RealCV/README_UK_STRATEGY.md

# RealCV UK Market Strategy - Complete Package

## Overview

This directory contains the complete product strategy and implementation plan for launching RealCV with a UK-only focus. The documents provide market analysis, feature prioritization, technical implementation details, and go-to-market strategy.

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## Document Hierarchy

### 1. **EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md** ⭐ START HERE
**Audience:** Executives, Product Leadership, Investors
**Purpose:** 5-minute overview of opportunity, market sizing, and financial projections
**Key Sections:**
- Market problem (£4.2B annual cost)
- Competitive advantage (only player integrating HEDD)
- Revenue projections (£113K-226K Year 1)
- 30-day action plan

**Read Time:** 5 minutes

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### 2. **UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md**
**Audience:** Product Managers, Engineering Leads
**Purpose:** Detailed feature prioritization ranking detection value × implementation feasibility
**Key Sections:**
- Fraud patterns & detection rates
- Available UK APIs & accessibility
- Ranked feature list (8 features across 3 phases)
- Implementation timeline & examples
- Success metrics per feature

**Read Time:** 20-30 minutes

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### 3. **PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md**
**Audience:** Backend Engineers, QA Engineers
**Purpose:** Complete technical specifications for Phase 1 (8-week) delivery
**Key Sections:**
- Architecture diagrams
- 7 complete code examples (interfaces, services, models)
- Database schema updates
- Test coverage requirements
- Configuration & environment setup
- Deployment checklist

**Read Time:** 30-40 minutes (skim for reference)

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### 4. **UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md**
**Audience:** Product Team, Marketing, Sales
**Purpose:** Comprehensive market analysis and go-to-market strategy
**Key Sections:**
- Market sizing (£2.8B UK screening market, £3.3M RealCV TAM)
- Competitive landscape analysis
- 3-phase product roadmap (Q1-Q3 2026)
- GTM strategy (4 sales channels)
- Customer personas (3 types)
- Unit economics & financial projections
- Long-term vision (2-3 years, international expansion)

**Read Time:** 30-40 minutes

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### 5. **API_RESOURCES_AND_CONTACTS.md**
**Audience:** Engineering + Product (implementation phase)
**Purpose:** Practical guide to accessing UK APIs and vendor partnerships
**Key Sections:**
- 11 detailed API integration guides (HEDD, GMC, NMC, Companies House, etc.)
- Contact information for each service
- Integration methods (API vs. scraper alternatives)
- Timeline for access approval
- Vendor recommendations (DBS, HMRC)
- Email template for API requests
- Compliance checklist

**Read Time:** 20-30 minutes (reference document)

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## Quick Navigation

### By Role

**Executive / Decision-Maker:**
1. Start: EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md (5 min)
2. Then: UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md - Market & GTM sections (10 min)
3. Decision: Approve Phase 1 go-ahead

**Product Manager:**
1. Start: EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md (5 min)
2. Then: UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md (full read)
3. Then: UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md (full read)
4. Then: Reference PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md & API_RESOURCES_AND_CONTACTS.md as needed

**Engineering Lead:**
1. Start: EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md (5 min for context)
2. Then: PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md (full read)
3. Then: API_RESOURCES_AND_CONTACTS.md (full read)
4. Reference: UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md for feature specs

**Investor / Analyst:**
1. Start: EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md
2. Then: UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md - Market size & financials sections
3. Reference: UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md for technical validation

**Sales / Marketing:**
1. Start: EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md
2. Then: UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md (GTM + Personas)
3. Reference: UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md for talking points

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## Key Metrics at a Glance

### Market Opportunity
- **TAM (Total Addressable Market):** £3.3M
- **SAM (Serviceable Available Market):** £200-300K (Year 1)
- **Year 1 Revenue Target:** £30-240K (conservative to growth)
- **Break-even Customers:** 24-30 paying customers
- **Expected Timeline to Break-even:** Month 6-7

### Phase 1 Deliverables (8 weeks)
| Feature | Impact | Effort | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEDD Degree Verification | 9.5/10 | 2-3 weeks | Weeks 1-3 |
| Healthcare Register Checks | 6.5/10 | 1 week | Weeks 2-3 |
| Enhanced Timeline Analysis | 7/10 | 1 week | Weeks 1-2 |
| Company Director Verification | 7.5/10 | 1-2 weeks | Weeks 2-4 |

### Success Metrics
- **Adoption:** 500+ signups in first month
- **Engagement:** 10%+ weekly active check rate
- **Satisfaction:** 85%+ feature satisfaction (NPS >40)

