# Data Privacy in 2023 & Beyond

> A NachoTuesday interview — the C-Suite Insights series from NachoNacho, the B2B SaaS and AI
> marketplace. In conversation with Dharmesh Patel, CEO and Founder, Adzapier.

- **Page:** https://nachonacho.com/nachotuesday/video/Data-Privacy-in-2023-Beyond
- **Guest:** Dharmesh Patel, CEO and Founder, Adzapier
- **Guest on LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmesh-patel-a4452712/
- **Recorded:** 2023-07-20
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3dOKpfxXG8

## Summary

In this video, Andy Karuza of NachoNacho interviews Dharmesh Patel, CEO and Founder at Adzapier. In this interview, they discuss data privacy concerns in 2023. They also discuss in detail how to keep your company, and employees secure and how to establish a data privacy strategy that works.

## Full transcript

Good afternoon, everyone. This is Andy Karuza with NachoNacho, the number one place to manage, discover, and save on SaaS. Today, I have Dharmesh Patel with Adzapier. We’d love to hear about your product and get a quick elevator pitch on what you do. Hey Andy, thank you for having us. Adzapier is a consent management platform designed for the modern digital world. Our platform empowers businesses to effortlessly comply with global privacy regulations, such as GDPR, CCPA, and more. By streamlining the process of obtaining, managing, and documenting user consent, we help you avoid costly fines and safeguard your business reputation. Through a user-friendly interface and powerful analytics, we provide transparency to users and valuable insights to your team, enabling trust and nurturing strong customer relationships. With Adzapier, you not only protect your business but also foster a culture of respect for data privacy. Great pitch! What got you into data privacy? How did you start your career and end up where you are now? That's a good question. My career began with a fascination for understanding patterns and making sense of large amounts of data. I realized early on that data isn’t just about numbers and figures; it represents the voice of customers and their behaviors, telling a compelling story about their needs and wants. This led me to my first role as a data analyst, where I honed my skills in user behavior and translating insights into actionable business strategies. As I saw the impact of my insights on business decisions, I was inspired to explore more consumer-centric roles, which led me to marketing. I’ve been able to combine my analytical background with creative marketing strategies to create targeted campaigns that not only reach the right audiences but also resonate on a deeper level. This blend of data and creativity has been both the most challenging and rewarding aspect of my career. The introduction of strict privacy regulations brought a new dimension to my career, making understanding and navigating these laws crucial. This is what inspired the development of Adzapier—a platform that aligns data utilization with user consent. It’s rare to find people who blend both left-brain and right-brain skills—combining marketing experience with data understanding. You’ve specialized in UX with Adzapier, making it easy for people to understand the importance of data privacy and providing a simple, user-friendly tool to address their data privacy needs. So, what do many companies get wrong about data privacy today? It’s been a hot topic over the last few years. In my experience, one of the biggest mistakes companies make with data privacy is treating it as a checkbox solution rather than a core business principle. Many companies view privacy regulations as an inconvenience—something to comply with merely to avoid fines—rather than seeing it as an opportunity to build trust and loyalty with their customers. For example, one company I know collected data without a clear purpose and inadequate security, thinking more data equaled more insights. However, a data breach led to significant reputation damage. This underscores the importance of balancing data collection with respect for customer privacy. It’s not just about collecting data; it's about handling it responsibly, securely, and with consent. At Adzapier, we believe that privacy is not just about compliance but about demonstrating respect for your customers. That’s a great point. Many people are now quite aware of data privacy issues and how their data is used. If you abuse that relationship, it can have a huge negative impact on your brand. For instance, the Cambridge Analytica scandal with Facebook had a significant effect on brand trust. While some people still use Facebook, the controversy had a lasting impact on its reputation. The same applies to any business: mishandling data privacy can severely damage your brand's reputation. Focus on privacy. It’s very important to have the right logos in all the appropriate places to show that you care and take security seriously. If that makes sense? Correct, yes. And I guess, what are the most common data privacy issues that companies deal with? Obviously, there are phishing attacks and hacking incidents where a lot of customer data gets leaked—data that customers didn’t even know was collected. What other common issues do you see? In terms of common data privacy practices, businesses need to be aware of compliance issues. For example, compliance with GDPR and CCPA is crucial. Take the case of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica in 2018; Facebook was sued for $5 billion because it harvested customer data inappropriately. Data protection is a key area where businesses need to be vigilant. Companies must ensure that data is collected, stored, and protected securely. For instance, in 2013, Target had 40 million customers' credit card information stolen. This highlights the importance of having robust data protection measures and maintaining transparency. Many companies lack transparency regarding data collection, usage, and where the data is going. Having a sufficient consent management platform is crucial for businesses to obtain and manage user consent properly. Additionally, data minimization is important—collecting more data than necessary can lead to problems. Understanding these issues helps business leaders create a strategic policy that not only complies with regulations but also respects user privacy choices. Great point. What are some of the main privacy laws that people should be aware of? GDPR is one. If a company is starting with a basic privacy policy, where should they begin to cover the majority of privacy rules with minimal effort? Creating a privacy policy is a starting point, but if a company wants to integrate data privacy into its core strategy, there are multiple steps involved, requiring commitment from all levels of the organization. First, understand the regulations applicable to your business, such as CCPA, GDPR, etc. Depending on the region where the company operates, this includes understanding what data you can collect, how you can use it, and what rights are involved. Next, conduct a comprehensive data audit. Understand what data you hold, where it comes from, how it is used, and how it is stored and protected. Based on your understanding of regulations and the data you hold, develop a privacy policy that is transparent, easy to understand, and communicates how you collect, use, and protect user data and security measures. You need to have robust data security measures to protect user data from breaches. This might include encrypting data, securing data storage, access control, and regularly performing security audits. Establish a consent management platform to obtain, manage, and document user consent, ensuring users can easily withdraw consent if needed. Additionally, train your employees. Educate them about