EB5 Investors Magazine "Top 25 Awards Edition" Volume 8 Issue 1 | Page 75

TOP BUSINESS PL AN WRITERS PAUL MONSON P aul Monson is director and partner at Joorney Business Plans. Serving the industry for over 7 years, Monson is the go-to business-planning expert for hundreds of immigration attorneys. He is well-known in the industry for his creative, customized approaches to aligning business plans with clients’ immigration strategies for even the trickiest of EB-5, E-2 and other business visa applications. Supported by a large team of diverse, multi-lingual professionals, Monson has overseen thousands of immigration business plans, market research reports, financial models, and pitch decks for EB-5 investors and other business immigrants. WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? Becoming involved in the EB-5 industry was a natural evolution for me. When I joined Joorney Business Plans in 2014, I was primarily focused on other types of immigration business plans like the E-2 and L-1. The company rapidly became a trusted provider, and we were able to sustainably scale to producing more than 3,000 business plans a year. As our expertise BUSINESS PLAN WRITERS EB5 INVESTORS MAGAZINE developed, we began adding other types of business plans and business documents to our repertoire based on the needs of our clients. This eventually led to becoming immersed in the unique and complex requirements of the EB-5. WHAT NEW TYPES OF PROJECTS AND TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY DURING THE PANDEMIC? While it’s unfortunate to see the number of distressed businesses that have resulted from the pandemic, it has opened up opportunities for EB-5 investors. Overall, I have seen a lower volume of EB-5 applications this past year, but several have been direct investments into troubled businesses. As a result, I have seen a heavier reliance on job maintenance to satisfy job creation requirements. It seems several EB-5 investors have been able to find deals on promising businesses while saving jobs that may otherwise be lost. I think, EB-5 investors are likely to play a significant role in our economic recovery. EB5INVESTORS.COM 75