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## Fraud Detection Coverage

| Fraud Type | Detection Rate | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Fake degrees | 90%+ | Phase 1 |
| Employment date falsification | 80%+ | Phase 1 |
| Job title inflation | Partial (manual) | Phase 1 |
| Exaggerated qualifications | 85%+ | Phase 2 |
| Professional registration fraud | 95%+ | Phase 2 |
| Directorship false claims | 95%+ | Phase 1 |

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## Competitive Moat

**Why no competitor offers this:**

1. **HEDD Integration** - Only dedicated CV tool integrating degree verification API
2. **UK-Specific Stack** - GMC/NMC healthcare registers + Companies House directors
3. **Timeline Fraud Detection** - Cross-linking education/employment boundary analysis
4. **Vertical Focus** - Healthcare recruiting niche dominance (GMC/NMC)
5. **First-Mover Advantage** - Market gap unexploited until now

**Defensibility:**
- Deep integrations hard to replicate (HEDD, Companies House, professional bodies)
- Network effects once established (more data = better fraud detection)
- Compliance/audit trail = switching costs for enterprise customers

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## Critical Path Dependencies

### Week 1 Actions (Do Now)
- [ ] Email HEDD (partnerships@hedd.ac.uk) requesting API access
- [ ] Email GMC requesting verification API access
- [ ] Allocate 2 engineers to Phase 1 development
- [ ] Recruit 3-5 beta partner agencies

### Week 2-3
- [ ] HEDD credential delivery (or scraper fallback)
- [ ] Companies House enhancement development starts
- [ ] Healthcare register scraper development starts
- [ ] Timeline analysis enhancement starts

### Week 4-8
- [ ] Beta testing with agency partners
- [ ] Public beta launch
- [ ] Feedback iteration
- [ ] GA release

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## Financial Summary

### Year 1 Projections (Conservative Scenario)

**50 Customers by end of year:**
- 30 × Professional tier (£49/mo): £1,470/mo
- 15 × Enterprise tier (£199/mo): £2,985/mo
- 5 × API/Platform (£1,000/mo): £5,000/mo
- **Total MRR (Dec 2026):** £9,455
- **Annualized Run Rate:** £113,460

**Operating Costs:**
- Engineering (2 FTE): £150K/year
- Infrastructure/APIs: £20K/year
- Sales/Marketing: £30K/year
- Operations: £20K/year
- **Total:** £220K/year

**Result:** Break-even at 24 customers; profitable at 50+ customers

### Year 2 Projections (Growth Scenario)

**150 Customers:**
- MRR: £28,000+
- Annualized: £336K+
- Gross Profit: 75% = £252K+

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## Risk Mitigation

| Risk | Probability | Severity | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEDD API access delayed | Medium | Medium | Use web portal integration fallback |
| GMC/NMC scraper blocked | Low | Low | Request official API proactively |
| Market adoption slow | Medium | High | Focus on healthcare vertical first |
| Regulatory gatekeeping | Low | Medium | Partner with established vendors early |
| Competitive response | Medium | Medium | Maintain first-mover advantage + deepen integrations |

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## Next Steps (30-Day Plan)

### Days 1-3: Preparation
- [ ] Finalize HEDD compliance/consent workflows
- [ ] Identify recruitment agency beta partners
- [ ] Set up development environment
- [ ] Brief engineering team on Phase 1 scope

### Days 4-7: API Access Requests
- [ ] Email HEDD, GMC, NMC with API access requests
- [ ] Register on beta platforms where available
- [ ] Prepare scraper fallbacks for development

### Days 8-21: Development (Parallel Tracks)
- **Track 1:** HEDD integration (lead engineer)
- **Track 2:** Healthcare registers (secondary engineer)
- **Track 3:** Companies House enhancement (tertiary)
- **Track 4:** Timeline enhancement (parallel)

### Days 22-28: Beta Testing
- [ ] Deploy to test environment
- [ ] Onboard beta partner agencies
- [ ] Collect feedback on UX/value
- [ ] Iterate on flag messaging

### Days 29-30: Preparation for Public Launch
- [ ] Final testing & QA approval
- [ ] Marketing assets prepared
- [ ] Pricing finalized
- [ ] Customer support workflows documented

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## Recommended Reading Order

**For executives/investors (20 minutes total):**
1. EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md (5 min)
2. UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md → Market Opportunity + Financials sections (10 min)
3. UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md → Overview + Ranked Feature List (5 min)

**For product/engineering teams (90 minutes total):**
1. EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md (5 min)
2. UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md (30 min - full read)
3. PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md (40 min - full read)
4. API_RESOURCES_AND_CONTACTS.md (15 min - reference)

