Key Takeaways
- Management consultants are an explicitly listed TN visa occupation
- Consulting firms owned by TN holders qualify for Bankable funding
- No green card required; revenue from client contracts is the primary underwriting basis
- Bankable funds project pipeline gaps, hiring, and business expansion
- SBA closed to TN holders March 2026 — Bankable is the direct alternative
Management consultant is one of the most specifically defined occupations in the TN visa category — the USMCA treaty lists it explicitly, with a minimum Bachelor's degree requirement and a definition focused on strategic and operational advisory services. This precision reflects how important cross-border professional services are to the USMCA trade framework. Canadian and Mexican management consultants bring bilingual capability, binational market knowledge, and professional networks that span the North American business landscape.
The consulting business model is capital-light in terms of inventory but capital-intensive in terms of people. A consulting firm's primary cost structure is payroll — senior consultants, analysts, and project managers whose salaries are paid monthly regardless of when client invoices are collected. A 60- or 90-day payment term from a Fortune 500 client creates a cash flow gap that consulting firms must bridge. Bankable provides that bridge without requiring a green card or SBA eligibility.
How TN Consultants Structure Their Firms
A Canadian management consultant on TN status working for a Big Four firm in Chicago may simultaneously build an independent consulting practice focused on cross-border supply chain advisory — a niche where their USMCA knowledge is uniquely valuable. The independent practice operates as a separate LLC. The TN holder's primary employment remains at the Big Four firm. The consulting practice generates project revenue, employs sub-consultants, and pays the TN holder as a business owner (not an employee) — a legally distinct relationship from TN employment.
Capital Uses for TN Consulting Firms
- Payroll bridge: Fund consultant salaries during the gap between project completion and client payment
- Business development: Marketing, proposals, RFP response costs, and travel for client acquisition
- Subcontractor network: Pay specialized subcontractors before client invoices are collected
- Technology and tools: ERP systems, data analytics platforms, collaboration tools, and CRM investments
- Office and infrastructure: Lease deposits, furniture, equipment, and professional certifications
Revenue Quality in Consulting
Bankable evaluates consulting firms based on the consistency and quality of revenue rather than just volume. Retainer-based consulting revenue (monthly recurring fees from long-term clients) is the highest quality signal. Project-based revenue is evaluated on pipeline consistency and historical repeat-business rates. A consulting firm with $80,000 in monthly retainer revenue and 3 long-term clients presents a very different risk profile than one with $80,000 from a single project. Check your Bankability Score to see how Bankable evaluates your specific revenue profile.
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Get Started →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Management consultant is a specifically listed TN occupation. TN holders in this category can own consulting firms as separate businesses from their TN employment. The business ownership must be structured carefully to avoid the TN holder working for their own company under TN authorization.
No. Bankable evaluates trailing revenue from bank statements and accounts receivable. Retainer contracts are preferred underwriting signals but project-based revenue qualifies with consistent monthly history.
Bankable requires $15,000 or more in monthly consulting revenue and 6+ months of operating history. Firms with $50,000+ monthly revenue and multiple clients qualify for larger funding amounts.
Bankable provides advances against outstanding client invoices. You receive 80-90% of invoice value upfront. When the client pays, the remaining amount minus fees is returned. This eliminates the cash flow gap from long payment terms.
Yes. Bankable's working capital line provides revolving access to funds during project transitions or business development periods. Revenue-based repayment means lower payments during slower months.
Yes. Revenue from both US and Canadian clients can be included in Bankable's revenue evaluation. Cross-border consulting revenue deposited into the US business bank account is fully eligible.
Bankable evaluates 6-month trailing averages for project-based businesses. Lumpy revenue is common in consulting and does not automatically disqualify a firm. We look for overall upward trends and client concentration risk.
Yes. Acquiring an established consulting firm with existing client relationships and revenue is an eligible use of Bankable capital. We underwrite based on the target firm's trailing revenue and contract pipeline.
Bankable delivers decisions within 48 hours. Established consulting firms with clean bank statements typically fund within 3-5 business days.
Yes. Niche consulting practices — USMCA trade compliance, cross-border tax advisory, bilingual management consulting — are eligible regardless of specialty as long as they generate documented business revenue.