marymkearney (u/marymkearney)

marymkearney commented on AI companies are pivoting from creating gods to building products aisnakeoil.com/p/ai-compa... · Posted by u/randomwalker

marymkearney · a year ago

Just a heads-up. I'm interested in your online workshop link, but it's private.

https://sites.google.com/princeton.edu/agents-workshop

marymkearney commented on Ambient Co-Presence maggieappleton.com/ambien... · Posted by u/Tomte

grose · 2 years ago

I run a smallish private forum (~4k MAU but pretty active). My philosophy for the real-time stuff is to update anything that can be updated without being distracting. On the thread list, the number of replies will update in real time but the threads won't move position (be bumped) until you refresh. Threads with at least 2 people reading them will have a subtle highlight that users can configure, this lets you know you have a decent chance someone will see your reply immediately; this fades in and out in real time too. New replies show up instantly inside of a thread (and so do edits and deletions). There's a real-time 'N users are currently viewing' counter for threads and the whole site at the bottom of the page but it doesn't tell you who is viewing it -- I think that's kind of a privacy violation and might discourage people from clicking around. I think the combination of these features lets users know the site is alive without feeling like a panopticon.

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Yes, this! I just posted about forums before seeing your comment. As I recall, on some forums it's possible to decide whether to "appear" as your username, or lurk incognito. Yours sounds cool.

marymkearney commented on Ambient Co-Presence maggieappleton.com/ambien... · Posted by u/Tomte

marymkearney · 2 years ago

The old-fashioned bulletin-board forums, circa 2006, are very effective at creating this sense of parallel play. At the bottom of the screen there's the list of who's browsing, so you can engage with folks on threads, or just lurk. You get a pleasant sense of community, with as much or as little engagement as you like.

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

r-johnv · 2 years ago

Thank you so much! I'm going to be reaching out, and your comments give me added confidence!

marymkearney · 2 years ago

You're most welcome. $2M in patent revenue, plus ~25 publications, is a solid foundation for an industry (non-academic) O-1 or EB-1A, which Peter specializes in. Proceed with confidence, and happy case-building!

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Yes, certainly. Same requirements as other industries and occupations. And the same challenges: Fitting your 2023 accomplishments into the rigid required elements of the 1991 USCIS categories.

One especially helpful force multiplier here, would be to practice writing out a simple one-page description of your industry and your job. Like a little elevator pitch, that's easily grasped in a minute or two, by a time-pressed layperson USCIS examiner. You're basically explaining blockchain at a 9th-grade reading level.

This is hard! It can take a lot of iterations and analogies. But it adds a ton of value, when the examiner can grasp right up front what you do and why you're special.

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Addendum: This "1-page elevator speech," specifically voiced for your USCIS examiner, can pay handsome dividends for any complex specialty, in the form of a quick O-1 / EB-1A approval. Not just blockchain, but crypto, all AI and ML specialties, platform integration, big databases, programming languages, data science, anything that requires effort to explain to a layperson audience.

Explain it to: Your dad. Your 14-year-old-kid. Your non-tech investor. Your CEO. Your spouse. Your best friend.

We're seeking that "AHA moment" where they go: "Oh! THAT's what you do? That's really cool!"

If you've lined up all your evidence correctly, that AHA moment, is the moment you win your case.

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

world2vec · 2 years ago

Hi Peter,

I'm not sure if my situation/questions are under your scope but I appreciate your time and energy on this thread. My fiance is British with an O-1 visa, currently living and working in NYC. She works in fashion, not tech. But I am a tech worker in London (EU citizen) and would love to move in with my fiance of course. Is my understanding correct that even if we marry it wouldn't allow me to legally reside and work in the US? What would be the best approach?

Thanks so much.

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Hi. If you marry, you'd qualify for the O-3 spousal visa, which allows you to live in the US, but not work in the US. It's a significant drawback to the otherwise robust O-1 work permit.

