⚡
Path To Work Launch Guide

How to Launch Path To Work & Start Selling

A complete step-by-step playbook — from deploying your first files online to landing your first paying customer. No tech background required.

What You Have (Your Full Package)

📱

App

pathtowork-app.html

🌐

Landing Page

pathtowork-landing.html

📋

Sales Kit

pathtowork-sales-kit.html

📖

This Guide

pathtowork-launch-guide.html

Your Goal Right Now: Get the app and landing page live online within 48 hours. Start collecting waitlist signups. Then use the sales kit to land 1 paid B2B customer within 30 days. Everything else follows from there.
PHASE 1

Get Online in 48 Hours (Free)

1

Deploy with Netlify (Free, 15 Minutes)

Netlify is the easiest way to put HTML files online for free. No coding required.

Step-by-step:

  1. 1. Go to netlify.com and create a free account
  2. 2. Click "Add new site" → "Deploy manually"
  3. 3. Rename pathtowork-landing.html → index.html (this makes it your homepage)
  4. 4. Drag all 4 HTML files into the Netlify deploy box
  5. 5. Netlify gives you a URL like amazing-panther-123.netlify.app
  6. 6. In Netlify settings, rename it to pathtowork.netlify.app
✅ You're live. Your landing page is now at pathtowork.netlify.app and the app is at pathtowork.netlify.app/pathtowork-app.html
2

Set Up Your Waitlist (10 Minutes, Free)

The waitlist form in your landing page needs a free EmailJS + Firebase account to work.

1. Go to emailjs.com → create a free account

2. Click "New Form" → name it "Path To Work Waitlist"

3. Copy your form ID (looks like: xpznkrbd)

4. Open pathtowork-landing.html in Notepad or TextEdit

5. Find YOUR_FORM_ID and replace it with your actual form ID

6. Re-upload the updated file to Netlify (drag and drop again)

Alternative (even easier): In Netlify settings → Forms → enable "Netlify Forms". Then add netlify attribute to the form tag in your HTML. No EmailJS + Firebase needed.
3

Get a Custom Domain (Optional but Recommended)

A real domain looks professional. pathtowork.org or pathtowork.co are ideal.

Buy a Domain (~$12–20/yr)

Namecheap.com or Google Domains. Search for: pathtowork.org, pathtowork.co, pathtowork.app

Connect to Netlify (Free)

In Netlify → Domain settings → Add custom domain → follow DNS instructions

4

Set Up Email (5 Minutes)

You need a professional email to do outreach. Don't use Gmail or Yahoo — it hurts credibility.

Option A: Google Workspace

$6/mo. Get you@pathtowork.org. Looks professional, works like Gmail.

Option B: Zoho Mail (Free)

Free tier gives you 5 email accounts on your custom domain.

PHASE 2

Get Your First 100 Waitlist Signups (Week 1–2)

📱

Post to Facebook Groups (Free, Fast)

Search Facebook for groups about veterans, career change, job searching, and reentry. Post a simple message:

"I just built a free career navigator for veterans, career changers, and anyone who needs direction. It's a 5-minute assessment that gives you a personalized career roadmap and resume. No signup required — just try it: [your link]. Let me know what you think!"
💼

Post on LinkedIn (Daily for 2 Weeks)

Share your story: "I built a platform for veterans and returning citizens who need career direction. Here's why..." Tag veteran and workforce dev hashtags: #veteranemployment #workforcedevelopment #secondchance #careerpivot

🤝

Walk Into Your Local American Job Center

Ask for the Center Director. Show them the app on your phone. Offer to demo it with 10 of their clients for free. This is also your first B2B sales call. Find your nearest one: careeronestop.org

📺

Post a TikTok or YouTube Short

Record a 60-second demo of someone taking the assessment and getting their career results. Title: "Free 5-minute test that tells you exactly what career you should pursue." This audience (career confusion) is huge on TikTok.

PHASE 3

Land Your First Paying Customer (Weeks 2–6)

Your #1 job for the next 30 days: Send the cold emails from the Sales Kit. Target 30–50 organizations. Expect 3–5 responses, 1–2 demos, and 1 yes. That first customer — even at $200/month — validates everything.

Week 2: Send 20 Cold Emails

Use the scripts in the Sales Kit. Target veteran orgs and reentry nonprofits first — they're fastest to close and most mission-aligned. Use this tracking system:

Org Name Contact Email Sent Response Demo Booked Status
WWP Warriors to WorkParis Moulden__/__———
CCT CharlotteSherina Richard__/__———
[Add more...]

