TOP BUSINESS PL AN WRITERS
SUZANNE LAZICKI
LUCID PROFESSIONAL WRITING
Suzanne Lazicki is a business
writer and consultant
specializing in the EB-5
program. In 10 years since
founding Lucid Professional
Writing, Lazicki has written
hundreds of business plans for regional center and direct
EB-5 projects, and a variety of plans and market reports
for nonimmigrant investments. She holds a B.A. in English
Literature and Master of Business Administration. Lazicki
runs blog.lucidtext.com, providing EB-5 news, data and
analysis to readers around the world. Her published
work includes articles on business plans in the third and
fourth editions of “Immigration Options for Investors &
Entrepreneurs,” published by AILA.
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
I got involved in the EB-5 industry in 2009, when EB-5
represented hope for U.S. projects struggling with the
recession, and for immigrants shut out of other categories
and countries. With little competition, no backlogs and
swift processing times, EB-5 offered low-cost capital and a
visa fast track. I stayed with EB-5 through an increasingly
tough decade, because writing for this field fits my
particular skills, interests, and international background.
WHAT NEW TYPES OF PROJECTS
AND TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY AFTER THE
NEW REGULATIONS TOOK EFFECT?
Since the regulations took effect, I’ve seen regional centers
and project companies tentatively trying out the same types
of projects that they did before, testing what will work in the
current market. The targeted employment area restrictions
limit the number of projects being considered, while the
price increase moderates the size of offerings. With the
regulations in place, focus has shifted to challenges from
visa availability, backlogs, processing times and shifting
USCIS standards. The industry must navigate contracting
EB-5 demand while supporting past investors who depend
on long-term commitment to the program.
MARISA MARCONI
PINNACLE PLAN WRITING
Marisa Marconi is the founder
and lead writer at Pinnacle
Plan Writing. She has 13 years
of experience in the business
p lan nin g in d us tr y an d has
d e v e l o p e d m o r e t h a n 9 75
business plans for visa petitions, including 350 EB-5 plans
of direct and regional center projects. She formed Pinnacle
in 2016 to focus on developing thorough and highly tailored
plans for the immigration market. Her portfolio includes
plans for small to large companies and projects in almost
every industry. Marconi holds a degree in English from
Columbia University.
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
I started focusing on immigration and the EB-5 industry
back when the program was really starting to gain traction
and swell with interest from China. As the requirements for
EB-5 business plans became more stringent and specific
with Matter of Ho, it became apparent that regional centers
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EB5 INVESTORS M AGAZINE
and investors would benefit from professional writers and
researchers that understood the EB-5 market. This type of
work is meaningful to me, not only because these projects
create jobs for local communities, but because the plans I
develop also contribute to helping immigrants find their
place in the U.S.
WHAT NEW TYPES OF PROJECTS
AND TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY AFTER THE
NEW REGULATIONS TOOK EFFECT?
Since the new regulations passed in November 2019, I’ve
seen a precipitous drop in new projects. The interest that I
am seeing is largely in direct projects for single investors. I
think we’re in an expected post-regulations cooling-off
period, where the market is waiting to see if any new
legislation pans out and the industry is waiting to see what
happens with the market. Despite the changes, I believe the
program will remain in demand in emerging markets that are
not in retrogression, and we’ll see more projects in new
geographies that still qualify as TEAs.