Business Plan

Apotentia LLC - Disabled-Veteran-Owned Software Company

Prepared for SBA/VA Business Loan Review

Executive Summary

Legal Name: Apotentia LLC

DBA Names: Apotentia, Apotentia LLC

Legal Structure: Limited Liability Company (LLC)

State of Incorporation: Virginia (formed through ZenBusiness)

Owner: Eric Santiago (100% ownership, sole member)

Industry: Software Development & Digital Wellness Technology

Founded: 2024

Tax ID: On file (available upon request)

Veteran Status: Disabled-Veteran-Owned Business (DVOB)

Loan Purpose

Seeking SBA/VA business loan to accelerate development of flagship products (APO Recruit job board system, APO Thematic theme marketplace, and Gecker social platform), expand infrastructure, and position for sustainable growth while maintaining independence and user-first philosophy.

Company Overview

Apotentia LLC is a software development company building digital wellness tools and applications that prioritize mental health, user empowerment, and ethical software practices. The name "apotentia" (Latin: "without power") reflects our core philosophy of building software that serves users rather than exercising power over them.

Mission Statement

To develop innovative software solutions that empower individuals, promote healthier digital lives, and counter harmful online content—while maintaining complete independence from venture capital and investor influence.

Core Products in Development

  • Gecker: Comprehensive social platform combining the best features of Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook into one unified experience with community-driven wellness tools. 100% free platform sustained by voluntary donations. Web platform (Laravel) in active development, iOS and Android apps planned for post-launch expansion.
  • APO Recruit: Job board and applicant tracking system for Joomla, WordPress, and Laravel—managing hiring end-to-end from company websites
  • APO Proposer: Modern proposal management platform built with Laravel and Vue.js—enabling teams to create, collaborate on, and win contracts with AI-powered proposals, e-signatures, real-time collaboration, and comprehensive analytics
  • APO Thematic: Professional theme engine and marketplace for Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal—enabling users to browse, purchase, and install premium themes directly from their CMS admin panel

Market Position

We operate at the intersection of social media innovation, enterprise business software, and web development tools. Our product portfolio addresses four distinct markets: community-driven social networking (Gecker), job board and applicant tracking systems (APO Recruit), proposal and document management (APO Proposer), and premium CMS theming solutions (APO Thematic). Our veteran-owned status provides credibility with military recruitment offices while our 20 years of experience positions us to serve corporate, SMB, and consumer markets effectively.

View detailed market research and competitive analysis →

Owner Qualifications

Technical Experience

20+ years in web development and software engineering

Veteran Status

U.S. Military Veteran - DD214 available upon request

Service-Connected Disability

70% disability rating - qualifies for DVOB programs

Domain Portfolio

61 registered domains with established online presence

Eric Santiago brings two decades of professional web development experience, including expertise in:

  • Full-stack web development (PHP, JavaScript, modern frameworks)
  • Database design and architecture
  • Cloud infrastructure and deployment
  • User experience and interface design
  • Digital marketing and SEO
  • Project management and technical leadership

Licensing & Certifications

No formal industry certifications are required for software development. Qualifications are demonstrated through 20 years of professional experience, deployed applications, and a portfolio of 61 active domain properties across 5 brand families (Apotentia, Gecker, Gekker, APO Recruit, APO Thematic).

Current Financial Position

Banking Information

Primary Business Account: Grasshopper Bank

  • Innovator Business Checking: 1.00% APY (under $25K), 1.35% APY ($25K-$250K) — holds ~20% of cash reserves for operating expenses
  • Innovator Money Market Savings: 1.55% APY (under $25K), 3.10% APY ($25K+) — holds ~80% of cash reserves for growth capital

Account Opened: November 15, 2025

Current Balance: $1,000 total (as of December 8, 2025)

  • Innovator Business Checking: $500
  • Innovator Money Market Savings: $500

Ongoing Capitalization: $400/month recurring contributions from founder ($200 per paycheck, twice monthly)

Projected Balance (6 months): $3,300 - $3,600 (starting balance + contributions + interest + product revenue)

Projected Balance (12 months): $5,700 - $6,600 (starting balance + contributions + interest + product revenue)

Projected Balance (24 months @ $25K threshold): Higher tier APY unlocks (3.10% savings, 1.35% checking)

Interest projections use current tier rates (1.55% savings, 1.00% checking, weighted average ~1.44% APY based on 80/20 split). Rates increase significantly at $25K+ balance threshold.

