Meet Laura Heiner

Leader of the "Mom Squad"

eet Laura Heiner, the leader of our “Mom Squad”. I’ve referred to our “Mom Squad” off and on over the last few months, but never explained the phrase. In November 2006, we were faced with a daunting deadline. I called my friend Laura and asked her if she knew anyone that could come in to help us out. 

      

That day, the “Mom Squad” was formed, when Laura called her network of friends, and they showed up the next day ready to work. Mom Squaders report to work after dropping off their kids at school, and they leave in time to pick them up. They are off when their kids have field trips or are home sick. They join our team when they are free or when we have work for them to do.

Laura, and the other moms, are incredibly hard workers. Before forming the “Mom Squad,” we called in temporary workers on a regular basis. We found that the moms are incredibly dedicated and grateful for a job that does not interfere with their primary duties as moms.

Laura and Glen, her husband of 16 years, have four kids: Lydia (12), Josiah (10), Abby (8) and Isaac (6). My daughter, Caiden (6), and Isaac have been in the same class together since Pre-school. Laura and I miss work together often to accompany our 1st graders on field trips. 

Everyone at Essential Wholesale knows that they can count on Laura for any project that needs to be done. When a project emerges, and no one has the time to do it, everyone says, “Ask Laura Heiner to do it”. Laura willingly takes on any and every project she is given. She floats throughout the building with ease and confidence no matter what department she is helping out in. When I am stressed out or overloaded, I can always count on Laura to send me a silly text message to lighten my load. We have shared many laughs. 

I can count on Laura for anything, at any time of day or night. She is the kind of friend who will be there for you no matter what, and will rally the troops in any situation. As mothers, we both understand that when the chaos of kids breaks out in the background, we are always mothers first. We can drop our conversation at a moment’s notice and pick it right back up when the kids are settled in. Kids are first for both of us, and that is just that in our world. 

I first met Laura when she was working at the school. I found myself gravitating towards her because she always had a smile on her face and was quick to laugh. She was the perfect person to form our “Mom Squad” because she knows everyone and is always looking for ways to network and help others.

Laura is constantly volunteering me for things, and I always return the favor. For a while, I called her my “event coordinator” because she even managed to set up speaking gigs for me. When she hears of a need, you can literally see her wheels turning as she thinks through her network of people and resources.

Laura wants to become a certified aromatherapist and is always eager to learn. She says, “Working for Essential Wholesale for the past year and a half has been more of a blessing than I can say! EW is a faith and family based company that I have grown to love and respect. As a mother of four precious children, I have always said, “I’m a mom first” and EW has supported me in this in that I can work “Mom Squad” hours so I can go home to my full time job. The naturally derived products I work with at EW supports my love for nature and the resources it provides”.