ABA Business Leaders

By Stephen & April SmithBusiness Entrepreneurship Science Social Sciences

ABA Business Leaders episodes

October 29Why ABA Businesses Struggle: Sean Daly on Profit, Staffing & Sustainable Care
What does it really take to run a sustainable ABA practice? Stephen and April Smith of 3 Pie Squared welcome Sean Daly for an honest conversation about the business realities that can challenge even dedicated behavior analysts.
Drawing on his experience building, downsizing and ultimately closing his ABA company, Sean discusses the gap between clinical expertise and business ownership. The conversation explores financial management, payroll, insurance delays, cancellations, staffing decisions, operational support and the pressure to accept every opportunity to help a family.
The episode also examines the role of AI in ABA, the potential and limitations of accreditation, staff training and turnover and how behavior analysis education can better prepare people for real world practice. Sean’s experience offers ABA business owners and aspiring founders’ practical questions to consider when building a practice that can sustain its team, its services and its mission.
In This Episode You’ll Learn
Why strong clinical skills do not automatically translate into strong ABA business management.
How wages, payroll taxes, cancellations, insurance delays and other costs can erode and ABA practice’s margins.
Why revenue, profit and cash flow need to be understood separately.
How a clear business plan can help owners avoid growing beyond their operational capacity.
Why ABA owners may need business minded partners and dedicated operational support.
How emotional pressure and the desire to help every family can complicate staffing and case acceptance decisions.
Why defining service boundaries can protect both clinical quality and business sustainability.
How AI may support documentation and thinking without replacing clinical judgment.
Questions to ask about ABA accreditation, including its cost, purpose and effect on everyday practice.
Why staff training, retention and leadership are connected to the sustainability of an ABA company.
How behavior analysis education can better prepare future professionals for practical work, communication and advocacy.
Why choosing to close or not start a company can sometimes be a thoughtful and responsible decision.
Resources
Business Essentials List
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
Have a Question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330 1432. Share Your Questions, Stories and ABA Business Challenges for Discussion on the Podcast.
1 hr 34 min
October 22 Scruffy, Shoulds and Mighty Mouse: Executive Functioning and Self-Awareness for ABA Leaders
Why can’t I just be consistent? Stephen and April Smith talk with Nicole Skotz, M.S., BCBA and ADHD coach, about executive functioning, capacity and self-awareness for ABA business leaders.
Nicole shares ACT tools leaders can use on themselves, from treating “should” as a cue to naming your inner critic. The conversation also covers why the BCBA fixer instinct makes delegation hard, what Stephen calls Mighty Mouse syndrome, and how to rethink loaded words like productivity.
In this episode, you’ll learn
Why executive functioning struggles show up with or without an ADHD diagnosis
How to use “should” as a cue that you want something to be different
A defusion exercise: naming your inner critic
How Nicole reframes acceptance as willingness
Simple body check-ins, the How We Feel app and a joy journal
Why a BCBA’s training to fix deficits makes delegating hard
“Mighty Mouse syndrome” and the pull to do it all yourself
Why planning counts as part of the work
Connect with Nicole
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-skotz-ms-bcba-841487121/
Momentum ADHD Coaching
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources
Business Essentials List:
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
ABA Business Leaders Support Group:
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen:
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment:
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide:
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs:
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 25 min
October 15 From Burnout to Action: Applying Behavior Analysis to Ourselves and Our Organizations
Dr. Becca Tag returns to the ABA Business Leaders Podcast for Part 2 of a conversation that began with burnout, self-care, systemic challenges, and the realities facing ABA clinicians and leaders. This time, April, Stephen, and Becca focus on the question left open after the first discussion: what do we do with that understanding?
The conversation explores why there is no universal “easy button” for complex human problems, why leaders need to keep updating their understanding of themselves and the people around them, and how behavior analysts can apply the same curiosity and contextual thinking they use clinically to leadership and organizational systems.
Becca also discusses interoception, nervous system regulation, self-worth, feedback, power differences, and the importance of understanding the patterns that shape our own behavior. For ABA business owners, the episode is a reminder that sustainable change starts with accurate information, curiosity, and a willingness to update the model when the context changes.
In this Episode, You'll Learn
· Why Part 2 shifts the conversation from naming burnout and systemic challenges toward action
· Why no outside expert can understand another person’s experience better than that person
· How leaders can treat understanding as an ongoing process rather than something they finish
· Why expecting an organization to change overnight can create additional pressure
· How interoception and nervous system differences can affect the way people notice their own needs
· Why leaders may become less patient, flexible, or responsive when their own capacity is depleted
· How power differences change the responsibility leaders have when giving advice, feedback, or direction
· Why self-worth should not depend on credentials, productivity, compensation, or professional status
· How case conceptualization can be applied to ourselves before trying to change our own behavior
· Why accurate information and trustworthy feedback can create a stronger sense of safety
· How leaders can use curiosity to identify breakdowns in policies, training, supervision, and organizational systems
· Why ABA professionals need to learn the process of behavior analysis, not simply how to follow a protocol
Have Questions for April and Stephen? Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources and Links
Business Essentials List: https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
ABA Business Leaders Support Group: https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen: https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment: https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide: https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs: https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
Podcast Production
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio. Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand? https://www.mkmaudio.com/contact
1 hr 34 min
