Ronald Tucker and Teddy Coleman have been down like two flat tires since childhood, building brotherhood, an unbreakable bond, and a storied history in South Jamaica, Queens— and in more recent years, Level Windows & Doors, a successful millwork business that is anchored by the same principles that have held together their 50-year friendship: trust, integrity, and commitment.
“I trust Teddy with my life,” Tucker told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The best friends-turned-business partners have considered themselves brothers after connecting in primary school five decades ago. Their memory of meeting varies, with Tucker dating the first encounter back to kindergarten and Coleman insisting they met much earlier in Pre-K.
The two have cemented a friendship that has transcended time and space through their formative years, adulthood, and time behind bars—between them, 36 years combined were spent incarcerated. Like many of their peers from South Jamaica, neither Tucker nor Coleman made it through the 1980s and 1990s unscathed by the crack-cocaine epidemic, RICO laws, or the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines that grew from the targeted war on drugs in Black communities.
But how do two childhood friends from the Southside transition from the volatile streets of their youth to managing multimillion-dollar window installations across the New York metropolitan area? For Coleman, CEO, and “Tuck,” vice president, the answer lies in an unyielding partnership, rigorous discipline, and an ongoing commitment to community restoration through their firm.
Founded in 2016, the specialized glazing and commercial installation venture represents a profound evolution for the longtime business partners, who survived systemic adversity before establishing themselves within the Tri-State area’s construction landscape. Globally, fenestration is a $225.35 billion industry, according to Mordor Intelligence, projected to gross more than $278 billion by 2031.
Over the past decade, Level Windows & Doors has completed window, curtain wall, and glass installation projects across more than 100 buildings—ranging from a $16 million Manhattan development at 103rd Street and 2nd Avenue to specialized residential glazing on a historic $70 million townhouse on Bank Street.
“We did a lot of wrong together in our lifetime,” Coleman told BE regarding their shared history. “Now, we’re doing something positive, something that can take care of ourselves and building something where we can ride around New York City and show our children, our loved ones… ‘Hey, we did this building.'”
Operating as a 50/50 entity, the executives divide operational mandates according to individual skill set and specialization. “I cracked the whip in the streets, I cracked the whip with the workers,” Tucker explained, sharing how being a “lieutenant” back when he was a hustler both informs and prepared him for his role managing field mechanics, installation precision, and site accountability.
Coleman, meanwhile, handles back-office administration, blueprint takeoffs, project bidding, and corporate strategy. Coleman shared why Level is successful with the two of them at the helm.
“There’s no jealousy, no ego… ego ruins businesses,” Coleman added. “They might beat him by himself, or beat me by myself, but us two together, we can’t be stopped.”
By retaining complete internal oversight, the entrepreneurs navigate complex supply chain fluctuations, raw material tariffs, and stringent municipal compliance demands all on their own. Coleman stressed the necessity of this self-reliance: “When you outsource and give other people the keys to your car, you never learn how to drive the car.”
How Has Level Windows & Doors Mastered NYC Commercial Installation?
Level’s success stems from its technical versatility and reputation as expert structural remediation contractors. In an industry often plagued by subcontractor default and improper installation, the firm built its market share by stepping in to correct failed competitor installations. “We were great mediators,” Coleman recalled. “We come behind someone else that messed up a job, screwed it up, and we fix it.”
Whether routing and bending aluminum composite panels for complex rainscreen systems or erecting expansive multi-story glass window walls, the team leverages vocational mechanics learned during their formative technical training at Thomas Edison High School. “To read blueprints, it’s like second nature,” Tucker said, as he described how they approach custom fabrications. “We make it like we’re making a cake from scratch.”
By prioritizing direct developer relationships over traditional third-tier subcontracting, the company maintains control over installation timelines and quality assurance. “Our work speaks for itself,” Coleman emphasized, reflecting on how word-of-mouth recommendations among top developers fueled their portfolio across Manhattan and New Jersey.
What Drives the Firm’s Workforce Rehabilitation Mission?
For Coleman and Tucker, commercial profitability remains intrinsically linked to investing in local human capital. Drawing directly from their shared upbringing in South Jamaica, Queens, the founders utilize their commercial installation platform to disrupt cycles of urban disenfranchisement. “All the destruction that we did… now we have the opportunity to literally and figuratively build in the community,” Tucker reflected.
Beyond business, Level serves as an economic engine for social rehabilitation and reducing recidivism. For Tucker, this commitment speaks directly to personal redemption. “Some people come home
from jail and believe they paid their debt to society,” Tucker stated. “I believe that paying a debt to society begins once you come home… It’s ongoing, like, forever. It’s infinite.”Coleman and Tucker actively recruit at-risk youth and formerly incarcerated individuals, training entry-level laborers into skilled window mechanics capable of reading structural engineering plans.
“They came to us saying, ‘I don’t want to be in the streets no more, just give me a job,'” Tucker shared. “They started at the bottom as laborers, and we taught them everything… They were able to get a career and not have to look back.”
Rather than treating labor as a transactional commodity, Level provides sustainable trade careers, mentorship, and financial support during market downturns. During the coronavirus pandemic, the business faced challenges in securing Payroll Protection loans to stay afloat. The company was left with almost nothing due to institutional mishandling.
“They were supposed to give us something like $100,000,” Coleman recalled. “They gave us $10,000. And it was one of those take it or leave it at Bank of America. They apologized and said they did our application wrong, but there was no more funds available, and all they had was this little $10,000 left.”
Coleman continued: “We were paying guys … 60% – 70% of their salaries. Without working.”
Tucker And Coleman Stay The Course
Post-pandemic, like many construction and contracting businesses, Level experienced a market downturn due to inflation, tariffs, and supply chain issues, but Tucker and Coleman remain resilient and optimistic, continuing to build on their portfolio and pursue prospective projects.
“We come out here and put in 20-something years of hard work, getting up early every morning, creating jobs for people…” Tucker said.
Coleman and Tucker shared encouragement and parting advice with those looking to become entrepreneurs in the construction industry. Coleman stressed avoiding unnecessary debt and vanity expenses: “Don’t go out there getting credit cards and getting trucks under your LLC… you gotta build it up,” he told BE.
The longtime friends emphasized not just being skillful in the trade but learning the market before launching and understanding the industry inside and out, from blueprints to operational costs. Tucker, who manages more of the workflow, emphasized valuing labor and tradespeople, in that business ownership and honest labor hold equal value. “Everybody can’t be a boss. You need workers,” Tucker told BE. “There’s dignity in labor, there’s dignity in working a job.”
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