Terms of Service

1. Scope and Contracting Party

These Terms of Service ("Terms") apply to all services provided by LudusNovus LLC ("Provider") under the brand "Ludus Novus," in particular "The Succession X-Ray" and "The Decision Room" (or their German equivalents "Der Übergabe-Röntgen" and "Die Klausur"). The Provider is a Limited Liability Company organized under the laws of the State of New Mexico, USA, with its principal place of business at 1209 Mountain Road Pl NE, Ste N, Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA.

By placing an order, the client accepts these Terms. Deviating conditions of the client apply only if confirmed in writing by the Provider.

2. Description of Services

The Provider delivers strategic advisory services for owner-operators. The specific scope depends on the engagement format booked:

The Succession X-Ray: A written, confidential intake and case preparation by the Provider, a 90-minute session (in person, by video, or by phone), plus a written diagnosis of one page. The written diagnosis names the place where the handoff is stuck, the cause underneath it, and the next actionable step with a date. It is delivered within 48 hours after the session concludes.

The Decision Room: Preparatory one-on-one conversations with the participants named by the client (approximately one hour each, confidential), plus a two-day session of the full circle, led by the Provider, at a location away from the business. The result is a written decision with responsibilities, terms, and deadlines. The Provider does not provide mediation in the legal sense, nor legal, tax, or therapeutic services. The Decision Room is offered with a strict limit of one engagement per calendar month.

3. Client Obligations

The client is obligated to provide all relevant information, materials, and feedback necessary for the advisory work in a timely and complete manner. This includes in particular:

• Truthful completion of the intake form
• Timely provision of business information relevant to the diagnosis
• Active participation in the session
• For The Decision Room: naming all relevant participants, their availability for the preparatory one-on-one conversations, and full attendance on both days

If the client withholds material information or provides knowingly false information, the quality of the diagnosis may be compromised. In such cases, the money-back guarantee under § 5 does not apply.

4. Fees and Payment

4.1 Pricing

Fees are as published on the Provider's website at the time of order:

• The Succession X-Ray: USD 6,000 or CHF 5,000 (depending on language version and client home currency)
• The Decision Room: USD 25,000 or CHF 20,000 (depending on language version). A previously paid Succession X-Ray is credited in full against the Decision Room fee.

All prices are final. Any applicable sales tax or VAT is stated according to applicable law or included in the price.

4.2 Payment Terms

The Succession X-Ray: The full fee is due before the session takes place. A session is only scheduled after payment is received.

The Decision Room: 50% of the fee is due before the preparatory one-on-one conversations begin, with the remaining 50% due no later than seven days before the first day of the Decision Room.

4.3 Late Payment

In case of late payment, the Provider may suspend performance until payment is received in full. Scheduled sessions are rescheduled by mutual agreement in such cases.

5. Money-Back Guarantee (applies exclusively to The Succession X-Ray)

Within 24 hours of receiving the written diagnosis, the client may request a full refund of the fee by sending a message containing the word "refund" or "zurück" to info@ludusnovus.com, if the diagnosis does not clearly show them where their handoff is stuck and what to do first. The client's own assessment is decisive.

No justification is required. The refund is processed on the same business day the refund request is received, provided the request arrives before 4:00 PM Central European Time (CET). Requests received later are processed on the next business day.

The money-back guarantee does not apply to The Decision Room. For The Decision Room, the terms under § 7 apply.

6. Confidentiality

Both parties commit to treat all information obtained during the engagement as confidential and not to share it with third parties. This applies in particular to business strategies, financial data, personnel matters, and unpublished business developments.

This obligation continues indefinitely beyond the end of the business relationship.

The Provider may use fully anonymized insights from advisory engagements — with no possibility of client identification — in publications, blog posts, LinkedIn posts, or talks.

7. Rescheduling and Cancellation of The Decision Room

No money-back guarantee applies to The Decision Room. The Provider owes the performance of the preparatory one-on-one conversations and of both days, not any particular substantive outcome.

• Up to 14 calendar days before the first day, the engagement may be rescheduled once at no charge.
• For rescheduling or cancellation within 14 calendar days before the first day, a cancellation fee of 50% of the total fee is due.
• If individual participants fail to attend, the Decision Room counts as delivered and the full fee remains due.

Unilateral termination by the client is only possible for good cause. A good cause does not exist in particular when the client decides not to implement the decision that was made.

8. Copyright and Usage Rights

Upon full payment, usage rights to the written diagnosis (The Succession X-Ray) and to the written results of The Decision Room transfer to the client. The client receives the unrestricted, temporally and geographically unlimited right to use these contents.

The Provider retains the right to apply the underlying methods, frameworks, and heuristics in other engagements. The diagnostic methodology itself is not subject to the transfer of rights.

9. Limitation of Liability and No Guarantee

The Provider delivers services to the best of their knowledge and judgment, based on their experience. No guarantee is given for specific business outcomes — in particular, no guarantee for revenue increases, improved competitive position, successful implementation of recommendations, or specific cashflow improvements.

The advisory work does not replace specialized advice from tax advisors, lawyers, auditors, or physicians. The client bears sole responsibility for business decisions made on the basis of the advisory work.

The Provider's liability is — to the extent permitted by law — limited to the fee actually paid by the client. This applies in particular to lost profits, revenue shortfalls, or other indirect damages.

This limitation of liability does not apply to intent or gross negligence, or to damages arising from injury to life, body, or health.

10. Force Majeure

The Provider is not liable for delays or non-performance due to circumstances beyond reasonable control (in particular natural events, government measures, technical failures at third-party providers, illness of the Provider). Scheduled sessions are rescheduled by mutual agreement in such cases. A refund is only made if rescheduling is not possible.

11. No Right of Withdrawal for Business Clients

Since the Provider contracts exclusively with entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, and legal entities — and the contract relates to their business or professional activity — there is no right of withdrawal under consumer protection law.

The money-back guarantee under § 5 is a voluntary service of the Provider and does not replace a statutory right of withdrawal.

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New Mexico, USA, excluding its conflict of laws principles and the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). Exclusive jurisdiction is Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

For clients based in the EU or Switzerland: Mandatory consumer protection provisions of the client's country of residence or registration remain unaffected to the extent applicable and the client actually qualifies as a consumer under the respective legal system.

13. Severability

Should any provision of these Terms be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions remains unaffected. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a regulation that comes closest to the economic purpose of the invalid provision.

14. Changes to These Terms

The Provider reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. For existing contractual relationships, the version valid at the time of the order applies.

15. Contact

LudusNovus LLC
Marian van der Elst, Managing Member
1209 Mountain Road Pl NE, Ste N
Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA
Email: info@ludusnovus.com