Untapped Potentail

What Untapped Potentail does

Untapped Potential Inc. is a Hartford, Connecticut-based for-profit talent and training organization founded in 2015 by Candace Freedenberg. The company operates a return-to-work platform serving two customer segments: (1) experienced women professionals who have taken career breaks for caregiving and seek to re-enter the workforce, and (2) forward-thinking businesses seeking low-risk access to pre-screened, experienced talent. The company's core product is the trademarked Flexreturn® program, a structured stepwise methodology combining a network of support (peers, mentors, coaches), skillUP professional development, and curated work engagements in corporate, small business, startup, and non-profit settings. Adjacent product lines include the workUP three-part workshop series (Elevator Pitch, Resume/UP Profile, Interview Readiness), the UP Profile bias-resistant candidate presentation method, mock interviews, mentor matching, and S.T.A.R. method training.

The company's revenue model is multi-stream. The primary monetization lever is a tiered membership: EXPLORE (free), GUIDED ($67/month with a 14-day free trial), and CONCIERGE ($597 one-time). Supplemental revenue comes from fee-based events (golf/networking events, Returner's Accelerator), professional headshot services, and Flexreturn talent placement/engagement facilitation for employer clients. Go-to-market is dual-sided and event-driven: candidates are recruited through community-led workshops, networking sessions, and word-of-mouth within the women returner community; employer clients are engaged through a direct sales motion (Pledge, Submit, Match) anchored in discovery calls and tailored talent solutions. The company has no app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML infrastructure; delivery is primarily via virtual Zoom-based sessions and in-person Connecticut-area events.

Name

Untapped Potentail

Legal name

Untapped Potential Inc.

Website

https://upotential.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Untapped Potential provides a platform where social issues are discussed along with it organization also offers career counseling services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development and Career Re-Entry Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Individual Outplacement & Career Coaching (BPACAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Outplacement Platforms & Virtual Career Transition (BPACAOAL), Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)

Keywords

• Return-to-work programs
• Career re-entry services
• Women returner support
• Talent matching platform
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Three-tiered membership model: EXPLORE (free) provides community access and passive talent pool membership; GUIDED ($67/month) provides comprehensive support including 1:1 career re-entry sessions, peer support, stepwise return-to-work program, mentor access, and industry networking events; CONCIERGE ($597 one-time) provides customized support with 2 sessions with career re-entry expert, industry mentor assignment, UP Profile creation tools, and promotion to client partners.
2. Event-based Revenue: Free workshops and info sessions drive community engagement. Some specialized workshops and events (e.g., Returner's Accelerator, golf/networking events) carry a fee. Professional headshot services offered at events have a fee component.
3. Talent Placement and Engagement Facilitation: Untapped Potential connects its vetted talent pool with business clients seeking skilled professionals. The Flexreturn engagements provide companies low-risk access to experienced talent for fixed-term or project-based work, functioning as a curated stepping stone between talent and employer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Untapped Potential operates a return-to-work talent platform anchored by the trademarked Flexreturn™ program, which connects experienced professional women re-entering the workforce after caregiving breaks with forward-thinking businesses. The company offers tiered individual memberships (EXPLORE free, GUIDED $67/month, CONCIERGE $597 one-time), skillUP and workUP workshops, mentor matching, mock interviews, and curated talent placements for employer clients.

Product overview

Untapped Potential Inc. is a talent and training organization offering a unified platform for return-to-work support. The core offering is the trademarked Flexreturn® program, which provides a stepwise pathway (Assess, Engage, Return, Launch) connecting educated women who stepped away for caregiving with forward-thinking businesses. The program is supplemented by skillUP learning and development courses and workUP career readiness workshops. The company offers tiered membership plans (EXPLORE free tier, GUIDED at $67/month, and CONCIERGE one-time $597) providing graduated access to career coaching, mentorship, networking events, and job placement support. Additional services include mock interviews, mentor matching, and specialized training in AI tools for job searching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flexreturn™: Trademarked return-to-work program connecting businesses with experienced talent returning after caregiving breaks.
• workUP
• skillUP

