How Kristin Heideman Built a Lifestyle Business and Redefined Success in the Insurance Industry
Some careers evolve slowly over time. Others shift in a single moment. For Kristin Heideman, that moment arrived the day she lost the job that had given her the most successful year of her professional life. Instead of panicking, she walked into Best Buy the next morning, bought a laptop, and registered her business the following day. That decision marked the beginning of The Brinkman Group, a recruiting firm that reflects who she is, how she works, and what she values.
Kristin did not plan to become an entrepreneur. She did not grow up dreaming about running a company. She simply knew she was good at connecting people, understood the insurance industry from the inside, and was no longer willing to build revenue for organizations that did not recognize her value. That clarity guided her toward a business that now supports her financially and gives her the autonomy that traditional corporate roles never could.
From the front desk to deep industry expertise
Kristin entered insurance the way many women do. She answered a newspaper ad because she needed a job close to her son’s school. She did not know what liability meant or how endorsements worked. She learned everything on the job, often staying late to make sure the work was done correctly. Those early years exposed her to the inner workings of an industry many people consider boring, yet one that is rich with long term opportunity.
What stood out to her was the imbalance. Women were the ones doing the detailed work. They were the ones typing the ID cards, preparing the documents, and making sure clients received what they needed. They were also the ones driving home in older cars after long days, while higher earners ended their workdays midafternoon.
Kristin realized that if she wanted a different future, she needed to advance. She got licensed, built experience across multiple roles, and learned how to interpret the needs of agencies, carriers, and clients. Those years gave her a foundation that most recruiters never have. She understands the work because she lived it.
The insurance industry’s hidden potential
Insurance is rarely described as exciting, yet it offers something few industries can match. It is stable in all economic cycles, essential in every market, and full of high earning roles. Kristin quickly learned that account managers, producers, and specialists can build powerful careers once they gain experience and confidence.
Women are not underrepresented in the field. They are underrepresented in leadership and high earning functions. Kristin saw this early and made it part of her mission to help more women enter roles that reflect their actual skills. A major shift is coming. With large numbers of seasoned professionals retiring, there is a growing need for new talent who can step into technical and client facing positions. Kristin encourages women to take advantage of this moment because the opportunity curve is rising faster than most people realize.
The courageous pivot to entrepreneurship
When her recruiting job ended, Kristin faced a choice. She could return to a cubicle and follow a script that rewarded volume and cold calls. Or she could trust herself and build a business rooted in relationships, accuracy, and genuine connection.
She chose the latter. The Brinkman Group was born in two days. She decided that every placement would reflect her personal standards. She would lean on experience, consistency, and instinct. She would stay focused on insurance rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
This decision became the foundation of her success. She built a business around quality instead of quantity. She decided not to chase scale for the sake of ego. Instead, she chose a model that fits the life she wants.
A lifestyle business with intention and clarity
Many entrepreneurs are told to scale at all costs. Add more staff. Add more tools. Add more systems. Grow fast or risk falling behind. Kristin watched those messages closely and realized they did not align with her values.
She wanted a strong income, personal freedom, and the ability to deliver meaningful results without drowning in operational burden. She chose a lifestyle business deliberately. Her goal is not to build the largest firm in the market. It is to build one that allows her to stay present, stay sharp, and stay in control of her quality.
Kristin supports her work with a small group of contractors but remains the person who guides every candidate and every client. Her reputation depends on it. She believes good recruiting is personal, not transactional.
The power of consistency in a crowded market
One of the strongest elements of her business is her voice. Kristin posts consistently on LinkedIn, not with scripts or bots, but with honesty, humor, and clarity. She shares insights from the field, challenges outdated hiring practices, and brings attention to opportunities many people overlook. Her authenticity has brought her clients she had never spoken to before. It has also brought referrals from people she did not even know were watching.
This is where her approach stands out. She did not build her company through paid ads or mass email blasting. She built it by showing up regularly and speaking directly to the people she serves.
The evolving landscape of insurance hiring
The industry is shifting quickly. Remote work, hybrid expectations, rising traffic issues, and changing family needs are shaping how talent evaluates opportunities. Some employers have adapted. Others are still clinging to rigid structures that no longer match the realities of modern life.
Kristin spends a significant amount of time educating agencies on what candidates want, what the market is dictating, and how flexibility often determines whether a role gets filled. Some companies listen and hire well. Others do not and continue struggling.
Her perspective is simple. If you want top talent in a competitive market, you must evolve with it.
Building community for women in recruiting and HR
Entrepreneurship can feel isolating, especially for women working in specialized fields. Kristin knew she needed community, so she created one. KC Recruit Her began as a small gathering in Kansas City and quickly became a place where recruiters, HR leaders, and agency owners could connect and share real experiences.
The group meets monthly and offers something that conferences often lose. Honesty. Practicality. Shared wisdom. No ticket price. No barrier to entry. Kristin built what she wished existed when she started, and it has become a meaningful source of connection for women in the region.
Confidence as the throughline of her story
There is a reason people trust her. She is direct. She is clear. She asks questions others avoid. She has always had a natural belief in her ability to figure things out, and that belief is what carried her through the hardest parts of her career. Confidence for her is not perfection. It is momentum. It is choosing action when fear suggests otherwise.
Her work now helps other women see their own potential with the same clarity she finally recognized in herself.
A new chapter on the horizon
Her next step is the launch of her new podcast, Outspoken and Overbooked. It will feature candid conversations about business, confidence, health, and the daily realities women navigate. Like her work, it will be personal, direct, and unapologetically real.
The story of The Brinkman Group is a story about clarity, self trust, and refusing to follow a path that does not fit. It is also a reminder that success does not need to look a certain way. It can be small, sharp, profitable, and deeply aligned with the life you want.
Kristin Heideman built a business on her own terms. She chose freedom over scale, quality over volume, and confidence over fear. Her journey is proof that women can define success for themselves and build something powerful without losing themselves in the process.
Guest Contact
Kristin Heideman
Founder, The Brinkman Group
Website: thebrinkmangroup.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristin-heideman-a1076b46
