Meet the Matchmaker for the Restaurant Industry

A recruiting firm founder knows a new job can change everything — even for her franchisees.

Back in 1989, after having worked as a pet store owner, a caterer and the first female captain on the Chesapeake Bay, Patrice Rice realized something: Any given restaurant needs five to seven managers, but finding qualified people is often a struggle. Hotels and casinos are plagued by similar staffing issues. So Rice set out to be the missing link. She launched a hospitality and restaurant industry recruiting firm, Patrice & Associates, and developed relationships with large chains like Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee’s and the Cheesecake Factory. The business took off. Every time one of her more than 500 national clients needs a new manager for a new or existing location, Patrice & Associates is tasked with hiring them.

In 2010 she took the next step and turned to franchising, and today there are more than 100 Patrice & Associates franchisees throughout the United States and Canada. Rice travels around the country one week per month to offer support. “We don’t just give franchisees two weeks of training and say, ‘Good luck.’ We talk to them every day for 90 days,” she says. “My mission statement says recruiting isn’t all about money. It’s about helping people.”

Recruiting isn’t the most obvious thing to franchise. What makes this business appealing to franchisees?

“A lot of franchisees are first-time business owners, and it’s scary. There are three things they worry about: cash flow, how their industry is going to be affected by the economy and territory. We’re a unique opportunity — we have a safety net for all three. One, because I ran this business for 20 years before franchising, a lot of chains were already my clients, so I have jobs for franchisees to work on. Two, in America, the food industry is number one for jobs and for growth. And three, in every other franchise, territory is everything; in my model, they have a territory, but they can work the whole country.

Plus, we have very low startup costs, and franchisees can work from home. All you need is a telephone and the internet. There is no inventory to buy, no lease to sign and no employees to hire. I have a franchisee with an RV who travels the country.”

What do you look for in a franchisee?

“You have to have zero phone reluctance — plus sales experience, or sales ability. You have to be proactive. If that’s not the franchisee, then they have to hire a recruiter to be on the phone. This is not buying a job; it’s building a business. When you build a business, you figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are and you surround yourself with people who can shore up those weaknesses.”

Does recruiting have specific challenges?

“It’s constant rejection. You have to be able to handle that. Maybe a candidate isn’t interested in the job you have available, or doesn’t qualify. Or your candidate tells you they’re going to show up for the interview and doesn’t. They might say, “I can pass that drug test,” and they can’t. Franchisees also have to understand that we cannot help everyone find a job. That’s hard. We can help only about 10 percent of the people who send us résumés.

And it’s not about luck; it’s a numbers game. The more people you talk to, the more people go on interviews, the more people get hired, the more people you help and the more money you make.”

What have you learned about company culture and employee fit?

“In a lot of sales positions, you’re always thinking about closing the deal. That’s not what we do. We’re staffing partners for the client companies, but we’re also career coaches for people looking for their next job.

So listen to what they say. Don’t try to talk them into a particular job you have available. Understand what they’re looking for. If you can make a good match, then it all works out. And never forget that you are impacting somebody’s life and the lives of their family.”

This story appears in the June 2017 issue of Entrepreneur

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What Clients Say About Patrice & Associates

  • Chris Bousquet is Invaluable!

    I want to express my deepest gratitude for the support and guidance provided by Patrice & Associates during my job search. I was greatly impressed by the professionalism and commitment of your team in helping me find the right job opportunity.  In particular, I would like to highlight the invaluable assistance provided by Chris Bousquet, who stood by my side every step of the way in the search and interview process. His dedication and expertise were instrumental in achieving a successful transition to my new position.

     

    Once again, thank you for your assistance and commitment to my professional career. I wish you and the Patrice & Associates team continued success in your work.

     

    Sincerely,

    Miguel Pulla

    Chris Bousquet is Invaluable!
  • Clint Carpenter's standards of Recruiting are TOP NOTCH!

    To begin, Clint Carpenter was the ONLY recruiter I didn't get a generic template e-mail from. He actually took the time to look at my complete resume. In the first few days we spoke, he really took the time in our conversations to get to know what was important to me in a future job as well as what I knew I did not want. He checked in with me every day, whether it was to help coach me for an interview or just follow up if I'd gotten feedback. When I finally did get the offer I wanted, there was a snag and the paperwork with the company was delayed by 2 weeks. It was incredibly frustrating, but Clint called or texted me EVERY single day to encourage me and make sure I was ok as well as doing whatever he could from his end to help facilitate the paperwork. I never felt like I was alone in the job search process. Clint is professional, positive and you can tell he genuinely loves helping people. I would recommend him to anyone!!!!    

    Lethr' Rothert

    Clint Carpenter's standards of Recruiting are TOP NOTCH!
  • Dave took the time to get to know ME, who I am, my experience and my goals

    Dave Evens has been working with me these past couple months as I transition from a restaurant owner toward a corporate environment.  Along with this, I'm relocating from TN to NY.  I feel that he was able to capture my unique experience in the updated resume he created for me.  Dave was great with communicating options and feedback from all sources. It was a true pleasure to work with him.  While we were unable to find a good fit for me, I am blown away by Dave's approach and enthusiasm.  I found a great job, on my own, but I do not feel that reflects poorly on Dave nor Patrice & Associates. When, again, I enter my next job search, I will be sure to reach out to Dave first!

    Sincerely,

    Neil Archibald

    Dave took the time to get to know ME, who I am, my experience and my goals
  • Mike Buterbaugh is genuine and caring

    I honestly didn't know what to expect from Patrice & Associates. Upon my first time speaking with Mr. Mike Buterbaugh, I was instantly put at ease with his genuine approach to helping me find the best fit for me overall in my next career decision. Not only did he coach me on how to drastically improve my resume, he also had me an interview within a couple of days. I have never had an experience quite like this during a job search, but I would definitely give 5 stars to this company and their recruiting team. I have gained a new career that not only met my salary expectations, but balances with my personal life as well. Thanks again for your help, and although I don't plan to be on a search again, if the need arises, they will definitely be my first point of contact.

    Eula

    Mike Buterbaugh is genuine and caring
  • Patrice & Associates Video Client TestimonialsClint Carpenter was wonderful!

    I worked with Clint Carpenter on getting a job. Clint did an amazing job helping me with my resume, walking me through the process and giving me help and interview tips.  He was in communication with me everyday about what was going on and keeping me in the know. I would call on Clint again if I ever needed him!  

    Gary Summers

    Clint Carpenter was wonderful!