Quantifiable outcome

• Success stories include Jill W. (mother of 4) who chose between two stellar companies after UP's Speed Interview Event; Jimi B. pivoted from non-profits to corporate customer success; multiple women launched in crucial roles helping businesses thrive.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Motorlease CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMotorlease Corporation has been a champion employer partner, working with Untapped Potential to fill key roles with returners who are thriving and contributing across the organization. Brad Lutz, VP at Motorlease, stated UP candidates were very well prepared. Featured as a leading employer partner in HR Tech Insight Magazine article.
• OneDigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOneDigital, a leader in strategic HR and benefits solutions, recognized the business case for supporting returners and embracing untapped talent. Recognized as an employer partner actively creating pathways for women returners in the HR Tech Insight feature.
• TANGO (The Alliance for Non-profit Growth & Opportunity)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerTANGO serves non-profit leadership to further mission-based goals and hosts women-focused programming including 'Women Take the Lead' peer networking and mentoring. Untapped Potential's founder speaks at TANGO member events. TANGO has grown to include 2,000 nonprofit organizations throughout New England.
• Connecticut Technology Council's Women of InnovationsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to advance women innovation and leadership. Connecticut Technology Council's Women of Innovation program aligns with Untapped Potential's mission to advance women in professional careers.
• Employers Association of the NorthEast (EANE)secondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEANE partnership empowers HR returners through strategic professional development. Employers Association of the NorthEast supports Untapped Potential's mission through alignment on inclusive workplace practices.
• YWCA New BritainsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerYWCA New Britain hosts the bi-annual Women in Leadership Luncheon recognizing women leaders. Untapped Potential team member Jennifer Frederick was honored at this event. The partnership celebrates women in leadership and empowerment.
• Women's Business Development Council (WBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBDC is a key partner in Connecticut's economic development ecosystem. Untapped Potential's founder was consulted by WBDC in 2015 at inception. WBDC's Business Advisor Sherry Konwerski joined the founder at the Connecticut Capitol International Women's Day press conference. Untapped Potential was featured at WBDC's networking event in Hartford.
• Untapped PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUntapped Partners partnered with Untapped Potential Inc. to enhance offerings for women returning to work. This is a separate entity with a complementary mission.
• Community Renewal Team (CRT)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCRT is a community organization hosting the Tee Off for Women Golf Tournament. Untapped Potential participates and supports CRT's programs that help women and children build self-sufficiency. Ilana Bernstein of CRT is also an Untapped Potential Mentor.
• Le Petit Studio (Christine Petit)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerChristine Petit of Le Petit Studio provides free professional photo sittings at Untapped Potential events to support career transitions. Long-time supporter of Untapped Potential and champion of women returners.
• Connecticut Headshots (Seshu Badrinath)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeshu Badrinath of Connecticut Headshots provided professional photography for the HR Tech Insight feature article. Captured the essence of Untapped Potential's purpose.
• reSET (Social Enterprise Trust Company)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerreSET is a social enterprise incubator in Hartford, CT that has worked with Untapped Potential for nearly 20 years. Recognized Untapped Potential among women entrepreneurs during Women's Herstory Month. The reSET Retail Incubator facilitator is also a founding member.
• Connecticut Wealth ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnecticut Wealth Management hosted Untapped Potential's 10-Year Anniversary Celebration & Reignite Event in January. Located in Farmington, CT, they generously hosted the event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• iRelaunch: iRelaunch operates a return-to-work platform and conferences specifically for men and women re-entering the workforce after career breaks, directly overlapping Untapped Potential's core returner-talent-matching proposition.
• ReacHIRE: ReacHIRE runs structured returnship programs connecting employers with professionals returning from career breaks, closely paralleling Untapped Potential's Flexreturn® model of curated, low-risk return-to-work engagements.
• Path Forward: Path Forward is a nonprofit that partners with companies to create returnship programs for caregivers re-entering the workforce, operating in the same caregiver-return-to-work niche as Untapped Potential.
• Careerminds: Careerminds provides outplacement and career transition services to employers and individuals, overlapping with Untapped Potential's individual career-coaching and employer-facing placement offerings.
• IMPACT Group: IMPACT Group provides career transition, outplacement, and coaching services to individuals and employers, comparable to Untapped Potential's coaching and placement offerings though serving a broader outplacement audience.

Emerging players

• The Mom Project: The Mom Project is a digital platform connecting mothers and caregivers with flexible work opportunities and career support; it overlaps with Untapped Potential's mission but operates at much larger scale as a broader talent marketplace.
• PowerToFly: PowerToFly connects women and underrepresented talent with employers seeking diverse technical and professional hires, sharing Untapped Potential's employer-facing women-in-the-workforce mission though operating at broader scale.

Broad incumbents

• Right Management: Right Management, a ManpowerGroup company, is a large incumbent outplacement and career transition provider serving enterprise HR organizations globally, comparable in service scope though far broader than Untapped Potential's returner focus.
• Randstad RiseSmart: Randstad RiseSmart delivers technology-enabled career transition and outplacement services to enterprises; it competes with Untapped Potential on the B2B employer side, albeit with a much broader portfolio and larger scale.

Regional players

• Returning Talent (UK / global): Returning Talent operates return-to-work programs primarily outside the US, comparable in mission to Untapped Potential's women-caregiver re-entry focus but not directly competing in the US market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/upotential_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@untappedpotentialinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/upotential.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/untapped-potential
• Instagraminstagram.com/u_potential

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Untapped Potentail