I'm one of those founders, last time i put out my email for anyone needing advice I got like 20 different people asking me questions. I'm happy to answer any questions in the forum.
This is what think:
1. Don't worry about VISA until you get accepted, it will take too much time
2. To get the right VISA is hard, lawyers will tell you what the law say, not necessary what is the right thing to do in the situation
3. Don't be too honest at the border control. I had a friend once who where touring with their band in US, at the border the asked if they where going to work in the US? (I.e get paid) and they were honest and said yes, the border threw them out. As long as you are not earning money in the US, you're best off by saying you are on vacation.
This is terrible advice because if you don't have your story completely straight and they figure out that you have lied to them you could easily find yourself permanently inadmissible to the US.
Unless you are an experienced professional at telling lies to people whose job it is to determine if you are lying to them or not you probably shouldn't try to enter the US without having your visa in order.
Ha. It's only mildly relevant here, but my inadmissibility to enter Canada just recently expired. I was touring with a band trying to play a show in Vancouver and we got banned for a year for lying to border guards. Boneheadedly, we let the bassist do the talking and the Canadians googled their way to quite a few holes in his story.
This is what think:
1. Don't worry about VISA until you get accepted, it will take too much time
2. To get the right VISA is hard, lawyers will tell you what the law say, not necessary what is the right thing to do in the situation
3. Don't be too honest at the border control. I had a friend once who where touring with their band in US, at the border the asked if they where going to work in the US? (I.e get paid) and they were honest and said yes, the border threw them out. As long as you are not earning money in the US, you're best off by saying you are on vacation.