At just 18, Jarod Coffman found himself leading a 20-person framing crew on a major project. He wasn’t eased into leadership. He was dropped into it. What followed was a crash course in communication, pressure, and growth — the kind of lessons you can only learn by doing.
His experience offers a clear message to anyone entering the trades: real leadership starts early, and the best way to learn is to show up and do the work.
We sat down with Jarod Coffman of Coffman Construction for an episode of the Good Contractor podcast to talk about leadership, learning on the job, and what it means to do good work in the trades.
Leadership Doesn’t Wait for a Promotion
Leadership in the trades doesn’t wait for a promotion. It doesn’t come after a management course or years of experience behind a desk. Sometimes, it shows up without warning, and the only choice is to step forward or fall behind. That’s what happened to Jarod Coffman.
At 18, Jarod was handed a major framing job — two five-plex townhomes, 13,000 square feet, and a crew of 20. He wasn’t just there to lend a hand. He was expected to lead.
The plan was for Jarod to co-lead the crew alongside two seasoned foremen. But the first day on-site, one was dealing with a family emergency, and the other stopped showing up altogether. Suddenly, it was Jarod’s project.
This wasn’t a school exercise. It was real work with real consequences. Delays, budget concerns, and safety risks were all part of the job. And every one of them now landed on someone barely out of high school.
Step Up Even When You’re Not “Ready”
Most of the crew Jarod managed was older than him. More experienced. In some cases, skeptical. Earning their trust wasn’t automatic — it had to be built day by day, through action. Jarod had to speak up, make decisions, and keep the job moving. And he had to do it while still figuring out who he was as a leader.
“I’m a very non-confrontational person,” Jarod admitted. “That’s definitely something I need to grow in — being able to say what needs to be said.”
He learned quickly that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being willing to figure things out. It’s about keeping the crew on track when things go wrong, and knowing when to step in — or when to step back and listen. The soft skills that matter most — communication, confidence, and patience — aren’t optional in the trades. They’re required.
Don’t Wait for a Title — Earn It
The project didn’t go perfectly. It took longer than expected, and there were lessons learned the hard way. But the job got done. The buildings stand today, and so does the experience that shaped Jarod’s career.
Being placed in charge before most people have their first full-time job taught Jarod to think on his feet and adapt under pressure. “I didn’t just sink in it,” he said. “I started kicking and paddling and figuring it out”
This is what the trades do best. They give young people a chance to lead. They give space to grow by doing. They hand over real responsibility, not just to test you, but to teach you. It’s not about getting it right every time. It’s about showing up, taking ownership, and improving with every job.
Leadership Isn’t the Finish Line — It’s the Job
Jarod’s leadership didn’t stop once the framing job was over. It evolved. Today, he mentors others, both on job sites and through his online platforms.
Whether it’s mentoring a new crew member or sharing knowledge with young builders on YouTube, he’s passing along what he’s learned. Not from a textbook. From experience. From being the one people relied on before he even had the title.
“I love teaching it — whether to guys on our crew or through video,” he said. And while the content started small, [YouTube] quickly turned into something bigger. “It wasn’t anything I made money on until recently,” Jarod said. “I just did it for fun and because I wanted to share what I knew. The goal wasn’t to gain followers. It was to give back. “I was inspired by others, so I wanted to be that person for someone else.”
This is the kind of leadership that lasts, not built on job titles or seniority, but on showing up for others and passing knowledge down the line.
No Shortcuts, Just Show Up
Not everyone gets the chance to lead a crew at 18. But in the trades, leadership doesn’t wait. It happens in the middle of the work, when the stakes are real and there’s no one else to make the call.
“You’ll get as much out of it as you’re going to put into it,” Jarod said, reflecting on how growth happens in the trades. And for new workers, he offered a challenge: “Start to apply your own mind… you’re building your own value.”
The trades grow leaders through pressure, repetition, and hard days that demand more than just skill — they demand purpose.
This work is hard work. But it’s also good work. And stories like Jarod’s remind us what it looks like when someone accepts that challenge and rises with it. You don’t wait to be ready. You get ready by doing. And if you’re lucky, you help others do the same.
Do Good Work
Jarod’s story reflects what Do Good Work is all about — taking pride in the hard stuff, showing up when it matters, and stepping into responsibility before most people expect you to.
Jarod’s story shows that the trades aren’t just about tools and tasks. They’re about people. They’re about showing up, stepping up, and learning how to lead — even when you’re not ready. Especially when you’re not ready.
That’s the difference between a job and a career built with purpose. And it’s why doing good work often means more than just getting it done — it means growing while you do it.
This is the heart of the Do Good Work campaign. It’s not just about celebrating the final product. It’s about recognizing the people behind it. It’s about the moments of growth that happen when no one else wants the responsibility, and someone like Jarod steps up and takes it anyway.
