Please don't assume I'm unsure of it, I am speaking from my own experience as a foreign founder who travelled to the U.S last year, including 3 separate entries at 3 different airports under the Visa waiver program after a B1/B2 refusal.
I also helped bring in the rest of my team under B1 and E3 visas, including one team member who was at one point flagged by CBP and had to re-enter under the B1 rather than the VWP.
To be clear, these were co-founders and our company was also incorporated outside the U.S, which allowed for more room for manoeuvre.
Many things that are 'forbidden' on paper turn out to not be so when it comes to the visa process. Many other things that aren't mentioned at all become crucial factors. The U.S visa process is incredibly onerous, and giving facts only as necessary was what worked for us.