Skill and ops track
Workshops: the skill and ops track
Meetups are the room. Membership is the private channel and member call. Workshops are where we dig into one founder problem for one session: visas, banking, housing, hiring, fundraising, US go-to-market, entity and tax.
IFN hosts most sessions. Guest and member hosts are welcome when the topic is useful. Price is set per workshop on Luma. Members usually get a discount or free entry, depending on the session.
How it works
- Pick a session on Luma. Topic, date, host, and price live there.
- RSVP and pay on that session page. There is no public price menu on this site.
- Members get better pricing when the session offers it (discount or free). That offer is listed on the Luma page for that workshop.
This is not a course catalog with invented dates. It is not licensed legal, tax, or immigration advice. Bring your situation. Leave with next steps and people who have done it.
What we cover
Seven pillars. When we schedule a session, it lands under one of these.
Pillar 01
Immigration / visas & status
Stay legal while you build. Sessions for founders navigating status, dependents, and employer vs founder paths. Not a law firm intake.
Workshop types
- Visa path map for founders (O-1, H-1B, E-2, and when to talk to counsel)
- Status changes while raising or incorporating
- Dependents, travel, and work authorization pitfalls
- Employer sponsorship vs founder-led immigration strategy
Pillar 02
Banking & finance
Open accounts, move money, and keep books clean enough for a raise or a loan.
Workshop types
- US business banking for non-residents (what banks ask for)
- Personal vs entity banking while you land
- Founder bookkeeping that survives diligence
- Credit, wire, and multi-currency basics for early teams
Pillar 03
Housing & landing in Austin
Get a roof, a neighborhood, and a first 90 days that do not wreck the company.
Workshop types
- Lease vs temporary housing when your status is in motion
- Neighborhoods and commute tradeoffs for founders
- First 90 days in Austin checklist (docs, utilities, school if needed)
- Building a local ops stack (mail, phone, coworking)
Pillar 04
Hiring & ops
First hires, contractors, and the ops that keep a remote-or-hybrid team on track.
Workshop types
- First US hire vs contractor (when each breaks)
- Offer letters, equity basics, and payroll setup for small teams
- Ops cadence for a 2–10 person company
- Vendors and tools that matter in year one (and which to skip)
Pillar 05
Fundraising
Raise with a story US investors understand, without pretending every path is VC.
Workshop types
- Pitch narrative for immigrant founders (market, team, status risk)
- Angels vs seed in Austin / US: what “ready” looks like
- Data room hygiene before you ask for a meeting
- Non-dilutive and alternative capital options worth knowing
Pillar 06
Go-to-market / US market entry
Sell into the US without guessing the channel or the buyer.
Workshop types
- First US customer playbook (ICP, outbound, and warm intros)
- Pricing and packaging for a US buyer
- Partners and channel vs direct: when each wins
- Localization and trust signals that matter for international products
Pillar 07
Entity, tax & formation
Pick a structure, stay compliant, and know when to call a CPA or attorney.
Workshop types
- LLC vs C-corp for international founders (tradeoffs, not dogma)
- EIN, state registration, and registered agent basics
- Sales tax and nexus: what trips early teams up
- Cap table and equity setup before the first hire or raise
Upcoming workshops
Dates, prices, and seats live on Luma. We do not mirror a second calendar here.
Browse workshops on Luma (opens in a new tab)Host a workshop
IFN runs most sessions. If you have a topic that fits a pillar above and you can run a practical 60–90 minute session for founders, propose it.
Tell us the pillar, the problem you solve in one sitting, and whether you want it free, paid, or members-preferred.
Propose a workshopMembers get better workshop access
Optional membership unlocks member pricing when a workshop offers it. You get the discount or free entry listed on that Luma page. You also get the private member channel and the monthly members-only call.