PALM BEACH POST SPOTLIGHTS LAUREN COHEN AND E-COUNCIL INC. IN FEATURE INTERVIEW

Owner of virtual company that advances US job creation through strategic consulting services, featured in local publication, imparts insight on business and what inspires her to succeed.

BOCA RATON, FL– A virtual, female-driven EB-5 customized multi-faceted service company that is singular and unique in its field: sound intriguing? Alexandra Clough and the Palm Beach Post sure thought so! That’s why they featured e-Council Inc.’s CEO, Lauren Cohen, in a fascinating and informative interview, covering everything from Cohen’s first job to life at home with her 4-year old son.

e-Council Inc. began as a visa business plan writing service that provided the lynchpin for business visa success. To build her business, Lauren worked tirelessly: networking and forming key strategic relationships within the legal and business communities, hiring and training staff, honing her plans to meet industry needs while creating a stellar professional reputation for herself and her company. Over time, e-Council Inc. has evolved to encompass the complex and ever-changing EB-5 immigrant investor arena. As a pioneer in this complex and dynamic industry, Cohen has assembled a team of top-notch professionals from various disciplines such as law, accounting, economics, business and research – most of whom are women – to provide the full gamut of services required in an EB-5 case.

Cohen has built e-Council Inc. into a thriving turn-key EB-5 business, focused on top-notch client service while creating high-quality EB-5 business plans complemented by a variety of ancillary services ranging from project assessments to market studies designed to assist U.S. companies to raise foreign capital and foreigner entrepreneurs to access the U.S. The immigrant investor program allows U.S. developers and businesses to build and expand through foreign investment, which creates U.S. jobs and allows foreign entrepreneurs to realize the American Dream that, as a Canadian Immigrant, Lauren herself was able to pursue. It is a unique business model that provides this crucial service to its clients while remaining completely virtual. As Cohen states, “Our virtual business model enables us to provide multi-disciplinary services on a national level, while affording us the freedom to provide services to clients all over the world.”

Clough presented an in-depth look into Cohen’s education and background, her interests and family life, and what inspires her – both personally and in her business. As a female entrepreneur with a 20+-year career, Cohen was able to build up the company in the face of many challenges. Today, Cohen feels that she is in the unique position to be able to inspire young people looking to achieve both personal and business success. As she told Clough, Cohen finds the often challenging nature of her field to also be extremely rewarding.

What would she tell young people looking for business advice? “Our work is all-consuming, but it’s incredibly rewarding. We are lucky enough to learn about a wide variety of cool businesses and work with business owners and other professionals from all over the world, all while knowing that our work is bringing money into the country and creating jobs.” Cohen would be the first to say that opportunity can come from anywhere.

Cohen’s lowest moment came right before she broke into the EB-5 realm. “I could never find my “place”; I kept starting and stopping. When my son was very young, and the business was struggling, I nearly gave up. We didn’t have enough revenue to cover our expenses. But I stuck it out and persevered and now am giving back to all of those who helped me get through the tough times and turn the business around.” Her first big break, she told Clough, came from an EB-5 case that she fought hard to close; “My first EB-5 case represented a turning point in my business,” Cohen says. “This opened doors to many future EB-5 cases. Our company is now regarded as one of the top-tier service providers in the industry, whether from the perspective of our competitors, clients or referral sources.”

As for Palm Beach County, Cohen sees a big future in real estate and business development. “I think there will be a lot of development in the EB-5 space, says Cohen, “and I look forward to playing a part in making it happen!” As a major thought leader in the EB-5 field, Lauren Cohen, along with her e-Council Inc. team, is primed and ready to make it happen.

A sought-after speaker and writer, Lauren Cohen has also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, EB-5 Investor’s Magazine, The Real Deal, The South Florida Business Journal, on the Here & Now talk show with Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson, and is a participant and speaker for the International Business Alliance of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.  Lauren’s upcoming presentations include a variety of roundtable and speaking engagements and the 2015 Seminar Group event, The Future of EB-5 in Florida, on Aug. 5th in Miami. Lauren is available nationally for interviews and article drafting as well as consulting and speaking engagements.

For more information, visit www.ecouncilinc.com, or contact Lauren Cohen, Esq. at Lauren@ecouncilinc.com or 866-724-0085.