Assets

Asset Category Details Estimated Value
Domain Portfolio 61 registered domains across 5 brand families, various TLDs (.com, .org, .design, etc.) $6,100 - $18,300
($100-$300 per domain avg)
Intellectual Property Source code: Gecker, APO Recruit, APO Proposer (~75% complete, 806 tests), APO Thematic (in development) $160,000 - $525,000
(APO Proposer: $150K-500K valuation + others: $10K-25K)
Business Infrastructure Hosting accounts, development tools, SSL certificates, business website $2,000 - $5,000
Bank Account Balances Grasshopper Bank accounts ($500 checking + $500 savings) $1,000
Total Estimated Assets $169,100 - $549,300

Note on Domain Portfolio: The 61-domain portfolio includes premium names in software, wellness, and technology sectors, distributed across 5 brand families (Apotentia: 9 domains, Gecker: 22 domains, Gekker: 17 domains, APO Recruit: 6 domains, APO Thematic: 7 domains). Domains can be liquidated for working capital if needed, though holding them provides long-term strategic value for product launches and brand protection.

Liabilities

Currently debt-free. No outstanding business loans, liens, or obligations.

Credit Status: No bankruptcies or foreclosures. Not delinquent on any government debts.

Operating Expenses

Expense Category Details Cost Year 1 Cost
Gecker.com Hosting 3-year hosting ($899.64) + backups ($90.00)
Paid through 11/20/2027
$989.64 / 3 years $329.88
Apotentia.com Hosting 3-year hosting plan
Paid through 02/26/2027
$863.64 / 3 years $287.88
Claude Code (AI Development) AI-assisted development tooling
$200/month per user
$200/user/month $2,400.00
GitHub (Code Repository) Version control and code hosting
Free tier
$0 $0.00
Year 1 Total Operating Expenses $3,017.76

5-Year Expense Projections (Two Funding Scenarios)

Founder salary: $7,500/month ($90,000/year). Base operating costs: $3,018/year. Sales tax: ~5% on taxable products (plugins/themes).

Path A: Self-Funded (Salary Starts Year 3)

Bootstrap years 1-2, take salary once revenue supports it.

Year Fixed Sales Tax* Total
Year 1$3,018$428$3,446
Year 2$3,018$1,013$4,031
Year 3$93,018$2,323$95,341
Year 4$93,018$3,883$96,901
Year 5$93,018$4,879$97,897
5-Year Total$285,090$12,526$297,616
Path B: Loan-Funded (Salary from Year 1)

Loan covers salary from day one, enabling full-time focus.

Year Fixed Sales Tax* Total
Year 1$93,018$428$93,446
Year 2$93,018$1,013$94,031
Year 3$93,018$2,323$95,341
Year 4$93,018$3,883$96,901
Year 5$93,018$4,879$97,897
5-Year Total$465,090$12,526$477,616

*Sales tax estimated at 5% on taxable products (APO Recruit plugins, APO Thematic themes). SaaS (APO Proposer) and donations (Gecker) exempt. Tax decreases as % of revenue as non-taxable SaaS grows.

Note: Fixed costs include hosting ($618) + Claude Code ($2,400) + salary when applicable ($90,000). Loan-funded path requires ~$180,000 loan to cover first 2 years of salary shortfall while revenue builds.

Revenue Projections & Cash Flow

12-Month Revenue Forecast (Conservative, Limited Marketing)

Assumptions: Organic growth only, 2-5% conversion rates (industry standard for freemium SaaS), minimal paid advertising, reliance on WordPress/Joomla marketplaces, direct sales, and SaaS platform growth.