**For detailed implementation (3-4 hours for engineers):**
1. PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md (40 min - detailed read)
2. API_RESOURCES_AND_CONTACTS.md (30 min - full read)
3. Code examples in PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md (60-90 min - study)
4. UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md → Implementation Examples (30 min)

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## Questions & Decision Points

### For Product Leadership
1. **Commitment:** Can we allocate 2 engineers full-time for 8 weeks?
2. **Partnerships:** Will we sponsor API access requests to HEDD, GMC, NMC?
3. **Revenue Model:** Approve tiered pricing (Free/Pro/Enterprise)?
4. **Timeline:** Can we launch beta by Week 5?
5. **International:** After UK success, should we expand to Ireland/Australia?

### For Engineering
1. **Resources:** Do we have backend capacity starting immediately?
2. **Technical:** Any concerns with HEDD/GMC/NMC integration approach?
3. **Alternatives:** Any preference on API vs. scraper approach for health registers?
4. **Testing:** Do we have QA capacity for Phase 1 scope?

### For Sales/Marketing
1. **Positioning:** Are we confident "degree verification" is primary differentiator?
2. **Channels:** Should we prioritize direct sales or partnerships?
3. **Pricing:** Does £49/Professional tier feel right for target market?
4. **Beta:** Can we identify 3-5 recruitment agency beta partners by Week 2?

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## Success Criteria (End of Phase 1)

### Must-Haves
- ✅ HEDD integration live (real-time + manual review tracking)
- ✅ Timeline fraud detection enhanced
- ✅ Companies House director verification working
- ✅ GMC/NMC healthcare checks live
- ✅ 500+ public signups
- ✅ 10%+ weekly active check rate

### Nice-to-Haves
- ✅ 85%+ user satisfaction score
- ✅ Media/analyst coverage
- ✅ 5+ paying customers (revenue: £2-5K MRR)
- ✅ Documented case studies

### Failure Indicators (Red Flags)
- ❌ <100 signups after public launch
- ❌ HEDD/GMC access denied with no scraper backup
- ❌ >5% API error rate
- ❌ <50% feature adoption

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## File Manifest

```
/mnt/d/Git/RealCV/
├── EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.md                      (5-page exec overview)
├── UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md              (30-page detailed prioritization)
├── PHASE1_TECHNICAL_IMPLEMENTATION.md        (60-page technical specs + code)
├── UK_MARKET_STRATEGY.md                     (40-page market + GTM strategy)
├── API_RESOURCES_AND_CONTACTS.md             (20-page API integration guide)
└── README_UK_STRATEGY.md                     (this file - navigation guide)
```

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## Version History

**v1.0 - January 2026**
- Initial UK market strategy & implementation plan
- 4 comprehensive strategy documents
- Phase 1 technical specifications
- API integration guide
- Ready for Q1 2026 execution

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## Contact & Support

**For questions about this strategy:**
- Product Lead: [Name] - Overall strategy & market analysis
- Engineering Lead: [Name] - Technical feasibility & architecture
- API Integration: [Name] - HEDD, GMC, NMC coordination

**For strategy updates:**
These documents will be updated quarterly with:
- Market feedback from beta partners
- API integration progress
- Competitive landscape changes
- Revised financial projections
- Phase 2 feature updates

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## Appendix: Key Definitions

**HEDD:** Higher Education Degree Datacheck - UK's official degree verification service (140+ universities)

**GMC:** General Medical Council - UK regulator for doctors (~250K registered)

**NMC:** Nursing and Midwifery Council - UK regulator for nurses/midwives (~700K registered)

**Companies House:** UK company registration authority - maintains register of 3.4M companies + directors

**Timeline Fraud:** Employment/education date inconsistencies (overlaps, gaps, sequential issues)

**TAM:** Total Addressable Market - theoretical maximum revenue if 100% market capture

**SAM:** Serviceable Available Market - realistic segment we can target

**SOM:** Serviceable Obtainable Market - Year 1 revenue target

**CAC:** Customer Acquisition Cost - avg. cost to acquire one paying customer

**ARPU:** Average Revenue Per User - avg. monthly/annual revenue per customer

**LTV:CAC:** Customer lifetime value to acquisition cost ratio (healthy SaaS: >3:1)

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## License & Confidentiality

This strategy document is internal to RealCV and contains commercially sensitive information including:
- Market sizing & financial projections
- Competitive positioning
- Product roadmap
- API integration details

**Distribution:** Product team, engineering, leadership only

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END OF DOCUMENT

**Last Updated:** January 20, 2026
**Next Review:** April 1, 2026 (Post-Phase 1 Launch)