Positively Planful: Meet Laura Holmes

Positively Planful is our way of inviting you inside our company to learn who we really are, especially if you’re considering a career at Planful. We interview members of our team and share a glimpse into their lives. It also lets you meet those you might not regularly see on our website or at our events, but who equally contribute to our overall success.

Laura Holmes is Senior Director, Sales Enablement at Planful. She helps ensure our Sales team has the resources and support needed to get FP&A teams excited about bringing Planful into their organizations. Laura has been with Planful for almost 2 years, and previously worked at Salesforce.

Elisa Forbes, a People Programs Manager at Planful, interviewed Laura to learn more about her time at Planful, her softball skills, and her three children. Let’s see what she had to say.

Elisa: What is your favorite part of the workday?

Laura: My favorite part of the workday is definitely being in our team meetings, interacting with sales leaders, reps and peers. Just being on the calls, hearing the banter go back and forth, working on things together, and helping each other get better. 

Elisa: You were an athlete in college. Tell us about your athletic journey.

Laura: I was a softball player, a pitcher, actually and played since I was 5 years old. Softball was my life, and really sports were my life. Sports taught me everything about perseverance and being part of a team. Probably the biggest lesson I use every day is that it’s really not about me, it’s about our team. If I am able to make a positive impact on someone’s life, that’s what is most important. So every interaction I have with a teammate, I want them to walk away feeling like our conversation has helped them  improve. And me, too!

The team camaraderie you build together is important, especially in softball. But also, there’s a lot of individual play and skills that players bring to a team. Everyone has to know their role and execute it well. I’ve loved being part of a team my whole life and that’s where I’m most comfortable.

Elisa: Do you still play or coach softball?

Laura: No! Softball is a dangerous sport! That ball is hard and the field is small. Absolutely not. I still give pitching lessons, and was a college coach for a while, but transitioned into a sales career. 

Elisa: You have 3 kids. Is there anything that you did as a kid that your kids now do?

Laura: They are all different, but there are little parts of my husband and me in each kid. My oldest is most like me: a big-time rule follower, she likes to make lists, she’s very organized and particular. But, she’s also very free-spirited and fun, like my husband. My middle gal is just a whole lot of fire. She comes in hot, and she will definitely be the wild child. And, our youngest is a lot like both of us. We both liked to get attention from our parents growing up, always seeking approval. He just turned 2 and he always likes to show us stuff. He’ll get our attention and always wants us to see what he’s doing. 

They’re all still little, 2, 5, and 7, but there are lots of things during the day where you just roll your eyes and laugh because it’s something you did as a kid. And then the grandparents laugh and have a good time at your expense. 

Elisa: What’s something that made you smile recently?

Laura: Yesterday was my birthday and my husband surprised me by taking me out to dinner. With the pandemic, there are no reservations so I expected a wait. But our best friends were already at the table, so it was like a little, mini surprise. It was really a great treat. I wasn’t expecting much, but these days you really appreciate the little things. As we say in our house, ‘We gotta go for singles and just get on base. We’re not going for homeruns right now.’

Now you know a bit more about Laura Holmes, a member of our sales enablement team. We’re grateful to have Laura, her respect for the team, and her positive outlook all working for Planful. 
Let us know what you think about this glimpse into Planful. We’re Positively Planful that if our people-first attitude sounds like a good fit for you, you should check out our Careers page.