You can certainly find HTML, CSS and Javascript experience however a developer with those skills will cost more than a Wordpress developer. Experience, especially broad software development experience, comes at a price. Pick a local developer who you can meet in person and be sure to check both references and past work. Simple searches should reveal candidates.

I am a fan of native development as it allows you to build the best application leveraging the strength that is offered by Apple and Android operating systems.

I think it is best to hire a development firm. If the relationship goes "sideways" you can easily replace a dev firm, a partner/cofounder can be much harder to part with.

My company, Semaphore Mobile, is also located in Dallas and
is a mobile development company specializing in iOS, Android and RoR coding. Let me know if you want to talk!

You should consider purchasing a company already in business that provides those services in one of the "business friendly states", Delaware, Texas, Nevada. Doing so will set you apart from your competitors and will give you credibility based on the reputation of the company you are purchasing.

I own a software development company based in Dallas, Texas and over the years have experienced several of the issues mentioned in your post.

Never start work with a client before having a signed contract in hand. The contract is the first step to making sure that both parties understand the expectations of the project such as payment expectations, the deliverable, the project schedule.

I find it helpful to get a down payment from a client to be sure that they are "invested" in the project. If a client is unwilling to issue a payment at contract signing, then you should have more payment milestones at major points in the project such as; design review, first 10 seconds of animation etc. Frequent payment milestones will help your cash flow and will focus the project on meeting the expectations of the client where possible.

Communication throughout the project is key. When a client goes silent that is always cause for alarm. Weekly updates using online services such as Skype or Join.me are essential when working with a client that are worlds apart.

There should be few surprises regarding schedule. As the project is progresses, amended schedules should be prepared and forward to the client for discussion during your project meeting.

It may be a good idea to engage someone located near your client to attempt to contact them to discuss a settlement. Some may suggest getting a lawyer or a collection agency involved, however there most likely is some way to solve this directly to receive (perhaps partial) payment from the client.

I am available for a followup call should you have any additional questions.

Regards,

Eric Silverthorn