Quarter Revenue Streams Projected Revenue
Q1 2025 Domain sales, consulting work, interest earnings (~$10) $1,210 - $2,510
Q2 2025 APO Recruit initial sales (5-10 customers), consulting, interest (~$20) $820 - $1,520
Q3 2025 APO Recruit growth (15-25 customers), initial Thematic sales, APO Proposer beta launch (3-5 customers), interest (~$30) $2,370 - $4,130
Q4 2025 Gecker beta launch, continued plugin sales, APO Proposer growth (8-12 customers), interest (~$35) $3,619 - $6,619
Total Year 1 Revenue (including ~$95 interest) $8,019 - $14,779

Note: WordPress plugin marketplace is highly competitive (59,000+ free plugins). APO Proposer SaaS model provides more predictable recurring revenue than one-time plugin sales. Conservative estimates reflect typical new product performance without major marketing budget. Year 2-3 projections assume increased marketplace visibility, word-of-mouth growth, and SaaS customer retention rates of 80-90%.

Cash Flow & Interest Earnings Projections

Recurring Founder Contributions + Interest Earnings

Monthly Contributions: $400 ($200 per paycheck, twice monthly)

Account Strategy: 80% in Innovator Money Market Savings, 20% in Innovator Business Checking for operational liquidity

Tiered Interest Rates:

  • Under $25K: 1.55% APY (savings), 1.00% APY (checking) — Weighted average: ~1.44% APY
  • $25K+ balance: 3.10% APY (savings), 1.35% APY (checking) — Weighted average: ~2.75% APY

Note: Interest earnings accelerate significantly once balance crosses $25K threshold (estimated 18-24 months with conservative product revenue).

Timeframe Contributions Interest Earned Product Revenue Total Balance
Starting Balance $1,000
Month 6 $2,400 ~$25 @ 1.44% APY $400 - $800 $3,825 - $4,225
Year 1 $4,800 ~$60 @ 1.44% APY $8,000 - $14,700 $13,860 - $20,560
Year 2 $9,600 ~$420 @ 1.44% APY (crosses $25K→2.75%) $21,800 - $45,700 $32,820 - $56,720
Year 3 $14,400 ~$1,550 @ 2.75% APY $61,600 - $124,200 $78,550 - $141,150
Year 4 $19,200 ~$3,400 @ 2.75% APY $127,400 - $260,940 $151,000 - $284,540
Year 5 $24,000 ~$6,600 @ 2.75% APY $226,000 - $424,480 $257,600 - $456,080

Interest calculations use Grasshopper Bank Innovator account tiered rate structure: 1.44% weighted APY (under $25K), 2.75% weighted APY ($25K+), with 80/20 savings/checking allocation. Crossing the $25K threshold in Year 2 significantly increases interest earnings in Years 3-5. Actual interest compounds monthly.

5-Year Revenue Projections: Gross vs Net (by Funding Scenario)

Compare gross revenue against net after expenses for both funding paths.

Scenario:
5-Year Bank Balance Projections

Quarter-by-quarter account balance including contributions, interest, and net income/loss.

Path:
Self-Funded Year-End Balances

Start: $1,000 + $400/mo contributions + 1.44-2.75% APY (80/20 split)

Year 1$10,420 - $17,207
Year 2$33,327 - $64,497
Year 3$4,862 - $100,150
Year 4$40,469 - $273,340
Year 5$175,794 - $615,604
Loan-Funded Year-End Balances

Start: $350,000 loan + 3% APY interest earnings

Year 1$274,191 - $281,003
Year 2$209,419 - $240,565
Year 3$181,573 - $276,889
Year 4$217,831 - $450,988
Year 5$353,906 - $794,785

Self-funded uses Grasshopper Bank rates (1.44% under $25K, 2.75% at $25K+) with 80/20 savings/checking split. Loan-funded assumes 3% APY on $350K loan balance. Conservative shows slower revenue growth; Optimistic shows faster product adoption.

Revenue Model Breakdown

APO Recruit (Job Board & Applicant Tracking System) - Flagship Product

Product Type: Job board and applicant tracking system for Joomla, WordPress, and Laravel

Primary Market: Small to medium businesses, corporate HR departments, staffing agencies, nonprofit organizations

Total Addressable Market: 30+ million small businesses using WordPress/Joomla, thousands of staffing agencies, nonprofits, and corporate HR teams seeking self-hosted applicant tracking solutions

