H-1B founder coaching
A layoff should not mean packing up your life in 60 days. H-1B founder coaching helps you build your own company the right way, so it can sponsor a concurrent H-1B for you while you keep your job, and keep you in status if that job ends.
In short: we help you turn an idea or skill into a real business that can pay you, get it ready for an attorney, and grow it into something that can later support an O-1, EB-1A or NIW. Read our H-1B founder guide first for how the route works.
Who it is for
- H-1B professionals who want a backup plan before a layoff, not after one
- People with a side project, consulting skill or product idea they want to turn into a company
- Professionals in any field, including engineering, healthcare, research, finance, design and education, not only tech
- Founders who want their company to become the basis for an O-1, EB-1A or NIW later
What the coaching covers
- Choosing the business. A model that fits your skills, can earn revenue early and needs a real specialty-occupation role.
- The business plan. The customer, the problem, the offer, pricing, the numbers, and how the company will cover your wage.
- Company setup readiness. What a new company typically needs in place (entity, bank account, EIN, payroll, bookkeeping, contracts), with the formal steps done by your attorney, accountant or a formation service.
- First customers. Positioning, a target list, outreach and sales calls, so the company has real work and revenue.
- Evidence that the business is real. Contracts, invoices, a website, a product, partnerships, and a clear record of the work you do.
- Attorney hand-off. An organized package for an independent immigration attorney, who sets the role, hours and wage and files the petition.
- After approval. Staying organized: hours, payroll, records, and what to raise with your attorney before you change anything.
What you get
- A one-page business model and a fuller business plan
- A 90-day launch plan with weekly milestones
- A first-customer target list, outreach scripts and pipeline tracking
- A checklist of what the attorney and accountant will need
- Regular one-on-one coaching calls
The longer path
As the company grows, your role and its results become evidence: a critical role, original contributions, press about your company, high pay and judging at startup events. That can lead to an O-1, an EB-1A or an EB-2 NIW.
What we will not do
- No legal, tax or investment advice. We will send you to an attorney before you do any work for your own company.
- No shell companies or paper businesses, which put you and your status at risk
- No promised approvals, revenue or funding
Frequently asked questions
Who is H-1B founder coaching for?
H-1B professionals in any field who worry about losing their job and want a plan, people with a business idea or side project they want to make real, and founders who want their company to grow into a basis for an O-1, EB-1A or NIW later.
What do you do, and what does the attorney do?
We coach the business: the idea, the plan, the company setup, payroll readiness, the first customers and the evidence that the business is real. The attorney decides whether the route fits you, sets the role, hours and wage, and prepares and files the H-1B petition and the Labor Condition Application.
Do I need a big idea or investors?
No. Many founder companies start as a consulting or services business, or a small software product, with savings or early customers covering the wage. What matters is that the business is genuine and can pay you the required wage.
How long does it take?
Most people need two to four months to choose the business, set up the company, get the first customers or funding in place and be ready for an attorney. Petition timelines are separate and depend on USCIS.
Can you guarantee my H-1B will be approved?
No. USCIS decides every petition. We help you build a real company and prepare well, and an independent attorney advises you on eligibility and files the petition.
Disclaimer: BuildCaliber is a coaching service. We are not attorneys and do not provide legal, tax or investment advice. This page is general information, and immigration rules change. We do not guarantee any result. Talk to a licensed immigration attorney about your own situation.
See also our startup coaching.