Rachelle Bauer expands staffing work for veterans, mothers and professionals

Rachelle Bauer, founder of Workforce Connections and co-founder of Veteran Connections, is building staffing ventures in Missouri that connect veterans, working mothers and other professionals with flexible jobs and career paths. Her latest move is the Mission Forward Fund, set to launch Nov. 19 in Webster Groves to support veteran-owned businesses with equity-free growth grants.

Why it matters: - Rachelle Bauer’s firms are aimed at widening access to work for veterans, mothers and other professionals who need meaningful, flexible opportunities. - The Mission Forward Fund is designed to help veteran-owned businesses grow, create jobs and strengthen local communities.

What happened: - Bauer is the Founder and Managing Partner of Workforce Connections, a women-owned staffing and recruiting firm based in Webster Groves, Missouri. - Bauer is also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Veteran Connections, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Disability-Owned staffing firm. - Workforce Connections holds Women’s Business Enterprise status. - Veteran Connections is recognized as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business and a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise. - Bauer has more than 25 years of experience in staffing. - Bauer will launch the Mission Forward Fund with Veteran Connections on Nov. 19, 2026, at Highway 61 Roadhouse in Webster Groves, Missouri.

The details: - Workforce Connections launched in 2021 after Bauer and business partner Lori Eaton spent years discussing building a company together. - Bauer’s earlier staffing leadership roles included work driving organizational growth, building teams, managing client partnerships and creating workforce solutions. - Bauer co-founded Veteran Connections with Army veteran Michael Hurtado to help veterans translate military experience into civilian careers. - Bauer created FleXWork, a flexible employment program inspired by challenges working mothers face in balancing work and family. - FleXWork also serves professionals from many backgrounds who want more flexible opportunities. - Bauer earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Kansas State University. - Bauer completed the Women’s Leadership Forum at Washington University in St. Louis’s Olin Business School in 2014. - Bauer also completed WeTHRIVE, WBENC’s executive education program for women-owned businesses. - Bauer’s memberships include the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Vetworking. - Bauer and her team support The VetWork, the St. Louis Veteran’s Ball and H.E.R.O.E.S. Care. - In late 2025, the team organized a food drive for the Jefferson Barracks Military & Veterans Food Pantry. - In early 2026, the team wrote letters for veterans in the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois. - Bauer served nine years on the board of a United Way-supported childcare organization. - Bauer has supported the Shawn Harkness scholarship fund for more than 20 years.

Between the lines: - Bauer’s model ties staffing to a broader people-first philosophy, with emphasis on respect, authenticity and honest communication. - Bauer sees artificial intelligence as both a major opportunity and a major challenge for the labor market, with some roles evolving and new careers emerging. - Bauer’s advice to young women in staffing centers on building relationships early and treating networking as a long-term habit. - Bauer’s focus on veteran entrepreneurship suggests Veteran Connections is expanding beyond job placement into business-building support.

What's next: - Veteran Connections will host the inaugural Mission Forward Fund event on Nov. 19, 2026, in Webster Groves. - The event will feature live music from the Whiskey Drifters, food and a fundraiser for veteran-owned businesses. - The Fund plans to offer equity-free growth grants to veteran entrepreneurs. - Bauer and her partners aim to use the initiative to help veteran-owned businesses scale and create jobs.

The bottom line: - Bauer is using staffing, mentorship and community partnerships to build pathways into work and ownership for veterans, mothers and other job seekers. - Her recognition from St. Louis Small Business Monthly and Profiles in Leadership Journal reflects growing visibility for that approach. - St. Louis Small Business Monthly named Workforce Connections a 2024 Future 50 company and included Bauer in its 2024 Top 100 People to Know in St. Louis. - The publication also named Bauer a 2026 Wonder Woman, and Profiles in Leadership Journal named her a Woman Worth Watching in Leadership. - More information is available through Rachelle Bauer's profile and Workforce Connections.