Terms of Service
Effective date: July 13, 2026 Operated by: Black Stone Holdings LLC
Welcome to Stopped Out (the "Site"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Site, including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through it. Please read these Terms carefully before using the Site.
By accessing or using any part of the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please discontinue your use of the Site.
1. Changes to These Terms
We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be announced via a notice on the Site or, where appropriate, by email to subscribers, at least 30 days before taking effect. Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect indicates your acceptance of the updated Terms.
2. Eligibility and Account Registration
You must be at least 18 years old to access or use the Site. By using the Site, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement.
To access subscriber-only content, you subscribe through our integration with Beehiiv, which manages subscription status and tier (free or paid). You agree to provide accurate, current information when subscribing and to keep it updated. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity under your account. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access if we suspect fraudulent activity or unauthorized use.
3. Site Use, Conduct, and User Content
By using the Site, you agree not to:
Disrupt or interfere with the operation of the Site or others' use of it
Upload, post, or share content that is unlawful, defamatory, or violates the intellectual property rights of others
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to restricted areas of the Site, our backend systems, or subscriber-only content
Share your login credentials or subscriber access with unauthorized users
User-Generated Content: If the Site permits you to post comments or other content, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, display, and distribute that content. We are not responsible or liable for any user-generated content, and we reserve the right to monitor, remove, or disable access to any comments or content at our sole discretion that violates these Terms.
4. Subscriber Access Tiers
The Site offers a free tier and one or more paid tiers, gated based on your subscription status as reported by Beehiiv. Access to paid-tier content is contingent on maintaining an active paid subscription. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate subscriber access at our discretion, including for violation of these Terms.
5. Not Financial Advice
The content on this Site is the personal opinion and commentary of John Searcy, provided by Black Stone Holdings LLC for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment, financial, legal, tax, or trading advice, and is not a recommendation, solicitation, or offer to buy or sell any security, asset, or instrument.
John Searcy is not a licensed or registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial professional, and nothing on this Site should be relied upon as such.
Any companies, sectors, tickers, or instruments mentioned are referenced solely to illustrate the ideas discussed and do not constitute a recommendation to take any position. Markets involve substantial risk, including the loss of principal; past performance does not guarantee future results. All asset classes and options trading strategies carry severe inherent financial risk. You should do your own research and consult a licensed financial, legal, or tax professional before making any decision. The author may hold positions in assets or sectors discussed. All information is believed accurate as of publication but is not guaranteed, and the author assumes no obligation to update it.
6. Payment Terms and Refunds
Paid subscriptions are billed through Stripe, via Beehiiv's payment integration, under the descriptor "BLACK STONE HOLDINGS · STOPPED OUT." We have no liability for payment-processing issues arising from Stripe or Beehiiv's systems. Subscriptions may automatically renew unless canceled in accordance with the cancellation policy stated at the point of purchase.
Refund Policy: Unless explicitly stated otherwise at the point of purchase or required by applicable law, all sales are final and non-refundable.
7. Intellectual Property
All content produced through the Site — including newsletters, articles, the "Chasing the Edge" curriculum, branding, graphics, and the underlying analysis methodology — is the intellectual property of Black Stone Holdings LLC, except where otherwise noted. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from this content without prior written permission. Use of Site content is restricted to personal, non-commercial purposes unless otherwise authorized in writing.
8. Third-Party Links and Services
The Site may contain links to or integrations with third-party services, including Squarespace, Beehiiv, and Stripe. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, security, or practices of these third parties. Use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their own terms and policies.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Black Stone Holdings LLC and its owners, partners, affiliates, and staff will not be liable for:
Any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from use of, or inability to use, the Site
Loss of data, revenue, or opportunities resulting from technical issues or unauthorized account access
Content inaccuracies or errors on the Site
10. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Site is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We disclaim all warranties, including that the Site will operate uninterrupted, securely, or error-free; that defects will be corrected promptly; or that information on the Site is accurate or reliable.
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Black Stone Holdings LLC, its affiliates, and partners from any claims, losses, liabilities, or expenses arising from your violation of these Terms or your use of the Site.
12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any legal action arising from these Terms or use of the Site shall be filed exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Diego County, California, and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.
13. Dispute Resolution and Class Action Waiver
In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms or the Site, the parties shall first attempt to resolve the issue through informal negotiation. If unresolved, the dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration in San Diego County, California, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.
Class Action Waiver: You and Black Stone Holdings LLC agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, consolidated, or representative proceeding.
14. Force Majeure
We are not liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, network or platform outages (Squarespace, Beehiiv, Stripe, or Google), or other unforeseen circumstances.
15. Termination
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Site, including your subscription, at our sole discretion and without notice or liability, if you violate any part of these Terms.
16. Privacy Policy
Use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your data. Your use of the Site indicates acceptance of the practices described there.
17. Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Black Stone Holdings LLC regarding your use of the Site, superseding any prior agreements on this subject.
By using Stopped Out, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Service.
Contact: Black Stone Holdings LLC PO Box 270135 San Diego, CA 92128-2135 hello@stopped-out.com