> do the people who authorize the checks also do the beancounting personally?

There are a lot of small-shop and even one-man private investors. Increasingly as wealth accumulates and AI automates.

> you can't tell me there's a shortage of US + Canada tax or legal specialists

They're usually a different partner at a big, expensive firm. Or, if you use a small firm, it means establishing a brand new engagement.

I make personal investments. That would be a dealbreaker for me. If I really liked the company I might try to talk a cross-border friend into running a fund that makes the investment so I don't have to deal with the B.S.