Reco Jefferson didn’t grow up with a lot of money, but he did grow up with a lot of curiosity. Born in Mississippi, he spent much of his early years taking things apart just to see how they worked.
“I was always reading, always trying to figure things out,” Reco says. “Especially anything about tech or engineering. I knew early on that knowledge could change my life.”
When he moved to Philadelphia during high school, Reco found a new home but faced even bigger challenges. Still, his focus stayed the same: learn, build, and improve.
The Fast Lane to Discipline
As a teenager, Reco’s love for cars grew fast. He spent hours working on cars, racing on tracks, and sometimes racing on the streets.
“It was fun. It gave me a rush,” he says. “But eventually I realized I needed more structure if I wanted a real future.”
That need for discipline led him to join the U.S. Air Force. His time in the military taught him focus, resilience, and leadership—skills that would later define his career.
“I learned how to stay focused under pressure,” Reco says. “The military taught me that small habits every day lead to bigger wins over time.”
After his service, Reco earned a degree from Penn State University. By then, he wasn’t just passionate about technology—he was building the skills to turn that passion into something bigger.
Starting with Code
Reco’s first professional job after college was as a software engineer. It suited him perfectly. Coding, solving problems, and building systems all came naturally.
“I liked the challenge,” he says. “It was a lot like working on cars, just with different tools.”
But even as he worked full-time, Reco never stopped dreaming. He spent his evenings and weekends experimenting with e-commerce. Building small online stores, learning Facebook Ads, and figuring out automation became his new side project.
“I didn’t have a grand plan,” Reco says. “I was just trying things, failing, learning, and trying again.”
The Birth of Roughnecks Ecom
Through trial and error, Reco realized something important: automation was the key to scaling an online business. If he could build systems that ran themselves, he could grow faster without burning out.
That insight led to Roughnecks Ecom, his own e-commerce company focused on using tech and automation to make online business easier.
“I didn’t start out thinking I’d be a CEO,” he says. “I just wanted to build something that worked better.”
Roughnecks Ecom began with Reco handling everything himself. As he built smarter systems, he was able to bring in help, scale operations, and expand.
“It wasn’t glamorous at first,” Reco admits. “But I was focused on building something that could last.”
Life Beyond Business
Even as his business grew, Reco never forgot his roots—or his passions. He still races cars with the Sports Car Club of America and follows Formula 1 religiously.
“Racing is technical and fast-paced,” he says. “A lot like running a business.”
He’s also a big fan of movies, especially horror and action films.
“There’s something about sitting back with a bucket of popcorn and just getting lost in a story,” he says.
In recent years, Reco’s also taken up traveling. But he doesn’t have a strict bucket list.
“I just pick a place that interests me and go,” he says. “It keeps things exciting.”
Giving Back
Living in Philadelphia has shaped Reco’s perspective on education and opportunity. He often volunteers to speak to local students and share what he’s learned.
“The school system here has a lot of challenges,” he says. “I want kids to know they can build something, even if they don’t have a perfect starting point.”
Reco’s long-term dream is to open a school focused on real-world skills like coding, business, and critical thinking.
“I didn’t have much growing up,” he says. “But I had access to knowledge. That made all the difference. I want to give that back.”
Lessons from the Journey
Reco Jefferson’s story isn’t about luck or overnight success. It’s about staying curious, working hard, and building something from the ground up.
“I never feel like I’ve made it,” he says. “There’s always more to learn, more to build, and more to give.”
From coding to commerce, from racing tracks to mentoring classrooms, Reco keeps moving forward—one small step, one smart system at a time.
Read more:
Building from Scratch: How Reco Jefferson Turned Curiosity into an E-Commerce Empire