Your Demo Script (20-Minute Call)

  1. 0–5 min: Ask questions — "How do you currently help clients identify career paths? What's the biggest challenge they face?" Listen more than you talk.
  2. 5–12 min: "Let me show you something." Open the app live. Take the assessment as if you're one of their clients. Show the results, roadmap, and resume builder in real time.
  3. 12–17 min: Connect what you showed to what they told you: "You mentioned clients struggle with knowing what career fits them — that's exactly what the assessment solves." Point specifically to their pain.
  4. 17–20 min: The close: "What would make this a no-brainer for your organization?" Then: "I'd like to offer you a free 60-day pilot with [10/25/50] clients. At the end, we'll look at results together. If you see value, we talk pricing. If not, no commitment. Can we start?"

When They Say Yes — Onboarding Checklist

  • ☐ Send a simple 1-page pilot agreement (free Word template at docracy.com)
  • ☐ Create a unique link or landing page variation for their organization
  • ☐ Set up a weekly 15-minute check-in call to track their clients' progress
  • ☐ At 30 days: pull results data from your form submissions and present them
  • ☐ At 60 days: ask for a testimonial and a referral — "Who else should be using this?"
PHASE 4

Scale the Product (Month 3–12)

🛠️ Phase 2 Product: Add Real Backend

Once you have 3+ paying customers, it's time to build a proper app with user accounts and a database.

  • → Hire a developer on Upwork ($25–50/hr, 50–100 hrs)
  • → Or use Bubble.io (no-code) to build user accounts and dashboards
  • → Add real user accounts, progress saving, and org dashboards
  • → Budget: $2,500–$7,500 for a solid v2

💰 Revenue Milestones

Month 1–2 3 pilot customers (free)
Month 3 $1,000/mo — first paid deals
Month 6 $5,000/mo — 5–10 orgs
Month 12 $15,000–25,000/mo
Year 2 $100K+/mo (1 govt contract)

🏛️ Grant Funding (Non-Dilutive Money)

Path To Work qualifies for several grant programs that don't require giving up equity:

  • → SBIR/STTR — DoL and DoD have Phase I grants up to $250K for workforce tech
  • → SBA Community Advantage — Low-interest loans for businesses serving underserved communities
  • → Second Chance Act Grants — BJA funds reentry organizations; become a tech sub-contractor
  • → Apply via grants.gov — search "workforce development technology"

🚀 Raise a Pre-Seed Round (If You Choose)

With $5K–$10K monthly recurring revenue and outcome data, you can raise $250K–$500K pre-seed.

  • → Target impact investors: Founders First Capital Partners (Black and minority founders)
  • → Apply to accelerators: YC, Techstars, SBIC Fellowship
  • → Pitch to CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions)
  • → Your story + your mission + your traction = compelling raise

Essential Tools Stack (All Free or Cheap)

Hosting & Web

  • NetlifyFree
  • Domain (Namecheap)~$12/yr
  • EmailJS + Firebase (waitlist)Free (50/mo)

Communication

  • Zoho Mail (email)Free
  • Calendly (meetings)Free
  • Zoom (demos)Free (40 min)

Sales & CRM

  • HubSpot CRMFree
  • Apollo.io (email finding)Free (limited)
  • LinkedIn Sales Navigator$79/mo (optional)

Marketing

  • Mailchimp (email list)Free (500 subs)
  • Canva (graphics)Free
  • Buffer (social media)Free (3 channels)

Your 30-Day Launch Checklist

1 Week 1

  • ☐ Deploy files to Netlify
  • ☐ Set up EmailJS + Firebase waitlist
  • ☐ Register domain name
  • ☐ Set up professional email
  • ☐ Post in 10 Facebook groups
  • ☐ Post 3 LinkedIn posts about your mission
  • ☐ Send 10 cold emails (from Sales Kit)

2 Week 2

  • ☐ Follow up on week 1 emails
  • ☐ Send 10 more cold emails
  • ☐ Visit local American Job Center
  • ☐ Set up HubSpot CRM
  • ☐ Record a demo video (phone is fine)
  • ☐ Post video on TikTok + YouTube

3 Weeks 3–4

  • ☐ Run demo calls with interested orgs
  • ☐ Close first free pilot agreement
  • ☐ Reach 50 waitlist signups
  • ☐ Apply to SBIR/STTR grant
  • ☐ Interview 5 users — what do they love?
  • ☐ Plan Phase 2 features based on feedback
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You Have Everything You Need.

The app is built. The landing page is live. The scripts are written. The contacts are researched. The only thing left is execution. One email at a time.

48 hrs

Go live

30 days

First customer

1 year

Real business

⚡ Path To Work Launch Guide For internal use · pathtowork.org