Patrice & Associates Eyes Michigan for Franchise Growth
With a solid foundation of successful franchisees, the hospitality recruitment franchise is looking to expand its presence across the Great Lakes State, targeting cities like Detroit, Lansing and Ann Arbor.
Patrice & Associates, a leading hospitality and executive search recruitment franchise with over 175 units, is strategically expanding its franchise network to Michigan. The brand’s dynamic approach to recruitment, which helps thousands of managerial and executive level candidates every year find rewarding jobs in the hospitality industry and beyond, aligns perfectly with the needs of the state’s varied industries, paving the way for Patrice & Associates’ substantial growth in the region.
Why Michigan?
The Patrice & Associates team has identified room to add 37 territories throughout the state of Michigan, targeting markets like Greater Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing and more.
“Michigan has a great mix of restaurants, hotels and hospitality,” said Brian Miller, CEO of Patrice & Associates. “As we look to expand our executive search program, we also see opportunities for insurance, construction and engineering, technology and retail placements.”
And Miller says the brand doesn’t have to hope Michigan will be a good fit — the franchise already has several local owners proving it.
Patrice & Associates Franchisee Success Stories in Michigan
Rick Weaver, for example, has been a franchise owner with Patrice & Associates since 2018 in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Prior to franchising, Weaver had a successful career, first working for Kmart Corporation and then as a consultant and district manager for a retailer in Michigan. The decision to become a business owner came when Weaver, then in his mid-60s, was finding it difficult to secure an employment opportunity.
“The problem is that when you reach a certain age, you’re going into interviews and the interviewer is somebody resembling your grandchildren,” Weaver said. “You soon get the very distinct impression, time after time, that they don’t want ‘Grandpa’ working with them. My wife and I had a discussion, and we decided we would just open up our own business and not have to be dependent on somebody else making a hiring decision. She just retired and she’s going to start working with me later this month.”
Reflecting on his choice of Patrice & Associates, he highlighted the unique elements that drew him to the franchise, emphasizing the freedom it afforded him to work on his own terms and in diverse locations, so he could be present for his family in moments of crisis and celebration.
“My son has a very rare disease, so I spend a lot of time at the University of Michigan medical hospital with him, and I can do my work in their coffee shop,” he said. “Last week, I was on vacation in Hawaii. I spent a couple of hours in the morning getting my work done and then I went to the beach.”
Glenn Forgie, a Patrice & Associates franchise owner in Novi, Michigan, was a seasoned chef of 25 years with an additional decade of experience in the hospitality industry. When he connected with a recruiter at Patrice & Associates in search of a general manager role for himself, she suggested he consider recruiting. As someone who has spent so much time working in the industry, both as chef and general manager of various establishments, Forgie has seen the evolving challenges — many brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic — and the scarcity of skilled professionals in the industry.
“When I found Patrice & Associates, I felt like the model was completely different from everything else I was seeing,” said Forgie. “I am a franchisee and I pay some money to the franchisor, but not loads. The overhead is very low and I think it gives us a great opportunity to be able to make some money on our own hard work. I want a nice, profitable business that doesn’t require a 90-hour work week, which is where I come from.”
Having just opened at the start of 2024, Forgie says he is eager to establish himself in his Michigan community.
“Ideally, I’d like to get connected to the community and help people with their needs,” said Forgie. “My goal is to become integrated pretty deeply into Novi in Northville and Farmington with the local businesses while providing help for anybody that needs it. Being a mentor to others in the restaurant industry is important to me too.”
Brian Czarnecki, who opened his Patrice & Associates franchise in Grand Rapids, Michigan, last year, spent 27 years in the hospitality industry before deciding to open his own branding and advertising agency. But, unsatisfied with the unpredictable nature of the advertising industry, Czarnecki craved more stability and also desired to reconnect with his passion for hospitality. After starting a consulting group to help resorts, hotels and RV parks/campgrounds with operational support, Czarnecki was introduced to the recruiting space.
“I knew that the franchise I’d be interested in would offer something I was passionate about, something I could work at and scale myself — effort in, effort out. Recruiting fit the bill,” Czarnecki said. “I’ve found Patrice & Associates to be a very scalable business, and I can wake up and do it anywhere, whether I’m home or traveling.”
Czarnecki says he also knew that he didn’t want to be tied to the daily grind of a brick-and-mortar concept. “After vetting Patrice & Associates, it became evident that the company offers great technology and a solid business model for the franchisee,” he said. “That was important to me because when it comes to the food business, for example, I know what the profit margins are and they’re very lean. You survive based on the location and the stability of your employees. I certainly didn’t want that burden.”
Since opening in Grand Rapids in May of 2023, Czarnecki says the franchise has offered him a whole new level of satisfaction in his career.
“With recruiting, I can put all my hospitality, marketing and sales knowledge to work in very exciting ways,” said Czarnecki. “Guiding someone in a new career is the most gratifying thing. Sometimes they call you months later and they say it’s the best move they’ve ever made — and I was the driver of that change. There’s just nothing more gratifying.”
Join Patrice & Associates Today
With a unique investment structure and a clear blueprint, Patrice & Associates provides franchisees with all of the support they need to build a winning business.
Franchisees of Patrice & Associates are allocated a specific region for marketing and business expansion activities. Unlike most companies in the recruiting or headhunting franchise sector, they have the flexibility to place individuals globally. They are also at liberty to cultivate clientele in any market, provided it originates from their network or direct referral. Every promising lead can be transformed into a client, which effectively broadens the opportunity for client development across the entire U.S. However, it is important to note that franchisees are forbidden from directly targeting the market of another franchisee.
Looking ahead, the Patrice & Associates team is excited to find more qualified and passionate franchisees to help expand the brand in Michigan. Each new territory will bolster employment and help bridge the gap between companies and prospective employees in various industries beyond hospitality.
For more information, visit: https://patriceandassociatesfranchising.com/.
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