Meet Kristin Schaer

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kristin Schaer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kristin, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

Where I Get My Work Ethic From….

People often ask me where my drive comes from and how I keep pushing forward, balancing entrepreneurship, family, leadership, and everything in between. The truth is, I didn’t learn to work hard in a boardroom. I learned it on the court, on the track, and around a Midwest kitchen table where hard work wasn’t a talking point, it was just what you did.

Growing up in the Midwest, you’re raised with a certain set of values that become part of your DNA — humility, accountability, and the simple belief that your word matters. If you say you’re going to do something, you do it. You don’t wait for recognition or applause. You show up, you roll up your sleeves, and you figure it out.

That mindset has never left me. It’s the quiet kind of toughness that doesn’t need to be announced. It’s showing up to shovel a neighbor’s driveway before they even ask. It’s saying “I’ve got it” when things get hard. It’s pride in a job well done and not because someone’s watching, but because you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sports Taught Me More Than Winning Ever Could….

Basketball and track were my world growing up and I carried that all the way into college. Competing taught me discipline and grit, but also teamwork, accountability, and how to bounce back after failure.

I learned that your attitude on the days you don’t feel like showing up says far more about you than the days when everything clicks. I learned how to lead, how to follow, and how to get back up when you’re flat on your back after a hard loss.

Those lessons became the foundation for how I operate today as a recruiter, a business owner, a mom, and a leader. When things get tough (and they always do), I fall back on that athlete mindset: push through, trust the process, control what you can, and keep your eyes on the bigger goal.

Lessons From My Greatest Role Model….

But the real foundation of my work ethic came from my mom. She was ahead of her time a woman who broke barriers long before it was popular or easy. She fought for leadership roles in an era when women had to fight twice as hard to be taken seriously. By the time she retired, she had hundreds of people under her leadership. When she passed, I’ll never forget standing at her funeral and seeing that same long line of people who had once worked for her, there to pay their respects.

They told stories about her strength, her fairness, and her belief in people. They shared how she changed their careers and lives. That day, I realized something powerful, leadership isn’t about control; it’s about care. And legacy isn’t about titles or paychecks; it’s about people.

And Now…

At West End Workforce, that legacy lives on in how we operate. We don’t chase vanity metrics or quick wins. We focus on connection, follow-through, and doing what we say we’re going to do because that’s what builds trust.

My mom’s voice, those Midwest roots, and the lessons learned from being an athlete all combine into one guiding principle for me: be the person people can count on.

Because at the end of the day, work ethic isn’t about hours or hustle it’s about consistency. It’s showing up with intention. It’s treating people with respect. It’s striving for excellence, even when no one’s looking.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

At my core, I’m a connector. I’ve spent my career helping people find their place not just a job, but a role that lights them up and contributes to something meaningful. That’s what ultimately led me to partner with West End Workforce (W|E) a women-owned, women-led recruitment platform built by operators, not just recruiters.

We’re a mission-driven organization that believes in leading with empathy, integrity, and purpose. Our team brings together decades of experience across technology, healthcare, engineering, and government but what truly sets us apart is the heart behind the work. We understand what it takes to build, scale, and sustain growth-mode organizations because we’ve done it ourselves.

We partner with growth-mode organizations from tech startups and healthcare innovators to federal and tribal agencies to help them build the teams that shape their future. What makes West End special is how we do it. We combine white-glove service, deep industry fluency, and data-backed strategy to create real, lasting partnerships. We don’t just fill seats we build teams that can scale and sustain.

What excites me most about our work is the intersection between people and purpose. We get to help visionary companies grow, while helping talented professionals find careers that truly align with who they are. Every placement we make has a ripple effect one that impacts families, communities, and industries.

West End is built on values that run deep for me personally authentic relationships, integrity, and grit. Our culture mirrors the same qualities that have shaped my own career: hard work, accountability, and the belief that we rise by lifting others.

Right now, we’re in an incredible phase of growth. We’ve expanded into multiple verticals including technology, healthcare, federal/tribal government, and engineering and we’re partnering with some of the most innovative organizations in the country. We’re also scaling our internal team, bringing in senior-level recruiters and client managers who share our entrepreneurial spirit.

What’s ahead is even more exciting. We’re evolving our model to include Recruiting-as-a-Service (RaaS) a subscription-based offering that gives companies ongoing access to a full recruiting team at a predictable monthly cost. It’s transforming how organizations think about talent acquisition moving away from transactional recruiting toward partnership-driven workforce strategy.

At the end of the day, West End Workforce is about people, the ones building, hiring, leading, and dreaming. We believe that when great people come together with purpose, growth happens naturally.

That’s what I want folks to know about our brand that we’re not just recruiters. We’re builders, partners, and believers in what’s possible when you align heart with hustle.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three Most Important Qualities, Skills, and Areas of Knowledge

Looking back, there are three qualities that have shaped every chapter of my journey both personally and professionally: grit, empathy, and curiosity.

1. Grit — The Power of Showing Up, Always

I learned early on that consistency beats talent every time. Whether it was 6 a.m. basketball practices in college or late nights building West End Workforce, success rarely comes from a single moment it comes from showing up day after day, even when it’s hard, even when no one’s watching.

For anyone early in their journey: build your grit muscle. Be the person who keeps going when others stop. You don’t need to have all the answers you just need to keep moving forward.

2. Empathy + The Foundation of Leadership

Empathy has been one of the most valuable tools in my leadership toolkit. It’s what allows you to connect, to listen, and to lead people not just manage them. In recruiting and in business, people remember how you make them feel far more than what you say.

To strengthen this skill, spend time understanding people’s “why.” Ask more questions. Assume positive intent. True empathy doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations it means having them with compassion and respect.

3. Curiosity which is the Fuel for Growth

Curiosity keeps you evolving. It’s what drives innovation, adaptability, and relevance and especially in fast-changing industries like tech and healthcare. I’ve never been afraid to ask questions, learn from others, or pivot when something isn’t working.

If you’re early in your career, stay curious. Read broadly, network intentionally, and surround yourself with people who think differently than you do. Curiosity opens doors you didn’t even know existed.

If I could offer one piece of advice to anyone starting out, it would be this: build your foundation on character, not convenience.

Work hard, care deeply, and stay curious and those three things will carry you through every phase of your career.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

A Book (and Mindset) That Changed Everything: The Let Them Theory

One of the most impactful pieces of wisdom I’ve come across isn’t from a traditional leadership book it’s from a mindset that’s been circulating widely: The Let Them Theory, inspired by Mel Robbins.

The premise is simple but powerful essentially let people be who they are. Let them talk, act, or make choices that reflect their path, not yours. For someone like me a leader, a mom, a mentor, and someone who naturally wants to fix, guide, and help this idea stopped me in my tracks.

What The Let Them Theory taught me is that peace comes from release, not control. You can’t control how people show up, what they value, or whether they meet you halfway but you can control how you respond. You can control your energy, your boundaries, and your effort.

It’s been a huge shift for me both personally and professionally. In business, I’ve learned to let people show me who they are (in all areas) clients, candidates, even team members. In leadership, it’s helped me focus on coaching and empowering rather than over-managing. And in life, it’s reminded me that everyone’s timeline is different including my own.

The most impactful takeaway for me which was inspired by this book is ideally when you stop chasing what isn’t aligned, you make room for what is.

That’s been a game-changer. It’s helped me protect my energy, lead with intention, and trust that what’s meant for me won’t require force just faith, focus, and follow-through.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://westendworkforce.com/
• Instagram: @wearewestend
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/west-end-workforce/

Image Credits

Nitka Design & Photo