You could also look into options for her EB-1A green card, which includes a derivative green card for the spouse. I'd consult a qualified immigration attorney re the timing and filing procedures. It's a great choice, but it can be tricky to sequence it correctly.

If not married, you'll need your own independent work permit to live and work in NYC.

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

r-johnv · 2 years ago

Hi Peter, What is the best way to contact your firm as a prospective client?

I've been looking for an immigration attorney who specializes in EB1A for an early engineer in the startup founding team in robotics with significant patent commercialization and a small number of citations (2 granted patents of >$2 million value, <30 citations).

NIW is unfortunately not a good option due to the country backlog.

Looking at the positive comments from your current/former clients here, we'd love to get in touch!

marymkearney · 2 years ago

$2M in patent revenue, plus publications with buzz of 25+ citations? That's a solid foundation for an industry (not academic) O-1 or EB-1A. Full steam ahead.

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

Chandiran · 2 years ago

Whats the best path forward for a h1b solopreneur who wants to gain some traction on the side project before quitting their full time job and going all in on an idea?

Keep going and get into an accelerator and apply for an o1? Or are there new paths with the entrepreneurial parole program?

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Hi, agree this is a nuanced area. I can comment generally on how other founders have threaded this needle. The IEP isn't a very mature or robust alternative at present.

As you know, the H-1B category is quite strict in permitting paid work only for the H-1B employer-petitioner. It prohibits paid freelancing of any kind, including driving an Uber, running a paid Substack, working for an overseas employer, and monetizing your side project. That's the bright line you start with.

So, Step 1, what can you do with your side project that keeps it in the realm of a hobby, while in H-1B status? Probably quite a lot. You can test and perfect how the thing runs. You can polish the user interface. You can talk to your target audience, every day. You can immerse yourself in how they describe the needs, hopes, fears, etc., that your product addresses. You can set up a special-interest website for it (but not on Shopify).

IOW do it for fun, not for money, at first. Take it as far as you can in the special-interest realm. Get all the "hobbyist" moving parts working together.

Step 2, start building your O-1 visa evidence portfolio, at the same time. Pick a niche, related either to your side project or your job, and become a subject-matter expert in that thing. Publish, do podcasts, get interviewed, do open-source, attract some "sustained acclaim." As long as you don't get paid, it's perfectly consistent with H-1B status to become an influencer in your niche specialty.

Step 3, when your product's ready to monetize, you'll also be ready to incorporate, have your company sponsor you for your O-1 visa, and have an O-1 evidence portfolio ready to go. Alternatively, present yourself and your product to an accelerator, O-1 portfolio in hand.

Check out the links in the "Swizec" comments above. Swizec didn't have an H-1B, as I recall, but he's absolutely cracked the code on how to build your own O-1. And with an O-1 portfolio already built, you'll have many, many options for moving forward.

Long answer to short question. But it's a great question! I hope this framing might help others who are tackling this challenge also.

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

crowcroft · 2 years ago

I see, so the 'correct' path would likely be something like: Incorporate in the US -> apply for an E-2 (appreciate this is a gross simplification).

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Hi, yes, something along those lines. E-1 or E-2 can be good options. Or, for example, open a US branch of your existing company, then have your company sponsor you for an O-1 or L-1 visa.

marymkearney commented on I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA · Posted by u/proberts

r-johnv · 2 years ago

Hi Peter, What is the best way to contact your firm as a prospective client?

I've been looking for an immigration attorney who specializes in EB1A for an early engineer in the startup founding team in robotics with significant patent commercialization and a small number of citations (2 granted patents of >$2 million value, <30 citations).

NIW is unfortunately not a good option due to the country backlog.

Looking at the positive comments from your current/former clients here, we'd love to get in touch!

marymkearney · 2 years ago

Peter's at a new firm: https://ogletree.com/people/peter-d-roberts/ Media announcement: https://ogletree.com/media-center/press-releases/2023-07-17/...