31 Dec 2025 Five-Oh-Ones to Watch 2026: Deryan ‘D’ Coleman
By Tammy Keith
Deryan “D” Coleman didn’t have to think twice about what profession to pursue. “Actually, my profession chose me,” he said. He is a third-generation auto technician, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, Willie Coleman Sr., who started in 1969. He’s only heard stories about the man. “He was a pioneer in his days,” Coleman said.
He learned at the knee of his father, the late Glenn Coleman. “I learned all about the automotive industry and how to change oil when I was about 12 years old,” he said.
Coleman, who calls Little Rock home, is executive director of Trades 4Life, a nonprofit organization he started about four years ago that partners with volunteers from 40 different businesses to teach youth hands-on skills.
His passion is to empower young people because he believes students need other options besides college or sports.
“Because our youth are our future, Trades 4Life believes the youth will need these essential trade skills: electrical, plumbing, HVAC, automotive and more,” he said. “Receiving hands-on trade training can lead to stable, fulfilling and lucrative career paths. Trades 4Life would like to be recognized for building a strong legacy of work ethic, empowering youth, fostering entrepreneurship and developing essential skilled trades and life skills.”
Coleman is committed to the next generation in all areas, and he gives of his time to make that happen. In addition to working with youth during his quarterly workshops, he has volunteered on the sixth-grade campus of North Little Rock School District, as well as at Lisa Academy West, Motivate One, 100 Black Men of Greater Little Rock and Little Rock JobCorps.
Leslie Williams, who is on the Trades 4Life Board of Directors, said she and Coleman are like family, and her grandson is named for him. Her beauty salon has been across from his business, Coleman & Son Automotive, for 25 years.
“It started out, we used to have block parties for the kids and give them school supplies and things like that,” she said. However, Coleman decided too many students were wasting time on technology, and he wanted to teach them hands-on skills.
“He’s always talking about repetition,’’ Williams said. ‘If you do something back to back to back, it will become part of you. His thing that sticks with me, repetition and ‘reach one, teach one.’ Everyone has skills, and what he’s doing is taking it and magnifying that. It’s turned out to be a pretty good success.”
In his spare time, Coleman enjoys restoring classic vehicles and traveling with his wife, Monica. He keeps busy and entertained as a girl dad to D’Ryah and Raeghan.
Coleman’s advice for anyone who wants to serve the community is simple: “Do what you say you’re going to do. When you stay consistent and committed, the work will truly speak for itself,” he said.
Even with his expertise, there are challenges in his job, but he wants young people to experience the satisfaction of working, building and repairing with their own hands.
Coleman’s favorite quote is from dynamic motivational speaker Les Brown, who said, “If you do what’s easy, your life will be hard. But if you do what’s hard, your life will be easy.”
He also knows this: Some skills are just better handed down.