October 08You'll Never Train Staff The Old Way Again
How can ABA business owners give employees a clear path to grow while making training and pay decisions more consistent? Stephen and April Smith of 3 Pie Squared welcome Mallory to introduce their ABA training platform and explain the thinking behind its growth path system.
Mallory has helped develop the platform's training structure and shares how employees can continue learning within their roles. The conversation covers branches, stages, badges, and individual skills, along with competency checks that help supervisors see what a staff member has mastered and where support is needed.
For ABA owners balancing clinical responsibilities, staffing, and financial decisions, the discussion offers a practical way to connect expectations, development, and compensation. Stephen and April also explain which parts of the system are free and how feedback from users will guide future improvements.
In This Episode Youll Learn
Why staff need ongoing development and a visible future within an ABA practice
How growth paths organize roles, career stages, badges, and individual skills
How BTs can develop within their current role and explore other career directions
How skill requirements clarify required training, certifications, and completion expectations
How supervisors can assign specific skills and track demonstrated competency
How tagging can connect staff development to the skills needed for particular clients
How course participation and completed badges make progress easier to see
How growth paths can support more structured comparisons of job candidates
How skill acquisition can be linked to pay increases with company-defined controls
Why subjective performance ratings can create inconsistent feedback
How company values can guide training and employee development decisions
What is included in the free system and why some courses have separate costs
Resources
Business Essentials List
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
Have a question for Stephen and April
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432. Share your questions, stories, and ABA business challenges for discussion on the podcast.
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio.
Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand? Contact MKM Audio.
43 min
October 01Building an ABA Business Around Values, Quality, and the People Doing the Work
The podswap with ABA on Tap continues. In Part 2, Stephen and April welcome ABA on Tap hosts Mike Rubio, BCBA, and Dan Lowery, BCBA, to the ABA Business Leaders Podcast after Stephen and April joined them for Part 1 the previous week.
The conversation picks up with Stephen’s “vision test” and a practical question: does a company’s mission statement describe how the organization operates, or is it simply language on a page? The group discusses how values show up through decisions about billable hours, training, staff support, compensation, profitability, and growth.
They also examine the limits of financial KPIs, the need for clinical and quality measures, RBT training and turnover, the difficulty of moving BCBAs into leadership roles without leadership preparation, and the importance of listening to the people delivering services every day.
Mike and Dan also reflect on building Ascend Behavioral Solutions and the role 3 Pie Squared’s resources played as they developed their own company.
In This Episode, You'll Learn
How Stephen’s “vision test” can help owners evaluate whether a mission or vision has meaning inside the business
How to evaluate whether your mission and vision truly guide the business
Why employee experience often reveals company values better than a mission statement
How generic AI-generated plans can miss the owner’s deeper thinking
Why profitability matters without becoming the only measure of success
How financial, clinical, and quality KPIs can work together
Why RBT training, support, compensation, and turnover are connected
How leadership roles can pull experienced BCBAs away from clinical work
Why ABA owners need both clinical judgment and business knowledge
How listening to RBTs can uncover issues leadership may miss
Why asking “Why are we doing this?” can help businesses get back on track
Continue the Podswap This is Part 2 of the conversation. Listen to Part 1 on ABA on Tap.
Have a Question? Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
Podcast Production
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio. Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand? Get in touch with MKM Audio.
58 min
September 17What Does Quality ABA Really Look Like? Building Better Systems with Jumpstart Autism
Welcome back to the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, brought to you by 3 Pie Squared.
In this episode, Stephen and April Smith are joined by Brian Lopez and Kara Batson of Jumpstart Autism Collective for a practical conversation about what quality really means in ABA services and how business owners can build systems that support it.
Brian, Director of Psychological Services and Research, shares how Jumpstart evolved from a sole-provider practice into a more structured organization. Kara, Director of Professional Development, explains how that same commitment to continuous improvement shaped the company's training, internship, feedback, and quality-assurance systems.
The conversation explores why quality is never a finished product. From setting a clear vision and building repeatable systems to creating a culture of candid feedback, measuring clinician competency, narrowing the populations you serve, and learning when to step out of the way as an owner, the team shares lessons developed through years of iteration.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How to turn vision into clinical and operational systems
Why failure, measurement, and iteration drive quality improvement
How interdisciplinary consultation supports complex learners and clinicians
How values and feedback shape company culture
How to identify systems vs. training issues
How Jumpstart built a structured BCBA internship
Why a focused client population can improve quality and training
How owners can build trust, delegate, and step out of daily decisions
Why self-assessment and humility matter in leadership
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Podcast Production
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio.
Get in touch with MKM Audio https://www.mkmaudio.com/contact?utm_source=chatgpt.com
48 min
September 10 The Only Practice Management System You'll Ever Need
Welcome back to the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, brought to you by 3 Pie Squared.
In this episode, Stephen and April Smith are joined by Taylor Beagle, BCBA and Director of Product Experience at 3 Pie Squared, to officially introduce 3 Pie Squared's new ABA practice management software.
Built from the ground up with input from BCBAs and people who have worked inside ABA practices, the platform is designed around the real operational and clinical challenges ABA business owners, and their teams face every day.
Taylor brings 10 years of ABA experience to the product, having worked his way from RBT through roles including trainer, BCBA, assistant director, and clinical director. In this conversation, he joins Stephen and April to explain how that experience helped shape a platform built specifically for the needs of ABA providers.
