Match Maker

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

- Nina Zipkin

Most people don’t wait 20 years to franchise a business, but Patrice Rice isn’t most people.

Back in 1989, after having worked as a pet store owner, a caterer, and the first female captain on the Chesapeake Bay, 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.