Leigh Treco, 31

Leigh Treco is the youngest of six children, so outworking others isn’t a new concept.

Treco’s parents, classic entrepreneurs, also worked hard. Businesses they ran include an office furniture chain, a tax preparation franchise unit and a real estate firm. “You name it,” Treco says, “they owned it.”

One other thing Treco learned while growing up is a passion to help people. That upbringing cemented Treco’s desire to pursue a career in health care — where she can help run a business while she helps people. She does that at the Venice Village Family Chiropractic center. Her practice there specializes in spinal correction, which utilizes adjustments and spinal rehabilitation exercise to realign the vertebrae.

A native of Chicago Heights, Ill., Treco says the most important business lesson she’s learned is hard work and perseverance always pay off. In chiropractic care, beyond the medical side, most of that work takes place in marketing. “My job is all about education,” says Treco. “Sometimes people come in with a preconceived notion of what chiropractic is.”

— Mark Gordon

Q&A

Name: Leigh Treco

Age: 31

City of residence: Lakewood Ranch

Twitter handle: @drleightreco

Employer: Venice Village Family Chiropractic

Title: Chiropractor

Birthplace: Chicago Heights, Ill. 

Years on the Gulf Coast: 22

Marital status/children: Newlywed, Eric

Alma mater: Life University and Auburn University (War Eagle!)

Best place to network: through my patients and community-wide events

Coolest business experience: Being able to work with multiple community groups to educate them on the importance of proactive healthcare and how to care for your body with Chiropractic, nutrition, exercise and detoxification.

The most important business lesson I’ve learned: Hard work and perseverance pay off!

One website that makes your job easier: mercola.com or greenmedinfo.com

One community group you’re most involved with: Tidewell Hospice

Favorite off-hours activity: Boating with my husband

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: BJ Palmer (founder of Chiropractic) and the chef’s from MasterChef

What you would be doing if you could pick another career: Chef/food critic

Most adventurous thing you’ve ever done: Lived in rural China for 3.5 months

What’s at the top of your bucket list: Seeing Santorini, Greece (which I am doing next summer!) and then hiking to a waterfall in Costa Rica.

What new skill would you like to learn: another language

Who would play you in a movie about your life: Katherine Heigl, she’s down to earth and funny. 

If I had a magic wand I’d: Be Harry Potter and open the public’s eyes to the numerous health benefits of chiropractic care and change the misconceptions about my profession.