Pricing Model (Volume-based by annual applications)
  • Starter: $59/year (1 site, <100 applications/year)
  • Professional: $119/year (up to 5 sites, 100-500 applications/year)
  • Business: $349/year (unlimited sites, 500-1,000 applications/year)
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing (1,000+ applications/year, custom solutions)
Realistic Sales Projections (24 months, organic growth)
Period Customer Mix Annual Revenue
Months 1-6 (Launch) 5 Starter, 3 Professional $652
Months 7-12 12 Starter, 8 Professional, 2 Business $2,358
Months 13-18 25 Starter, 15 Professional, 8 Business, 1 Enterprise ($2K) $7,052
Months 19-24 40 Starter, 25 Professional, 15 Business, 3 Enterprise ($2.5K avg) $15,335
Year 2 Annual Recurring Revenue ~$15,300
Year 3 Projection (With marketplace traction) $35,000 - $60,000
Year 5 Target (With marketing investment) $120,000 - $200,000

Reality Check: WordPress plugin marketplace has 59,000+ free plugins. Most new plugins see slow initial adoption. These projections assume organic growth through WordPress.org/Joomla Extensions Directory listings, minimal marketing, and gradual word-of-mouth. Corporate HR and small business markets require time to penetrate through quality product and reputation building.

Gecker (Social Platform with Community Wellness Tools)

Target Market: Individuals seeking healthier social media experiences with community-driven content curation

Platform Type: Social network with collaborative moderation and wellness features

Platforms: Web (Laravel, Active Development), iOS and Android apps (planned post-web launch)

Revenue Model: 100% free platform, sustained by voluntary monthly donations (suggested minimum: $5/month)

Donation Benchmark: NPR sees 1-10% listener donations (digital: ~1-3%, traditional: ~8-10%). Conservative target: 0.5-2% of user base.

User Growth & Donation Projections
Period Total Users Donors (0.5-2%) Annual Revenue ($5/mo avg)
Year 1 (web only) 500-1,000 3-20 (0.5-2%) $180 - $1,200
Year 2-3 (with mobile) 3,000-8,000 15-160 (0.5-2%) $900 - $9,600
Year 4-5 (mobile established) 15,000-40,000 75-800 (0.5-2%) $4,500 - $48,000
Conservative 5-Year Target (1% donation rate) ~$15,000 ARR
Optimistic 5-Year Target (2% donation rate, larger base) ~$48,000 ARR

Note: Donation-based model similar to NPR, Wikipedia, public media. Social platforms require critical mass for value—user growth is primary goal, revenue secondary. Web launch validates concept before mobile investment. Donation rates typically lower than subscription conversion (NPR digital: 1-3%) but aligns with mission-driven, community-supported platform philosophy.

APO Thematic (Multi-CMS Theme Engine & Marketplace)

Product Type: Professional theme engine and marketplace for Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal

Target Market: Website owners, web designers, agencies, and developers across three major CMS platforms

Market Size: WordPress (43% of web, 800M sites) + Joomla (2.5%, 40M sites) + Drupal (1.5%, 20M sites) = Combined 860M+ addressable sites

Pricing Model (Revised 2025):

  • Single Theme License: $29/year (one theme on one site at a time, switch anytime)
  • Multisite Standard: $119/year (unlimited sites, one theme per site)
  • Multisite Pro: $599/year (unlimited sites, multiple themes per domain)
  • Custom Theme: $1,499/year (fully custom design, updates for 1 year)
  • Exclusive Ownership: $4,999 one-time (own custom theme forever, never listed publicly)

Revised Year 1 Goal (Multi-CMS Launch): 15-30 Single + 5-10 Multisite Standard + 2-5 Multisite Pro + 1-2 Custom = $3,500 - $10,000 ARR

Year 2-3 Goal (WordPress Traction): 80-120 Single + 25-40 Multisite Standard + 8-15 Multisite Pro + 4-10 Custom = $15,000 - $35,000 ARR

Theme Library Strategy: Launch with 2 free themes (no credit card required) + 20-30 premium themes (10-15 unique designs with light/dark variants)

Note: WordPress expansion (30x larger market than Joomla) significantly increases revenue potential while maintaining lower development costs through unified theme framework. Drupal targets enterprise niche. Simultaneous three-platform launch leverages development efficiency. Revenue projections increased to reflect WordPress marketplace opportunity.

