Patrice & Associates in Arizona, a hospitality and executive search recruitment franchise company with more than 175 units, is expanding its franchise network to Michigan.
The Patrice team has identified a way to add 37 territories throughout Michigan, targeting markets like greater Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, and more.
“Michigan has a great mix of restaurants, hotels, and hospitality,” says Brian Miller, CEO of Patrice & Associates. “As we look to expand our executive search program, we also see opportunities for insurance, construction, engineering, technology, and retail placements.”
Patrice units are allocated a specific region for marketing and business expansion activities, says Miller. Unlike most companies in the recruiting or headhunting franchise sector, they have the flexibility to place individuals globally.
They can also cultivate clientele in any market, provided it originates from their network or a direct referral. Every lead can be transformed into a client, which effectively broadens the opportunity for client development across the U.S. But franchisees are forbidden from directly targeting the market of another franchisee, says Miller.
Miller says the company already has found people in Michigan who use its services.
Rick Weaver, for example, has been with Patrice & Associates since 2018 in Rochester Hills. Prior to franchising, Weaver had a successful career, first working for Kmart Corp. 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,” says Weaver. “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 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.”
Looking ahead, the Patrice & Associates team is looking to find more qualified people to help expand in Michigan. Each new territory should bolster employment and help bridge the gap between companies and prospective employees in various industries beyond hospitality.