the importance of data privacy, company policies, and their role in ensuring compliance. This will help foster a company-wide culture of data privacy. Companies that prioritize data privacy are more likely to earn customer loyalty and outperform their competitors in the long run. I definitely agree with you. The trend is moving towards more data awareness. Companies need to be ahead of the curve. The world is becoming increasingly data-centric, and there is a right and wrong way to use data. Users are becoming more educated about data issues, partly due to media coverage. Transparency is key, and companies must have the right internal processes in place. It’s essential to be transparent about data usage, as people increasingly question how their data is used. Do you work with any consultant partners? For instance, a young company might not fully understand all the rules. Do you have consultant partners you recommend to help structure a strategy, or do you offer such services? Currently, we don’t offer that kind of service. However, we know that data privacy is a rapidly evolving field with continuous technological advancements. Companies need to stay informed about relevant laws. That’s why we have an educational program with blog posts on our website to educate people about data privacy, data centralization, and data minimization. We provide information on why minimizing data use is important and how to be more transparent in data collection and usage. In terms of providing services and consultancy, we don't offer those at the moment. However, we help companies use our products and services to ensure compliance and build their privacy policies and data strategies around them. That's great. Do you have any examples of companies where a strong data privacy policy actually helped them, perhaps during a hack or similar situation? Unfortunately, specific examples are hard to come by because data on such incidents is not publicly available due to its sensitive nature. However, there are cases where robust privacy practices have protected companies from potential crises, such as legal issues and reputation damage. One notable example is Apple. Apple's commitment to data privacy is evident in their business model and product design. Their firm stance on privacy has garnered widespread support from technology companies, privacy advocates, and many customers. This makes Apple a good example for anyone looking to build a privacy-focused strategy, despite the challenges it may pose to advertisers. Failure is a part of any profession. Can you share a story about a failure you've experienced and what you learned from it? I believe failure often brings the best learning experiences. Personally, I haven't experienced failure in the conventional sense, but I always view those moments as valuable learning opportunities. For instance, we once implemented a new CRM system, excited about its potential benefits. However, I underestimated the time required for staff training and the transition process. When we launched the system, it became clear that the team struggled to adapt, which led to decreased productivity and morale. As a leader, this taught me the crucial importance of a change management system. Since then, we prioritize considering the human element in any project, ensuring sufficient training and support are in place. This includes realistic timelines, clear communication with stakeholders, and comprehensive training and resources. This experience reminded me that even the most promising tools and systems are only as effective as the team’s ability to use them effectively. That’s a great point. Many people focus on what looks great on paper but overlook the nuanced details of implementation, such as staff training and transitioning from old systems. These are crucial considerations before starting any project. Regarding Adzapier's initial growth, how did you get started? As mentioned, we saw an opportunity in building a consent management solution. We faced many challenges from the beginning, including funding, finding the right team, and establishing effective marketing strategies. Standing out in a competitive market was a significant challenge for us. We focused on understanding our target customers deeply, tailoring our products and marketing efforts to their specific needs. Navigating the complex landscape of data regulation was another hurdle, but each challenge was an opportunity to learn and grow. If the audience has questions about data privacy, feel free to post them. We'll address them after the next question or two from Dharmesh. What should potential customers know about Adzapier and why should they choose your platform over others? Adzapier stands out because we prioritize data privacy. Privacy is not just a regulatory requirement but a core business principle that demonstrates respect for customer values. What sets us apart is our dedication to making privacy understandable and accessible for both businesses and their end users. We believe that when users trust a company with their data, they are also entrusting them with their digital identities. We aim to help businesses build trust because we believe privacy is a right, not a privilege. I really appreciate your vision for your product and company. It’s not just about features; you understand the dual-sided nature of the problem, addressing both the companies' needs and the end users' demands for privacy and control over their data. Looking ahead, what are your plans for Adzapier over the next few years? It’s challenging to predict the future, but considering business trends, data privacy will continue to be important. We plan to grow globally, expand our services into new markets, and adapt to local regulations. We aim to provide a true global consent management solution and continually develop new products and services based on evolving customer needs and technological advancements. We will add new features, services, and third-party integrations to our platform, and enhance our privacy education resources to help businesses and users understand and manage data privacy. We have a question from the audience: How do you balance data privacy with government requests for access to data? At Adzapier, our data is encrypted end-to-end. We provide the ability for companies to handle such requests themselves. Since we do not have access to end-user data, we pass on requests to the companies that hold the data, allowing them to fulfill government requests while maintaining privacy and security. If you want to handle data privacy requests, we do offer a solution that allows users to request the removal of their information or inquire about more information. Our platform is designed to guide you through each regulation, such as CCPA and GDPR, helping you fulfill these requests efficiently. Great. Dharmesh, it’s been wonderful having you on today. I’ve enjoyed learning more about Adzapier. For anyone serious about their data privacy policies, not only is it essential for building trust with your users, but it also serves as a great marketing tool. More importantly, it ensures that your customers are protected. As data privacy continues to be a growing trend, having a strategy in place is crucial. I highly recommend starting with their educational materials. From what I’ve seen, Adzapier seems to be an industry leader, and I definitely recommend their product. You can find Adzapier today in our B2B SaaS Marketplace. Just search for Adzapier in the search bar to find the top tool for data privacy policies. Once again, Dharmesh, I really appreciate you coming on today. It was great learning about you, your company, and the exciting work you're doing. Thank you, Andy. It was a pleasure to be here.

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