No Money Changes Hands.
Ever.

No monetary transactions between members

Members may not request, charge, or accept payment of any kind from other members for services exchanged through Urban Halo. This includes cash, bank transfers, payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal), or cryptocurrency.

No cost pass-throughs disguised as trades

If your service requires materials, software, or third-party costs, you must either absorb those costs into your trade or disclose them clearly in your trade proposal before any agreement is made. You may not invoice for expenses after the fact.

Outside contracts are separate from circle trades

Members may have paid business relationships outside Urban Halo. Those relationships are entirely separate. You cannot use Urban Halo's infrastructure to facilitate a paid engagement. Each party must agree that a given exchange is a barter trade — not a paid service.

Trade value must be genuinely equivalent

Both parties in a trade should feel the exchange is fair. A 10-minute phone call cannot be traded for 40 hours of design work. If trade values are wildly mismatched, either party may decline without explanation. Predatory trade proposals will result in account review.

Communicate clearly and promptly

Respond to trade inquiries within 48 hours. If you're unavailable, update your status. Leaving requests unanswered for extended periods is disrespectful of other members' time.

Honor your commitments

If you accept a trade proposal, you are expected to deliver what was agreed. Deliver on time, to the standard you presented. If circumstances change, communicate proactively — not after a deadline passes.

No harassment, discrimination, or abuse

Any form of harassment, racial discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, or any targeted behavior toward another member is grounds for immediate removal. This community exists specifically to protect Black women and women of color. Any behavior that undermines that mission will not be tolerated.

Be honest in your skill profile

Present your skills accurately. Do not claim expertise you don't have. Trades accepted on false pretenses damage the community's trust and will result in negative reviews and potential removal.

Give honest, constructive reviews

The review system only works if members are truthful. Leaving false positive reviews inflates reputations dishonestly. Leaving retaliatory negative reviews is prohibited. Reviews should reflect the actual trade experience.

No spam, solicitation, or self-promotion outside designated spaces

The community feed and messaging system are for building relationships and facilitating trades — not for unsolicited marketing. Promotional content must be shared in designated channels only.

Agree on scope before starting

Use the trade agreement feature to document what will be delivered, when it will be delivered, and what format it will take. Scope disputes are the most common source of trade friction — prevent them with clear upfront agreements.

Deliver professional-grade work

The standard is what you would deliver to a paying client. Urban Halo trades should not be where members send their leftover capacity or reduced-quality work. The woman receiving your barter deserves your best.

Revisions must be reasonable and agreed upon

One round of reasonable revisions is standard. Excessive revision requests or scope creep should be communicated immediately. If a trade is becoming significantly larger than agreed, both parties must renegotiate or the trade is complete as originally scoped.

Intellectual property stays with the creator

Unless explicitly agreed in writing within the trade agreement, intellectual property created in a trade is licensed to the receiving member for their business use — not transferred in perpetuity. Ownership of the underlying work remains with the creator.

Disputes go through platform mediation first

If a trade dispute arises, the first step is to request platform mediation. Members who attempt to publicly shame or defame trade partners without first going through official mediation will face disciplinary action.

What you learn in trades stays private

Business information, strategies, unreleased work, financial details, or personal information shared during a trade is confidential. You may not share, disclose, or use it for any purpose outside of completing the agreed trade.

Member directory is for circle use only

The member directory is accessible only to vetted members. You may not scrape, copy, or share directory information with non-members. You may not contact members from the directory for purposes unrelated to Urban Halo trades.

Screenshots and recordings require consent

Screenshotting community content, member profiles, or trade conversations for sharing outside the platform requires the explicit consent of all parties involved. Sharing without consent is a violation.

Urban Halo will never sell your data

Your personal information, trade history, and business details are yours. We use your data only to operate and improve the platform. We will never sell member data to third parties.

Report violations using the in-platform report tool

If you witness or experience a guideline violation, use the Report function on any profile, trade, or message. Reports are reviewed within 48 hours by the Urban Halo team. You will receive a confirmation and follow-up.

Enforcement tiers based on severity

Minor first-time violations (late delivery, communication lapses) result in a formal warning and guidance. Moderate violations result in temporary suspension and mandatory mediation. Severe violations (harassment, monetary extraction, fraud) result in immediate permanent removal.

Appeals are accepted within 7 days

If you believe an enforcement action was applied incorrectly, you may submit a formal appeal within 7 days of the decision. Appeals are reviewed by Urban Halo leadership and a member of the Advisory Board. Decisions on appeals are final.

Membership refunds are not issued for removal due to violations

Members removed for guideline violations forfeit their membership fee. This policy exists to deter bad-faith membership and protect the integrity of the circle.

This community is built for Black women and women of color

Urban Halo was created specifically to serve Black entrepreneur women. Applications are open to women of color broadly. Members are expected to understand, respect, and actively uphold this founding intention in how they show up, communicate, and contribute.

We uplift — we don't compete

There is more than enough room for every woman in this circle to win. Behavior that undermines, diminishes, or sabotages other members' success is antithetical to why this community exists.

We hold the standard high — together

When you see someone delivering subpar work, show up late, or disrespect a trade partner — say something through proper channels. Maintaining the circle's quality is everyone's responsibility.

We build legacy, not just business

Every trade, every relationship, every review is building something larger than a single transaction. You are participating in a new economic model for Black women entrepreneurs. Handle it with the care it deserves.