Mostly review time. Someone has to read the vendor agreements, reconcile them against invoices, and rewrite the duty description so it reflects contract oversight rather than hands-on delivery. Small businesses also carry set-up costs for the US operation that sit outside the immigration budget entirely.
Decide who pays for what, in writing
In an owner-led business the line between company and personal spending blurs quickly. Agree in advance which costs the company bears, and ask for the contract review to be scoped separately so it can be staged or capped. Confirm official charges at the step where they apply rather than budgeting from a figure quoted elsewhere.
If the review concludes the role is not primarily managerial, know what that means for the fee beforehand. Price the work in three parts and keep them separate: the contract and invoice review, the drafting of the duty description, and the corporate evidence for the qualifying relationship. Each can be staged, and each can produce a stopping point where the answer is that the facts do not support the classification.
Owner-led businesses should also decide in advance which costs the company bears and record the decision, because a later reconstruction of who paid what is an unwelcome addition to any corporate or funding file. Establishment costs for the United States operation, including registration, premises, insurance, and local advice, belong in the business budget rather than the immigration one. Review both budgets together once, so a gap in one does not quietly become a delay in the other.