Glass Doctor : Larry Patterson Turns a Failing Glass Doctor Into an Award Winner

This Glass Doctor profile features Larry Patterson, the brand's three-time Franchise Owner of the Year. Patterson bought a money-losing Glass Doctor franchise in 2003 with six employees — only one of whom was still there a month later, after others left or were terminated. He frames the business in mission terms: he sees ownership as the chance to interact in the lives of the people he has been given to shepherd through the business. The video's most operationally useful section is on hiring. Patterson is honest that for years he was the obstacle — hiring out of desperation while running everything else day-to-day, with no one focused full-time on bringing in the right people. Bringing in a full-time HR manager dedicated to recruiting and to making the business a great place to work was the catalyst for both growth and employee satisfaction. He's equally direct about pay. Paying people well so they aren't carrying financial stress into the workplace shows up repeatedly in the video as a non-negotiable part of how Patterson runs the business. Employees on camera reinforce it: a culture that feels like family, leadership development through books and intentional conversations, and genuine investment in the people who do the work. Patterson closes by attributing his third Franchise of the Year award to his team — specifically to how they handled a difficult Service Titan software launch in 2022, taking customer phone calls, managing complaints, and keeping the business operating through the transition. This watch page is part of the Glass Doctor content series on Franchise Direct.