to Erasure
Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations.
Right to Restriction
Request that we limit how we process your data in certain circumstances.
Right to Object
Object to us processing your data for marketing or legitimate interest purposes.
Right to Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent for marketing or optional data processing at any time.
Cookies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website to improve your browsing experience, measure website performance, and serve relevant advertising. Cookies may be set by us or by trusted third-party platforms including Google Analytics and Meta.
You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool. For a full breakdown of the cookies we use and how to control them, please review our Cookie Policy.
Data Security
We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| Encryption | All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted via HTTPS/SSL |
| Secure Payment Processing | Card data is handled exclusively by Razorpay (PCI DSS Level 1 certified). We never store card details on our servers. |
| Access Controls | Access to personal data is restricted to authorised team members who require it to perform their role |
| Third-Party Vetting | We only use service providers with adequate data security certifications and contractual data protection obligations |
While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites including social media platforms, payment gateways, and external resources. These links are provided for your convenience.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party website. Once you leave our website via a link, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any third-party website you visit.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or business operations. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acknowledgement of the updated policy. For significant changes, we may notify you directly via email.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:
Email: [email protected]
We will acknowledge your message within 48 hours and provide a full response within 30 days.