Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayleigh Spain.
Hi Kayleigh , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am the Director of Marketing for Spain Commercial, Inc., a commercial construction company based in Yorktown, Virginia. My career in construction has taken a somewhat unconventional path. I’ve been fortunate to combine two things I love—my connection to the blue-collar world and my passion for creativity, photography, video, and storytelling. Construction has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My father, Steve Spain, founded Spain Commercial 34 years ago through hard work, determination, and a lot of sacrifice. I didn’t just grow up hearing about construction—I grew up around it.
When I started working in the family business 15 years ago, I didn’t walk into an office and immediately become involved in marketing. I started at the bottom, doing the jobs that needed to be done. I swept floors. I removed toilets. Was framing, hanging sheetrock, jackhammering etc. I got dirty and experienced firsthand what it means to work in the field.
Those early experiences gave me something I wouldn’t trade for anything: a real understanding of commercial construction from the ground up. I saw the physical demands of the work, the long days, the problem-solving, and most importantly, the dedication and pride of the tradespeople who make these projects happen. My path into marketing happened during a very different season of my life. I had three children very close together, and at the time, there was a growing need for our family business to have a stronger marketing presence.
I stepped into that role because there was a need, and honestly, I thought it was going to be temporary.
But sometimes the things you never planned for become the things you were meant to do.
What started as a temporary role gradually became a permanent position. I discovered that I had a real passion for telling the story of our company and the people behind the work. My background in the field gave me a perspective that I felt was incredibly valuable—I understood what was happening on the job site, but I also had a creative side that allowed me to communicate that story in a completely different way.
I saw an opportunity to change the way people look at construction and the blue-collar community. Construction is often reduced to a finished building, but there is so much more to the story—the people, the craftsmanship, the problem-solving, the equipment, the long hours, and all of the work that happens behind the scenes.
As Marketing Director, I use photography, video, social media, and storytelling to bring those stories to life. I love showing people what they normally don’t get to see and giving them a different perspective on construction. consider myself a creative working in a very construction-driven industry. I love taking something that people may not normally think of as exciting and finding the story, beauty, or personality within it.
Whether I’m photographing a job site, creating a behind-the-scenes video, highlighting a subcontractor, showcasing a completed project, or simply capturing the people doing the work, I want people to understand that there is a story behind every building. Throughout my career, I’ve been flown to Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, participated in business panels, spoken on numerous podcasts, and been featured in various publications discussing social media marketing and how businesses can use digital platforms to tell their stories and connect with their audiences.
Those experiences have been incredibly rewarding, but what means the most to me is knowing that I’ve been able to bring a different perspective to an industry I grew up in.
’ve had my photography featured at Agora Gallery in New York, and more recently, my work documenting the construction world has been featured in art galleries closer to home.
This past year, I had the incredible honor of having my photography included in the 31 Women Art Exhibition at the Suffolk Art Gallery. The exhibition honored some of the most innovative women artists in the Mid-Atlantic, and I was incredibly proud to be one of them.
To me, that recognition means more than simply having a photograph displayed on a gallery wall. It represents the idea that there is beauty, creativity, and art in places where people may not always think to look.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It honestly hasn’t been a smooth road.
Along the way, I’ve heard the noise. I’ve heard, “You only take good pictures because you have a good camera.” I’ve been asked, “Do you really think you can grow your family’s business with this?” And there have been plenty of other comments that were far less kind.
For a long time, I thought that if I just worked hard enough and made it to a certain level, the doubters would disappear.
I remember thinking that maybe being invited to Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, or being featured in publications, speaking on podcasts, or having my photography displayed in galleries would somehow prove that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
I thought maybe then the criticism would stop.
But I learned that it doesn’t really work that way.
There will always be someone who doesn’t understand what you’re doing. Someone who questions your vision. Someone who thinks they know what you are capable of—or what you aren’t.
Something I learned at an early age was resilience.
And there is a quote that has always stuck with me:
“Don’t let the praise get to your head or the criticism get to your heart.”
I’ve carried that with me throughout my career.
The praise is wonderful. I’m incredibly grateful for the recognition, the opportunities, and the people who have encouraged me along the way. But I’ve also learned not to let the praise define me.
And just as importantly, I’ve learned not to let the criticism define me either.
I know how hard I’ve worked. I know where I started. I know how much I’ve learned, how much I’ve grown, and how much I still want to learn.
So I keep showing up.
I keep creating.
I keep telling the stories.
And I keep looking at construction through my own lens—because I’ve learned that sometimes the people who question your vision are simply not able to see what you see yet.
As you know, we’re big fans of Spain Commercial Inc.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Spain Commercial, Inc. is a family business with a real legacy. It was founded by my father 34 years ago, specializing in commercial construction, with healthcare construction becoming one of our primary niches.
But what makes Spain Commercial special isn’t just what we build. It’s who builds it.
Our tagline is “Our People Make the Difference,” and that isn’t just a slogan we put on a wall. We genuinely have good people, and we’ve worked hard to create a culture where people feel valued, respected, and taken care of.
I believe that when you take good care of your people, they take good care of your clients.
That has helped us build a team with an incredibly low turnover rate and employees who have been with us for many years. They know our clients, they understand our standards, and they take pride in what they do. That kind of consistency is something you can feel on a job site and see in the relationships we build.
Because ultimately, we believe in building relationships, not just projects.
Our work spans a wide range of industries—from healthcare and churches to senior living, retail, hospitality, and industrial spaces. Every project is different, but the goal remains the same: to build something our clients are proud of while building relationships that last long after the project is complete.
For me, that’s one of the greatest things about being part of Spain Commercial.
I’ve had a front-row seat to watch my father’s vision grow into something much bigger than a construction company. It has become a team, a culture, a family, and a legacy.
And I think that’s what makes Spain Commercial unique.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://spain-commercial.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaincommercialinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19S6mKJrNP/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/9040444/admin/dashboard/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spaininc8385
