Market Entry USA
Project-based engagement of 6–12 weeks for Italian SMEs entering the US market. Project fee defined case-by-case based on scope and complexity, after a preliminary scoping conversation.
Project-based advisory for Italian SMEs entering the US market: entity selection, holding structure, contracts, tax planning, US attorney coordination.
What goes wrong when an Italian company enters the U.S. market
When project-based work fits
- Italian SME launching its first US subsidiary
- Italian manufacturer establishing a US distribution arm
- Acquisition of a US business by an Italian holding
- Italian software/SaaS company entering the US market with full structure
What the U.S. market entry project delivers
Project deliverables
- Entity selection analysis (LLC vs C-Corp, Florida vs Delaware)
- Italy-US holding structure design
- Italy-US tax planning (treaty positioning, transfer pricing baseline)
- Drafting of base contracts: distribution, employment, IP licensing
- US attorney coordination for State law matters
- Banking and operational setup support
- Management presentation of the final structure
Which Italian businesses are ready to open in the United States
Who it's for
- Italian SMEs (€5M–€80M revenue) opening their first US operation
- Italian holdings acquiring a US target
- Italian companies relocating their US activity from informal to formal structure
Cost of a U.S. market entry project
Engagement
Project fee defined case-by-case based on scope and complexity, after a preliminary scoping conversation. The preliminary consultation is a 45-minute paid online session ($250); the engagement letter with the agreed fee and milestones is signed before kickoff. US counsel coordination is included; US attorney fees are separate.
Questions about opening a business in the United States
How is the project fee determined?
Scope drives fee. We agree the fee in writing after a preliminary scoping conversation that maps the entities, jurisdictions and deliverables involved. The preliminary consultation is a 45-minute paid online session ($250).
Do you also handle the US legal work?
We coordinate with US counsel licensed in the relevant State. Their fee is separate. We handle Italian legal and tax work directly, plus the integration architecture.
How long does a typical engagement take?
6–12 weeks from kickoff to handover, depending on complexity. Banking onboarding can extend the operational handover by a few weeks.
Is post-launch support included?
30 days of transition support is included. After that, clients typically move to a Cross-Border Advisory Retainer.
Can you handle Italian-side restructuring (e.g. spin-off into a holding)?
Yes. Italian corporate restructuring is a core capability. We coordinate with notai for any deeds required.
What happens if the project scope changes mid-engagement?
We document scope changes via written change orders before any additional work begins. No surprise invoices.
Related services
- LLC Formation in Florida — End-to-end Florida LLC formation for Italian residents, with full coverage of the Italian fiscal implications most online services ignore.
- Transfer Pricing Italy-USA for SMEs — Arm's-length policy design and documentation for Italian SMEs with US subsidiaries. Methods, benchmarking, intercompany agreements, audit defense.
Guides related to this service
- Doing Business in the United States: Structure Comes Before Speed — Forming a U.S. company takes days; structuring a U.S. business correctly takes planning. Entity selection, governance and deadlock rules, dual-jurisdiction taxa
- Do I Need a U.S. LLC to Sell in America? A Decision Guide for Italian Companies — Selling to U.S. customers does not automatically require an American company. The ETBUS and effectively connected income analysis, treaty permanent establishmen
- USA Business & Tax Guide for Italians (2026): LLC, Visas, Real Estate & Tax Treaty — The operational pillar guide for Italian entrepreneurs, investors and private clients entering the US market: LLC vs C-Corp, E-2/L-1/EB-5 visas, FIRPTA on real
- Italians Moving to Florida: Legal & Tax Checklist (2026) — An end-to-end checklist for Italians relocating to Florida in 2026: visa selection, immigration milestones, tax-residency planning, business setup, banking, rea
- I Opened a Florida LLC From Italy: Now What? A Cross-Border Coordination Guide — Forming the LLC is the easy part. Italian tax residence, place of effective management under article 73 TUIR, Italian classification of the LLC, CFC rules, Quad
- Form 5472 Missed Filing and the $25,000 Penalty: Corrective Action for Italian LLC Owners — Missed a Form 5472 filing for your U.S. LLC? How the $25,000 penalty works, why the 90-day continuation clock is the most important date in the file, what a com
Where we work — office and areas served
Market Entry USA is handled from our Florida practice for Italian clients living in the United States and in Italy: office in St. Petersburg (Pinellas County, Tampa Bay), assistance across Florida — including Miami and South Florida — and remotely throughout Italy.
Physical office (by appointment): IIILEX International Consulting LLC, 7901 4th St N STE 300, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, US · +1 (786) 604-8763 · +39 335 344 9660 · us@3lex.us
Areas served
- St. Petersburg and Pinellas County, Florida (physical office)
- Tampa, Clearwater and the wider Tampa Bay area
- Miami, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale/Broward and Palm Beach (South Florida)
- Orlando, Naples, Sarasota and the rest of Florida
- United States nationwide, remotely (federal tax and cross-border matters)
- Italy: Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna, Naples and the whole country, remotely
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00–18:00 (US Eastern Time). Italian clients are also served in the Italian morning window (CET). Working languages: Italian and English.
Consultations are held online (video call) or in person at the St. Petersburg office. Documents are exchanged securely by e-mail.
Next step — book a 45-minute online consultation
Book a consultation (USD 250 · 45 minutes) · Send a contact request
About the firm
IIILEX International Consulting LLC is the Florida-based practice of Avv. Dott. Massimo Leonardi — Italian-qualified Attorney (Avvocato), Dottore Commercialista and Statutory Auditor (Revisore Legale), qualified in Italy, with 30+ years of Italian practice. We work exclusively on cross-border matters between Italy and the United States, in coordination with licensed U.S. professionals for matters of U.S. law.
IIILEX International Consulting LLC · 7901 4th St N STE 300, St. Petersburg, FL 33702 · us@3lex.us · +1 (786) 604-8763 · +39 335 344 9660
Versione italiana
Massimo Leonardi is admitted to practice law in Italy and is not admitted to practice law in Florida or elsewhere in the United States. He is qualified in Italy as Dottore Commercialista and Revisore Legale and is not a U.S. Certified Public Accountant. IIILEX International Consulting LLC provides cross-border consulting and Italian legal and tax advisory services. Matters requiring advice on U.S. or Florida law are handled in coordination with appropriately licensed U.S. professionals.