From managing your waitlist and client intake to scheduling, billing, data collection, documentation, parent communication, staff permissions, and training, the episode explores how 3 Pie Squared is bringing the systems needed to run an ABA practice together in one place.
In this episode, you'll learn:
-Why 3 Pie Squared decided to build its own ABA practice management software
-How Taylor's experience from RBT to clinical director influenced the platform
-Why building the software with direct input from BCBAs matters
-How the platform helps organize waitlists and streamline client intake
-How centralized, HIPAA-compliant messaging can improve communication with families and staff
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Have a question, a story to share, or a recruiting nightmare you'd like Stephen and April to discuss on the podcast? Give them a call.
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Podcast Production
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio.
Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand?
Get in touch with MKM Audio
https://www.mkmaudio.com/contact?utm_source=chatgpt.com
56 min
September 03Hiring the Right People: Building a Stronger ABA Team with Joseph Bolden
Welcome back to the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, brought to you by 3 Pie Squared.
In this episode, Stephen and April sit down with Joseph Bolden, Head of Recruiting at 3 Pie Squared, to take a deep dive into one of the biggest challenges facing ABA business owners: finding, hiring, and retaining the right people.
The wrong hire can create operational problems, impact your existing team, increase turnover, and ultimately affect the families you serve. On the other hand, taking the time to identify the right person and build a strong hiring process can create a healthier culture and give owners more room to grow.
Stephen, April, and Joseph discuss everything from writing better job descriptions and using platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn to understanding what candidates want from their next opportunity.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why hiring for an ABA company requires more than simply checking someone's credentials
How Joseph's background in ABA operations shaped his approach to recruiting
Why the needs of a startup can be very different from those of an established ABA practice
The importance of understanding company culture before hiring
Why a strong clinical background doesn't necessarily mean someone is ready to lead a team
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Have a question, a story to share, or a recruiting nightmare you'd like Stephen and April to discuss on the podcast? Give them a call.
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Podcast Production
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio.
Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand?
Get in touch with MKM Audio
https://www.mkmaudio.com/contact?utm_source=chatgpt.com
1 hr 6 min
August 27The Joy of Running an ABA Business: Finding Meaning in the Day-to-Day
Running an ABA business can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be demanding. Between operational challenges, leadership responsibilities, staffing, and the constant needs of the people you serve, it can be easy to lose sight of what made you want to do this work in the first place.
In our final episode of National Wellness Month, April and Stephen explore what it means to rediscover and protect the joy of running an ABA business. They talk openly about the ways stress and routine can take over, and how intentional practices can help business owners reconnect with their purpose.
April and Stephen share personal experiences, mindset shifts, and practical strategies for finding more meaning in the everyday moments of business ownership. From paying attention to your energy and tracking what brings you joy to practicing mindfulness and gratitude, this conversation offers a reminder that building a successful ABA business doesn't have to mean losing the enjoyment that comes with it.
🔑 Key Topics & Insights
Why joy can get lost in the day-to-day demands of running an ABA business
How to reconnect with your purpose and remember your "why"
Why joy doesn't always happen naturally and how to intentionally create space for it
April's approach to tracking joy and identifying what brings energy into your life
Stephen's perspective on finding meaning in the mundane parts of business ownership
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
The Essential List for a Successful Business
ABA Business Leaders Support Group
Join the ABA Business Leaders Support Group
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
Schedule a consultation with Stephen
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
Take the Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
Get the ABA Billing Tips Guide
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
Learn More About ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio.
Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand?
Get in touch with MKM Audio
46 min
August 20 National Wellness Month: Building Better Workplaces in ABA
As part of National Wellness month, we’re re-airing some classic older episodes which look at Mental Health, Burnout and more. In one of our most insightful episodes to date, we welcomed Chris, Liz, and Rebecca from AByay! to the ABA Business Leaders Podcast to talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: the real, day-to-day experience of being a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) in the ABA field.
RBTs are often the unsung heroes of ABA. They’re the ones in homes, schools, and clinics, putting in the time, building the relationships, and helping clients make meaningful progress. And yet, they’re frequently left out of bigger-picture conversations, under-supported, and emotionally drained.
What Advocacy Looks Like for RBTs: What does it mean for an RBT to speak up in a field where power dynamics can be steep? The AByay! team shared strategies for setting boundaries, asking for feedback, and pushing for the support RBTs deserve without burning bridges or burning out.
The Role of Joy and Preferred Stimuli: April touched on how this is often overlooked, but also an important part of practice. Even though this varies from tech to tech, Rebecca shared helpful insight on how to motivate engagement.
The Emotional Weight of RBT Work: This episode dives into how RBTs can sustain themselves emotionally and how businesses can stop treating RBT turnover as a part of the process.
🎧 Final Thoughts
If you're an RBT: this episode is your permission to take up space and advocate for your needs. If you're a BCBA or business owner: this is your call to examine your systems, your culture, and your leadership style.
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
ABA Business Leaders Support Group:
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
Schedule a consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
This podcast was produced by Max McLellan of MKM Audio
Want to start or grow a podcast for your business or brand? Reach out here: https://www.mkmaudio.com/contact
49 min

