"As a matter of fact, the INS decided this very issue a few years back. If
the student organizes a business and monitors its development, but does
not engage in activities for which an employee would normally be hired to
perform, then there is no violation of status. The case that gave rise to
this involved a foreign student who set up a Chinese restaurant. When his
chef suddenly quit and he had to fill in for a few weeks until another
chef could be found, the INS took up the issue of whether this involved
unauthorized employment. In the end, they held that simply owning and
operating a business was not a violation of status, but working REGULARLY
in a capacity that would normally be filled by an employee was a
violation."