Former Google Headhunter Uses Patrice & Associates Franchise to Help Unemployed Recruiters

Dennis Carpenter’s journey to becoming a franchise owner began with a diverse career, starting in the military at 18 and transitioning to a recruiter role during 9/11. After leaving the U.S. Army in 2004, he utilized his skills in the civilian world, working for General Dynamics, Honeywell, Ford Motor Company, Raytheon and Google. However, the volatility in big tech during early 2023, marked by massive layoffs — including his own — prompted him to reconsider his career path.

Uncertain about his next steps but financially stable enough to explore new opportunities, Carpenter was led to explore franchising after receiving a serendipitous message on LinkedIn from The Entrepreneur Source. “[A] call with them led me to explore franchising. One of the franchises presented to me was Patrice & Associates. Initially, I was resistant, but the more I discussed it, the more it made sense to continue in recruiting, where I had 24 years of experience.”

Prior to becoming a franchisee, Carpenter had limited knowledge of franchising and perceived it as a costly venture, involving substantial liquid assets or investors. He soon realized, though, that joining an established brand like Patrice & Associates offered significant advantages over starting a business from the ground up. “What made me pick Patrice & Associates was the fact that I could start working immediately,” Carpenter said. “On day one, I had things to work on, and I didn’t have to go out and find clients from scratch.”

Looking ahead, Carpenter hopes to grow his business and potentially offer opportunities to other unemployed recruiters. While he is comfortable managing his business independently, he remains open to building a team to help others in the industry. His key advice to potential franchise owners is to take the plunge without delay: “Stop procrastinating and just do it. The one thing I never wanted in life was regret. You never know if you don’t do it.”

1851 Franchise spoke to Carpenter about his franchise journey with Patrice & Associates and his plans for the future.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Dennis Carpenter: I joined the military at 18 and was selected by the Army to become a recruiter. I was an Army recruiter during 9/11, which was a very significant time in terms of recruiting. I got out of the Army in 2004 and took the skills I acquired and put those to use in the civilian world. I went to work for General Dynamics, a military defense contractor. In the last 20 years, I’ve been a full-time recruiter. I’ve worked with companies like General Dynamics, Honeywell, Ford Motor Company, Raytheon and, most recently, Google.

While I loved working with Google, it was a very tough time in terms of the economy and big tech. In January of 2023, there were massive layoffs — about 144,000 people in a week or two-week period. It was very scary logging into your computer every morning, wondering if your credentials would work. Several layoffs occurred on my team, and after surviving multiple rounds, my day came on October 23rd. I was in the midst of giving a presentation to my entire team when I saw an email from my VP, indicating my layoff.

I wasn’t sure what was next, but I’ve always been smart with my money, so I could afford not to work for a year or two. However, I felt that my identity was tied to my career and I needed to find something to do. I received a message on LinkedIn from the Entrepreneur Source, and a call with them led me to explore franchising. One of the franchises presented to me was Patrice & Associates. Initially, I was resistant, but the more I discussed it, the more it made sense to continue in recruiting, where I had 24 years of experience.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Carpenter: Truth be told, I didn’t know a lot about franchising. When I thought of franchising, I imagined opening a Planet Fitness or a McDonald’s, where you need a million dollars liquid or investors. I think many recruiters, including myself, get this idea that if we can do this for someone else, we can do it for ourselves. While that may be true, the struggle of generating your own business and customers can be significant.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Carpenter: What made me pick Patrice & Associates was the fact that I could start working immediately. On day one, I had things to work on, and I didn’t have to go out and find clients from scratch. The system had open requisitions, and other franchisees were bringing in customers. I could work the requisitions in the system and be fine. The ability to start making placements from day one without having to generate my own business was very appealing.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Carpenter: The thought of growing my business has crossed my mind. I know a lot of recruiters right now who are unemployed, and I would be willing to offer them opportunities to join my team if it would help them. One of the reasons I purchased this franchise was to help others. While building a team is a possibility, I am also comfortable being responsible for myself and managing my business alone.

I would like to add, every requisition we receive gets presented to the entire Patrice & Associates company, so while I may not be managing others, there are 200+ recruiters that can work on every open position. When I work with a customer, they don’t just get me working on their role, but an entire army of recruiters around the country that are motivated to find the best candidate for the role and get it filled as quickly as possible.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Carpenter: Stop procrastinating and just do it. When I spoke with other franchisees, they all said they wished they had done it sooner. There is a financial investment, but this is your business, and you can run it how you see fit. The VP of franchising connected me with other individuals like myself, and I tell potential franchisees the same things I was told: stop procrastinating. The one thing I never wanted in life was regret. I never wanted to lay down at night and wonder what it would have been like if I had bought that franchise. You never know if you don’t do it.

About Patrice & Associates

Patrice & Associates is a recruiting franchise that helps thousands of managerial and executive level candidates every year find rewarding jobs in the hospitality industry and beyond. With strong brand recognition, a flexible business model and a growing footprint, Patrice & Associates has established itself as a leading franchise opportunity in the staffing industry.

Today, with over 175 units in the U.S. and Canada, Patrice & Associates is the largest hospitality executive search firm in the country.