About ABA Business Leaders

From the publisher's feed

You started an ABA practice because you wanted to provide good services. Now you are also responsible for hiring, payroll, billing, training, supervision, policies, and making sure there is enough…

money to keep it all going. Somewhere in there you are supposed to have a life too.

We get it. We ran an ABA practice for nearly 10 years, and we know what it feels like when the business depends on you to hold everything together.

ABA Business Leaders is hosted by April and Stephen Smith, the owners of 3 Pie Squared. We talk about the practical work of starting, running, and growing an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) practice. That includes the decisions that affect your staff, your families, your finances, and the quality of the services you provide.

Some problems look simple until you start looking at where they came from. A billing issue may have started at intake. A staff performance issue may come back to unclear expectations or training that never included a competency check. A full schedule can look great while the company is struggling to make payroll. These are the kinds of things we talk through.

Along with our guests, we share experiences, ask questions, and discuss what owners and leaders can do to build better systems. You’ll hear conversations about:

Starting an ABA practice: Planning, startup costs, credentialing, choosing funders, and building the foundation before taking on more than you can support.
Hiring and supporting staff: Recruiting, onboarding, training, supervision, feedback, accountability, and helping people understand what is expected of them.
Billing and financial health: Claims, denials, cash flow, funder rates, expenses, and understanding whether the services you provide are financially sustainable.
Quality and ethics: Looking beyond billables to consider treatment quality, staff support, family communication, and the pressures that influence everyday decisions.
Policies, compliance, and audit preparation: Turning requirements into processes people can follow and keeping documentation from becoming something you scramble to fix later.
Leadership and growth: Delegating, tracking useful measures, developing leaders, and getting information out of the owner’s head so the team can do its work.
Technology and practice management: Making scheduling, documentation, communication, training, and billing easier to manage without creating more work for everyone.

We also talk about the strain of ownership. It is difficult to support your team when you are burned out, making every decision, and fixing the same problems every week. Hiring more people or adding more clients does not automatically fix that. You need to understand what is breaking down and build systems that your team can actually use.

Whether you are preparing to open your doors, managing an established practice, or leading a team, our goal is to give you something useful to think about and bring back to your company. We want more ABA businesses that can provide quality care, support their staff, pay their bills, and keep doing that over time.

Learn more about our training, handbooks, consulting, credentialing, billing services, and practice management software at 3piesquared.com.