APO Proposer (Proposal Management SaaS Platform)

Product Type: Cloud-based proposal management platform (Laravel + Vue.js + Tailwind CSS)

Target Market: Freelancers, agencies, consultancies, sales teams, and enterprises managing business proposals and contracts

Market Size: $2.49B (2024) growing to $9.64B by 2034 (14.5% CAGR) - established market with proven demand

Development Status: ~75% complete (806 tests passing, 3,929 assertions) - MVP near production-ready

Competitive Position

Positioned against established players (PandaDoc $19-49/user/mo, Proposify $29-65/user/mo, Better Proposals $13-42/user/mo). APO Proposer offers competitive pricing with modern tech stack and comprehensive feature set.

Pricing Model (Per-user SaaS subscription)
  • Starter: $15/user/month ($12 billed annually) - 5 active proposals/month, 10 templates, e-signatures, basic analytics
  • Professional: $29/user/month ($24 billed annually) - Unlimited proposals, 50+ templates, real-time collaboration, CRM integrations, API access
  • Business: $49/user/month ($39 billed annually) - Custom templates, advanced workflows, team analytics, all integrations, SSO, dedicated support
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing - Unlimited everything, custom integrations, SLA, HIPAA compliance, onboarding & training

14-day free trial, no credit card required. 20% discount for annual billing.

Revenue Projections (Conservative SaaS Growth Model)
Period Customer Mix (Starter/Pro/Business) MRR → ARR
Year 1 (MVP Launch) 10/5/2 customers (avg 2 users each) $528/mo → $6,336 ARR
Year 2 (Organic Growth) 30/15/8 customers (avg 2.5 users) $1,706/mo → $20,472 ARR
Year 3 (Traction) 60/35/18 + 2 Enterprise ($500/mo) customers (avg 3 users) $4,285/mo → $51,420 ARR
Year 4 (Growth) 120/70/40 + 5 Enterprise ($750/mo avg) customers (avg 3.5 users) $9,995/mo → $119,940 ARR
Year 5 (Established) 200/120/70 + 10 Enterprise ($1K/mo avg) (avg 4 users) $19,040/mo → $228,480 ARR
Valuation Analysis (Pre-Revenue SaaS)

Current Stage: Late-stage MVP (~75% complete, production-ready within 3-6 months)

Estimated Valuation Range: $150,000 - $500,000

  • Development Cost Method: ~1,500 hours invested @ $75-100/hr = $112K-150K (replacement cost)
  • Discounted Cash Flow (5-year): Projected $228K ARR (Year 5) discounted to present value = $180K-250K
  • Comparable SaaS Multiples: Pre-revenue SaaS typically valued at 0.5-2x projected Year 2 ARR = $10K-40K (low due to no revenue)
  • Strategic Value Premium: Near-production-ready status, proven market ($2.49B TAM), established competitors validate demand = 2-3x development cost = $220K-450K

Conservative Valuation: $150,000 (reflecting pre-revenue status but recognizing substantial development completion and market validation)

Optimistic Valuation: $500,000 (if product achieves strong early traction in first 12 months post-launch with proven customer acquisition)

Note: Proposal management SaaS is a proven market with established players generating significant revenue. Unlike experimental products, this market has demonstrated customer willingness to pay $15-65/user/month. Key challenges are customer acquisition and competing against established brands. Conservative projections assume slow organic growth with minimal marketing budget. Actual performance could exceed projections with targeted marketing investment.

Additional Revenue Streams

  • Domain sales and leasing
  • Custom development consulting
  • Support donations from mission-aligned individuals
  • Custom enterprise solutions and integrations
Future Revenue Streams (Post-Certification)
  • Federal government contracts (SDVOSB certification pending—SAM.gov and VETS Index processes require dedicated time)
  • State/local government contracts (Virginia SWAM and state certifications pending)
  • Grant funding (SBIR/STTR, veteran business grants—application preparation requires focused effort)

Note: Certification processes and grant applications are time-intensive and currently limited by side-business constraints. Loan funding would enable dedicated focus on these high-value opportunities.

