STEPHANIE MAYFIELD stood atop the roof, the wind whipping through her hair and the vast expanse of the sky stretching before her. The freshly cut wood and the scent of asphalt shingles collided, baking under the sun. Every nail she hammered down resonated with the strength she had developed through years of trials and triumphs. Her fingers worked methodically, each motion reflecting the persistence she had built within herself.
Mayfield had a tumultuous upbringing, facing numerous challenges that could have defeated anyone. She dealt with a dysfunctional family, a sick sibling, and mental and chronic illness. Despite these obstacles, she perseveres every day. All of her setbacks somehow became the catalyst that helped her achieve her childhood dream of defying expectations and building a future — both literally and figuratively.
Born into the realm of flooring with her father’s business, Mayfield’s love for construction bloomed early. But unlike her father, who focused on interiors, Mayfield felt a calling to the open sky.
“The first time I got on a roof, I was in love,” she admitted.
At a young age, her father instilled in her the belief that she could achieve anything she set her mind to and that no dream was too far out of reach.
He reminded her, “We can be absolutely anything we want to be if we put in the work and refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer or disrespect.”
Making the decision to start her own company was challenging for her. But after losing a dear family member, she finally found the courage to take the leap. The pain of losing her brother opened her eyes to the harsh reality that, as a woman, she would always be judged differently, regardless of how much she accomplished. So, she decided not to let limitations hold her back from bringing her childhood dreams to life.
One day, while lying on a massage table, she asked God for a sign and poured out her heart to Him. He finally gave her a sign that made her realize it was time to start her own company. She knew that as soon as she got off the table, she would take the leap and start her own business.
“Your Roofing Gal was born out of the biggest heartache I had ever experienced personally or professionally. I know my big brother is cheering me on from the big blue yonder.”
Despite finding construction work empowering, she still faces stereotyping and disrespect at times due to being a female in a male-dominated industry.
“There are always going to be some of those ‘bad egg boys’ that don’t respect me as a woman of my craft,” she admitted.
But Mayfield persists.
“I bring the feminine side of things. I look at the desires of a homeowner the same way I would my own home, and men can’t always grasp the same vision a woman has.”
This perspective became her superpower. She always knew that she would one day own her own construction business and wanted to build great things not just for herself but for other girls, too. Mayfield learned construction from the best of Middle Tennessee to the great Alaskan frontier to the flatlands of Kansas, which gave her an arsenal of wisdom and knowledge to hold on to.
Mayfield shared how her work reaffirms that she is fulfilling her calling.
“With every roof I step on, with every driver that sees my huge logo on my truck, people are seeing a woman do what they didn’t think a woman could do.”
With each shingle she lays, she’s building a movement, supporting local nonprofits, and finding new ways to use her business to stay involved with her community.
As an ambassador for the Tullahoma Noon Rotary, she’s spearheading initiatives to enrich playgrounds and promote literacy by building and donating library boxes to local parks.
She hopes to have a library box in every neighborhood soon.
Leadership comes naturally to Mayfield, but her infectious enthusiasm and never-ending support for other women make her a true leader. Her message to young girls is particularly powerful.
“Lock yourself in. Life is about learning what truly brings fire into your soul.”
She wants to shatter the mold of societal expectations and empower girls to chase their dreams, no matter how unconventional.
“Your career path or even educational path does not have to make sense to anyone on this earth other than you,” she said. “I got a degree in accounting because that is what ‘made sense’ to others. As a mentor, my goal is to help kids listen to their own voices and hearts. So many children live in the box of forced ideas from their parents, from school, [and] from society.”
As Mayfield’s company grows, her vision remains the same.
“I look forward to hiring and training other women to be rockstars in construction. I want to have a successful business while impacting and enriching as many lives as I can within Southern Middle Tennessee,” she said. “True change starts at home in your own community, and I am dedicated to that. Big change starts in small places.” GN
