Clear answers. No jargon.

Find the answers that matter to you. Questions for business owners come first, followed by referral partner questions. Use the topic shortcuts to jump straight to either section.

For Business Owners

Privacy, contracts, payment and eligibility. Open a question to see the answer.

What happens to personal or sensitive information?

The process includes secure delivery and data processing to remove or transform personal details before onward licensing. Controls have limits, and the agreement permits a timely sample review. Companies must evaluate their rights and obligations.

Does the company give up equity?

No. This is a licensing transaction rather than a sale of company shares. The license itself may be irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide and sublicensable, so independent legal review matters.

How does a company get paid?

An eligible organization can receive an indicative offer, sign an agreement, deliver the defined records, and invoice after acceptance. Payment and timing depend on the contract.

Should an attorney review the license?

Yes. Companies should independently assess confidentiality obligations, privacy laws, data ownership, duration, sublicense rights and indemnification obligations.

What is operational business data?

Work-related records such as email threads, internal chat, project history, documents and CRM activity can show how teams work and make decisions. Their value depends on the quality, relevance and interconnected history of those sources.

Who might qualify?

Under the latest affiliate priority guide, the company must be based in the US, Canada, UK or Australia, have 3+ years of records, use 5+ business systems and own the records. Office-staff thresholds: 10+ for law firms; 15+ for banks, lenders, accounting, tax, healthcare and dental; 50+ for other accepted industries. Other exclusions apply.

What could a business receive?

Actual licensing amounts require a direct review and written offer from the program operator. The prior information package included historical illustrative ranges by U.S. office headcount, but these should not be treated as current quotes or forecasts. Volume, quality, history, connected systems, industry demand and contract scope affect valuation.

How long does the process usually take?

The affiliate FAQ describes a possible two-to-three-month timeframe, but an actual transaction may take longer and is subject to review, delivery and acceptance.

Can nonprofits be included?

The founder presentation mentions nonprofits, but the latest industry priority guide does not separately specify nonprofit eligibility. Request a case-specific review before introducing one.

For Referral Partners

The 10 questions referral partners ask most, based on Mode's October 2026 Affiliate FAQ. Open any answer below, or read the full official guide for additional rules and details.

Which companies qualify?

10+ office staff for law firms; 15+ for accounting, finance, medical and dental firms; 50+ for other businesses. US, Canada, UK or Australia; 3+ years of accessible records; 5+ business systems; and rights to the records. Office staff, not field crews.

Which companies are not a fit?

Not currently accepted: staffing agencies, insurance, title and escrow, cannabis, defense/export-controlled work, franchisees without rights to their systems, companies outside the four approved countries, and single-dataset exports. Marketing agencies and closed or sold businesses require case-by-case review.

How do I refer a company and reserve credit?

Register the company in Mode's partner portal BEFORE introducing it, then send your Mode contact the company name and the owner, CEO or officer you know. An emailed introduction alone does not reserve referral credit. Refer only contacts you know or who consent to the introduction; purchased lists and mass emails are not eligible.

How do I know the referral is credited to me?

Mode confirms within 10 business days whether the company has been registered to you. Existing Mode pipeline companies are not credited. If more than one affiliate refers the same company, the first written referral received by Mode gets credit; fees are not split.

What happens after I introduce a company?

A first 30-minute call is followed by a nonbinding letter of intent with mutual NDA, intake and a written offer. After signing, the company uploads copies of the agreed systems, Mode processes and de-identifies the records, and the company can audit a sample. The company invoices after acceptance and is paid within 30 days. The guide describes about 2–3 months from first call to company payment, not a guarantee.

How much might a company receive?

Mode's October 2026 FAQ lists illustrative offers of $400,000–$900,000 for companies with 50–149 office staff and $800,000+ for 150+. Law, accounting, finance, medical and dental firms are quoted individually. These are indicative ranges only, not actual offers.

How much do I earn from direct referrals?

The October 2026 guide lists: 1–5 paid companies, 6% or $50,000; 6–25, 6.25% or $52,500; 26+, 6.5% or $55,000, whichever amount is higher under the applicable terms. Counts do not reset. Fees require an attributed company to sign a qualifying full-corpus license within six months and be paid by Mode. The signed affiliate agreement governs.

When do I get paid?

Mode pays the percentage within 30 days of each payment it makes to the company, with any remaining minimum once the company is paid in full. A W-9 or W-8 is required before the first payment. Pilots, samples and partial datasets do not earn a fee.

Can I introduce other affiliates and earn from their deals?

Yes. Affiliate enrollment depth is unlimited. However, only the direct affiliate who referred the company and the affiliate who enrolled that direct affiliate earn on a closed deal. Other levels earn nothing from that deal. Sub-referral tier amounts are 1% or $5,000; 1.25% or $7,500; and 1.5% or $10,000, subject to program terms.

Do I need to handle data, and does the company pay my fee?

No. Affiliates make introductions; never collect or handle business records, credentials or passwords. Mode and the company's team manage the data process. Mode pays partner fees on top of the company's agreed payment, not out of it; partners must not charge the company.

Read the Complete Mode Affiliate FAQ (PDF) ↗

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