Trust and disclosure
We hold ourselves to the same ownership standard.
UpFront asks businesses to disclose ownership. We apply the same standard to ourselves, our operator, and the way this directory is funded.
Who owns UpFront
UpFront is wholly owned by Rausch Digital Services LLC, an Arizona limited liability company.
Rausch Digital Services LLC is wholly owned by Kyle Rausch, an individual living in Phoenix, Arizona.
There are no investors, no parent companies, no holding company structures, and no hidden interests. If this ever changes, we will update this page within 30 days.
What pays for this
The directory itself is free for both consumers and listed businesses.
We currently fund UpFront through Rausch Digital Services, an AI services agency that builds technology for independent operators. RDS clients are not given preferential treatment in the directory.
In the future, we may offer an optional verified badge subscription for businesses that want a portable trust badge on their own website. This would not affect directory placement.
We will never
- Charge consumers for access
- Charge businesses for basic listings
- Promote or rank businesses based on payment
- Sell directory data to third parties
- Display advertising on listing pages
Editorial independence
Some businesses on UpFront may also be clients of Rausch Digital Services. When they are, we disclose it on their listing.
We do not give RDS clients preferential placement, verification, or treatment in the directory. The verification process is the same for everyone.
If we ever face a conflict between what is good for an RDS client and what is accurate for the directory, we choose accuracy.
What we collect and why
- Email addresses for newsletter subscribers and business verification submissions
- Business contact information for verification follow-up
- Standard web analytics such as page views and referrers
We do not sell or rent email addresses, track individual users across the web, use advertising cookies, or maintain consumer profiles.
Contact
For trust, disclosure, or editorial concerns, contact trust@upfrontdirectory.com.
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