Use of Loan Funds

SBA/VA loan funds will be allocated strategically to accelerate product development and establish sustainable operations:

Category Purpose Allocation
Product Development Complete APO Recruit & Gecker web MVPs, begin APO Thematic, plan mobile apps (iOS/Android for Gecker) 40%
Infrastructure Hosting, cloud services, development tools, security 20%
Marketing & Sales Website optimization, outreach, demo accounts 15%
Legal & Compliance Terms of service, privacy policies, contracts 10%
Operating Capital Working capital, emergency reserves 15%

Timeline to Profitability & Loan Repayment

Revenue Ramp-Up Period: 18-24 months (typical for SaaS with limited marketing)

Break-even target: 24-36 months post-launch (covering operating expenses + loan payments)

Loan repayment plan: Conservative payment structure to account for organic growth timeline. Early payments supplemented by consulting work and domain sales as needed.

Growth strategy: Bootstrap focus on product quality and marketplace reviews. Reinvest revenue into marketing only after achieving product-market fit. First hire at $50K+ ARR.

Realistic expectation: Most WordPress/Joomla plugins take 2-3 years to gain traction. Loan provides runway to build quality products and establish marketplace presence without rushing to profitability.

Growth Strategy & Market Opportunity

Competitive Advantages

  • Veteran-owned status: Eligible for federal contracting preferences (certification process pending—requires dedicated time investment that loan would enable)
  • Independent operation: No investor pressure allows focus on product quality and user needs over growth metrics
  • Technical expertise: 20 years experience enables rapid, cost-effective development across multiple platforms (Joomla, WordPress, Laravel)
  • Mission-driven: Clear values around user empowerment and ethical software attract mission-aligned customers
  • Multi-platform capability: APO Recruit supports Joomla, WordPress, and Laravel - most competitors focus on single platform
  • Underserved niches: Community-driven social media (Gecker) and Joomla theming (APO Thematic) have less competition than mainstream markets
  • Self-hosted solutions: Privacy-focused organizations prefer self-hosted applicant tracking over cloud SaaS with data concerns

Market Validation

  • WordPress and Joomla power 40%+ of all websites - massive addressable market for job board and theme products
  • Job boards remain essential for hiring across all industries (corporate, nonprofit, small business, staffing agencies)
  • Joomla theme market underserved compared to WordPress (opportunity for APO Thematic)
  • Growing demand for social media alternatives with healthier community features (Gecker market)
  • Self-hosted applicant tracking solutions appeal to privacy-conscious organizations
  • SaaS subscription model provides predictable recurring revenue

Future Growth Opportunities (Post-Certification)

  • Federal contracting: SDVOSB certification process underway (SAM.gov registration, VETS Index verification pending—requires focused time investment)
  • State contracting programs: Virginia SWAM certification and state-specific veteran business programs (application processes require dedicated administrative time)
  • Grant opportunities: SBIR/STTR grants, veteran business grants, technology development grants (competitive applications require significant preparation)
  • Partnership with VBOCs: Veteran Business Outreach Centers provide certification guidance and contracting mentorship (engagement limited by current time constraints)

How This Loan Enables Growth: While Apotentia is currently operated as a side venture alongside full-time employment, loan funding would enable dedicated time for critical business development activities: completing federal/state certification processes, preparing competitive grant applications, and pursuing government contracting opportunities. These revenue channels could significantly accelerate loan repayment while establishing long-term sustainable income streams beyond commercial product sales.

Risk Mitigation

  • Diversified revenue: Multiple products reduce dependency on single income source
  • Low overhead: Sole proprietorship keeps operating costs minimal
  • Established presence: 54-domain portfolio and apotentia.com provide brand foundation
  • Veteran support networks: Access to VBOCs, veteran business resources, and mentorship
  • Debt-only financing: No equity dilution means complete operational control

Supporting Documentation

The following documents are available upon request for loan application review:

Tax Documentation

Federal Tax ID (EIN)
Business formation documents
Personal tax returns (if required)

Veteran Status

DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release/Discharge)
VA disability rating documentation

Financial Records

Grasshopper Bank statements
Domain portfolio valuation
Current asset documentation

Business Operations

Domain registration records
Hosting and infrastructure receipts
Vendor contracts

Loan Officer Contact

For additional documentation, questions, or to schedule a meeting to discuss this business plan:

Contact: Contact Apotentia LLC

Website: apotentia.com

This business plan is prepared specifically for SBA/VA business loan review and may be updated as business conditions evolve.

Last updated: December 8, 2025