Conflict of Interest Policy
Jpetrous Creative Services LLC (“JpCS”)
Last Updated: October 29, 2026
How we handle serving competing businesses, and what happens when the person running JpCS also sits on a board, belongs to a chamber, or volunteers for an organization that might one day hire us.
JpCS operates in a small market. The person running it belongs to chambers of commerce and business associations, volunteers with community organizations, and holds a position on a civic board. Those relationships are a large part of why the work exists, and they are also exactly where a conflict of interest comes from.
The answer is not to withdraw from community life. It is to be open about the overlaps, to step back from decisions where we stand to gain, and to put that in writing rather than leaving people to wonder.
The owner of JpCS holds volunteer and board positions with local organizations. A current list is available on request to any client, prospective client, or organization considering us, and we will provide it without being asked where a role could reasonably be seen to bear on the work.
Where a body we serve on considers hiring JpCS, or considers a matter in which JpCS has a financial interest:
Where JpCS bids on or performs work for a municipality, public body, or publicly funded organization, any volunteer, board, or personal relationship bearing on that body is disclosed in writing as part of the proposal.
This applies to donated work as much as paid work. Donated work still carries an interest — in reputation, in portfolio, in the relationship it builds — and the Pro Bono Policy governs how it is scoped and recorded.
We belong to several chambers of commerce and business associations and offer discounts to their members, as described in the Terms and Conditions. Membership is a commercial relationship and nothing more. We do not represent that a chamber endorses JpCS, and membership in one does not oblige us to recommend its members over anyone else.
We may work with more than one business in the same industry. In a region this size, a rule against it would mean turning away most of the work, and it would not serve clients well to have the only person who understands their category working for someone else.
Where we do:
Where two clients compete directly in the same market for the same customers, we will tell both that we work in the category before taking the second engagement. We will not disclose who the other client is, because that would breach the same confidence we are protecting.
If you want category exclusivity in your market, it is available by agreement. It means we decline other work in your category and territory for the term, and it is priced to reflect the business we are turning down. Ask at the quoting stage rather than assuming it.
Where we recommend a vendor, platform, or contractor and stand to receive a referral fee, commission, or other benefit, we tell you before you act on the recommendation. We will not recommend something because it pays us.
Where the owner of JpCS has a financial interest in a product or business we suggest you use, that interest is disclosed in the same way.
We reserve the right to decline an engagement where we judge the conflict too close to manage, including where no rule strictly requires it. We would rather lose a project than have a client wonder whose side we were on.
If you believe a conflict exists that we have not disclosed, say so directly. We will explain the relationship in full, and where you are not satisfied, we will step back from the work rather than argue the point.
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes are effective when posted, indicated by the “Last Updated” date above.
JpCS operates remotely and does not maintain a public office address. Questions about this policy, or a request for the current list of volunteer and board roles, can be directed to:
Jpetrous Creative Services LLC
Michigan, United States
Phone: (586) 563-6634
Email: contact@jpetrous.com
Before you go
Call or send a message. Tell me what you're working on and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit.