"Sometimes you develop a passion for something because of some personal experience. That’s been my case. What a profound responsibility it is to recruit in the life sciences industry where we intend to help patients like Katelin and Jake to live longer and healthier lives as a result of the candidates we place" - Brenda Patterson, Founder & CEO
What #NoRest means to our founder
Introduction
Hi, I’m Brenda Patterson, known by many as “The Headhunter with Skin in the Game“. #NoRest until a cure is found is more than a hashtag. It’s personal.
It’s a promise to my children, every family, every patient, and every client I serve. It’s a commitment rooted in my faith and driven by my promise is to work hard, day in and day out, to place the right people in the right companies. Together, we can help people have hope.
My #NoRest mentality began in 1994. I had been an award-winning recruiter in the manufacturing sector since 1987 when my world changed:
My daughter Katelin was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.
My son Jake was diagnosed with Type1 Diabetes shortly after.
Doctors told me there were no cures. The weight of those diagnoses redefined my career – Recruiting was no longer a job. It became my mission. It became my career. I pivoted to the life sciences industry and founded JBK Search to connect really good people with really good companies who are working to solve serious problems.
Every time my son has a low sugar, each time I hear a story of a family impacted by chronic illness, it reignites my passion. It reminds me that no matter how far we’ve come (and we’ve come very far), there is still so much to be done. And every placement we make can help bring us closer.
#NoRest isn’t just a slogan; it’s my commitment to those who need hope the most.
The Personal Cost and Reward of the #NoRest Mentality
Living by the #NoRest mindset means long hours, personal sacrifices, and moments of doubt. But for me, those challenges are outweighed by the rewards—knowing that my efforts as a recruiter, and those of my clients and candidates might lead to easing suffering or extending someone’s life. It’s the belief that every placement of talent can spark the next breakthrough in medical research.
Defining Success in the Fight Against Disease
Success, to me, is about improving lives. It’s knowing that my work as a recruiter helped place the right people in the right roles, people who refuse to settle for “good enough.”
The Promise to #NoRest
My promise is simple: I’m committed to being a force that connects the best minds with the most innovative companies, working together to build a future where patients can live longer and healthier lives.
